Finally, Christmas!

 

 

 

Opening stockings:  The Page Kender family in matching jammies examining how a magic trick works.

 

 

 

Breakfast:  Sam's amazing cinnamon rolls.

 

 

 

 

Presents:  Maddie's colorful wrapping paper made in her Daisies' troop.

 

 

 

Lunch:  Chinese restaurant (endless pile of beans the staff were preparing). 

 

 

 

Quiet time:  Doing Legos 

 

 

 

and more Legos.

 

 

 

As Maddie said, "Too many Legos is not enough Legos"--and she did five sets the next day.

 

 

 

Max on his new skateboard (with wheels, thanks to Sam, screwed in extra tight to slow it down to a learn-able speed---plus being on the grass helps).

 

 

 

 

Jess in that great late afternoon sunlight.

 

Full and fabulous Christmas and everyone happy!

Sam's 38th

 

December 23rd--celebrations for Sam!

 

First, at Drew and Aaron's new house, Sam blows out the candles with many kiddos looking on,

 

 

then a cozy family dinner and Page birthday cake,

 

 

 

early enough to get out to watch Sam play hockey with his Maple Leaf's hockey team,

 

 

 

#21-yeah!!!!

And happy birthday Tiger!

December Events for the M's

 

 

Maddie getting an award for excellence in class citizenship,

 

 

 

and a better pix of our very proud grand daughter.

 

Max at center stage for the kindergarten production of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

He gave a deep bow at the end--totally spontaneous and totally classy! 

 

Another Saturday night with us and Sunday morning creativity in the studio:

 Pipe Cleaner hats.

 

 

 

Max

 

 

 

with

 

 

 

expressions.

 

 

Maddie

 

 

 

with resident owl. 

Getting a Start on Christmas...

 

 

 

First, Sam on the roof putting up the outdoor Christmas lights.

 

 

Then, great deliberation in choosing the perfect Christmas tree.

 

Creative Christmas projects Jess found on-line or got from Tara, her sister-in-law:

 

 

 

Advent Calendar bags, 

 

 

 

and brownie Christmas trees.

 

 

 

LA Opera singers came to serenade the Morning Memory Club at the Alzheimer Association with wonderful carols (Toby had to hold his hands over his ears at some points as their voices were so strong).

 

 

 

And finally, our little live Christmas tree on the front porch.

Thanksgiving Week

 

 

Ilya Fischhoff and his friend Heather stayed with us in the beginning of the week while they tested out the neighborhood as a possible place to live come January when they'll move out here, Heather hoping to get an animation job with Disney or something similar.  Really fun to see them again--not since 2006 at Rachel and David's wedding.

 

 

 

There were extra kids around that evening - it amused me to see them all watching a movie and sitting on the end of the bed Sam made for Jess years ago who most likely never imagined youngsters, theirs and others, using the foot-board as a viewing station.

 

 

 

On Thursday, dressed up, we went to Steve and Marisa's for turkey and fixings.

 

 

 

Marisa's festive dinner table--

 

and fabulous food.

 

 

 

Saturday--bowling in Glendale.  

Surprise--bowling's fun!!!