18 Month Old Emily

Eighteen months.  A year and a half.  WOW!  Little Emily isn't so little anymore!  If you could spend a day with her- you would realize what a determined, loving, crazy, persistent, beautiful, sweet, sneaky, smart, and 'way ahead of her age' little baby girl she is!  Emily watches her siblings all day long.  Her approach to life?  If they can do it- so can I!  She attempts things that make my heart stop beating only to see that somehow- she didn't hurt herself doing it!

Emily disposition is very sweet.  She is a lover.  She loves to give hugs and kisses and gets very upset when someone around her is either crying or sleeping.  Yes, you read that right.  Sleeping.  When Emily sees the face of someone who is sleeping she gets hysterical!  It started when she saw Matthew sleeping once in church and since then- she freaks.  Try being on a night flight with her when half the plane is sleeping and I am trying to walk her to sleep.  I had to keep moving her so she couldn't see the sleeping passengers faces!

Emily is into everything these days.  She is starting to be a better listener now that her receptive language is better.  She understands most everything I say which has lifted the burden of frustration off both Emily and my shoulders.  She still has a hard time telling me what she wants but at least she understands what I say.  That doesn't mean that she listens all of the time but we are making progress.  Right now she loves to get into anything the kids are doing.  You know she is a Lego monster, but she also likes to wrinkle and rip the kids homework pages, empty my purse onto the floor, destroy Claire's little creations, press power of the video game console while the kids are playing it, and we are doing a tad bit of hitting and the occasional biting, too.  This might sound like she is bad girlie but the truth is- she is great!  Most of the time she does the above mentioned things to get attention.  I just correct her and make sure she understands that what she did wasn't okay.

At her eighteen month check up, Emily got a great report.  We still have not had a repeat UTI since she was hospitalized at two months of age.  Now that we have some perspective from that incident- we now realize that her infection was most probably a fluke.  Thank goodness!  She weighed in at a healthy 32 pounds and is now 35 inches tall.  Emily has officially nabbed the title of 'Biggest Swendsen Kid' which she stole from her sister, Claire (at least at this age).  Emily did have to get a shot and she knew it was coming.  When I was dressing her that morning, I told her I was going to take her to Dr. Safir's office.  She looked at me and said, "Owwww!"  She is no dummy!  She was completely on edge the whole appointment and just as she feared- she got a shot.  Emily was so upset.  She held her arm the whole way home and every time she looked at it, she cried.  Dr. Safir also noticed that she is getting eight teeth right now.  That might help me understand why she has had some trouble sleeping soundly!

Emily is running (scary fast these days), climbing, talking, and developing a great sense of humor.  It is funny to see her 'get' jokes and then laugh dramatically.  What she can't say with words, she will communicate to me with hand motions or just physically dragging me there.  She loves 'playing covers', sliding down the hall with Claire on a princess blanket, being chased by her brothers, having Matthew play 'Where's the baby' with her, loves dance parties, playing in the refrigerator, helping me upload the dishwasher, loves being my laundry assistant, taking out the recycling while I take out the garbage, helping someone when they need a 'little helper', is always game to game to go shopping, and mainly loves being around her family.  One of her favorite moments of the day is when Michael and Claire come home from school.  The hugs she gives them are amazing!  She is also pooping and peeing in the toilet when we put her on there.  I can't even imagine being out of diapers.  Go, Emily, Go!

We are loving our girl.  Yes, she is a lot of work but she is well worth it!  Watching that curly head run around the house and create havoc is entertaining and we wouldn't know what to do without her!  Her smile is out of this world, her eyes are so beautiful they are hypnotizing, the looks she shoots (my favorite is when she wrinkles her eyebrows and looks up at me) are hilarious, and her refusal to not be excluded is awesome.  What are you going to be like as you grow older, sweet Emily?  You are talking quite a bit.  You love answering Ya-Ya (yes), yetsh, and mo (no).  You have been copying what I say and remind me that I must say um a lot!  Everytime I say it- I can hear you (wherever you are) saying um, too!  New things you are saying are poo, gug (bug), taw (top), nut, yeah, hello, go, boo (boo-boo buddy), bye-bye, um, dan (down) and many more that I am sure I am forgetting.  Add these words to the words you already had mastered and you are a little communicator. 

