Stott Time

Since most of the Stott siblings were in town we did quite a few activities together.  Here are some highlights:
Golfing and Go-Carts

Grandma Joan and Cheryl were nice enough to be on a team with the kids.

Whereas I got the team with the INSANELY competitive brothers.

Ella was not surprisingly very good at steering go carts.

Ethan was a little more deliberate in his driving, but still better than I would have been when I was their age.

Livi and Cheryl were maniacs and I could hear hooting and cheering whenever they drove by.

Our group together.  Notice Eric and Jared's prom pose.

Not our favorite activity, but definitely the one we are most grateful for: Teeth Cleaning.  It was Livi's first time for a full cleaning and she was about this happy:

She did a great job when she finally calmed down.

My knees where hurting a little when everyone decided to go on a hike to Devil's Punchbowl, but my side of the family was represented there by James in pictures on the trail:

James' hair is still this amazing!

The brave group.

The kids mini rock climbing while Uncle Ryan did the real thing.

A lizard, another reason I'm glad I didn't go.

Lesson Learned, or Tonks Gets To Come To Christmas!

Things get pretty hectic around Christmas.  I have so much I have to remember: making travel plans, packing, prepaying bills, utility and services to put on hold, etc.  In the hubbub we may have forgotten to get the Tonks into a kennel for Christmas.  By the time I remembered to remind Eric it was too late, and there was no room in the tiny doggy inns.  So...she got to come too.  It turns out it was exactly the same price to leave her here or bring her with us, so I thought "Wow, this will be amazing!  We will have her with us for Christmas for the 1st time.  It will be awesome!"

Nope.

I don't like flying on airplanes so I knew it would be hard on her.  Because I am ridiculously invested in my dogs well being we went to the vet, got her papers and some doggy Valium.

We got to try out the Valium right away at the hotel.  It did help keep her moaning down to a manageable volume where we could actually get a little sleep.

Even wrapped in a security blanket, flanked by the girls wasn't enough to help the poor dog sleep.

Blurry picture, but Tonks is in her carrier on the express train in the airport.  She was pretty good in the airport.  She must be a people watcher like me!

I tried to help Tonks with the air pressure by giving her treats to chew on, but I think she caught on and started whining as soon as she finished a treat because she knew I would immediately shove another one in her kennel by my feet.  She was worse than any of my kids ever where!!!

Tonks just about met her limit when we got to my parents house and she was assaulted by a GIANT loving mass of Casey.  She did NOT want to get off my lap.

and it pretty much stayed that way for the entire trip.  If she couldn't be on my lap she was hiding under the desk in our room where Casey couldn't love her to death.

Seeing her constantly on laps or on the couch made Casey a little jealous.  I'm not sure who wished he was a lap dog more here, Casey or Dad.

Toward the end Tonks started seeing that Casey really did just want to be friends and they started bonding over food.  Or basically Casey let Tonks have all the food all of the time...

Until he didn't.  He finally broke on one of our very last nights.  He had been so good, so kind, always letting her lick the plates first, but then Dad made bacon.  The bacon was the end of it all.  Casey tried to let Tonksie lick the pan first, but...well...it was BACON.  He finally snapped at her, and luckily I was there to yank her out of the way from his giant mouth.  I don't think he wanted to hurt her, he seemed really chagrined afterwards, but she didn't leave our room, unless forced, for the rest of the trip. 

Overwhelming When You Look At It, or Catching Up Is Hard To Do

So....It's been a while and while I realize no one really missed my ramblings, but I do realize how hard my photo albums are going to be to put together if I don't keep putting down my memories while they are still in my head.

Christmas Morning in 15 sentences or less:

Somehow Santa worked WAY more magic than usual this year.  I was a little scared with everything the kids where hoping for, but Santa made my Christmas wishes come true by making sure theirs came true too.

Ella got the iPod nano and speaker she was hoping for!  Now she can listen to her music without needing to borrow my phone, which makes us BOTH very happy!

