Mourning Christmas

Matilda talked at length over lunch today how she feels about Christmas being over. I only managed to get the camera rolling for the last bit of it before she lost all her words.

Santa Barbara Fun

To celebrate our long weekend with few obligations we took a day trip yesterday for a long overdue visit back to the Santa Barbara Zoo. It is a relatively small zoo, which is nice because M can walk to see all of it without tiring. She also got to test out her new digital camera from Grammy - it is a huge hit & very entertaining. We also got to see lots of great lemur action, which - with Matilda's current Madagascar movie fascination - was very appreciated. We took time for goofiness on the playground in some over-sized eggs. Tim did all sorts of contortions to get back out. While exploring the newly renovated playground at the zoo we were a bit perplexed by the big astro-turf hill. Then we witnessed how awesome it was for sliding if you sit on your zoo map! Behold the fun:


After the zoo we hit our favorite playground in Santa Barbara, the Shipwreck playground right near the beach and burnt some extra energy before dinner at our standard Italian restaurant, Pascucci's.

Christmas Redux

I keep meaning to get to putting up pictures from Christmas but there are too many to tackle. Instead I will just keep enjoying our family time together and give you this first video of Christmas day that Tim posted:


He got lots of pictures up fast too which you can check out here.

Merry Christmas

Matilda was not too sure about this Santa that we visited at the zoo two weekends ago (although still an improvement over last year). I have a feeling that this morning she would be a bit more kind to the old fella after the haul he brought her!

Reporting Live from Santa's Workshop

I think the elves are almost done and about to retire for the evening. We have officially survived our first late night assembling/wrapping frenzy. Tim tackled the Big Wheel while I took on the easel and headed the major wrapping operations. Matilda got a taste of the present-fever this evening with some great dress-up presents from Sarah & Gaurav. Here you can see her wearing a new ladybug costume while inspecting the cowsuit. 

Lunatic

Somehow I convinced myself that rather than making two more batches of the finicky biscotti I was attempting, I would make three other kinds of cookies and turn the biscotti bags (gifts for Tim's co-workers) into cookie samplers. Simple in theory. In actuality a very flour-y endeavor. 

Opening Christmas Cards

I figured you all deserve to see the ritual too!

Gingerbread House

Behold the amazing gingerbread house: I cannot claim much responsibility since Marie baked the gingerbread pieces, walked me through the assembly, contributed all the coolest decorations (i.e. not low brow candy like Nerds) and just generally provided inspiration for the whole process. The construction, with amazing paste-like frosting, was easier than I imagined and the house has yet to collapse. It does still smell delicious, however, and M & I are both counting down the days until we eat it - arbitrarily decided as Christmas Eve. Note Santa lurking around the back of the house with his gingerbread minions; M wanted him on the roof but he kept diving off. Matilda placed the door knob, and two M & Ms on the roof, otherwise she participated by sampling lots of candy. In the process she got her first taste of Good n' Plentys,  Nerds, licorice laces, gum drops and candy canes. 
Matilda says "I want that M & M right there." Also, you can go see pictures of the house Molly & Marie made. 

Year of the Rat

So at our Dirty Santa party last night, Colin brought the gift that tops all other memorable gifts from the previous 9 years. And by memorable I don't mean the nice or really cool present (which is the goal of our Dirty Santa game) you walked away with after the many raucous rounds of present stealing. What we all remember and talk about for years are the terrible gifts: $15 worth of Top Ramen, a bag full of nickels, an enormous re-gifted griddle.

Last night, instead of a bottle of booze, or a nice cookie gift basket, or a good book, Colin wrapped up a live RAT. Granted the present came complete with a cage, water bottle, food and a little igloo for the nervous rodent to hide in, but still - it was a rat. My first thoughts were a panic about whether or not this was a disease-infested wild rat, but thankfully Colin is not that crazy and he splurged on a cute little pet store rat, not even a "feeder rat" he pointed out. Here is Gaurav realizing the gift he choose is shaped suspiciously like a cat carrier. If there were audio you would hear Colin emphatically saying, "Don't shake it, don't shake it!"

The audience reacts in complete hysterics. Many tears of laughter were shed. In the end, this cute little guy went back home with Colin & Gaurav left with the fancy chocolates that Colin won.Another fabulous game of Dirty Santa. Thanks Colin for the entertainment!

The 12 Days Go Too Fast

We are keeping super busy around here, and not just with the shopping/wrapping/shipping/card-writing chores. Yesterday we had loads of fun with Gigi visiting for the day while her parents got some stuff done. Matilda was thrilled to have another car seat & buddy in the back with her. I haven't moved the extra car seat back to Tim's car yet so all day today Matilda got a thrill with choosing which side to sit on.  Today we spent HOURS decorating gingerbread houses with Molly & Marie. I don't know the last time I made a gingerbread house and it was beyond fun. The girls did some candy placement but mostly supervised and tasted while Marie & I got carried away with design and execution of our masterpieces. I forgot my camera so there are no pictures to document the process but I'll get some of my finished product tomorrow and post them soon. 

Tomorrow is our rescheduled (postponed from last week due to illness) Christmas party which should be fun. You would think that I would be extra prepared with a clean house & snacks all ready what with the additional week of prep time but sadly that is not true. I think I'll procrastinate a bit more and leave the party prep for tomorrow so I can focus on getting a few more Christmas cards out tonight. 

Concerned Citizen

Tonight at Tim's company holiday party I went off to the bar to get him a glass of wine since I beat him through the buffet line. The bartender eyed my big pregnant belly as I ordered, asked what kind of red wine I preferred, and started pouring it BEFORE he asked nervously whether it was for me. I assured him that it was not and he was visibly relieved, stating, "I was scared for a minute there."

Happy Merry Christmas

Matilda is moderately disappointed each day as all the packages keep arriving and we stash them  away to be opened at Christmas. However, she recovers from her disappointment rapidly with all the Christmas cards. M will sit down each day with the pile we receive and methodically open them, claiming that each one says, "Happy Merry Christmas." After I read her the whole card and who it is from she will invariably claim, "That is so sweet." 

Newest Playmate

Matilda's buddy Gigi got a little sister this weekend! Sending out a big welcome to baby Catherine & congrats to the whole Herrman clan.  

Bossy

Right now Matilda is yelling: "Stop looking, Mama. Stop looking at the computer. Stop looking at it, Mama!"