A year and a half.  Our girl . . . growing by leaps and bounds.  We are so proud of you Emmy and want you to know the joy you have brought to our family.  We love you!  I couldn't help but post this picture I found of you today.  It almost brought me to tears.  You are growing so fast!  This was taken just nine months ago!  You are now and have always been so precious to us.  Happy 1 1/2 Years Old Emmy!

Sacramento Surprise

Every year I feel a little bit bad that Damien's birthday falls on New Year's Eve.  We always have a great day/night but it is hard to put the focus solely on him because of the big holiday!  I knew I wanted to do something different this year.  When I had asked Damien what he might want for his birthday this year, he told me that he wanted experiences. Hmmm.  If an experience was what he wanted . . . an experience he would get!

I researched possible birthday options for days.  I looked and looked for something special but just nothing seemed right.  Sure, I could take him to Shrek the musical in San Francisco but it wouldn't be 'Damien' enough.  I looked at local comedy clubs, shows, and attractions and struck out.  Time was ticking and I knew I had to get something on the calendar quick!  My sister Gina offered to watch the kids overnight.  That opened up a whole lot more opportunity!  I looked for events in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Vegas.  But nothing fit.  Then I saw that Joel McHale was going to in California!  The catch?  He was going to be playing in Sacramento.  I didn't want to be a snob but Sacramento was not what I envisioned when I thought about whisking Damien away.  Then I thought back to the fun adventures we had before we had kids.  We loved going to a new town and exploring.  I think this could work!  Sacramento it was.

I had told Damien that we were going to leave bright and early on Saturday morning for a day of fun.  Little did he know that I had a bag packed with overnight clothes already in the trunk of the car.  He loved the suspense of it all.  I thought it would be funny to drive the short two blocks to Starbucks to get some goodies (and coffee for me) for the ride.  He was like, 'Is this it?'  No, it wasn't.  It was just the beginning of a day of fun!  We started driving north and after about thirty minutes he started to make guesses.  I knew that Sacramento wouldn't be on his mind so it was fun to hear him try and figure it out!  After about an hour of driving and a really obvious freeway sign read Sacramento with a big arrow underneath it- the jig was up!  We both laughed at the end city but knew we were in for a really fun 24 hours.

We happened upon the State Capitol building which is really so beautiful and grand.  It was decorated for Christmas and so pretty.  We then ventured over a few blocks and checked into our hotel and Damien was so surprised!  I night away from the kids.  Happy Early Birthday!  I then told him about how I had purchased tickets to see Joel McHale and he was so excited!  Damien is a HUGE fan of the television show Community so this was big!  The day was wonderful.  We explored all around town and had lunch in Old Town Sacramento.  I'd like to report that we did so many amazing things that day- but for the most part, we just enjoyed each one another and had fun walking around town and worrying only about ourselves (not the kids).

Dinner was great.  We ate at a cute little Italian restaurant one block away from the show.  After dinner, we ventured to the Civic Auditorium and took our seats.  So, here is the truth.  The show was fun and amusing.  Both Damien and I (although we had fun) agree that perhaps Joel McHale should stick to sitcoms and hang up his comedic shoes.  He talked a lot about celebrities and especially Ryan Seacrest (heard it all before) and then talked about things that just didn't make us laugh.  Amused?  Yes.  Laughing . . . not so much.  And no mention of Community!  But- you gotta try new things to find out if they're good and Joel McHale the comedian just didn't do it for us.  BUT- don't you worry!  We had a great rest of the night and relished the opportunity to reconnect and have fun!

