That's a Wrap

It's January. How did that happen ?

I don't know why I find it harder to believe that a new month is here than a new year, but there you have it. 

December flew for me. It was a whirlwind of everything: shopping, church events, sickness, company, baking, decorating, wrapping, eating, more sickness, more church events, Christmas-themed outings, etc. etc. ETC !! 

Although I was not great at blogging about these events as they happened, I was good about transferring the pictures from the photo stream on my phone to the blogger app so that when I had time to blog, this post was waiting for me. 

(Side note : that little sentence above makes me feel SO MUCH MORE a part of the 21st century than the questions I ask my kids on a regular basis. The ones that sound something like this : explain to me what an iPod is again ?)

I just felt the need to give myself props there. 

Which is another fancy 21st century phrase I overheard someone say once, so I'm going to use it regularly now. Instead of using that so-last-century phrase "pat myself on the back" ... which always seemed a little awkward when I visualized it anyway. 

Welcoming all over-40 readers to 2015 with this blogpost- BOOYAH !

That lovely little photo with the historic mural in the background (we know it is historic because the cheerleaders in it are actually wearing CLOTHES) was taken on the eve of the grand opening of The Old Spaghetti Factory here in Corvallis. Sam and I have been visiting this restaurant in other cities since the beginning of time practically - like back when I was a cheerleader wearing a similar outfit to the gals above - and it is one of our favorites. So when we heard one was coming here, we flipped. 

Okay, that's probably last-century too. 

We were stoked. 

No, that's 80's. 

Ummm...  What Would Mackenzie Say ? (This is how I make decisions these days in regards to speaking the language of pop culture. WWMS ?)

WE WERE PUMPED !!!

Boom.

Sam had roses and a card waiting for me at a table overlooking the river from the window (not visible at night, but we imagined how awesome it will be in the summer) and we gorged on our favorite dinner there : The Potpourri Plate. If you haven't tried it, you need to. So many delicious flavors in one glorious meal. Yum.

overheard: "Babies, CHEESE !!! Ohh, cute!"

Okay, it is now time to start homeschooling, and if I put this post back in the draft folder it is going to be February before I remember to publish it.

So use your imagination with the pictures, and I'll insert a sentence or two for the ones that aren't self-explanatory .

Below was a trip to Storybook Land in Albany, Oregon. It's a Christmas village that has been put together every December since we moved here almost twenty years ago, and it is just magical. Local merchants and families decorate their own booths to represent a specific story, decorated for Christmas. The entire place is lit up and there are about 50,000 Christmas trees inside (at least it seems like it) and the kids get to sit on Santa's lap at the end. The whole Rice clan went this year, which made it one of my favorite nights of the season. Any time we can all get together in one place is a highlight for me. 

Yeah, so the whole Santa's lap thing . That went well .

I spy a little elf, making sure he stays on Santa's nice list ....

We start them young at The Rice Ranch. 

These next few photos are from our annual visit to The Nutcracket ballet. I started taking Mackenzie every year when she was about 8 years old, and now Abigail and Lily go, as well as Naomi and Monique. Pretty soon Norah and Macie will be joining us - and who knows if some day one of them will be performing in it ! A Nana can dream ;) 

I wish I had taken a picture of our roof after Caleb put the ten foot Santa on top of it - anchored to the chimney perfectly, as only Caleb can do. 

Just four photos from the week from hell (just before Christmas) at our house, otherwise known as The Stomach Flu. I think 14 out of 18 of us got it (Jason and Josiah's families included in that number) and we may have lost 42 pounds combined by the time it was all said and done. 

Hey, we aim for finding the silver linings here on A Perfect Lily. 

If weight loss is one of the silver linings of the stomach flu, then Popsicles are the gold. 

Or something like that . 

And Popsicles in the bathtub are the icing on the silver lining's cake. (Who says you can't mix metaphors ? We're homeschoolers, we make our own rules.)

How we avoid spreading germs here - strict rules about sleeping in your own bed, no sharing of cups, etc etc. 

Uh huh . 

A little sibling worship photo ... 

A little sleeping baby photo (cuz I never post those )...

Right before Christmas we hosted a Family Fun Day at our church, complete with live reindeer, elves, and Santa himself . 

Okay, I lied about the reindeer . But Santa was really there. And Hayden enjoyed him as much as Lily did when she saw him at Storybook Land. 

Well, that wraps up this December post ... one more belated Christmas post to come this week (cuz I'm punctual like that) and then I'll be all caught up for the year. Except I still have an awesome Pumpkin Patch Post from October that is sitting in a draft folder waiting to be shared ... 

Note to self : be a better blogger in 2015. 

(That's right up there with my resolution to eat more chocolate in the new year. And I'm determined to do both. The world needs more blogging moms devoted to consuming large amounts of chocolate - there are enough kale eaters out there to fill five hundred pinterest boards with all their healthy nonsense. Give me all the chocolate !)

Happy New Year !