Christmas!

Official FSA gear!

Now we will be super victorious at Angry Birds!  Thank you Dad!

Grandpa and Laurel

cookies for Santa in 2011 Christmas Jammies (holiday aliens)

Christmas morning sunrise

We've had some Christmas scope creep, which was agreeable to all involved.  We decorated early this year- the day after Thanksgiving- and I didn't get tired of the tree's extended stay in our living room.  

Laurel and Owen had the week before Christmas off from school, and I had some extra vacation days, so we filled the week playing with my dad, baking, doing a little more shopping, and taking a trip out to the aquarium.  Richard, my dad, and Owen had clear weather on Thursday for a rocket launch, where it was discovered if you put the really big engine in the really small rocket it goes REALLY far- and is lost to the wilds of Oregon.  Likely it already has moss growing on it.

We kicked off the festivities in earnest on Christmas Eve, with the Muhly's and my dad joining us for a meal and presents.  Lots of big hits with the boys- Ben is in crafting heaven with a big box of craft supplies pick out by Susie and Laurel.  He spent the rest of that day and most of Christmas day painting.  Owen was excited about a new rocket from grandpa, as well as an iPad from my dad for the entire family- the boys have been enjoying playing Angry Birds.  Todd made FSA t-shirts for the kids, and Owen and Laurel wore them proudly for the rest of the week.  They also got Owen a planetarium projector for his room- to which we all have been a witness to his and Laurel's new and improved space lectures.  Ben did great through Christmas Eve Mass, sitting in the main part of the church, not needing the cry room and on a vigil to see Baby Jesus and Mary.  When we got home, we decorated gingerbread cookies for Santa and tried to get a couple of very excited boys to bed.

Christmas morning arrived early, with a beautiful sunrise and the orange light coming into the bedrooms and waking up Ben and Owen.  With a small distraction by the paints and the craft box, the boys made it out to the front room to discover whether Santa came this year or not.  Apparently the boys were good, and Santa left plenty of loot.  Dad came over and we spent the morning unwrapping gifts and munching on gingerbread cookies.  The boys loved all the new toys mailed in from Richard's family, and we loved our new books and clothes and games from Sally and our Secret Santa's Roger and Justin.  Richard made us a great Christmas dinner with his famous crab cakes, while Dad and Owen worked on new magic tricks- thanks to Aunt Susan, Owen now can levitate.  We were thankful to be able to spend a wonderful holiday with our two amazing little guys and that my dad could join us.  We miss all of our family across the country during this season and will see you this coming year!

holiday greetings!

Ben and Owen, ready for Christmas!  The official 2011 holiday picture.

Ben showing off his big blue eyes... 

and big pink lips.

Owen hoping Mom will finish taking pictures soon. 

Getting punchy!

Heather got a nice one of Owen and I

Ben and Richard at the courthouse, under Ben's ornament- the blue one.

Merry Christmas from our family!  It's really looking a lot like Christmas around here- the tree is up, the stockings are up, and my dad flew in yesterday.  We are about to head to Susie's church to hear Laurel play the piano and sing in their Christmas pageant.  First though, the boys are cuddled together watching the Grinch.

It's been a wonderful (and fast!) year.  You can read about it in the blog, or here are some highlights.

Owen is in the first grade at Zion Lutheran school.  He is in a class size of 11, with an amazing teacher, and we are so happy to have found such a good fit for him.  He is reading now, and doing a great job with it.  He is singularly obsessed with space.  He loves rockets, the space shuttle, planets... anything space related.  He and his friends and his cousin Laurel have a space agency at school- the FSA (Fabulous Space Agency), and are scheduling shuttle launches for the winter.  He is also enjoying Cub Scouts, especially now that Richard is the den leader.  Owen is getting taller and taller, and now has his two front teeth growing back in.

Ben will turn 3 at the beginning of January and is a ball of energy.  He hasn't gained any weight this year- just stretched out.  He follows his brother around and mimics what he says- he has a great role model in Owen.  Ben is at the Monroe Center, in a class of 2 and 3 year olds where he has some fast friends and loving teachers.  Ben loves animals and art, asking either for a farm animal or for paint from Santa.  He is in his second class at Little Kickers and loves learning soccer from Coach Mike.

Richard and I are still at HP, Richard is making new inks and I'm making big printers.  Richard spent a week in Ireland in November for work and enjoyed seeing some places he hadn't been before.  I have slowed down travel considerably, but will likely end up in San Diego a few times next year and hope to manage a trip to Germany in May for a huge tradeshow, Drupa- the Olympics of Printing.

As a family we took trips around Oregon this year, and we are still enjoying discovering our state.  Richard and Owen did a fun camping trip in the cascades.  We did our annual summer trip to visit my dad in Virginia and Richard's family in Vermont and New York.  I took a special side trip this summer to Brazil, Indiana for a special concert in honor of my grandfather, Carl Kumpf.  I joined some old friends in Napa Valley in the spring, and Richard and I went to Portland for the weekend for our anniversary.

We hope the holiday season finds you and your family well, and hope to connect with you in 2012!