I know Damien loved his surprise.  It makes me realize that we need to do this more.  I love my kids so much but when I am alone with Damien- I remember the reasons why we got married and even decided to have kids in the first place!  Sacramento was wonderful and was a great host of a city.  We would definitely go back again.

Matthew's Christmas Program

I can't believe Matthew is old enough to be in a Christmas program.  It just doesn't seem like he is any older than two years old!  Yet, here he is knocking on the door of age four and I am plain and simply two years behind.  For me- Matthew is somehow frozen in time at the age of two.  Don't think that this doesn't have anything to do with the timing of Emily's birth.  I think I will always think of him as my baby.  I suppose I should get over it and realize that my sweet little guy is getting older.

Matthew was so excited for his program at school!  They have been working on it for well over a month and he wasn't sure if he should let us in on all of the details or keep it a secret until the day of the show!  All he told me in advance was that he was going to be saying, Thump, thump, thumpety.  Thump, thump, thumpety.  I was excited to see him perform because his school puts on the cutest show!  I saw it three times when Michael and Claire went to preschool there and couldn't wait to see Matthew follow in their footsteps.

Our good friends, Brian and Karen, send their son Luke to Ballard Montessori, too!  Matthew and Luke have really developed such a sweet and dependant relationship.  They both wait for each other in the mornings at drop off and even have play dates outside of school.  It is really too sweet.  It was fun to see the both of them up there performing and being such big boys.

The show was absolutely darling.  Both Matthew and Luke did just what they were supposed to do and looked cute doing it!  Matthew, who is normally so full of expression and emotion, was just going through the motions.  He yawned a few times, and sang when he felt like it.  I don't think he was so interested in performing necessarily- I think he was more concerned with standing in the right place and playing his part in the production.  Did he know all of the songs?  Yes!  But he wasn't about to sing them just because everyone else was!

After the show, we went to downtown San Jose's Christmas In The Park.  The kids always love this and it is a good time for us to just enjoy the sounds and the sights of the season.  It was a warm night and really comfortable.  Emily was absolutely enamored with all of the decorations and trees while the other three kids were more concerned with riding some of the rides and playing tag amongst the crowds of people.  We toured around the park and waited for the kids to get hungry so we could grab some dinner.

All in all, it was a great evening.  Matthew is amazing.  He has transitioned so well to preschool and really is such a sweetheart.  The other kids were such great sports and behaved as well throughout the night.  I am so proud to be the Mommy of these kids.  Yes, at times my job is TOUGH.  But all the hard work is well worth it.

A Few Reasons Why I Love My Kids

Reason #1

Reason #2

Reason #3

Reason #4

Reason #5

O, Christmas Tree

In terms of Christmas trees- I think the way to go is getting a tree right after Thanksgiving.  I know, I know.  It dries out a bit but it is so pretty and festive!  I mean, when I compare a possible fire hazard with overwhelming joy- joy wins this time of year! 

The kids' school has it's own Christmas tree lot which is great because we not only get a tree- but help out the school, too!  It is a bit more expensive than the more economical Home Depot- but it is well worth it!  Last year was the first time in eleven years that we deviated from the Douglas Fir.  I really love a good Douglas but when I saw how full and sturdy the Noble Fir was . . . I was sold!  We have so many pretty ornaments that can be displayed on the Noble Fir branches.  It makes me so happy!  Our neighborhood also has a really cool tree tradition.  Everyone (except a few Scrooges) places a smallish tree with colored lights on their front lawn.  Driving around here at night and seeing the hundreds of lit trees is so cool! We had to get a smaller tree for our yard and convinced Matthew that this was 'his tree'.  He begged us the whole time at the tree farm to get his own tree so we were pretty happy that he left there feeling like he got his own tree while we fulfilled our needs, too.  He loves looking at it out the kitchen window and saying, 'I love my tree.'



