Christmas Stocking Guatemala Style

Sof's stocking.

Waiting for Daddy

YIKES!! Please try to ignore the grime on the windows!

Two Trees, One Day!

So we came to a compromise with the whole getting a tree thing. Ususally I make Clyde walk around the Christmas Tree place on tippy toes with his arms in the air. "Why?" I hear you ask? Well, that is the exact height from floor to ceiling and I want to make sure I get every centimeter of tree I possibly can. But, given the reasons in my previous post, we decided that a pint sized tree would be just the ticket this year and that we would just decorate it with our special ornaments. So, as you can see, Sof decided the tree tasted good enough and we decided the tree looked good enough so we packed it up and took it home.


Hanging Sofia's first ornament. Daddy got dressed up especially for the occasion....just kidding. He actually is a working musician right now.


Which brings us to the whole tuxedo thing. Grandma, Grandpa, Sofia and I attended the Singing Christmas Tree to hear her Daddy play. For those of you not in Sacramento "The Tree" is a huge lighted Christmas Tree filled with a choir. Yip, that tree is filled with people. It is probably about 11 stories (body stories) high and quite impressive in real life. Anyway, Clyde has played the show for the last 4 years or so and we go each year. I was a bit anxious as to how Sof would do but she loved it, especially when the music was playing. She bounced up and down, clapped her hands (sometimes even in the right spots) and had plenty to say about it all. In fact, we had to leave during the second half, not because she was bad, but she was still having plenty to say and quite loudly and that is when the show gets to the serious stuff.


Intermission. By this point Sofia had ditched both shoes under the pew in front of us as well as her Marylou doll. Mum had to crawl around gathering up belongings. Sofia also flirted with all the people in the row behind us, blowing kisses to everyone. Unfortunately, they blew them back, which she thought was very funny.


My work here is done! Think I'll take a walk. Do you think that smile could possibly get any bigger?

Where's the tree?

It was hard to get a picture that shows just how beautiful this ornament is. I had been on the lookout for Sofia's first Christmas ornament and when I spied this one, I just couldn't resist. The entire thing is made from glass, including the picture inside the ball. Now if we could just get a tree to hang it on we would be in great shape!! It is not through lack of effort. We ventured out last weekend but seemed to be blocked at every turn. Then this week Daddy has been playing every night and wil be all day Saturday and Sunday so we might be pushed again. Maybe it is a sign that this year is just not our year for a tree. Or, maybe curious hands on crawling little girls are reason enough not to get one. In any event, if we do not end up with a Chrissy Tree, for whatever reason, this ornament will always make me think of our first Christmas with Sofia.

New mates and flyaway hair

Sof's new mate - ELMO


Tonight, I had to dry my little girls hair. She has had the sniffles for the last few days and I didn't want to send her to bed with wet hair. I turned the blow dryer on low and held it up to her hand so that she could feel it. Well, no need to ease in slowly with this girl.....the louder and faster the air flew through her hair, the bigger the smile. It was hilarious.


And I just have to tell you that Sofia completed her first project at school. With the help of Miss Wendy she fingerpainted a Christmas Tree. We haven't seen this amazing work of art yet as it was outside drying when Daddy picked her up but we have been told that it will be on the wall on Monday. Grandma Terri and Grandpa Clyde.....keep your eyes peeled.

These shoes.......

.....with a little help from my Daddy's fingers, were made for walking.


Let's go Daddy.

A Christmas Surprise

Last week, upon arriving home Clyde informed me there was a box that had been delivered to our neighbors Alice and Al across the street. Now, Alice and Al are the old busy body couple that live across from us. No doubt, they had been watching out the window and when they saw the mailman unable to deliver because we weren't home, they chased him down and then called us to alert us that they had our package. And, since Clyde had picked up the last package from them, apparently it was my turn to brave the trip across the street. I was fully expecting the box to contain the hot tub cleaner we had ordered to stop our washing machine from stinking to high heaven, so imagine our surprise when we opened the box to find a beautiful advent bird house. Basically what happens is that each day in December we open a door to find a lovely ceramic bird, each one different, to put upon a perch outside each door.
And every morning we have been getting up and the three of us placing the bird on it's perch. Granted, Sofia would probably much rather try to eat the birds right now but that should change as she gets older!!!
Thank you Jo and Kip for a wonderful gift and a new holiday tradition for our new family.

Mornin'

Now can somebody PLEASE get me outta here?

A moment

Jeeves and Sofia had a little bonding moment together this morning in the sunshine. How cute is that?

Fifteen years ago today......

......a pony-tailed, mutton chopped Americn boy married a kiwi girl in the pouring rain in New Zealand.