Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Noelle the firecracker is 6

Long overdue birthday post for Noelle Rose. My dear child that talks, sings, dances, jumps and talks some more. She is not one for silence. Noelle learned to cheer and loved cheerleading this Fall, that season is over and she is happily back to dancing. She easily makes friends, she rivals Robert in her extrovertedness and can talk to ANYONE. Love her so much. I know God has big things in store for her.

 We celebrated at home on her birthday. Birthday #6 is the GUM birthday in our house. She can now chew gum... although she has lost this privilege several times already.
 We had her birthday party at the carousel in Story City. We were able to rent it for an hour ($25) and get unlimited rides for everyone. Then we had cookie cake and opened presents at the park.  It was magical and such a perfect day.  Riding any carousel is her favorite thing. I did think it was quite fast for an antique!



 Birthday sundae at Hickory Park

The whirlwind December

December is such a mixed bag.
I want to get everything done early and sit rested and marvel at the tree every night.
Then there is reality, which is really fun too, busy, but fun. I am never quite sure how much of it is because I am a homebody.
Let's take the following conversation into consideration...

Rob -listening to a podcast "Andy Fales had on a food critic talking about all these neat new foods, I can't wait til break to try some. What do you think?"
Me - "Sure sounds great"
Me in my head - "wait, does that mean I have to make a whole bunch of crazy new food that my family won't enjoy over break."
Me  out loud - "do you mean make new recipes at home or restaurants"
Robert - "All places to eat in Des Moines"
Me - "sounds fun"
Me in my head - "sounds exhausting driving to des moines every day to find something to eat"
Robert - "how come you don't like to do fun things?"
he can read my mind.

end conversation.

Anyway, I love December, love the lights, the food, the movies. It just seems rushed. We start with having Christmas on Thanksgiving with the Kibbe's. Then we slide into December. Usually the first week focuses on Dallas and his birthday. The second week of December seems to be the last week for classes/rehersals/practices and what not.  The last couple of years we have bookended the second week of December with an enormous community production at our church which we help with, I bet we logged 15 hrs at church this week.

And I don't say any of this to complain. It is blessed, we do have many wonderful things that we get to choose from and decide their value and place in our December.  I just wish it would last, or that this could be the month with 8 days per week!