Trimming the tree was a lot of fun!  I was worried how Emily would do in terms of smashing and destroying the ornaments but we decided to just go for it!  A few glass balls were shattered but I didn't care because they are replaceable- not to mention a good learning opportunity for Emily.  The kids all have a favorite ornament.  Matthew loves the Grinch, Claire loves the Grandfather clock that Nonna gave her from the Nutcracker, and Michael loves the 49er and Star Wars ornament.  It is really so sweet to see them hang their ornaments. I love my kids.

On a side note, Michael's class was asked to write to the troops abroad.  Of course, he obliged and wrote the cutest thing.  "Thank you!  Dear Friend, Thank you for protecting our country.  Hope you win the next war!  You won!  My grandfather fought in the war!  But he died- not cause of war he just got old.  He fought in world war 1 or world war 2!"  I have to think of the smile that this card put on the face of the soldier that received this.  So honest, so age appropriate.  A good reminder to remember how blessed we are to be surrounded by loved ones this time of year . . .

E's Nutcracker

Somehow- I don't just fall into the Christmas spirit once Thanksgiving is over.  I think it's hard to put away the turkey roaster and pumpkins and truly feel the Christmas spirit.  While a lot of my excitement is rooted in the coming of Jesus' birth- I do love the fanfare that is associated with Santa, candy canes, lights, and gift giving.  How timely is it that at the beginning of every December we get to go see the kids' E (their grandma) in the Contra Costa Ballet Company's Children's performance of the Nutcracker?

My kids absolutely love this show.  We generally go every year on the opening night (Thursday) which begins at 7:30 p.m.  We make the choice to go to this show even though it is late and a school night because there are usually a lot of Damien's family at the show.  Somehow seeing it with the aunties, uncles, E and Papa makes it so much better! 

I swear, it gets better every year.  They have tightened up the show so much that is runs seamlessly and finishes in one hour!  The dancers, the lights, the music . . . it really gets me in the holiday spirit.  Emily was the wild card this year.  Would she sit still long enough for me to enjoy a minute of the show?  Seeing that we took her the week before to see Megamind and she and I saw a cumulative four minutes of the show- I wasn't expecting much!

We visited E and Papa in the hotel before the show where E handed out nutcrackers to all the kids.  They look forward to this every year!  Emily enjoyed doing her hair with E as she got ready for the show while the other three slurped on the soda she had for them in the room.  We hung out with them for a while and then parted ways as they went to the theatre and we went to get some pre-show dinner.  The kids were giddy at dinner.  They just wanted to get to the show already!  When it was time, we walked over to the auditorium and opened our hearts to the spirit of Christmas! 

To all of our surprise, Emily sat for forty-five of the sixty minutes!  She loved the dancers, she loved seeing E onstage and even yelled out her name a few times!  The king mouse, the nutcracker, the kids, the costumes were so thrilling to Emily.  In fact all of the kids just loved it.  Seeing all four of my kids, dressed in their Christmas outfits enjoying the show, was awesome.   It is so mesmerising to them.  The show did just what we wanted it to.  It propelled us toward the Christmas spirit!  Let the Christmas season begin!

After we said our 'goodbyes' we got in the car and headed south.  The kids were all tired.  Within minutes, the three oldest kids were asleep whereas Emily chose to fuss the whole way home.  Lovely.  We had such a great night and as we do after every show- we started the countdown until next year when we can see it again!

Seattle Half Marathon . . . For Diana

It's been an emotional month for my sister Gina and the rest of the family.  Sadly, Gina lost one of her best friends in early October.  It was unexpected and so terribly tragic. Our family has been friends with their family for more than twenty years and the loss of Diana, has affected us all.  It is so hard to lose anyone in general but when someone is taken so young, so full of life- it makes the sadness a little more unbearable.  As family and friends have rallied around Diana's family, they have also taken Diana's many close friends under their wings as well.  Together as a family of God, everyone has coped together and celebrated Diana and her short yet beautiful life.

