Waterfalling in Melrose

Determined to get outside and enjoy our Saturday, but also needing to pick up Bryn and Brinley from volleyball in Lynnfield, we choose an efficiently located hike with the cascades of Melrose. It's a short hike, but a fun explore.

My older kids are much braver than last time we went there and climbed all over the falls. Cece was not a fan of having to wear gloves, but then doubly not a fan of icy hands, and quickly dissolved into a tantruming troll for most of the hike. She perked up when I forced her to put the gloves back on and we headed back to the car.

Cece 21 months

Ladies in Red

Well, the cycle is complete. Cece wore this dress for Valentine's day which makes all three Jones girls wearers of the red dress. Peter's mom made this for Bryn many Christmases ago.

Dec. 2004- Bryn in red (plugging in a carnation)

Bryn again

Dec. 2010- Ivy

Feb. 2016- Cecily

On Shawsheen Reservoir

Our new neighbors across the street brought us like new hand-me-down ice skates for Calvin and Ivy. After a week of sub-freezing temps, we seized the Saturday to try them out.

After hiking to the reservoir through the woods, we found a group playing ice hockey, which saved us the trepidation of testing the ice ourselves. They also had snow shovels that they let us borrow so we could clear a patch of ice.

Calvin and Ivy are both novices, but had a great time and a great attitude. They improved so much in the half hour that we were there. Calvin definitely took his "go big or go home" approach, while Ivy methodically baby stepped her way into skating.

It was so charming to hike to a frozen pond and skate to the cool wind blowing through the pines. Sometimes New England breaks my heart in a good way.

PEMDAS- Peabody Essex Museum doings at Salem

We ventured to the Peabody Essex Museum with the Jensens (Reed and Saralynn). They currently have Strandbeesten on exhibit (see here if you are unfamiliar- they're amazing). We also saw the Native fashion show, the maritime art room, the Art in Nature exhibit, and Stickwork.

Dancing in the rainbows

Kids in Art in Nature

Stickwork!

Christmas Cheer

The early risers- 7:30!

The later riser included- 8:30

Highlights of our Yultide:

• Presents including: tiger wheely, scooter, guitar, bike shopping trip, rubik's cube, the entire Northern Exposure series, the Once sheet music, and the ever popular sibling gifts (jump rope, lego friends, light saber, minecraft sheep)
• The hit of the stockings was... a package of ramen noodles each.
• We had a small devotional at the church and then proceeded to wear everyone out with dodgeball and kickball.
• Dinner with friends- Duck L'Orange  

This was Christmas Eve when they each opened one present of my choosing. Calvin was really hoping it wasn't underwear. It was pajamas.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear- Christmas Eve

The Beutlers hosted a fantastic Christmas Eve feast- complete with a Nativity and Carol singing. There's nothing like a house full of friends and kids to help make a dent in the nostalgia for big extended family Christmases of yore.

Trust Bryn to find (make) the only speaking part in the Nativity- she started quoting several verses of angelic scripture when her part came.

A toast!

The star-studded cast

The Science of Christmas Eve

We continued our tradition of going to the Museum of Science on Christmas Eve. I believe this was our 4th Christmas Eve at the museum. We spent most of our time at the Pixar exhibit and the Rocketship ride, knowing that we had the whole year to explore the museum thanks to the membership gifted by my parents.

Posing with Dory

Glimpses of Advent

In a reversal of the usual age discrepency, they cast Bryn as Mary and Ben as Joseph.

Cece in the Golden Sun

At Advent tonight, Cece started giggling as we began singing "Twelve Days of Christmas," and gleefully threw her hands up toward the ceiling with the other revelers on "five golden rings." This is progress from the toddler that spends most of the singing program fighting the barricade between her little body and the keyboard that separates her from her mom.

You can guess where that rock went moments after the picture was shot. Luckily, she missed.