Random Happenings

And before the close of this year, I wanted to post any other randomness that I had not taken time to share with you.  So, here goes….

1) Landen came to visit for multiple Fridays.  I should say Landen and Cale, but Cale and Madison were gone at school most of the day, so there was a lot of just Landen and Ellie time.  The first Friday he was here, it was beautiful.  He brought his scooter with him.  He scootered, Ellie triked, and I walked to MCC Connections (from Quince).  On the way, we stopped by to buy stamps at the post office and drop off cards that came to Arlene’s old address (aka, our house).  We visited Grandpa at coffee corner and found some trinkets to buy.  On the way home, we went to Lehman’s.  This used to be a frequent experience for us, but since we moved farther away, it is more of a treat.  They really enjoyed looking at the train here.  They would run back and forth trying to beat it to the look out window.  It was fun to watch.  When Cale and Madison got off the bus that day, we played kickball, basketball, and frisbee until the sun went down.  It was a good day.  The next Friday, it was not as nice out, so we drove to the post office to mail letters after they stamped them and then to see Grandpa at MCC.

           

2) Ellie got make-up for Christmas.  She has no idea how to apply it.  It gets a little out of control.  She and Madison just gave in this last time and became “evil cats.” Their description, not mine.

    

First LOST Tooth

Well, this is one post that was lost in the busyness of life.  But I wanted to at least get it posted before the new year. 

Madison LOST her first tooth on December 12.  Shortly before Thanksgiving, she and Ellie had stayed at my parents’ house.  Madison woke mom in the middle of the night to let her know that her teeth – both front bottom ones – were loose!  Just like that.  And loose they were.  She was pretty nervous about what it would be like and what to expect.  I think she was really scared it would hurt bad and that she would swallow it acccidentally. 

So, it sat loose over the course of the next few weeks.  Finally, on December 12, she and Ellie were running around the house playing.  They were diving onto the giant bear in Ellie’s room.  I was cleaning up from cutting out the Christmas cookies.  All of a sudden, Madison runs in and yells, “I lost my tooth!  I lost my tooth!”  I asked her where it was.  She got a confused look on her face; she had no clue.  She said she had dove on the bear and then felt something different, so she went to look in the bathroom mirror, and her tooth was gone. 

We proceeded to look around the scene of the incident.  Sure enough.  There in the white fur of the big white bear, we found her tiny white tooth!  It was amazing. 

    

Madison was so excited and wanted to call everyone right away.  So, we did. 

She put it under her pillow that night.  The tooth fairy brought her $1 and a very nice letter about how she is proud of how Madison takes care of her teeth.  It was a good day for her.

Christmas #4

And the last one… The Bricker Christmas (Jeremy’s extended family).  This Christmas is a lot of hanging out and noise and laughter and food.  Not much different from the other ones now that I think about it, just an older group of people – the girls and Theo are the only kids.  The girls main role is to be little elves and pass out the gifts.  I think this is a neat tradition.  It helps them continue to put faces to names, and they feel really important – because they are … we are all to old to get up and down to pass out gifts!

    

After gift opening it is time to play.  Usually someone has brought or received a game that needs tried out.  Besides a rocking rabbit suit….

This year the game was Pie Face.  It was, I noticed on Facebook, all the rage among our friends with young kids.  Amanda received it this year.  So, we tested it out.  This is how it works: You spin the spinner and get a number.  You click the lever that many times.  The hand that holds the whip cream may or may not blast you in the face.  It is all random.  Alyssa went first, followed by Madison (who, surprisingly, was up for the challenge!).  This is what ensued…

   

Then, some people volunteered to try it

    

Ellie never did it.  Even watching, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

Some were pressured into it after intense chanting of their name. 

              

Some did it and made it out without a pie face on the first round…

         

It made a mess, but it was highly entertaining!  Until next year, when I know another crazy game will arrive…

Christmas #3

On the 26th, we celebrated Christmas with Jeremy’s family.  Jason, Niki, and Theo flew in from Minnesota; Jennifer and Arturo flew in from New York.  It is good to be together, and although we have been together more often recently, I don’t take it for granted.  It is hard (and expensive) to gather family from three states together.  This gets more exciting each time we get together because Theo keeps growing and developing new skills.  His new trick (to us) was walking!  How awesome – and tiring!  I remember those days, and while I think kids are super cute at that age, I enjoy some of the independence of the age of my girls now.  It is fun to watch all the development happening between 0-3 years especially.

We started with lunch – delicious turkey and fixin’s to go with it.  Then, gift opening.  Then, supper and hanging out. Here it is in pictures:

Stocking Time…

         

Gift Opening Time…

              

Hang out Time…

         

It was a good day.