One of the things Gina and Diana had planned to do this year was run the Seattle Half Marathon together.  In fact, in the weeks before she passed away, Diana had begun training for her first ever half marathon!  As the date for the Seattle Half Marathon approached, Gina and many of Diana's friends and family turned the race into something much more significant that 13.1 miles.  The race would be a way to honor her and her plan to run this half marathon.  Step by step, mile by mile, her biggest fans would help her dream become a reality. 

The support of those who loved her grew into something much bigger than anyone could have dreamed.  Approximately thirty people showed up this morning wearing 'Team Diana' t-shirts and prepared to embark on a physical and emotional journey in her honor.  From our family, Gina, Jill, my Mom, and I signed up to run the race. None of us had trained and if you can believe it- my Mom was going to be running her very first Half Marathon.  She amazes me.  She is such a great source of strength for all of us. 

It was bitterly cold this morning as we climbed out the car right next to the starting line. Thank goodness Mom had sewed us homemade ear warmers the night before!  The traffic was horrible and we were so thankful that my Dad agreed to get up so early and drive us there!  Randomly, we met up with Gina's friends (in a crowd of over 10,000 people) and we were given mermaid pins (one of Diana's favorites) to pin on our race bibs.  As I looked around at many of Diana's friends, all wearing 'Team Diana' shirts with a picture of Diana and her beloved niece Maria on it, I got choked up.  Her life was really so short.  Too short.  I was so inspired to run this race for Diana.  We all knew she would help us through it.

Jill and my Mom ran together while Gina and I ran as partners.  The first few miles were a breeze.  In fact- most of the race went pretty well.  Because we didn't train, it definitely wasn't easy but mile by mile we ran and inched closer to the finish line.  As we tired out towards the end, the race definitely became more emotional.  In any race I've ever run, the end is tough.  However, I have never experienced fans yelling to me, Go Team Diana!  It literally took Gina and my breath away.  We'd get lost in our own body aches and then realize we are here, we are aching, we are so fortunate.  And just like that- Diana would give us strength. 

As we neared the finish line, I looked over at Gina and her cheeks were wet with tears.  As I turned down my music I heard her sobs and saw her shoulders shaking.  This was it.  The moment where she and Diana were supposed to be . . . finishing the race together.  I gently put my arm around my sister and that's how we finished the race.  My Mom and Jill finished just after us and the look of satisfaction and accomplishment on my Mom's face was incredible.  We all finished.  We accomplished this amazing feat for ourselves but in large part for our friend, sister, niece, aunt and daughter who smiled at us from heaven.    

Gina and I saw a quote on a young man's shirt which moved us both to tears and summed up the day in which we honored her beautiful friend. 

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,      

I have kept the faith. 

2 Timothy 4:7

We love you Diana.

Great Trip Back Home

I think that the fact that my trips back home keep getting better is directly related to the fact that my kids are getting older.  So much is easier now that they are getting more independent and more mature.  Airports are easier, sleeping is easier, and they seem to entertain themselves more which leaves me with more time to catch up with my family and actually relax for a while- go figure!

Aside from the big Thanksgiving dinner, we had no real agenda.  As always- I made sure I got to see both of my Grandmas and we even got a chance to see Santa and get the kids' picture taken with him.  They all loved it- except for Emily who bawled her eyes out.  I might be the only Mom in America who thinks it's cute to see their baby cry with Santa but I can't help it!  It's not like I pinched her or something . . . she was just freaked out (and I can't blame her- but I did make her sit there against her will). 

It was fun to fly into snow and experience that for a few days and then have it melt away so we could actually get across town!  The best of both worlds, I suppose.  We were able to visit downtown Seattle for a bit, which was fun!  We went downtown to register for the Seattle Marathon which was the following day.  More on that later!  We spent a great deal of time at my parent's house which is what I love the most!  Gina and Damien spent hours putting together a hideous puzzle of Catalina Island.  I have to admit that we all did kind of hijack it by the end and finish it for them but it was still annoying! 


