I write this December blog only after taking a break from being outside in (not kidding) 70 degree weather.  As I write this, Avery and Emerson are playing outside with all the neighbors dressed in a T-shirt and a summer dress.  Justin and I decided to skip the gym this morning in part to have extra time…..extra time to recover from last night’s party…extra time to clean up from the party…and extra time for making a gingerbread house.  It’s actually quite ironic that we decided we would go for a walk instead of the gym and enjoy the beautiful warm (actually border line hot) weather only after making a gingerbread house in our pajamas.  Should I mention that the girls were actually still in their pajamas when we went for a walk?

Anyway, tonight is the last night of Hanukkah.  The first night was last Sunday and we went to my parents.  My mom made latkes as she normally does, but instead of doing brisket, she got ready made Peruvian chickens.  It was delicious and while I ate too much, I felt so much better than I normally do afterwards when I eat too much brisket. The girls were spoiled by my parents as always and my mom insists of giving them a present every night.  While I know giving a present each night is the norm, I don’t think they need multiple presents each night.  Thus Justin and I give them pretty small things sometimes…(i.e. toothbrushes and toothpaste which they not only requested, but were ecstatic upon unwrapping the present and realizing what it was).

We lit the candles and said the prayer each night after at our home.  The girls definitely know it and sometimes can even say quite a bit of it without much prompting.  Other nights I end up saying it myself especially the nights the girls are also helping light the candles as their level of concentration on lighting the candles appears to take precedence over remembering the prayer.  

Ludmila spent the first night of Hanukkah with us at my parents and then was around for the lighting of the menorah at least several more nights during the week.   One night we brought out the camera. Here is Avery picking out her candles….choosing the right colors is part of the fun. It’s funny how as they take forever, I think to myself, just pick a darn color quickly.  But deep down I’m also recalling doing the same exact thing as a kid and knowing that I would still be selective in my color scheme today. Emerson placing her candles in her menorah.  As you can see, her menorah was one of the ones that fell and broke last year and Justin managed to glue it back together to somewhat salvage it.

Harper with her candles.

Emerson providing some supervision and words of wisdom for Harper.

Ludmila attempting to get the candles to stand up straight.

Avery with her menorah ready to go.

Emerson with her menorah ready to go.

Family picture time…

Cute Harper….has fangs just like her mama!

Blurry picture, but typical Harper face.  Also, I sort of love this picture of Emerson because she always wears her hair and the back and refuses to put it in front…so this look is a rare moment.

Mama and two of her kiddos.

Avery watching as mama lights the first candle.

Harper’s turn to light her menorah.

Last but not least, Eme’s turn.

The girls know Hanukkah means lighting the candles, eating gelt, dreidels, and opening presents.  That’s the gist of it, right?!?! 

The 7th night of Hanukkah coincided with my mom’s birthday…Dec 12.  This year was also the first year that my Grandma would be celebrating her birthday in Virginia (her 88th birthday). Her birthday is December 15th.  A few weeks ago, my cousin Jason who lives in California and who I haven’t seen in over 7 years said he was coming to the DC area.  And while I hadn’t seen him in seven years, my other Virginia cousins hadn’t seen him and 9 years and truth be told that was only their second, maybe third time meeting each other when they saw each other nine years ago!  So I decided I would host a birthday party for my mom and grandma…that way Jason and his new girlfriend Gina (that’s another story for another blog….but not my blog so I’ll refrain) could join us and see everyone at once! 

My mom suggested we order platters, but that’s not my style.  So while we did order two cakes, I did everything else myself….I stuck to an Italian theme….did one baked ziti, one pasta with pesto, peas, squash, prosciutto, and mozzarella.  Then I did a caesar salad with homemade croutons and a kale salad with toasted pine nuts, cranberries, and a lemon mustard vinaigrette.  I also did my famous “chicken balls”….meatballs but with ground chicken.  All was delicious and I definitely saw most everyone go back for seconds. Everything about the night was perfect….we are finally learning to host in our home…i.e. finding the best place to put the drinks, the trashcan, etc….all may seem little but placement is huge in a successful party!  

Both my mom and my grandma thoroughly enjoyed the celebration and were very appreciative of me having the party.  It was nice that they felt that way and recognized the hard work and appreciated the effort that Justin and I made for the celebration.  Grandma Adele laughed and cried while opening cards and gifts.

Mom opened a few cards and presents too, but certainly made the focus my grandma.

The girls had a good time and we had enough family members who they love, that I was able to concentrate on hosting the party and not have to worry about the girls as I did when they were little. Everyone ate in different areas….some the kitchen.

Some the living room.

And some the dining room.

I made people gather for several stage group shots. While this is the better of the following two pictures, my eyes were squinty in the first picture, thus the need to post the second!  This is all the blood cousins with Grandma.

Grandma with the cousins plus our significant others….plus Emerson who wanted to join the picture.

And group shot…everyone gathering….

Gathered…and cheese!

And one more since Brett and Jesse both decided to close their eyes at the same time…perhaps that is the reason they haven’t received their wedding pictures yet!

One of the most interesting points of the night occurred when Harper was without a diaper for a short time (my fault as I was changing her and agreed to give her a few minutes out when instead of fighting with her to put it on).  She has been without diapers for a short time for the same reason many of times before and only once has she peed….it’s a risk, but one that has proven to be not too risky with her.  Anyway, the night of the party she decided to poop on the floor!  She got upset after she did and yelled for my attention.  I couldn’t believe it!  Luckily nobody was really in the playroom with her at the time (where she did it).  As Justin said, “It’s not a party until someone poops on the floor”!  

The only “regret” of the night (other than not putting Harper’s diaper on right away) was that I didn’t get to engage in as much conversation with everyone as I would have liked….but that is pretty typical of any gathering I go to in which I know people. Otherwise, it was a great evening!