Thanks-gigging

A large portion of my Thanksgiving week was consumed by a little gig I got playing in the orchestra pit for the Nutcracker ballet. I did, however, manage to also squeeze in a couple of hikes and plenty of turkey.

Monday: Elder Brandenburg--a missionary from Holland who served in our area for 6 months--was back in town visiting so we took him and his lovely sister Lucia on a partial hike up Horsetooth Mountain.

 

 

Tuesday: Rehearsal
Wednesday: Rehearsal
Thursday: Cooked a turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, potato rolls, carrots, fresh cranberry relish, and apple pie. Had our friend D.J. over as our guest. Ramona took very good care of him while Forest and I bustled about getting food on the table.

 

Friday: Drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park for a frigid but beautiful walk around Bear Lake.

 Spotted a squirrel in the snow.

 

 

 

Had performance #1 for Nutcracker that evening.
Saturday: Got a babysitter for Mika and set Ramona up with her very own Daddy date for the matinee performance of the Nutcracker.

 

 

 I'm pretty sure she loved it. Especially the battle scene between the toys and the mice.

 She was full of popcorn and ice cream by the time we got her home.

Had another evening performance a few hours later.
Sunday: Final matinee performance after church.

Still can't get the music out of my head. But I don't mind.

Museumful of Children

 We got to play with Dan and Christie last Saturday in Denver. They kindly accommodated us by joining in the festivities of the raucous, overcrowded Children's Museum that afternoon. Despite the swarms of people, both Ramona and Mika were thrilled to be there.

 

 

 

Standing inside a giant bubble booth

POP!

 

 

 

 

 

How did the grown-ups do in this madhouse? Forest and I had a good time (and even caught a few snipets of adult conversation!) I've learned that as parents, it is enjoyable (and important) to take time to watch your little ones play--and to try to see the world from their perspective (which isn't always accurate, but wonderful nonetheless).

After explaining Christie's "baby bump" to Ramona:

Ramona: If she has two babies, does she have two baby bumps?

 Wouldn't that be something? I would fear for any aspiring octomoms.

Although I shouldn't speak for Dan and Christie, I think they had a little bit of fun at the museum, observing the antics of other people's children. But it's nothing like the fun they'll have in a couple of months, taking in every little detail of their own precious bundle!

Blowing Bubbles

With her ever-patient instructor, Theresa

Ramona just completed another session of swimming lessons this Fall. Although she still doesn't exactly swim like a fish, she can almost blow bubbles like one, which is tremendous progress!

Wearing her new goggles

Face in the water!

 Just keep swimming, Monie!

Halloween Hullabaloo

 The Dixons had a lot of items on their Halloween checklist this year!

 Halloween essential #1: Carve pumpkin

Ramona requested a scary face, as expected

Halloween essential #2: Costumes

Dressing Ramona up as a unicorn was Mommy's idea--one she soon regretted once paper mache was underway. She quickly realized it would take much longer than anticipated! The finished product, however, was satisfactory, and thankfully stayed on Ramona's little shoulders, too.

 Mika's costume: Pink poodle. But she only kept her ears on for about 30 seconds total.

Halloween essential #3: Halloween party

Our church hosted a party the Saturday before Halloween. The building was brimming with costumed children hunting for candy. A "haunted house" was set up in one of the larger rooms. I crawled through it with Ramona, staying close by in case she got spooked and needed a hand to hold. At the beginning, we had to go around an older girl who was too frightened to go forward or backwards. By the end, I came out with a seven-year-old boy clinging to my arm, who was presumably too scared to finish the adventure by himself. My little Ramona, on the other hand, was about as cool as a cucumber. Nothing seems to scare that kid (except the slides at the playground).

Doing the cake walk

 Halloween essential #4: Trunk or Treat

 Halloween essential #5: Halloween at Avago

Every year Forest's work hosts a huge trick-or-treating event around the cubicles. I only wish we were allowed to take photo/video in the facility. Watching Mika toddle around with her tiny legs, picking candy from office chairs, and carefully dropping it into her bucket is a memory I would love to "replay." She took her first step a month ago and has gradually become more proficient each day--just in time to do her own trick-or-treating!

 Halloween essential #6: Neighborhood Trick-or-Treat

 

Ghost unicorn?

 

 Bonus Halloween Treat: Family over for a visit!

Aunt Maria, Uncle Josh, and Cousin Caleb stayed with us for one night on their way to Illinois, and that night just happened to be Halloween! Caleb snagged a few treats while he was here.

The cousins got a little bit of play time in, too

 

 Halloween essential #7: CANDY
Is it possible that we accumulated enough candy to last until NEXT Halloween? 

Enjoying the artificial fruit flavors of her labors

Halloween checklist: Complete.