Air and Space

 

Yesterday while Patrick went to work I took the girls out to the Pima Air and Space Museum.  It was Izzy's first trip (more or less...last time she was in utero) and Evie hadn't been for over 2 years.  Most of the museum is outside so I figured at 65 degree day would be perfect.  We lucked out and got the last little wagon there, so I even had a good way to cart the girls around the large place.  (I think the wagon was so novel it was almost as exciting as all of the planes)  The girls got a chance to look inside some of the planes and get inside a few simulators.  Evie really liked the blue angel planes and the space hangar, particularly the mock up area of Mars.

Izzy liked a certain type of fighter plane (which I cannot now remember what it was) but insisted on getting out of the wagon to inspect every single one of this particular type of plane...  I got pretty excited when back in and little "corner" of the outdoor area I found a bunch of planes that had been turned into works of art... I guess that shows you where my museum preferences lie....

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful (and warm!) Christmas.  Christmas Eve we spent at my parent's house, eating good food, tracking Santa on NORAD (probably the highlight for me), and watching the kids play with their one present (well this year it was two because I bought them pajamas and letting kids only open pajamas on Christmas Eve seemed a little cruel).  Evie got a dog training kit and Izzy a car that she could disassemble and resemble.  Both were very well received.  Evie proceeded to try to train the puppy to sit and Izzy took apart, put back together, took apart, put back together, took apart (you get the idea) her new car. 

We got the kids tucked in nice and early and Evie did a good job falling asleep... Izzy not so much but the threat of Santa skipping the house is all but lost on a 2-year old.  We had big plans to play bored games but a little bit of a cold and a few glasses of glog put us all to bed around 9. 

Santa came as promised and brought a sewing machine for Evie and bouncy toy for Izzy.  Evie was extra excited because Santa threw in a paracute just for good measure for the girls to share.  According to Evie is meant that they must have been extra good because usually he just brings one thing.  Izzy had a hard time appreciating her present because of her cold and a terrible night's sleep... Fortunately for all of us a little ibuprofen came to the rescue, and Izzy went from a screaming banshie to a pleasant (if tired) 2-year old.  Somehow the girls managed to wait patiently for over an hour while all of the adults drank coffee and ate breakfast.  When the excitement could be contained no longer we all started opening presents. 

Highlights include a tail and ears for Kitty Izzy, stilts for Evie, a balance bike for Izzy and a cool architecture/engineering doll house building toy for Evie.  (Not going to lie, I am pretty excited to play with that one today.)  Although Santa did not come down the chimney for me Mom and Patrick spoiled me with a new camera (hooray!  I can give my mom's back and not have to rely on poor quality i-phone photos) and a banjo!  The banjo was hidden upstairs and I was sent up there to look for it... very exciting. 

After all of the festivities Evie worked on her stilts a bit and I got to start playing with my new camera (all of the pre-camera opening photos are still at my Mom's house on her camera :) and then we took a few hours break and went home to our house.  While Izzy napped Evie, Patrick and I made an attempt at making butter from scratch and it turned out much better than Thanksgiving.... however we still need to work on our ability to turn it into shapes... the snowman looked like a lumpy headless blob and the star more like a circle but hey it tasted good, which is an improvement for sure!

Later in the afternoon we headed over to the big Rimsza family dinner at my uncle's house (just across town this year, no trip to Phoenix)  Some of the Phoenix contingent, including my grandpa, came down though, which was really nice.  We had a huge and wonderful dinner, complete with poppers and crowns and opened a few more presents.  We ended the day with a little walk and then everyone was so exhausted we headed home.  It must have been a full (and exhausting) day... in an unprecedented event the girls slept in until almost 8 am this morning!

Winterhaven Wishes

On Thursday we made a trip over to the Tucson neighborhood called Winterhaven where they take their Christmas lights more seriously than anyone else I know.  So seriously that the whole place is shut off to cars, trolleys and hay rides roam the streets, and thousands peruse the madness each year.  Some of the houses are just sheet excess of lights others are super creative.  A personal favorite is always the house that has a wholly new facade to make it look like a gingerbread house.  We usually go in from the back of the neighborhood because there are less people and parking is easier, and honestly only make it through one or two blocks of the madness because it is cold and the kid (or kids) are not agreeable to a more lengthy jaunt. 

This year though my cousin was out for 4-H collecting cans for the food bank at the main entrance so we went in that way.... and I now know I have been missing out... there was the 3 story high tree that pulsated with a 1/2 different colors, the santa's workshop with little elves moving making toys for a present conveyer belt and my new favorite, a wishing tree where people write their wish on a piece of paper and make a chain.  Evie won't tell me what her wish was but Patrick helped Izzy write hers so I know that one...  when asked what her wish was Izzy said "I wish for a sandwich."  I guess she was hungry.

Quotables

The girls were all about the zingers this morning:

Evie: "Today I am screaming wet tamales!" and when told she was going to be in the Spanish class for winter break (instead of French) " I can't go to Spanish class, Mommy's trying to kill me!"

Izzy, upon seeing the Christmas Tree all lighted up this morning: "That tree is silly, it has lights on it."

Internet Drought and Christmas Plenty

So in the end it was for love of the blog (Patrick's love that is) that we deiced today to re-subscribe to the internet.  It is a little silly that he should be so sad about the lack 'o blog, given that he just happens to live with the little people it chronicles, but we all find our joy in different places.  So as I noted in my brief post (via phone) I will be going in and filling in the gaps of the last few months over the next week or so.  But first a few current events.

We have been in full prep for Christmas mode these past few weeks.  I think we are all just a little bit more into it this year than usual because we missed so many of the little traditions last year when we went to Hawaii.  Last Thursday (in the evening after traveling over 900 miles total Tuesday - Thursday (Lake Havasu, Safford and Phoenix..oh my!) but being home every night) we took the girls to Zoo lights so the could meet up with the S-Man.  Evie led Izzy to the encounter and Izzy didn't even cry, although she was a bit suspicous at first.  Evie asked for a sewing machine and when we asked Izzy what she was going to ask Santa for she replied "Christmas"  I feel quite confident that both girls will get what they are asking for!

This weekend we went out and got our tree.  Evie helped me decorate it and it looks absolutely lovely as the sole piece of furniture in our still unfurnished front room.  We may just have to keep it past Christmas....

The Blog will Rise Again!

I am afraid the lack of Internet at home has been the death of the blog (well that and over 26 focus groups since mid September with 900 miles driven around the state last week alone).  I write to inform that I am going on break in a week and have a back log of goodness to fill in so the Lacroix blog and its cuteness will rise again!

Junior School Winter Concert

Today on the last day of the semester Evie's school put on a little concert.  Here is a little sample...