Christmas Cheer

The early risers- 7:30!

The later riser included- 8:30

Highlights of our Yultide:

• Presents including: tiger wheely, scooter, guitar, bike shopping trip, rubik's cube, the entire Northern Exposure series, the Once sheet music, and the ever popular sibling gifts (jump rope, lego friends, light saber, minecraft sheep)
• The hit of the stockings was... a package of ramen noodles each.
• We had a small devotional at the church and then proceeded to wear everyone out with dodgeball and kickball.
• Dinner with friends- Duck L'Orange  

This was Christmas Eve when they each opened one present of my choosing. Calvin was really hoping it wasn't underwear. It was pajamas.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear- Christmas Eve

The Beutlers hosted a fantastic Christmas Eve feast- complete with a Nativity and Carol singing. There's nothing like a house full of friends and kids to help make a dent in the nostalgia for big extended family Christmases of yore.

Trust Bryn to find (make) the only speaking part in the Nativity- she started quoting several verses of angelic scripture when her part came.

A toast!

The star-studded cast

The Science of Christmas Eve

We continued our tradition of going to the Museum of Science on Christmas Eve. I believe this was our 4th Christmas Eve at the museum. We spent most of our time at the Pixar exhibit and the Rocketship ride, knowing that we had the whole year to explore the museum thanks to the membership gifted by my parents.

Posing with Dory

Glimpses of Advent

In a reversal of the usual age discrepency, they cast Bryn as Mary and Ben as Joseph.

Cece in the Golden Sun

At Advent tonight, Cece started giggling as we began singing "Twelve Days of Christmas," and gleefully threw her hands up toward the ceiling with the other revelers on "five golden rings." This is progress from the toddler that spends most of the singing program fighting the barricade between her little body and the keyboard that separates her from her mom.

You can guess where that rock went moments after the picture was shot. Luckily, she missed.

Apple Picking Yom Kippur

We picked apples at Shelburne Farm this morning. Memorable moments: Cece covered herself from head to toe with dirt (the dirt was Utah-level dusty- it's a drought on the east coast!). Calvin lost his gun shaped stick. Warm apple cider donuts- best I've had yet. Cece and the hated hayride. Good times with good friends!

The Bog down by the Valley-O

Cece did not sleep this afternoon, so we seized the day and drove up to the cranberry bogs in Chelmsford/Carlisle. It took some doing to find the trail-head, but we found it eventually off of Elm St. In Chelmsford.

Cece did fall asleep by the time we arrived, so Peter stayed in the car and I wandered the lovely trail system with the older kids. Most of the bogs we passed are historic bogs and no longer farmed. However, once we crossed into Carlisle, we came upon the operational cranberry farm.

I'm now slightly obsessed with hitting the cranberry harvest just right in October so I can see them flood the field to harvest the berries. I looked at one of the bigger farms in Plymouth, and they've sold out their tours already.

We still haven't left the "this stick looks like a gun" stage.

Or the "log over water- must cross" stage.

Coming out of the forest to the operational bog in Carlisle

Three bumps on a log by the bog

Clambake 2015- Shantytowns and Hoovervilles

We attended our 14th annual clambake at Crane Beach in Ipswich. Our usual pavilion covered picnic tables were under construction, and there was no water (essential for boiling Lobster, hot dogs, corn, and clam steamers). But in true Mormon fashion, we found a way to potluck anyway.

People brought chairs, umbrellas, tables, and coolers for a make-shift eating area. Jack H. and Charles I. procured water from who knows where. Lunch was barely even late.

The beach was maddeningly crowed because the weather was so perfect. You can't have it all. But we did have fun.

Catching the current as the tide flooded a large pool at the beach

Ody's blue blue eyes

Siren Sisters

Clare and Char having a chat with Cece

Our shovel was a big hit, as always. Never go to the beach without one.

This girl. Sand everywhere.