The cousins ran and ran around the house and just had fun playing together.  The three older kids are easy peasy these days but that little Emily . . . well- she is not.  She gravitates towards my Mom's stairs and it drives me crazy!  I want to give her the freedom to go up and down but she doesn't follow the rule of going down on your tummy and tries to walk down them!  It scares me to death!  For the first half of the trip- she listened to me and didn't try to go up or down them.  Then a little birdy (my Mom) thought that she would teach her the correct way to do it (thinking that Emily would be a good girl and follow Nonna's instructions) but Emily just took advantage of the situation and would make a break for the stairs in the hopes that she might make it down a couple before we caught her.  Oh- how different life will be a year from now!

We had an awesome time in Kirkland.  Because we rotate holidays in order to make it fair to both families, we will be coming up before Christmas in order to spend time with my family and still have time to make it back down to California to have Christmas with Damien's family.  Phew.  That was a big sentence.  So in less than a month- we will be on a plane heading back up for some more fun!  I wonder if I'll have time to unpack before I pack again?

Kevin Nealon, Baby!

Gina and a few of her friends had purchased tickets to see Kevin Nealon.  It sounded fun but honestly, we were really tired and not up to it.  Gina left and about an hour later, Damien asked me, 'Hey, do you want to see if you and your Mom can get tickets to the show?'  I didn't think I wanted to but then I thought of the experience I could have with my Mom!  I got on the phone and they had two tickets left!  Gina was already at the venue so she purchased the tickets and my Mom and I rushed to get dressed (i.e. not look like we just changed out of our pajamas) and get to Bellevue for the show.

The show was ridiculously hilarious!  We sat about fifteen feet away from Kevin and the experience was just unreal!  I had high expectations for him because he was a main cast member of SNL!  I figured if you are funny enough to be on SNL- you should be funny doing stand-up, too.  His timing was so good.  Seriously, his delivery was flawless!  He joked about his time playing Hans and Frans and also had fresh material that was so funny my stomach hurt!  Ah, it was just what I needed.  I am so appreciative that Damien came up with the idea and offered to watch the kids so I could go have a great laugh while bonding with my Mom.

Toward the end of the show, he had a little bit where he would start telling a story and then pause while waiting for an audience member to yell out a word and then he would work that word into his act.  I swear, he used words Gina yelled out for five out of the eight words.  I would list them all but they might not have been so appropriate.  Funny?  Yes.  Appropriate?  No.   As if the show weren't great enough- we got to meet him and take a picture with him after the show!  Who does that? It was an amazing night and one that I won't soon forget!!!

Thanksgiving . . . In the Snow

I have really been looking forward to flying up to my parent's house for Thanksgiving.  We decided to take the kids out of school one day early to stretch the trip a bit and I am so happy we did that.  Preparing for a flight is a lot of work.  I don't worry about the airport mayhem or any hassle the flight might bring.  I only worry about two things:  1) Packing for all of us and 2) Getting to the airport on time.  Something about doing laundry for days in order to find every one's clothes and pack them makes me crazy.   And because we usually take a minivan taxi to the airport, I worry that the taxi won't be here as promised (it has happened before). 

Thanksgiving has been approaching quickly this year.  I have found myself questioning if it really could have arrived this quickly.  I was really looking forward to the whipping winds, the falling leaves, and brisk air that I have missed so much lately.  I love Thanksgiving in Washington.  It is a time that makes me feel most at home.  So many memories.  Such great times.  So when I got a call from my sister who informed me that the Seattle area had been hit with a major snowstorm, I stopped in my tracks!  Thanksgiving . . . Snow???  I can't remember a Thanksgiving when it snowed!  Power outages and wind storms?  Sure.  But snow?   That was just plain crazy!

Snow + Seattle = Pandemonium.  There are times in San Jose where rainstorms paralyse the city and the front page of the newspapers tell a dramatic story about falling trees and other such nonsense.  What a lot of rain does to the Bay Area, snow does to the Seattle Area.  Think tons of untraversible hills, snow, black ice, cars in ditches, cancelled schools and you pretty much can imagine how bad it was.  Even worse was that we were due to fly into the area when it was going to be 16 degrees!  We decided to hire a car to take us to my parent's house so we wouldn't be stuck at the airport like we were last Christmas!