Later that day.

Ethan got the Skylander Swap Force game and characters he asked for...

...and the girls got characters so they can all play together (at least that's the idea).

Breakdown of Livi Opening Her Present:

 

 Later at the Stott's:

Showing off Aunt Emily's handiwork.

Ella got a magic kit and was instantly enamored,

and loved having a captive audience!

ODF or Overly Dramatic Female, plus Christmas Break Part 1

Olivia is a charming, fun, silly, wonderful little girl.  She tends to feel things strongly and wear her feelings on her face (I don't know where she gets it from).  Here are a few high (feeling) points from the trip:

Eric was using his teeth to light a match (because what self respecting former boyscout lights a match using the box when they have zippers, teeth, walls, or anything else that is not in any way associated with matches?).  Livi was very scared he was going to get hurt by the fire that would inevitably come shooting out of the tiny wooden stick and let us know

Every Christmas Eve the kids get to open one pre-marked gift that always ends up being pajamas.  Everyone was very happy with their new p.j.'s...

...until Livi tried hers on.  The pants were too long for her liking.

So she hid in a little alcove while the rest of us read Luke chapter 2.

I don't even know why she was mad this time.  She was playing golf with the other kids, Aunt Cheryl and Grandma Joan when Cheryl asked them for a picture.  Livi was less than willing.

Ethan is an enigma, we never know what is going on in his head.  Ella is sweet and has a hard time asking for anything she thinks might be a bother for anyone else.  Livi, well...we always know what she wants and where we stand with her.  Life with Livi is anything but boring!

Onto happier moments in our trip:
Eric was actually able to go with us to Disneyland, and Dad was able to go the entire day!  It was such a fun change to have the men there, especially for things like going on Tower of Terror...

and beating them soundly at Toy Story!  Woot Woot I got the high score out of EVERYONE!!! (ok, just our group, but still).

Our group on Splash Mountain.  Livi is covered by Ella's head and a random lady is in the middle, but still a cute picture.  On a fun note (for me) my shirt was a big hit.  I had 13 random strangers come up to me to tell me they liked my shirt.  It was a lot of fun to meet so many Whovians and get their approval!

Livi and I stayed off of Indian Jones while the rest of the group used their fast passes.  We got her a sucker and when I told her, her tongue was green she immediately had me take 10 pictures so she could see it from all sorts of angles.

On a VERY cool note, since Livi and I didn't go on the ride we had two extra fast passes.  Christmas is always SUPER crowded and the wait for the regular line was over 90 minutes.  It was such a little thing for us, but saving someone 90 minutes when this is probably their one trip to Disneyland can be a big thing for someone else. My dad found a young couple at the back of the line and asked if  they wanted to use the extra passes.  They thanked us effusively and the man made sure to shake Dad's hand. They were so excited and happy it was heart warming.

Eric feeding the kids like baby birds (they didn't want to share germs on the water bottle).

Mom really wanted to see "Mickey's Magical Map," which was a fun Broadway style show.  The girls loved the songs, and dancing and the rest of us enjoyed sitting down!

Livi also FINALLY got her Jessie doll.  For the last year she has asked, every single time we got off the Toy Story ride, for a Jessie doll.  We would go over, look at her, pull the string and listen to her, but eventually put her back and move on.  She has talked about her constantly at home, drawn pictures of her, and finally, finally someone (Grandma) made her dream come true.

I was afraid it was a flash in the pan toy.  One that would soon be left with the others, never to be played with.  I was SOOOOOOooooooo wrong.  Jessie is still sleeping with Livi, with her hat on the bookcase right next to the bed.  She has gone to church with us, gone to pick up kids, been to tea parties, shopped at made up accessory stores, and been read book after book.  It reminds me so much of the toys on the movie it makes me tear up if I think too much about it.  Her only complaint is that the doll has "Andy" written on her foot instead of "Livi."  I may have to break out the paint and rectify that soon.