Ketchup 1

My bro-in-law unloaded his phone the other day. He took Charlie to an indoor Trick or Treat thing at the local high school.













Here's some pics from the Halloween party.

Balloon popping board.

Mummies!

After Effects

The last of my buried hooch - I think I messed up the sugar in these because it tasted like condensed apple juice with a few too many cans of water poured in. And then a slight notion of a bite. So there was some alcohol, some flavor and a whole lot of water.

I'm sure my compost pile enjoyed it.

I didn't even save any for the 2012 reunion of the Ithaca College Krew of Young'uns. Or ICKY.

It was good to see everyone. Justin looks like a pre-WWII German (no way to pinpoint what makes me think that but he does) and Dee schooled everyone in Just Dance 4 . . . since she's actually a dancer. Bev and Maura brought over Isla (not a dancer). Leah brought Gary (who is like Isla but with a bigger diaper).

It was nice to drink in the middle of the day. Justin made some drink that was delicious and vaguely citronella-esque (but good). And the snacks just kept on coming.

Then we went to Delaware to see everyone. Mainly we drive for four hours then think of ways to occupy our kids. We took a troop of them to a bounce park a few miles away. Which was nice, it sapped energy out of the kids like a air conditioner saps heat. The one draw back was that it was a Special New Years Bounce Party thing so it was completely dark. So, for the first twenty minutes, I had no idea where Charlie was. Thankfully, they shut the doors pretty quickly so I knew she was in the bounce room . . . somewhere. 

Also, I got a big friction burn on my elbow when I jumped down an incline into a bunch of squishy bounce pile-ons. 

This is the only picture we could get (in the only lit spot). Charlie, Brianna, Asher and Zac inside a tornado wind tunnel.

After that was bowling.

Three lanes, one adult, one middle/younger kids, one younger younger kids and a few adults. The set up took almost as long as the bowling (about a game and a quarter). Charlie dug it. Asher did not.

Then came the New Years Eve Games: Apple on a string: take a bite without using your hands! Not shown, Bobbing for Apples, with quarters at the bottom of the sink for the adventurous, Wheel Barrow Races, The Worlds Most Inappropriate Game of Leap Frog (adult), Leap Frog (kids).

 

 Then, NEW YEARS!

Suckers!

 

Then, a few days after we get home, it's Ukrainian Christmas. My mom was raised Russian Orthodox and in the Sister Church they use the Julian Calendar and christmas is on Jan 7th. (Why do they use the Julian Calendar? No clue. Probably the same reason the Catholics do only for Easter, because they can). Which means, another day of presents.

Mom got the kids some money - dollar coins - in a change purse made out of a sock. They were swinging those things around like Full Metal Jacket. But they've each used some of the coins to buy some extra goodies.

 

Asher got a cowboy hat, which he wore for about a week straight (which for a kids cowboy hat is 6 days longer than they're supposed to last). With his cowboy boots (he won't wear anything else and we're done fighting him about it) and wool collared corduroy jacket he looks like he could be the son of a radio station owner in Cicely, Alaska.

 

Yes, that reference is pretty arcane deep in the valley of early 90's CBS drama/comedy. Next time a Picket Fences reference!


Asher and Ryan playing. In case you haven't noticed, Ash has hit the stage of mugging for the camera. I think he'll grow out of it when he's 27.

Charlie, reading a book.

Ahhhh, she loves me.

Throwing Paper

Just a ton of Christmas day photos. I'll try to group them but it might take a while, in which case I'll give up and take a nap.

Stockings:

One of the big hits of the day: a pop up store front.

Presents!

 

Play mat:

My big box:

Had some doll shoes in it.

And an impact driver!

I'm pretty sure Charlie is reading the American Girl Doll catalogue and already planning for next year's christmas list.

Asher working a felt piece book. Pretty amazingly, I saw all the felt pieces today so they're not scattered to the four corners of the earth. Yet.

A tea set (another big hit).

The train!

Apron and oven mitt for when he's helping in the kitchen.

Shoes (always a big hit).

The train after it was set up.

A jewlery box that Charlie got and was able to decorate (see also, clip-in colored hair extensions). Asher is coloring in a sign for his store front, I believe.