Vacation

This week has been reeeeaaally mellow around our house. The kids have played, I've cleaned up, we've snuggled and watched football -- and then watched rescheduled football -- and that's about it. For his part, Evan has been digging into the two GINORMOUS Lego sets that the kids got for Christmas from Pops (yes, they were bestowed upon all three kids, but only one has the interest and patience to build the darn things).

Yesterday we did go to the pool to swim at lunchtime (that's right! outdoors! hooray for the 3% of the country that's not under a blanket of snow!). And the day before that we hit the Bob Jones Trail with my parents so that Foxy could practice her new biking skills and we could all get a little fresh air.

Here's the photographic evidence...



Noah got a camera for Christmas. He's obsessed with its video capabilities. He spent the entire bike ride running alongside her and documenting every rotation of the pedals. We even had to -- got to! -- sit and watch a Blair Witch Project-esque DVD that night.



In Avila Beach after stopping for ice cream:



At "Halfway Hill" on the way back:



Back at the homestead and still obsessed with documenting everything. (And eerily resembling his mother...)



And the Lego dude with the first of his two crazy Star Wars creations.



The Death Star might warrant its own post...

Snapshots of a Clausen Christmas

This year was much like Christmases of years past... Church on Christmas Eve, dinner with my parents, presents at home on Christmas morning, and a day with even more family after that.

There were a couple of key differences, though. For one thing, we missed my brother and SIL, who were with her family this year. For another thing, the kids have definitely -- finally! -- matured. While in the past we've spent part of Christmas afternoon facing down the greedy goblins that sneak in and suddenly embody our children, this year they were pretty good at maintaining the perspective that the holiday is about family more than presents. They were pretty patient about waiting their turn, and they were as enthusiastic about giving their gifts to each other as they were about opening things from Santa. And once they were done, they were done. Hardly a casual musing about whether there might just be one more thing for them under the tree. (Though I might have caught Evan crawling around beneath it a couple of times.)

I also managed to keep a pretty mellow attitude throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas -- partly as a result of getting packages wrapped up early and partly as a result of my sweet husband, who never missed a chance to compliment me on maintaining a happy (unstressed) outlook. The dinner was fairly unremarkable but yummy and well-received and the day wrapped up with everyone happy. Success.

Here are some snapshots that capture some of Clausen Christmas 2010.

First up, a lively church service during which the kids got to dress up and participate in the Nativity scene (they got to be Joseph, a shepherd and an angel).



Then it was off to dinner at my parents' house. They decided to give us our gifts that night, and the kids were happy to go with it.









Once home, the kids got down to business preparing for Santa. They even got quite upset when they thought Brian and I were staying up too late (and causing Santa to skip our house).







A last shot before bed:



And then it was Christmas morning.







Brian sports his gifts from Foxy and Noah (is it wrong for your kids to purchase beer merchandise??):







Evan asked for and got a desk for Christmas, and it proved the perfect place to assemble (in typical lightning speed) his new set of Legos.





And finally, some posed family shots, including the traditional shot of my dad and Brian's grandpa (who turned 90 last week!)...



... and an impromptu shot of all the girls wearing scarves (gifts and previously owned).



As I said, it was a good one. I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful holiday as well!

On Two Wheels

First, my apologies for the lack of blog posts lately. I will make up for it soon. Promise!

And second, LOOK WHO LEARNED HOW TO RIDE ON TWO WHEELS THIS CHRISTMAS EVE!!





No, the bike wasn't a Christmas present or anything. Just her brother's old starter bike (and the one both boys learned to ride on without help). She just got it into her head that she was going to master this TODAY, of all days.



She was beaming. SO incredibly proud of herself. And then it was off to get celebratory ice cream, of course.

Deeeee-licious

The cake was apparently yummy. But frankly, this little girl's one-year-old cheeks and legs reminded me of my own kids at that age, and I think that they were probably the most scrumptious thing in the room.











And that's it for 2010 client previews. It's a wrap!

Closing the Loop

Last week (or was it the previous week??), I wrote that I'd post a recent, random shot of each of my kids. Well, I'm back -- and finally sharing a snap of my karate kid.

No crazy poses, no silliness. Just my sweet big boy in the uniform we seem to be constantly searching for as we paw through piles (and piles and piles) of laundry.



And now that I've closed the loop on that micro-project, I'm closing the loop on my 2010 client work as well. Today, I'll deliver the last set of holiay cards and the last print order. I'll drop at the post office a last package for a client who moved. And on Thursday I'll photograph my last little subject (another birthday girl who I first met as a newborn a year ago).

I'll complete my editing and post the final galleries of 2010, and then I'll finally -- FINALLY -- turn my attention to some personal projects and holiday preparations. Do I really have just 18 days to get that act together??

Goodness Gracious!

I mean, seriously, have you SEEN anything this cute in awhile?

Happy birthday, sweet T. xoxoxo...













Her creative and thoughtful mama came up with the "O" and the "N" and the "E" and left them with me for future little Tinkerbells...

Comfort

Look at me! Sticking to my plan!

If you saw yesterday's post and know me well, you probably figured I'd end up bailing on posting any other random shots of my kids this week. In my life, something always pops up to divert my attention and pull me away from even the best-laid plans.

But here I am, back with a new favorite shot of my girl. This blanket got lost awhile back and -- amazingly -- she was totally fine and quickly over both it and the thumb. I did a happy dance, thinking that I had closed the door on the last of our family's diaper/pacifier/thumb habits with no major drama.

Then one night Daddy found the blanket and thoughtfully tucked it under her arm while whe slept.

Aaaaaand, the thumb habit is back. So is the constantly-misplacing-the-blanket-around-the-house-and-whining-about-not-being-able-to-find-it habit.

Good thing she's cute.