new year's eve

We had a very busy and fun-filled new year's eve. First we went to the Prudential Mall to get a snack and some coffee before heading out in the cold.

This ice sculpture had just been finished!

The kids ran around Copley Square.

They stopped to get their picture on the tortoise and hare sculptures!

We got to watch them do quite a bit of work on this dragon ice sculpture. It was very fun to watch!

There was a Dunkin' Donuts truck (you can see it behind Jane) and they were handing out free mini cups of cocoa. That hit the spot!

Next we went to the Museum of Fine Arts.

The planes, trains and automobiles exhibit was cool.

The kids needed to lie down for a minute!

They made weathervanes.

We watched a bunch of geese walk down the road. There were about 50 of them! Jane said they were going to a goose meeting.

This was a contemporary art video of a man putting tape over TVs.

Then the kids made beaded snowflakes.

When we got home we had homemade eggnog.

Like last year, the kids got to stay up to watch Jeopardy! and eat nachos. Westie was intrigued by the nachos!

Nate and I enjoyed margaritas!

stockings

For the past couple years we've given the kids their stockings the day after Christmas. They had a fun time opening everything. I made Malcolm a wolf finger puppet and Jane a polar bear one, of course!

Malcolm worked on a lego set he got for Christmas!

Christmas

We spent Christmas with Grammy, Nana, Uncle Abe, Uncle Ben, Aunt Amy and cousin Reagan. It was a great day!

I made dip with cheese, sundried tomatoes and pesto.

Lunch was delicious. Reagan likes to sit in between Jane and Malcolm!

Malcolm made himself look very fancy.

Anna received a basketball outfit!

The kids have been talking about this lego set for months. They were so happy they got it!

Peabody Essex Museum

The day before Christmas we spent a few hours at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Photography wasn't allowed at the Calder exhibit. It was amazing, though!

We also enjoyed the Nathaniel Gould furniture exhibit.

The museum wasn't crowded at all so we spent a long time there, and we saw almost everything.

Jane's favorite part was reading books!

last night of Hanukkah

It was also pajama day at school and the last day before vacation.

Malcolm got Bumblebee!

Jane got a watch!

more Hanukkah

Jane and Malcolm opened new pjs on the fifth night!

Nana, Rayna and Samara visited on the sixth night - except it was during the day!

Jane's dolls got the cutest little menorah!

At night the kids had a great time coloring Malcolm's new cape!

beginning of Hanukkah

We're having a good Hanukkah so far! On the first night the kids got books. Jane got a book about polar animals and Malcolm got a Dinotrux book.

The next day I made Hanukkah cookies. Those got eaten up fast!

I was worried the kids wouldn't be excited about new clothes but they promptly put them on and pretended they were at a wedding.

The next night, Hanukkah Harry brought some gin from the Berkshires to Mom and Dad.

Again I was worried they would think new sheets were boring, but they played all kinds of games with them.

I finished a knit menorah wall hanging. The kids can touch these candles - they go in and out of the pockets!