As has been the case for everything lately, our Christmas was altered by the pandemic. Obviously, with the border closed (and my parents in Italy) we weren't driving to visit anyone in Oregon, and we decided it was also best to keep our physical distance from Kyler's family...
...especially after Craig's class all got sent home to quarantine until Christmas Eve due to 3 cases in his class.
Still, we were going to make the best of it, including going to go swimming at WEM (after quarantine was over). Oh warm waves, how I've missed you. Of course, this plan had to get scrapped - after we'd already bought the tickets - when the province shut down all pools, gyms, rec centres, indoor dining, etc.
Oh well. Instead we celebrated Craig getting out of isolation by going sledding
and playing on the playground.
Not quite as exciting as water slides and wave pools, but still fun.
Another way Christmas was different was in the kiddos' Christmas concerts. Obviously with all the restrictions, a traditional concert with everyone packed into the gym wasn't going to cut it. But with a lot of hard work from the teachers, the kids all had virtual concerts. Craig had to do even the recordings from home,
and Caleb got to wander aimlessly while his teachers tried to herd him like the sheep he was dressed up as.
But there was also plenty of traditional fun to be had this Christmas. The kids excitedly put ornaments on the tree,
including Caleb putting the star on top, with lots of help from Daddy.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
I made the kiddos get all dressed up for Christmas Sunday, even if our worship services were going to be online and in our home.
And don't they look amazing?
And silly.
Always silly.
We made a gingerbread house,
and then I let them destroy and eat it the next day.
Why not? We got pictures at least, and the longer it sits, the grosser it gets.
We participated in a virtual Rasmussen Family get-together and talent show.
Calista and Kyler played piano,
And Craig used magic and science to cause a volcano to erupt!
It's science!
We got to go see Christmas lights, in keeping with tradition.
The boys fell asleep in the car on the way there, but we got them to wake up and everyone enjoyed looking at the lights.
Once the kids were out of school, we played a lot of board games.
I tried to keep our deals in Monopoly fair - I told Calista she should make me pay her more than $100 for a property that would complete my set, for example - but I also showed no mercy.
Kiddos gotta learn to lose, and who better to teach them than me?
And, of course, it's not a traditional Christmas without presents. We had plenty of those,
and someone to watch over them, too.
The morning started with Caleb asking if it was Christmas and if Baby Jesus had been born yet, as he had asked nearly every morning for at least a week. After I told him that it was indeed Christmas, everyone excitedly started into stockings,
full of socks and chocolate.
And then the real fun began.
The kids were all super excited about their toys, books, and games.
All in all, a pretty happy Christmas morning.
Although they did ask me several times the next week, "what DID I get for Christmas? I have nothing to play with!" Sigh.
They did play with their things, FYI.
Doing Science!
It actually worked this time!
When I mentioned offhandedly a week or so before Christmas that I wouldn't have any presents to open on Christmas - Kyler and I picked out and ordered my present, but it wouldn't arrive on time - the kiddos went to work, making letters, coupons,
and a Packet of Good Things to make me happy.
They're the sweetest (sometimes).
We also kept with Christmas tradition and had cinnamon ring roll for breakfast, and make your own pizzas for dinner. (Not pictured. Sorry.)
Our holiday celebrations concluded with a Disney Princess movie marathon and a New Year's Day walk around a frozen lake, quite near sunset.
As in, we left the park at 4:25. Sunset, like I said.
While it would have been nice to be with family, we enjoyed our time together. Merry Christmas to all!
In preparation for Halloween, I bought a watermelon. Because that's what you do. Caleb saw it and got really excited, but then begged to buy a pumpkin, too. So... he and I went to the store and bought a pumpkin, too.
Craig took over the watermelon, and Calista and Caleb worked on the pumpkin.
Craig did great, hollowing out the pumpkin nearly all by himself.
Calista and Caleb went to work on the pumpkin,
Though we quickly decided Caleb was a little too free with the knife and relegated him to eating watermelon.
Calista discovered that she had never gutted a pumpkin before
And she, surprisingly, loved the feel of the seeds and muck in her fingers.
After it was cleaned out, we got out the drill and let Calista go to town.
She loved using the drill, too. I think it made her feel powerful.
The finished products were pretty awesome.
Especially all lit up.
And Calista and Craig were both pretty proud of their creations.
As for costumes, Caleb went back and forth a bit before finding an owl costume in our costume box.
He fell in love with it, and decided that's what he wanted to be for Halloween.
When we went to Boo at the Zoo, we got a picture of Caleb with the snowy owl.
He loved it.
Craig informed me he wanted to be a pumpkin for Halloween. Why?
I don't know.
At first I thought I'd have to make one, because I had no idea where to find a pumpkin costume that fits a 7-year-old.
But, to my surprise and Craig's delight, I found one at the thrift store!
Complete with a jack o' lantern face. How perfect.
Calista was Elsa for Halloween, which has been a long time coming.
The August Calista was 4, she decided what she wanted to be for Halloween... for the next 6 years. I might have laughed at the time, but here we are: Year 6.
Her list is now complete. Never doubt a Calista when she makes plans.
My kids were all excited for their costumes,
and I was pretty happy to have only spent about $20 on all three.
As previously mentioned, on Halloween itself we first went to Boo at the Zoo.
It was cold but not horrible, so we had a good time.
The white handed gibbon put on an especially good show,
And it was nice to get out of the house and do something as a family.
Kyler and Jeanette got married on the 25th of August 2007, after knowing each other for four years and being each other's rebound date. It's a healthy relationship.
