'Tis the Season...

...for Tea Parties (set up by the mischievous, playful elf while we were out...)

...For releasing our Salmon that we "raised" from eggs in our 2nd grade classroom. 

Now they are off on their journey to the ocean.

Winnie's "Fish Wish" was that her little guy have a "safe and happy journey." 

Kid next to her wished that he would make a good salmon dinner for him someday. Ha! 

 'Tis the season for celebrating the Return of the Light! Wahoo! Happy Solstice! 

...For Solstice Parties with friends, cookies with many inches of frosting on top, and candle-lighting.

 ...for celebrating the longest night of the year with a good, long snooooooze...

 ...For a Candy Cane Lane Tour! Wow. Man oh man, we found the neighborhood this year! 

'Tis the season...for butterfly costumes? For some reason, my friend Sage thought the elf costume was a more appropriate get-up for the holiday celebration at the Y. I guess. If you want to be all predictable.

 

' Tis the season to make sure your ears stay really warm. 

 ...Only downside is that you then can't hear your crazy sister sneak up behind you. 

'Tis the season for "beanstalks." At some point along the line, in our conversations about "stockings" (stalkings?), Jezebel heard/remembered "beanstalks"-- so could be heard saying such things as, "When do we open our beanstalks?" "When does Santa fill our beanstalks?" in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Pictured here: Jez with said Beanstalk. 

 ... the scene played out in (lucky, blessed, fortunate) living rooms around the world yesterday morning...

'Tis the season for focused, quiet, happy play with lovely new toys from friends. Pictured here: a gift from some dear friends who won this incredible doll/ handmade doll clothes set at a raffle years ago and have been holding on to it, awaiting the Grossman Girls coming of age... amazing collection which held these girls rapt for much of the day yesterday! 

'Tis the season for grinning and bearing the dark, foggy, bone-chilling cold and enthusiastically encouraging the girls to head out try out their new scooters. They had a blast. Mom's fingers got cold and all she could think about was the fire and her book awaiting her at home... (When the fog lifts, she'll be more of a sport.)

 'Tis the season for copious amounts of sugar. 

...And for learning that when one says, "Let's get dressed up for dinner!"--other, shorter people in the house may have a different interpretation of the phrase "dressed up." I was thinking dresses, tights, and patent leather shoes. They were more in the "ribbon wrapped around my chest masquerade ball gypsy" mindset.  

'Tis the season to dress up like the GRINCH! No, we're playing Spa. We're not as melancholy about it as we appear to be, but have you ever tried to smile with clay drying on your face? Not easy. 

But, trust us, we had fun. 

...and the moment you've all been waiting for: Proof that Mike is, in fact, singing in a church choir! I had to be very clandestine about the photo-taking, so it's not an award-winning photo in any way except subject: Jewish/Pagan/Defies All Labels Mikey in a Lutheran church choir. (For those of you who haven't heard and are wondering if the Internets brought you to the wrong Grossman Family Blog site, Mike's music mentor/teacher has assigned him to this experience as a way to continuously grow musically/sight read, etc.; this teacher also happens to be the director of this choir, so lacking any affiliation to a church of his own, Mike joined his teacher's crew!)  This is the rehearsal before the service; our whole family went to Midnight Mass to sing Christmas Carols, right up to the traditional candle-lighting and singing of Silent Night... an experience that Winona summed up best, "It was great... once a year or so." Amen, sister. 

We send everyone huge amounts of love and happiness for a fantastic, joyful, peaceful, and healthy 2014! 

Lots of goodness...

From this

to this...

...it's been quite a dynamic few weeks, in thirty seven different directions! 

A peek into what's been keeping us hoppin' and happy.

The perks of having friends who majored in "recreation." (Why didn't I think of that?)

Sweet, sensitive and hardworking Winona pulled this off-- to the tune of $205 for the Gorilla Doctors, plus two other gorillas "adopted" in her honor. Pretty awesome! 

And, now, what will the next year of her life hold? 

 

It started out by holding a whole lot of birthday parties-- friends, family and SoCal family! 

 ..a celebration that was shared with Hanukkah and Thanksgiving.

 Winnie got a doll she has longed for; 

she also got the present of her SISTER getting a similar doll so she wouldn't have to share it. :) 

Other fun times in LA: visiting "Dad's Castle!" This is where Mike lived for 10 years during his Hollywood Hills era of life (We will not mention that he lived in the "dungeon"-- a teeny tiny little room on the ground floor. :) We stopped in and visited his landlord of so many years ago and were welcomed with open arms and a fantastic tour of this incredible house... castle. It really is a castle.

The brothers and mama!

 The crazy cousins and friends.

 Friends and family... 

 And... then home to a week of this!! It was crazy. Shut down the town for a week... no school, weird work schedules. LOTS of sledding. Crazy and fun! 

But! The show must go on. Pinocchio matinees were performed as scheduled -- with this darling Russian Puppet lighting up the stage. The evening shows will happen the first weekend of January. 

Winnie was so very good. 

 

A natural.

The Elf has arrived in our world-- showing up with shenanigans and treats.

And now the house if fully decorated and we are up to our elf ears in holiday adventures...

...which can be exhausting. ;)

Through it all, we are holding out every hope and prayer that the very sick Lucy we came home to after our trip to LA is on her way to a full and complete recovery. We don't have any definite answers, yet, but, at the very least, she is spunky and happy again. We are so grateful for every day we get with this little ball of light!

BOO!

Halloween was full of fun this year, from pumpkin carving parties to Y parties, trick or treating to 47 different costumes pulled from the costume trunk (each), it did not disappoint. 

 One of the many costume renditions: the witch and wonder woman.

The adults getting their Halloween groove on. Julie the flapper with Orin who looks like he should be my date...

 An afternoon at the Science Factory is always a crowd pleaser.

 And today, an annual event at our beauteous Mt. Pisgah: Playin' in the Rain Day (it never rains on this day. 

Ever.)

The miniature pony kissed me!  

 "Look mom! I have antlers!"

Learning to shoot a Bow and Arrow

 ...and using a saw...

Then home for a snack-- the nutcracker is Jezebel's new favorite toy/tool. :)

...and bed. G'Night!