The morning we flew out, the taxi picked us up at 5:45 a.m.  Yep.  My kids were thrilled.  Um, no they weren't.  It was an early morning and I couldn't find the courage I had possessed months ago when I thought flying out early to beat the Thanksgiving travel traffic was a good idea.  Thankfully, the taxi arrived on time and we got to the airport without incident.  Gina was flying up with us and it was so helpful to have two extra hands!  The flight into Seattle was smooth.  The car we had booked to take us home was ready for us and the drive was no problem at all.  Thank goodness for 4 wheel drive!

We hunkered down and enjoyed the calm of the day before Thanksgiving.  My Mom always hosts Thanksgiving and has been doing so since my earliest memory of Turkey Day.  She is so good at the prep and her system just runs like clockwork.  She really is amazing.  An idol of mine, for sure!  The kids were so excited to go out and play in the snow!  We bundled them up and let them loose and they stayed out there for over an hour!  We hung around most of the day and helped my Mom prep for the fast approaching holiday.

On Thanksgiving, I woke up early with Emily and went upstairs to see Michael, Claire, and Matthew already awake.  They were kneeling on Nonna and Grandpa's couch and looking outside at the most beautiful sight.  It was snowing!  And it wasn't a couple of snowflakes- it was really coming down.  It was so beautiful.  Emily, who was witnessing her first snow, thought it was so amazing!  We let her go outside and feel the cold flakes against the warmth of her face.  Matthew was working hard on making a good snowball to throw at this brother.  Claire started on the base of her snowman and before I knew it- she had made a great snowman!  By the time Damien got up, the snowfall had slowed and the flakes were gradually turning more wet.  We had to enjoy this before it melted away!

Our family and friends started arriving around 5:00 p.m. and it was so wonderful to see everyone.  My Mom was busy in the kitchen while I enjoyed catching up with my Nana, Aunts, Uncles, friends, and cousins.  I am so very thankful to have an extended family who is so amazing.  Damien and I were seated at the 'B Table' once again.  I am not sure we will ever make it to the 'A Table'.  But like we always say, the 'B Table' has the most fun!  I had my kids wear their Christmas outfits at Thanksgiving because we won't be in Seattle for Christmas.  They looked so cute and I was so proud of them.  I can't believe the last time we were here for Thanksgiving (two years ago) I was newly pregnant with Emily!  How time flies.

My Mom cooked like mad in the kitchen.  The house smelled so good, I could hardly wait for dinner.  Damien was busy carving the turkey while my Dad, Ron 'The Potato Boy' Sacco worked on the most popular carb of the evening.  The mood lighting was set, the food was ready, it was time for the eating to begin!

Dinner was wonderful.  My Mom's guests were delightful.  I loved watching all of the second cousins run around with each other!  Emily spent a great deal of the night wearing her white tights and her black mary janes.  She was bare chested and made me smile every time I looked at her.  She is seriously too much!  we played a fun dice game at the end of the night and Claire won the jackpot of $25!  She couldn't believe it!  Her face was priceless.  Matthew was busy with his friends.  They ran around with the big kids but also took time to play alone.  Michael was on cloud nine with his big cousins Courtland, Cole, and Blake.  They basically played in the theater and whacked each other with pillows.  Hmmm.  Must be a boy thing. Sounds a bit crazy to me but they had the time of their life in there!

It seems silly that it takes a holiday for me to be more reflective and realize what I am indeed so thankful for.  Thank you God for the abundance of blessings you have given me.  I am such a lucky woman and need to remember to recognize daily the shining gifts around me.  It was a wonderful night and I feel so lucky to have such an amazing family.  Love to you all . . . even the 'A Table'.  Happy Thanksgiving!