A Bit of Christmas Morning Excitement!

Christmas morning pix are not always the loveliest due to the abundance of bedhead-y hairdo's . . . but the excitement is hard to pass up!

Here's Porter doing the happy dance with a Nintendo DS game from Kenzie.

And Jake showing some serious enthusiasm for bacon flavored "Beggin' Strips" (appropriately named) from Mike!

The long awaited Nintendo DS arrives - True Christmas Magic!

Kenzie momentarily hides her excitement as she strums her new ukulele.

But, Abbie lets it all out - - she can't wait to cook us up some sandwiches (as seen on TV) with her GT Xpress 101!

And, who wouldn't go crazy for a Minnesota Wild hockey

t-shirt from Mike?

A magical Christmas indeed.

Rudolf Hip Hop - - 3rd Grade Style

Yay - I think I made the quality better!!  :-)

After Porter had come home drenched in sweat on several Fridays, I finally asked him what on earth he was doing at school toward the end of the day.  He said that Cierra's mom helped with P.E. every Friday, and they were doing Hip Hop. I didn't think too much about it, but knew he was having fun. Then, right before the Christmas break, parents were invited to come see the dance all the third graders had learned . . . and I was quite surprised to see just how much fun Porter had been having.  I had no idea my little boy could dance like that!

Have Yourself . . .

              . . . . A Merry Little Christmas!

We enjoyed two versions of these wishes

performed by our girls at recitals this week

& wanted to share them with you!

Enjoy!  And Merry, Merry Christmas!!

Kenzie's the shorter one in the middle - sorry, guess you have to zoom in

BEFORE you start recording...always learning :-)

(she'd be even short-er, but she's wearing heels!).  

In her defense . . . the other two girls are 5'9" & 5'10"

And wearing heels.

I wasn't close enough to record Abbie at her recital, when she was all cute & Christmas-y - but she gave me another chance.  Doesn't she make it look easy?  

And, in HER defense, any little mishaps were most like caused by the LBJ bust eerily coming to life toward the end of her song . . . or the anticipation of it!!  Hee Hee!

P.S.  I'm so sorry that the much-anticipated clip of Porter's hip hop dance isn't included!  The file is the tiniest bit too large - so I'll try to figure out how to cut it down tonight.    

P.P.S. What the heck is up with the font sizes - if I choose large, they get smaller; if I choose smaller, they get larger.  And then when I publish everything changes again.   I give up.

It's A Beautiful Day!

The much anticipated R-A-I-N finally arrived in So Cali the night before Thanksgiving.

 Which was fine. 

We needed it.

BUT, we were planning to make the most of the summer weather we have enjoyed/endured clear thru November, by having our Thanksgiving feast at the beach. 

Amazingly, after pouring on Wednesday, there was not a cloud in the sky on Thursday morning in Laguna Beach.

We hauled our feast down to the picnic tables

at the end of my parent's street, 

and smothered our turkey with hot gravy from a thermos.  

The sun was warm & the air was clean.

Grandma didn't cut the seagulls ANY slack as they tried to

nonchalantly inch their way closer to our serving table.

When she shakes her finger, EVERYONE listens.

Even the animal kingdom.

The little boys were done eating in 4 minutes flat, 

and moved on to more important things,

 like stick jousting 

& out-of-control frisbee throwing,

while we old(er) folks enjoyed our meal

(and Jake scored some serious clean-up under the kids table).

We moved down onto the sand when we were sufficiently stuffed. 

The kids had fun playing and taking pictures of each other.

Jed is fearless . . .

And Henry will NOT be outdone!

("Did you get my picture, Auntie Sue??")

Porter did what he does best -- keep busy & avoid the camera.

Abbie got a new toy last weekend.

A much awaited late birthday/early Christmas present.

The coveted cell phone.

To her credit, she wasn't texting when I took this photo, but looking at all the pictures she had been taking with it of her cousins & the beach.

(In fact, she is to be credited with many of the pix in this post, as is Kenzie.)

Abbie & Jack!

This is a pretty good representation of Abbie these days!

Abbie & her sweet side-kick, Harriet

(who, btw, has an awesome sense of humor!)

And, Kenzie even wanted a pic with her old mom.

Did I mention what a beautiful day it was?

To be surrounded by some of my  most precious blessings

made it a wonderful day.

The only thing that could have made it better -- 

the addition of a few more of my peeps

(namely, Carrie, Matt, Aubrye, Bryson, Zach & Taylor).

