Moments of the Month | December 2013

The fact that there are SO many photos in this Moments of the Month post — even though I’ve already posted glimpses of our December HERE, HERE and HERE — says a lot about the month of December.  Its crowded, it’s colorful, it’s exciting.  It’s sometimes a jumbled mess.  It’s exhausting.  And it’s generally the highlight of every year.  This December was no exception.

Our Christmas tree hunt actually happened on the last day of November, so I’m cheating a little bit here.  I just feel that Christmas trees belong in December, and since I make the rules, here they are.  It was super fun to see all our Breezy friends again.

The night we decorated the tree, we had some fun with holiday “crackers,” complete with prizes inside.

We went and saw the Rockettes in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular this year, stopping on the way to see the tree.

(Thanks to the nice tourist who let me get in a picture!)

Our house looked really pretty. 😉

These two wackos decided that the clothespins I use to clip up Christmas cards for display made great wigs.  And Mimi, who stayed with us for a bit before Christmas, came to school to help Paul’s class make gingerbread houses.

There were several snow days.

And a beautiful first grade Christmas pageant.

Here are these two wackos again.  I love that they have such a great time together.  Once upon a time, I worried that their age spread — the largest among all my four — would leave the little guy alone with no soul buddies in the house.  I shouldn’t have worried.

Our girls’ shopping day, which we THINK we figured out is in its seventh year, got two more players this year — cousins Sandra and Nadia moved from Canada, and they were a great addition.  Here we are by the tree at Bryant Park…

And “shopping” all over the city.

And of course, at the big tree at Rockefeller Center.   (We forgot to get Mimi in some of these pictures!)

There she is, treating all the girls to the “BIG PRETZELS” they chanted about all day.

Christmas eve at our house was a blast, as usual.

Christmas morning.

And Christmas dinner with the McLaughlin side.

Instagram shows more Christmas parties and school concerts, as well as a trip to the Federal Courthouse for a ceremonial session of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in memory of Papa, whose presence was greatly missed this Christmas.

I hope that you enjoyed your December, and that its craziness is helping you appreciate a much calmer January.  Thanks for looking!

~Jaye