Halloween to Christmas 2013

 

These photos of the kids are some of my favorites from this fall in the Homer Harbor.

Halloween this year was great fun because the weather was unseasonably warm (for us anyway), and our neighborhood is the hot spot in town.  James had his heart set on dressing up as Batman and he asked Brian to be Robin.  Brian quickly replied yes and the Dynamic Duo did not disappoint.

James was sick last year, so this is really the first Halloween he remembers.  He was full of exclamations all night: "Look at all this tricking and treating going on!"

Kate was going to be a werewolf, but at the last minutes decided to be a regular wolf, so I stitched up a red cape right quick and grabbed a basket of cookies, so we could be a team as well.

In addition to running cross country after school, Kate participated in a program called Girls on the Run.  It's geared toward promoting healthy choices and running for fun in girls grades 3-5.  The culminating event is a 5k run with an adult buddy.

Brian ran as Kate's buddy

Kate and her friends before the race

James is truly Kate's biggest supporter

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James, the official race starter, being held up to ring the cow bell

James running to greet Kate & Brian as they approach the finish line

Brian & Kate being interviewed by the local paper

When all the running ended, Kate immediately started in with the after school basketball program.  "I think I found my super sport," was her quote after one day of playing.  You have to admire the confidence.  God love her, she'll try anything.  

Kate has also been asking for a year now to take horse back riding lessons.  There is nothing organized here, so you kind of have to find someone on your own.  Lucky for us we finally did.

Kate beaming on her way to ring for the first time

 We just hang out on the bluff or explore the beach during Kate's lessons.  The scenery is outlandish.  This is a late fall sunset after horse back riding.

Kate riding bare back to stay warm

James has not been quite as busy.  We continued to bribe him to finish out the hockey season with the promise of Gatorade after each session.  He took a couple weeks of swim lessons this fall and added another afternoon of preschool, but we also spend a lot of time hanging out around the house.

 
James loves to make a puzzle museum.  That means completing every puzzle we own until the table and kitchen floor are covered.

December brought our first good snow, so I dragged Kate out with me for a ski at Sunset Loop.

There was more whining than I had anticipated.   In general, I prefer hanging out with Kate without her friends, but cross country skiing is a clear exception.  When she has ski buddies, she just keeps going without thinking about the work.

Brian about to throw down a margarita

In other winter news, Brian started to develop ice glasses for us modeled after the cocktails we had at the ice museum in Chena Hot Springs last summer.

In early November, we went to Anchorage for the weekend and outfitted the entire family with downhill skis. I also found a used pair of skate skis (not easy to do), so now we're all waiting for snow.  We finally got some good snow in early December, so we spent two weekends putting our new gear to good use.  There is actually a little ski hill on the Air Force base where we usually stay.  We went there first because they were also offering sled dog rides that day.

Kate was fired up for her ride, but I could tell she was trying to figure out when they would let her drive it

 Kate is very interested in mushing and completed her first real report on the Iditarod in school this year.  Although James went for a ride too, he said the dogs smelled and he preferred tubing instead.

James riding up the tubing hill in Anchorage

We also skied at another small hill in Anchorage before hitting Alyeska Ski Resort on our way home.  The kids didn't seem to forget much from last year and were zooming down the hill right away.  Kate looks for every opportunity to "off road" and try to jump stuff.  I'm pretty sure she can turn, but she prefers speed over technique.  Bird is a little more conservative and such a positive force on the hill.  Usually Brian skis right behind him, but it seemed he could really use someone to follow.  I skied slowly practicing my S turns down the mountain so he had a path to follow.  The whole way down he kept yelling, "You're doing a great job mama.  Good job with your turns mama."  Kate was at the chairlift in 30 seconds and waiting impatiently for the rest of us to make it down.
Not many photos as it was kind of cold and I don't like taking my mittens off, but here is one of Kate as a lone skier on the hill as the sun was starting to set around 4 pm.

Kate at Alyeska

After two weekends of downhill, Brian and I went for a ski in Homer while the kids were in school.  He was gone so much last year that he hasn't seen all the trails in town yet.  There was quite a bit of grass and sticks poking through the snow, but still decent skiing.

Jessie dog and I at the McNeil Lookout

Christmas crept up quickly as we were preoccupied with skiing.  It took us two trips out, but Brian found another great tree this year.  It was enormous, but we probably won't have another house with this much height, so we figured why not.

 It was also wet, super heavy, and even bigger than we thought.

Once we jammed it in the door and got it in the stand (no small feat), it was perfect.

Kids decorating the tree

James making another toast and tossing back more eggnog

The kids had a variety of holiday concerts and performances including singing with Pete the Cat,

 being the cutest shepherd ever present at the reenactment of Jesus's birth, and

ice skating.

When Christmas Eve rolled around, I felt negligent that our kids hadn't seen Santa.  I shouldn't feel too bad though because they were both too lazy to write him a letter.  Then, we saw a flyer that he'd be at the ice arena in a few hours so decided to squeeze it in our busy day.

James skating with his chair and trying to catch up to Santa

Santa skated for a while, then sat while James told him he wanted a new zebra stuffed animal.  I honestly can't even remember what Kate asked for (a Hexbug I think).  Thankfully, they didn't ask for much at all (probably because they have a ton already).  It was the first Christmas we've ever spent without traveling or hosting company.  I thought it would be a little slow and  lonely for me, but in fact it was quite lovely.

James opening presents

Not too long after Christmas, I drove all the boxes and Christmas trash to the dump, we packed our bags, and headed for Hawaii!

The eagles are now inside the transfer station.  Can you find all 4 in this photo?