Christmas

You know those times when suddenly it gets extra quiet, or you realize that you haven't seen a certain kid in a while? I don't know that I've ever been this tired, but Samson was constantly extra tired through the fall, falling asleep in random places.

Christmas Eve Sunday, we had full sun and snow at the same time, so the fluffy flakes were glittering as they fluttered through the air. It was the strangest weather I've ever experienced. 

Christmas morning, all those snowflakes were perfectly frozen on the roof, most of them intact.

Just a few pictures of Christmas because I'm not big into taking pictures of people with presents.

We gave Samson a bag of Costco popcorn. He's an addict.

Dancy really wanted this 18" doll from Walmart because she's "so beautiful!" Dancy named her Strawberry and her nickname is Orange.

Katie gave Thora a Moana doll. Because Moana is still the best (and better than Frozen!).

When you're a one-year-old and you get mad at the people you live with. Look familiar, Mom and Lori?

After spending our Christmas morning at home, we drove up to Denver to Dan and Tabitha's house for a family taco dinner. We got to see Jimmy for a few minutes when he stopped by after picking up his roommate at the airport. Then they drove back to Kansas. We spent a couple days up with family, then went to visit a friend of Ruth's who said he was interested in looking over Make a Killing and offering suggestions for us to take it forward to production. We had a really good game session with him and then it was so late when we were done, we just picked up some food to go for our drive home. Samson fell asleep during the meal. 

We've been trying to go to the zoo every month and my sister Lisa gave us zoo activities (sky ride addition to our membership, and animal feed experiences) for Christmas, and since Shad had almost two full weeks off work for the holidays, we took a warm day after Christmas, and so did everyone else. The zoo was packed! More so than any other time we've gone, even on a warmer weekend.

This time we started by driving up the mountain to see the Will Rogers Shrine.

{Samson, Shad, Thora, Dancy, Tommy, Katie}

{Thora, Shad, Samson, Dancy, Katie, Tommy}

Views forever.

The clock chimes every hour, though it's been replaced with a digital speaker system.

Shad brought the binoculars and everyone had fun taking turns.

Lots of winding switchbacks to get to the top!

You can go inside the shrine.

This is the top level you can go to, the flag pole level.

{Katie, Thora, Tommy, Samson, Shad, Dancy}

The caretaker took a picture for us.

{Samson, Megan, Shad and Thora; Dancy, Katie, Tommy}

{Samson, Megan, Shad and Thora; Dancy, Katie, Tommy}

When we got down to the zoo, we were entertained by this giraffe licking the post. Over and over and over.

Dancy dressed to match her favorite animal, which we like to pronounce "zehbra" because that's how they do in Africa and it's their animal. Trevor Noah made a very convincing argument for it, even reminding us Americans that we do just fine saying Debra.

First time on the Sky Ride!

Samson was not happy to be going on this thing. I had to force him to bend to sit on my lap. But once it got going, he would not stop talking about the Sky Ride and he's a regular pro at this new favorite experience.

At the top of the Sky Ride, we found a Mongolian yurt, a play area, a bathroom, and a round rock wall room.

After the fun of riding back down to the zoo, we visited the goats. I say 'we,' but that's only half of us; I take Thora, Samson, and Katie in while Shad takes Tommy and Dancy elsewhere. Thora has named this goat Ella. And she loves her buddy goat Ella so much. The goat's real name is something cheese-related, but to Thora she is Ella.

Tommy got Samson a lightsaber for Christmas. So we have a Jedi in the house. I like this lightsaber a lot more than the collapsible ones.

Georgetown in December

Since we've been going to the Home Depot monthly workshops, Katie has developed an interest in building. She was so thrilled to find this pink toolkit at Lowe's before Christmas. Unfortunately, it wasn't there when Shad went back, so we found an alternative on Amazon.

December Home Depot workshop: gingerbread houses!

We let those be our only gingerbread houses this year. The workshop was so full, Tommy, Samson and I sat on the floor elsewhere to build our projects. Must've been because Santa was there.

Samson and Thora never have any interest in the rest of the workshop experience. Don't take my picture. Don't inspect my project. Don't tell me I did a good job. Don't give me a pin to prove it.

{Tommy, Dancy, Katie, Santa}

Shad and Katie found some new storage at the thrift store...

And this is how it fit in the car to drive home.

At one point early in the month, I reached a limit with Thora and her toddlerness. A sobbing-identity-crisis-motherhood limit. I made arrangements with my mom for her to watch the kids overnight. I was going to visit my friend Nikki in Boulder, but she had to cancel on me due to work overload. My plan B was to hang out in Denver and start photographing the headstones at Fairmount Cemetery, but it was 32 degrees and windy. Plan C was to go to the Molly Brown House, but it was closed that day. So I went to Georgetown instead. The hotel was an interesting mix of updated rustic...

...and not updated rustic. The room had a very nice slightly-chilly-cabin feel to it. It was the soothing solitude I needed.

I drove around town soaking in the colorful Georgetown charm,

walked around the shops,

and enjoyed reading all night until I was tired. I almost finished my book.

Driving home, this scene was in my rearview mirror, so I turned around for a shot before going to get my kids and take them to the Nature and Science museum with my mom.

Later at home, Tommy and Shad built a Lego Nativity which we kept on display the whole month.

Samson continued wanting ponytails most mornings when his sisters were getting their hair fixed, and Katie was always happy to oblige.