Thanks for making it a beautiful day.

CRAZY Day with Porter

It was C-R-A-Z-Y D-A-Y at de Portola & Porter engineered his own crazy look.  Note the shoe laces tied around his ankles - quite creative, I thought!  

And, lest you miss the teeny tiny 'pony tail' on top, I've included a close up!

Don't judge a brownie by its... frosting? aka what's that green stuff?

Hey everybody

this is Kenzie, I saw that my mom hadn't updated lately and thought I'd fill you

 in on some of the Coe family happenings.

Last week we had the missionaries over for dinner

nothing wrong with this picture... until you look a little closer

"What is that?" you may ask, well its kind of a long story.

It all started when we were trying to throw together a dessert for the missionaries.

& of course the chefs in the family(mom&abs) decided to try out a new recipe. (I prefer to be the official tester;) )

The description on the recipe sounded really good "brownies with

 a layer of chocolate frosting followed by a layer of mint frosting." So about 10 minutes before the missionaries got here, the disaster started. The only green food coloring we had was fluorescent. This wasn't so bad, but the butter was frozen solid so they put it in the microwave to "soften" but instead liquified it. So instead of creamy it was kinda lumpy...

In there defense it tasted really good:)

and they took my jokes about "flubber"

and porter's about "shrek juice"

with a good old laugh

although I'm not sure the missionaries will be back anytime soon:)

love to all

Kenzie

oh and p.s. you're all invited over for thanksgiving dinner ;)

Random Life Stuff

This is how Abbie looks every day when she gets home from cross country practice. Her knees have been bothering her (due to overuse & the fact that her coaches don't believe in warming up or stretching).  Oops, I digress.

Anyhoo, I just couldn't resist taking this picture for two reasons:

#1. It kinda looks like, well you know, it's time for a potty break.

and

#2. It shows how Jake looks sooooo forward to Abbie's arrival home

everyday so he can be carried around like a baby on her hip

with his head on her shoulder.

He literally starts to dance like a circus dog when 

he realizes she has returned to him!

Porter participated in the PTA Reflections art contest again this year.  He was planning on winning at every level, of course, but it didn't exactly work out that way.  The theme was  "Wow!" and he put together this cute photo collage of Jake doing a back flip on our trampoline.  He also entered a song he 'composed' on Garage Band.

 

Kenzie has made the switch from Drama to Choir this year.  It was HUGE & kinda traumatic for her after so many years of focusing on theatre, but it has turned out to be such a good thing! The choir director is a wonderful mentor & she is really enjoying learning from him & exploring new ways to use her voice.

Kenzie, Tess & Clare after their first Treble Choir concert.

Halloween for Us

Here's how it went down for us  . . .

Harry Porter attended several pre-halloween parties

& acquired way too much candy, which he consumed way too fast.

Scary.

(be sure to enlarge this pic & check out Abbie in the background!!)

In case you didn't notice, not a lot of effort went into Porter's costume,

and he couldn't have cared less! His priority was candy-gathering.

  

We got together with family & neighbors for Halloween dinner . . .  

...and shared some of our traditional faire. 

Goblin Guts & Mummy 'Dawgs' were our contributions!

The Mummy Dawgs turned out so CUTE this year!  I just couldn't resist zooming in so you could see their little faces!

Here's the neighborhood trick-or-treat gang, complete with

our local cousins . . . Ready to GO!

No Halloween is complete without trick-or-treating at "the Christmas House"; which is always fully decorated for the upcoming season!  A bunch of 20-somethings turn the driveway into a living room w/sofas & such, play christmas carols, show christmas movies, serve hot wassail & pass out 'gifts' instead of candy! (my pix are lacking at this stop, but I did take one of the street sign!).  Porter's "treat" was a lovely necktie, which he thought was really funny.  But Jed was not impressed with his flyswatter!  Be sure to check my sis-in-law's blog to see the 'snowstorm' & Jed with his new flyswatter! (Richardson Family Raconteur; someday I'll learn how to embed the link into a word like everyone else does...) 

And, hence you think Halloween was lost on my teenagers?!  Oh no!  Not them.  Kenzie went to Knott's Scary Farm TWICE in the 10 days before Halloween, (and loved it - - not my cup of tea, but . . . I didn't have to go in!)

And both girls attended the Halloween Dance put on by our church. 

(plus Abbie went to another one in RSM too!) 

