Merry Christmas 2014

This blog's been sorely neglected this year, and certainly not for lack of content! But Christmas Day is a time set apart. Fleeting moments thick with love permeate this morning of surprise and wonder, and they beg to be captured here. Lorelei is 8. Gryffin is 6. There is both an ache and a joy in my heart, watching as they grow and change, but the magic, for now, still lingers.

They still hear the bell.

Welcome to our Casa Connelly Christmas.

 The calm before the chaos. Not a creature was stirring, not even a bunny.

At least, not downstairs.

 But upstairs, the kids in pajamas were waiting restlessly at top step, singing carols as per our tradition, waiting for the Christ Child to arrive.

(Here's Gryffin, pretending to be Baby Jesus.)

 "Jingle Bells, Batman smells…"

 Waiting… how long will the manger remain empty?

 It's time!

Jesus' arrival signaled the end of caroling and the mad dash downstairs!

 It was all Legos for Gryffin, American Girl Doll for Lorelei.

Let's take in the joy on their faces, shall we?

 Gryffin's favorite present… Lego Ninjago.

 Lorelei's big present… a new outfit and hair extensions for Rebecca.

… and matching pajamas from Santa.

 Love them so!

 They're way into rocks and minerals this year. Pretty thrilled with stocking stuffers from the museum.

 And Mr. Dietrich Bonhoepper was not forgotten.

He looks like he had a rough night--Santa and the elves must have kept him up.

 Bunny's got his own stocking.

 I got lazy this year. Our traditional strata didn't sound good, so we went with a Trader Joe's pastry.

Looks like a baked octopus. I hear seafood's all the rage on Christmas morning in Europe.

 Mark got me a "Windy Loo-Poo" stocking stuffer by Poo-pourri. Nice.

 This is what happens when we try for a serious family pic.

 Merry Christmas 2014, and God bless us, everyone! 

(Now off to assemble some Lego starships…)

Back 2 School 2014-15

It's the first day back to school and Gryffin's first full-day. Be still my heart!

 They picked out their backpacks.

 And were visited last night by the Backpack Fairy, who has come ever since Lorelei's first day of preschool. She brings small gifts, like books, magazine subscriptions, toothbrushes, keychains & jewelry, and pajamas.

 This year, the Backpack Fairy also assigned both kids a word for the year. Lorelei's is SPEAK. Gryffin's is JOY.

 No Bake Cookies are our tradition for their first day of school, but I was at a conference all day so made them last night. Mark stole a few last night--his favorites.

 My big, full-day first grader!

 And third-grade going on thirteen with braces!

Daddy stayed home to help see them off to school. Super special to have him there to walk them in.

 And it meant I actually got in a picture for once, too!

 Gryffy found his buds right away.

 Laney and Lulu sit next to each other in class. This is their first year together.

 G & L with their besties, Miles & Annabelle.

My role on PTO (with all my vast amounts of time, seeing as I'm a full-time grad student) is to babysit Miles and Annabelle while their mom has meetings. She's the prez, and is going to be phenomenal. Jenny, does this mean I get parking perks too? ;)

 It was fun to walk them in together this year!

 Lulu with her teacher, who's new to their school and comes with high praise. 26 students in that class, bless her!

 Gryffy with his teacher. Our whole cul de sac has had her for 1st grade and loved her!

 I'll admit, I shed a few tears yesterday at T-Rex Cafe (our last summer lunch!), but stayed strong while dropping them off... only to burst into tears again on my way to the car. Can't believe they're both in school full-time. After 8 years of being home with them, it's a huge change!

 No homework yet, but the neighbors came over and had lots of fun poring over the quizzes from the Discovery Girls Magazine the fairy brought this morning. Having them bouncing on the trampoline and  having water fights after school made it feel like summer never ended.

So proud of my phenomenal kids. Wishing them the best school year yet!