Christmas Dinner 2011

Christmas 2011 was extremely mellow, with our most strenuous activities taking place in the kitchen.  Chris outdid himself again with Leek Bread Pudding and Prime Rib.

Little Christmas Shredder

Little Christmas Shredder, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Santa also outdid himself by delivering a professional grade skateboard so Helen can enter the world of shredding. Here she is practicing a few moves while watching the Rose Bowl Parade.

Night Goggles

Night Goggles in the Box, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We are always overwhelmed by the collective generosity of the season, and this year was no different. I particularly love the holidays as a developmental milestone barometer. This year it was all about spy-ware, active toys, and book series (Little House, Harry Potter, and Samurai Kids).

Grandpa Ken’s 68th Birthday at Phil’s

We celebrated Grandpa’s birthday at Phil’s Fish Market, with Gary and Judy, part of the Perez Family, and a swingin’ band from King City.  Helen had fun staying with Grandma and Grandpa this week, and ended up being a “right arm” for grandma when an unfortunate slip during cookie making resulted in a break just below the shoulder. 

Global Winter Wonderland 2011

Global Winter Wonderland 2011, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

After patronizing the Nutcracker for 5 years in a row, we took a year hiatus and checked out the Expo-inspired “Global Winter Wonderland”.

Blue Orb Portrait

Blue Orb Portrait, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

This was quite the illuminated spectacle, and it transformed the Great America parking lot into a lantern festival on steroids.

Global WW Cookie Break

Global WW Cookie Break, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We had a great time seeing the displays, eating at the global food court, and watching martial arts and Chinese dance performances. While it was clearly a different kind of “cultural” experience than the Nutcracker, we relished the truly global audience that is representative of Silicon Valley.

Mochitsuki 2011

Mochitsuki 2011, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Speaking of global traditions, Helen participated in her first Mochitsuki. After taking turns pounding the dough with a wooden mallet (always fun for grade school kids) Helen practiced her rolling technique. We now have our fill of holiday dough, and a lovely mochi offering at the family altar.

Holiday Chorale 2011

OOS Holiday Chorale 2011, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Helen gets in quite a bit of performing in December, and besides after-school drama, and Christmas in the Park, she was in two additional dance performances, had a piano recital, and performed with her fellow 2nd graders, and the entire lower school in their annual holiday chorale. You can’t ask for a better introduction to the holidays.

Holiday Photos are Funny

Our 2011 Holiday Cards are in the mail (a version of what you see here). And, while we didn’t have the same stunning Shanghai backdrop as last year, we still had fun goofing in front of the camera.  

Decorated Tree 2011

Decorated Tree 2011, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

I so love decorating the tree. Well, actually, I love sorting through all my old ornaments and having others do the decorating. Since only about half of the ornaments fit at this point (thanks to our “cozy” house) it's fun seeing the random assortment that actually make it onto the branches.

2011 Tree Trimmers

2011 Tree Trimmers, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Here are the brave souls who return year after year, bribed only by a take-out dinner, to ensure that we meet the minimum requirements for holiday décor.

Reindeer Reach

Reindeer Reach, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Christmas in the Park managed to survive San Jose’s budget woes, so the CYS Dance tradition on the public stage continued after all. Helen was a reindeer again, and her second year in the oldest class brought her comfort and familiarity in her role. She’s smiling more on stage, pushing herself to tackle harder moves, and enjoying the workout and time with friends.

Helen Picks the Perfect Tree

Helen Picks the Perfect Tree, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Helen picked out the perfect tree this year.

We had a cold, but clear day amongst the cider and pine trees which infused our holiday spirits with the best scent that mother nature offers.

Wreath Portrait

2011 Holiday Wreath Portrait, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

With the McNab’s in Spain, we had to go it alone in our tree expedition. Instead of two little girls encapsulated in a wreath, we improvised, and made it a mother-daughter version this year.

Begrudgingly Sitting with Santa

Begrudgingly Sitting with Santa, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Santa’s days are clearly numbered in our house. Helen was willing to pose for a photo, but was not about to divulge her wish list to a man in a red pantsuit. With an advent calendar delivering a gift a day, and the elf on the shelf dutifully keeping track of her activities, Santa seems a bit superfluous to her at the moment.

Thanksgiving 2011

After our jaunt to Santa Barbara, we headed further south to Los Angeles for Thanks-Ru-Giving.  We have so much to be thankful for, not the least of which is our Ru family.  

The Smokin' Turkey Chefs

The Smokin' Turkey Chefs, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Master Chefs Chris and Erik outdid themselves in preparing a traditional feast, and they were particularly proud of their smokin’ Willy Bird, courtesy of the neighbor’s big green egg smoker. I can’t vouch for the bird personally, but it sure smelled good.

Getting Dicey

Getting Dicey, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

All three girls were a big help in the kitchen, even when things got “dicey”. I’m not sure when it became o.k. to wield big knives, but all appendages remained attached, so I guess they can be prep-chef certified.

Bundt Buddies

Bundt Buddies, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

It’s always amazing how quickly an entire meal can be devoured after cooking all day, but we made sure to savor our desserts – a chocolate pumpkin Bundt cake, a pumpkin pie, and an apple-cranberry pie.

Have Sticks, Will Gather

Have Sticks, Will Gather, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We would have been comatose after such indulgences if not for a great morning hike to kick off the holiday.

Making a Rain Storm

Making a Rain Storm, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

In other adventures, we visited the Skirball Museum for the first time and saw the fantastic Noah’s Ark exhibit. Each animal is made from recycled materials and exudes great personality. There are activities happening constantly, and we while we were there, we made our own “rain storm” from musical instruments, and then did some “puddle jumping” to create rhythm patterns.

Songwriters and Friends

Songwriters and Friends, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

The girls also made a good amount of music at home. With Maxine and Helen both taking piano lessons, they both had fun showing off their favorite songs.