Ringing in the New Year

Well it took my a bit longer than I would've liked (you can thank food poisoning for that), but here is our first update of the NEW YEAR!
The three of us headed on down to Bend to finish off the 2009 Holiday Season and celebrate Mimi's 50th Birthday. What a trip it was!

Lennon got to experience her very first snow. The long 3 hour car trip to Bend certainly built enough pent-up energy. As soon as we opened the truck door and unbuckled her car seat she was off and running into Gamma and Papa's frosted lawn. If Josh and I had known better we would have given her the all-important "Yellow and Brown Snow Lesson", because the first thing she did was promptly gather snow and shove it into her mouth. Here's hoping she caught some good mountain antibodies to get us through the rest of this cold/flu season. Unfortunately, that was her only experience with snow this trip. The next morning it had all but melted away and by our third day in Bend the snow was completely gone. Good thing we made the trek to Target for a snow bib and snow proof mittens...
After unpacking and unloading the truck at Gamma and Papa's house we hurried off to open presents at Mimi and Baba's house before the big birthday bash. Lennon made sure to pack appropriate party clothing--as you can see she chose to wear her orange tu-tu. Lennon could hardly believe Santa remembered to bring her gifts at Mimi and Baba's house (he sure over did it this year!). Every gift was ripped open with a "Yay!" or "Awesome!" and then celebrated with a dance. Thanks to all the little elves who made her 3rd Christmas
gift opening a memorable one! I don't know how we got the truck packed up so well.

Lennon then wiggled and giggled the night away at Mimi's Birthday Party. I think Mimi's guests really got a kick out of seeing our little munchkin order the big kids around while toting her new "baby" Reese. I have to give a huge thank you to Gabby Foote, a second grade party go-er, who took on the daunting task of babysitting our little Beastie, so Josh and I could try to have some adult social time. She did a fabulous job and is welcome at our house anytime!

The three of us partied our pants off till 10:30pm!!

Christmas Light Tour

This year we thought it would be fun to start (and in some of the other family member's cases, renew) the Christmas tradition of touring the Keizer Christmas lights. There is a particular neighborhood in Keizer, Oregon that likes to fanatically decorate their homes with Christmas lights, decorations and all sorts of holiday paraphernalia. They have been holding this neighborhood tradition for many years, even when Josh, Angela and Michelle were young. You are encouraged to bring a donation for the Marion/Polk County Food Share if you participate and you may drive through the displays or walk.
Well the entire Sweet-Volkert clan could hardly wait to experience the fun and adventure of watching the Christmas light displays and picking out our favorites among the houses. For the first time ever the entire Sweet clan came over to our house for dinner, along with the Volkerts and some visiting Sweet cousins of Grandpa's from Idaho, before heading out to the light show. Thank goodness we love family chaos since our house was buzzing with kids and lacking a fair amount of seats. Next year I hope to be better prepared. But all was well as we ate Josh's homemade French Dip sandwiches. Lennon was ever the gracious hostess and barely threw a fuss having to share her toys and her Grandma with all the other children.
After dinner we corralled all the kids and packed into 3 different vehicles to make our way to Keizer. It is no small feat getting our entire family packed, prepared and out of a house on time. As we neared Keizer the traffic was bumper to bumper, everyone inching to get to the lighted neighborhood. It seems that most people enjoy driving through the display, rather than walk.
The Sweet-Volkert clans are always up for an adventure, so walking was for us! We parked the cars, squeezed the little gals into their snowsuits, jackets and strollers. Clutching our cameras we braved the chill and walked on to the neighborhood. What did we find when we got there???? NADA!
Maybe it was the long line of cars headed in, the local hype or the childhood memories that buffeted our excitement of something stupendous, but when we got to this "neighborhood of lights" there wasn't much. A few houses here and there were smattered with lights and decorations, nothing out of the norm that you would see across your own front lawn. I will give credit to the handful of houses that did go all out and decorate. But a handful of houses in an entire neighborhood known for it's fantastic light displays? Come on! What a let down.

Luckily the girls and most of the other kids hardly noticed. They were having more fun chasing each other around the neighborhood and talking to one another while riding side by side in their strollers. I will say it was nice to be able to donate something to the
Food Share for Christmas and having Lennon meet Santa in a non-threatening way. Santa was standing at the end of the neighborhood collecting the donations and greeting all the children. Lennon seemed much more at ease visiting him with Daddy and in the safety of her stroller.
All in all the lights were a bust, but the night was not. The night was not too cold, unlike last year when we braved the freezing temperatures to see ZOOLights, which was a blessing. We got to spend time with family, which is always fun, make memories and get some good exercise---which was also very much needed due to the over abundance of sugary treats! Lennon and Addison were too cute riding along in their strollers and interacting with each other (also in the safety of their strollers). Seeing them together is always worth a trip or get together.
Next year I think this tradition will continue regardless of the lack of lights. But we will be better prepared at the house with more food and seating, we will remember to bring the hot chocolate along with us and we will convince the Campbells to brave the show with us. For they were missed!

Merry Tismas!

As Lennon would say: "Merry Tismas!" So these next few posts are from the whole of December and Christmas...so far. Better late than never, eh? Hopefully after our 2nd Christmas in Bend I will be able to post more frequently and on time! My sincere apologies for those of you who have had to wait for your current Lennon fix.

If you are looking for pictures of Lennon's first visit to see Santa, you'll be waiting a very long time. I didn't listen to Josh's warnings and I took Lennon to see Santa at the Salem Center. There is evidence of her having met him, however she was using her Vulcan-like death grip around my neck so I was unable to take any photos, but I believe Auntie Michelle or Grandma Sweet may have one. You'd think a gal of her bravado would not object to meeting the big man in red. Oh how wrong to assume...

All day leading up to the big meeting she was very excited, shrieking "Ho, Ho" and "Happy Nu-Nu!" When we met up with Grandma Sweet, Auntie Renee, Uncle Cody, Auntie Michelle and Addy she was still all excitement and energy. As we neared "Santa's Village" still wiggles and giggles. Finally, it was our turn to greet the magic man. What does Lennon do? Climb my body like a spider monkey and Kung-fu grip my neck, refusing to let go or go near him.

I tried not to let my impulse to make a memory and take a properly posed Santa picture cloud my motherly judgement, where I force my child to sit on a strange man's lap while she screams bloody murder. My better instincts prevailed and I followed Lennon's lead. While she clung to my body we approached Santa, waved hello, gave him a suspicious once over and left. Better luck next year.