Christmas 2012

This year I had a harder time than usual getting into the Christmas spirit. I suppose that's understandable -this is my first Christmas since my father died, and last Christmas was the last time we were together. I've also been facing the toughest situation I've yet had to deal with as a supervisor, and one of the consequences was that my program suddenly became understaffed. Tyson, Tyler and I all caught the worst cold/flu we've had in years, and I had to keep going to work despite being sick. So I got a little down in the dumps, but those awesome guys, Tyson and Tyler, reached down and pulled me right back up. One day, both my morning plans and my afternoon plans fell through, but Tyson and Tyler decided we should bake cookies, and convinced me to join in. One Friday night, I heard Tyson telling Tyler we'd go get a tree the next day. The next day, I was having fever and chills, and told Tyson I thought we should wait one more day, but I looked at his face, and then thought about how disappointed Tyler would be, so I agreed to go get one anyway. It turned out to be wonderful! Tyler was able to help choose the tree, and then helped Tyson decorate it.

Grandma Allaire drove down on Saturday to spend time with us. Grandpa Keith came to spend time with us, too. On Christmas Eve, we decided to go to the 5:00pm "family friendly" church service. Tyler received the honor of bringing a Wise Man up to the nativity. He had a great time throughout the service.

It never occurred to me that going to the early service meant missing out on eating dinner in a restaurant! We got out of church by 6, yet each restaurant we tried had already closed. None of us felt like cooking, so we ended up at Jack In The Box! It felt so funny to be eating at a fast food joint on Christmas Eve! We got home around 7:30, leaving us plenty of time to set out cookies and milk for Santa, magic oats for the reindeer, and to read some books before tucking Tyler into bed.

Tyler woke up at 6am on Christmas morning, but I convinced  him to go back to sleep, and managed to sleep in til 7:45! He then proceeded to waken Grandma Allaire and Tyson by ringing sleighbells in their ears.

We repeated the Christmas Jammies tradition borrowed from Art's mom. We thought we bought pjs to match the Glass-Johnson family. But if FaceBook photos are to be believed, we bought the wrong ones! Oh well, I think we still looked good : ].

We continued the tradition of letting Vader open the first gift. This year, Vader was confident and efficient, needing no reassurance or persuasion.

Tyler's been dying for a train tunnel for months. Aunt Jonell, Uncle Art, Payton, Cole and Shelby delivered. So happy!

I've been looking for an animal print beanbag chair for weeks, but decided to go with this. Tyler's thrilled with his new bedroom book-reading station!

Leave it to Eagle-Eye Tyson to notice the details. I think he must have clued Vader in, because I keep discovering Vader laying on it!

Tyler loved Grandpa Allaire's dinosaur game!

He loves this too. He just doesn't know it yet! Thanks, Grandma Glass!

Ah, Santa. Good deal.

Tyler was so happy to receive Thomas the Train books!

And Thomas the Train dinnerware!

We are so excited about this easel/chalkboard/dry erase board/painting station!

I helped Tyson reminisce about our summer vacation by buying him craftbrews from Lost Abbey, Green Flash, Stone, and Port Brewing Co. 

Gigima and Auntie Em dropped by with more gifts!

I just love seeing these three gals (Arlette, Anita and Anne Marie) get together!

For the record, this is the toy Tyler went to sleep with tonight. No stuffed animal for this kid. It is hilarious to hear him say, "I want the excavator! In the crib! Excavator!" Thanks, Auntie Em!

The best Christmas gift of all!

Merry Christmas!

December 2012

So Tyson finished out this semester with straight A's. What a nerd. Oops, I mean "hard worker". I remember when I was a kid, some of my friends would get paid $5 for each A they earned on their report card. Tyson, I owe you $20.

Not only did Tyson get straight A's, he miserably worked on a team project for a case competition. I say miserably because a) he dislikes team assignments, b) the assignment wasn't easy, c) his team kept scheduling meetings for late at night, close to campus (we live about 40 minutes from there) and d) not only did he have to present in class, he ALSO had to [gasp] take time off work to present the project in a large, science-fair type setting.

He won the case competition. What a NERD! And by nerd, I mean "hard worker." Won the thing. Here's his grand prize:

I admit, I'm a little jealous. I never won any case competitions in college. I never HAD any case competitions in college, but that's not the point. Not that I'm competitive or anything.

But that's okay, it turns out I won an award this year too. One of my staff members embarked on a covert operation to nominate me for "Ben's Bells." So late on Friday afternoon, a bunch of our program alumni and program staff surprised me with roses, and a visit from the founder of Ben's Bells. Here's what she presented me:

The irony is, the entire time we were being photographed for the newspaper article, my new lightsaber (given to me by my staff for my birthday) was dangling from my belt. Can't wait to see that photo...

And here's the roses the alumni and staff chipped in to buy for me! What an awesome way to start the Christmas holiday!

Bragging rights for Tyler? His sentence structure has become much more complex, and his problem-solving skills and creativity are growing. For example, he has converted the infamous step stool into his dinner table - setting his plate on the bench part of the stool, and sitting on the step. Facing the TV, of course.