Christmas 2013!

We kicked off Christmas with a visit from Auntie E!  Our favorite day was Sunday, when we went to see the Nutcracker and then came back home to relax in front of the Grinch on the TV.  

And, look!  I managed to get a non-comical picture of them in their Christmas dresses!

Angelic angels at church on Christmas Eve.  Angelic, and slightly Egyptian.

Christmas morning finally!!!

A star is born.

Oh!  And here is the moment that Kata got head lice!

Well done, Santa.  Very well done.

Kata channels JohnnyCashDollyParton.

The Doctor/Artist.

The Smithermen came to make a picturesque scene in front of the fireplace Christmas afternoon, while Kata played with a new toy that she seemed to reenact with great accuracy: the ambulance. 

Then it was up to Bluffton on the 26th!  Santa left lots of goodies for the girls in Indiana, too!

Aunt Bridget and Uncle Louis gave us gifts from their 2013 world travels.

They brought us Matrushka dolls...

...and these hats!

It wouldn't be Bluffton without a Walmart run.

...or a trip to the State Park!

Too close for comfort, there big guy.

We went shopping for "snow boots," and ended up with these!  Every time Kata puts them on, she asks me if her school is open yet.  Watch out, Josiah.

We took the girls ice skating for the first time.

Norah was a natural!

This was the Rambling Wreck's preferred technique.

This pushy-thingy helped.

A hard-earned hot chocolate.

Norah can't wait for the Winter Olympics to start...

Fall Holidays

Before I get to the big Christmas update, I first need to play a little bit of catch-up.  A lot happened in between Halloween and Christmas!

Two very proud girls got to show off their dancing skills at observation day at the Atlanta Ballet.  All of the problems we had going to ballet class in the beginning are long gone!

Really, really enjoying fall!  We were not missing Guyana with the lovely weather this fall.  I, however missed Guyana terribly the next day when I had to bag all of these leaves.  And then take some Tylenol.

Kata had a sick day shortly after her exciting ambulance ride and emergency room visit.  When she put on this pajama ensemble, I knew she was better.

When cousins Clara and Charlie came to Tennessee to visit, we went up to join them in Chattanooga for a day.

We then hosted the McSmithermicks at our house.  Kata dressed up for the occasion.

This is the closest I came to getting a picture of the cousins together.  These kids are fast.

We had a great Thanksgiving with Mimi and Papaw.  Before passing along the latest virus to their grandparents, the girls made fall cookies for the party.

And then...it was the beginning of the Christmas season!  I was able to join the class Christmas party circuit: here is Kata opening presents at school with her two best friends, Josiah and Aikaterini.

The kindergarteners made gingerbread houses on the last day of school.  Here's Norah with Macie, Ariel and Gabby.

A highlight of the pre-Christmas season was a visit to Holiday Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.   I look forward to Patrick's being able to join us next year so we can walk the Gardens with one of those glasses of champagne they were serving!

Halloween in the US!

I couldn't WAIT to celebrate our first real American Halloween with my two girls.  They were kind of excited too...and the day didn't disappoint.

For school, they both had to dress as a book character.  They chose to be "Olivia" twins.

Sassy Olivias.

For trick-or-treating, Norah bought a Jasmine dress and Kata a Snow White dress.  Just before dinner time, they came up from the basement looking like this.  And so it was...

They're off!  First (real) trick-or-treat ever!

In the Evergreen State

We spent five wonderful, wonderful days with family in Seattle in late October.  Auntie E, Uncle Mac and Aunt Jen, cousins Charlie and Clara showed us the time of our lives, and it was really hard to leave.

Play time, play time, play time (with wigs).

More play time.

October at the beach.  Kata was cold and grumpy.

Cheered up!

We played with a troll under a bridge.

And we stood on the edge of the continent (almost).

Feeling nostalgic...

A September to Remember

We were treated to another fun visit from Aunt Bridget!

No fancy hotel on a school night...but Aunt Bridget was there to help with Operation Bed Time. 

Kata does not like to sleep alone.

Hmm...layered shirts now, huh?  Winter's going to be interesting.

Norah modeling her latest fashions from Baba.   She looks like a real school girl, doesn't she?!?

Patrick had a birthday.  Kata gave him earrings.

We spent a lovely long weekend in the North Georgia mountains!

And made lots of silly faces with our household bear.

Boat rides with one loyal old dog who was thrilled to swim again after 4 years.

A lovely, lovely Saturday night in Blue Ridge.

The girls' first s'mores!

It seems there are two different ways to eat a marshmallow.

Powdered donuts at Mercier Orchards.  All of that sugar is getting us ready for some hard labor in the fields...

Apple picking!  (back off)

Eating an apple is kinda hard when you're missing a front tooth.

Happy September!

No Fear (except mine)

Two weekends ago, we went on a sunny weekend morning down to the Zoo.  Norah needed to see an elephant.  She had never seen an elephant (except as a baby at the Zoo in DC...doesn't count) and it was time to change that.

When we arrived, we stumbled upon the edges of a festival in Grant Park.  Zoo Schmoo.  What elephants?  There was a flying machine.

Norah went first, without hesitation.  She started bouncing slowly.

She got the hang of it.

...and so did Kata, of course.

After they came down to Earth, we finally got a glimpse of those elephants!  They did not disappoint.

Speaking of fearless, I think it's safe to say that Kata is pretty fearless in her fashion choices these days.  I have begun taking pictures of her creations.  I just can't resist.  They're too good.

Rolled (WHY rolled?) leggings under skirts with socks pulled up.   Snoopy socks.

She just continually bests herself.  She wanted to "hide" in this picture.  Honey, there'll be no hiding in that outfit.

Third time's a charm.

...or the stars just aligned.  Who knows.  But for whatever reason, week three and without any fanfare or production, Kata just put on her tights and walked into ballet class.  And loved it, of course.  Patrick is the super-stealthy cameraman who caught Ballerina prancing around full of herself after class.