This girl.
Oh my goodness, I can't believe she's 18! She had a full birthday week. She worked on her actual birthday (they gave her flowers and a balloon!) and then came home to bake her cake (which had to bake across the street since.... oven was still broken). She stayed at a bed and breakfast which was this cooking/garden/country place she won a gift certificate from years ago. Then the family all went out to eat at Avocado Cafe on Friday for her birthday lunch. She has applied for voter registration and is waiting for her "real" license to come in (in Texas, you have a provisional license until you turn 18; she hasn't been able to drive more than one non-family member at a time, and that's been a point of contention in her life).
So Liz-typical.
Sitting on our bathroom countertop drawing.
Her green-themed cake with sugar-glass flames.
And then that same week, a neighbor came over with 6 tickets for the Botanical Gardens. Her sister worked on the current Bug Display there (or something like that) and wanted some kids to enjoy the displays before they were taken down. She just asked that we get pictures so her sister could see the kids having fun. So we invited some friends and went Friday afternoon.
I must say that there is plenty to do at San Antonio's Botanical Gardens. You could easily spend the day here if you brought a picnic lunch.
Rolling down the hill.
The hobbit hole.
It was nice and cool in there. December and it was almost 80º that day.
Connect Four.
And Jenga and Corn Hole.
These marble slab seats were nice and cool. It was a good resting place for a while. And they had an ice cream vending machine nearby, so....... ice cream.
One of the bugs.
There were three of these giant ants in this yard area.
Giant chairs overlook a recessed lawn.
Phoebe and I snatched a few winks of sleep while some of the kids played chess.
This is my favorite part. Just a little hiking trail that goes around a small lake. This area is reminiscent of the Piney Woods area of East Texas. The kids liked fishing for turtles.
That was a very enjoyable day. I didn't get any pictures of the kids' favorite part: the green houses full of ferns and cacti and orchids. Phoebe would really like one in our backyard. She wants to sit in there by herself and read and draw.
Well, Christmas decorating is allowed to begin as soon as December hits. December 1st was a Sunday, so that Sunday night we commenced.
I've been hearing two different perspectives about Christmas. Some say you should spend time in quietness and darkness remembering the world which had waited for the Light to come. You should celebrate Advent and not rush into the busyness of "the Holiday Season." And then others talk about celebrating to the fullest the season of Christmas. That while it can be tiring for moms, they should make it the most joyful time of year for their children because of Who we are celebrating.
I do not enjoy a super busy life, but Advent is also a newish idea to me. So I wouldn't say I'm an Advent advocate exactly. I do love all the Christmasy ideas I see around. But I also don't like being too busy. So I'd say we try to take it slower than many around us but that the celebratory nature of Christmas is our aim. I kind of feel like the rest of the year is like Advent. Dreary. Waiting for lights.
My mom gave the kids this calendar many moons ago.
And they still love getting their turn to put the magnet on.
They all take turns putting one ornament on at a time. And then Dad (or this time, Phoebe) will rearrange it all later "when no one is looking."
Their first gift to open for the year.
I mean, it's really for Dad and I. Decorative stockings with their names monogrammed.
And last night we drove around Windcrest looking at Christmas lights.
That little town goes all out. These few were favorites of ours.
Star Wars!
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