Here's Abbie, Jodi & Torra, as "80's Girls" at the dance. 

They were so excited to wear the leg warmers.  Who woulda' thunk?

. . . and Kenzie & Jessica as MVHS football players!

On to Thanksgiving, we go!

We Are the Champions!

Porter's street hockey team, The Ducks, won their post season tournament last night.  

He was so excited, he exclaimed,

"We just won the Stanley Cup!!"

Well . . . actually it's a trophy with a little gold plastic hockey guy on top, 

but it FELT like the Stanley Cup! 

(If the Stanley Cup was a trophy with a little gold plastic guy on top.)

They EARNED it, though. 

I've never, in my life, seen Porter sweat so much. 

When those 8 yr-old boys take off their gear,

it just doesn't smell so good.  

End of Description.

You GO, Girl!

Kenzie initially wanted to come sign-waving with me this evening, but when we arrived, she felt apprehensive.  It was a very busy intersection, people were honking (& sometimes yelling) as they drove by.  I didn't blame her.

When I told her I didn't want to push her - that it's not her battle to fight (and even offered to give her $$ so she could wait it out at the nearby Golden Spoon) she said, "Mom, it IS my battle to fight . . . it's MY children who will be affected." 

She smiled and held her sign high, knowing that many, especially kids her age, do not share her beliefs.  And they let her know it, in UGLY ways.  She never stopped smiling her sweet, accepting, tolerant, beautiful smile.  

A mom can be proud of her courageous 16-yr-old daughter, right?

JUST A SIDENOTE:  One cute young guy who drove by yelled, "Yeah, Go Free Speech Girl!"  She didn't catch what he said, but I did.  

Mission Accomplished!

It has been almost F.O.U.R. A.N.D. A. H.A.L.F (4 1/2) years since we began Abbie's allergy desensitization shots.  

And, on Tuesday she received her FINAL set of 4 'sticks'.

It's a day to C.E.L.B.R.A.T.E.   Seriously!

It all started shortly before she turned 9 & started 5th grade - she just couldn't seem to recover from sinus infections.  We went through antibiotic after antibiotic, and finally saw a specialist who recommended that she be tested for allergies.  Sure enough, she was highly allergic to grass, trees & cats, among other things. 

We figure she has survived over 476 pokes, 

and trekked to Dr. Berger's office at least 112 times.

We are liberated!  

P.S. She is basically symptom-free (except for those darn cats) -- I call that a mission accomplished.

Housewifery in Orange County

I rarely go out to breakfast with my friends . . . but on such an occasion last month, my friends & I (who are ALL legitimate housewives -- or homemakers, as I prefer to be called) were asked to vacate our booth at Pacific Whey Cafe, so the "Real Housewives of Orange County" could use it to tape a segment for their show; my first thought was, "Am I not real?"  But we accepted his offer of free food & headed over to another, apparently less prestigious table by the window. 

REAL housewives . . . are they kidding?  I suppose if you've ever happened upon this show, you'll recognize them from the back, getting ready to sit down in OUR booth, while their cameramen schlepped in their gear --  thanks for taking the pic, Carolyn, I know that was SUPER embarrassing to be seen taking a photograph of such nonsense!

If those women are what the rest of the country thinks a 'housewife' in Orange County looks (or acts) like, I'm embarrassed.  They were so . . . artificial . . . even monster-like to me, with faces coated in make-up & streeeeetched. 

Are they, as Webster defines:  a married woman who's main occupation is caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework?   Uh, don't think so...

I think the reason this was so irritating to me is that I CHERISH my role as a married woman who is faithful to my husband, and who's main occupation is caring for my family, teaching my children & managing our household affairs.  It's sacred to me.  (ok - I left out the housework part on purpose . . . but even THAT is a small price to pay for the privilege.)  And I LOVE the beauty of the area of world in which we live.

I don't struggle with inadequacy with regards to my role as 'just a wife & mom.'  I know that there is eternal influence and power in motherhood.  I know that the greatest work I will EVER do will be accomplished within the walls of my home.  That doesn't mean that I don't get discouraged -- I DO -- or want to give up -- I DO, on occasion -- but I know that what I am trying to do is important and worthwhile.  And I am really sad for those women who don't 'get it', and spend their time as wives & mothers chasing after happiness where it doesn't exist . . . and then televising it as though it's normal.  I hope it's not normal.

OK, rant over.  Whew -- I feel better now!