A Very Campy Christmas

Who doesn't love the merriment of Christmas? The boys had so much fun decorating the Christmas tree, and even though they don't believe in Santa Claus, Liam calculated that "if" Santa were real, it could be possible to visit all of the children of the world in one night because of "time zones". You see, he's very rationale. Yes Santa, you and your eight reindeer have time zones on your side.

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Another thing we love about Christmas is getting to spend so much time with our friends. For one great evening of wrapping, those amazing Beverly-women gathered together to share good tidings of great joy. We also drank a lot of wine, and wrapped a lot of gifts. We were just doing our part to make sure Santa makes it around the world, and through each time zone, with a gift for every girl and every boy. (you know how they say that married people start to look alike ... well, even though we aren't married, I think that Sara, Kelly, Andrea, me, and Sarah are all sort of starting to look alike. Is that what happens after 25 years of friendship?)

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On Christmas Eve, the Campos women played a little game of charades. Can you guess what we are in this photo? Go on. Guess. Nope! Guess again. Nope! Take one more guess. Nope! You couldn't guess it? Alright, I'll tell you ... we're the bars of service icon on your cell phone ... see it now?

Whatever you do Jeannette, don't drop your champagne glass.

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One last thing we like to do on Christmas Eve is get rowdy in the kitchen after all the guests have departed. We thought Santa might like to participate in a little after-party. So, we did some dancing before opening our gifts. Here's our take (the good, the bad and the ugly) of The Cupid Shuffle. My husband witnessed this crafty little line-dance at an office Christmas party this year, and our lives have been forever transformed by its catchy beat and overly simplistic choreography (To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right ...) If nothing else, in this season of miracles, this video proves that every girl believes she is the world's greatest dancer after consuming two or more glasses of champagne.

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And for parting words this holiday season, "Whoever said that the Snuggie was a stupid gift, couldn't have been more wrong ..."

The Days of December

People often refer to the dog days of summer. I like to refer to the dark days of December. I don't think there is a darker month than this one. With cold afternoons, bitter wind chills, and dark evenings that preclude outdoor recreation, the boys find themselves in search of things to occupy their time. When I'm not busy putting them to bed at 6:05 PM, they like to entertain themselves by playing on their new jungle gym: their stepbrother Alex. Alex is the perfect height and body mass for tag team wrestling and every other form of renegade martial arts. He also moonlights as a pull-up bar (which is great for Eamon who can already pass the APFT (the Army Physical Fitness Test) with flying colors.

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Liam, on the other hand, prefers dancing it up in the kitchen with his stepsister, who has taught him some recent moves, including the Cupid Shuffle. In this short video, Liam demonstrates his mad skillzzzzz while performing the classic dance routine, The Robot.

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The other great thing that happens in the dark days of December, is that Duke has a birthday. And that, my friends, gives us ALL something to celebrate. Here's a great picture of all of us enjoying his birthday dinner. (By the way, that entire meal was made from scratch, up to AND including the salad dressing and pasta dough. I even shelled Lupini beans -- whatever they are -- and had some extra-special scotch whiskey shipped in from overseas with a little help from my friends on Twitter ... and I would just like to see one of you try to pull that off ... smile ....)

I know, I know, the way the camera is angled in this photo, we all look like a bunch of pins at the end of a bowling alley, with three colored balls coming at us. What can I say? It's a perfect ten.

A Very Nerdy November

I happen to enjoy November more than most months, for obvious reasons. First, there is an entire day dedicated just to me AND I get to spend the better part of the month making excuses to bake pies, cook food, and prepare fancy drinks for other people. I also like the crisp smell of late fall air, the anticipation of the first snow, and putting my kids to bed at 5:30 PM when its pitch black.

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The other day, I was driving in the car (where I spend 90% of most of my waking hours) and I overheard this conversation.

"Eamon, there really is such a thing as a rhombus you know."

"No there isn't Liam. I learned my shapes already and rhombus isn't even a real word you know."

"Eamon, I am 8 and you are 4. Which one of us do you think knows what a rhombus is? Here, give me that paper bag and I'll fold it into a rhombus to show you." (origami project silently underway)

"LIAM, that is a DIAMOND, not a rhombus." (sound of origami rhombus being crumpled and thrown on the floor). End of conversation.

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In other family news, my sister has been babysitting my kids, and I have been babysitting her kids, and I am sure a this point, none of the kids know which one of us is their real mother. Even though Liam has mono in this photo, it is still a very fabulous capture of all four cousins on the sofa together (Liam (8 1/2), Hunter (5 mos), Eamon (4 1/2) and Austin (2). A striking family resemblance, if I must say so myself.

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Another great thing about November is that outdoor soccer ends, and that leaves plenty of time for revisiting basketball. Duke set up some dribbling drills for Liam in the driveway and taught him how to do lay-ups with both his left and right hands. Liam also explained to me that he is working on his "deep shooting" too. Whatever that means. Eamon is getting in on the action too. The kid is a ball-handling machine.

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The last, and most fabulous, thing that happens in November is that I get to see those fabulous ladies with whom I grew up in Beverly. For one great afternoon, most of them descended upon Mallard Drive, for lots of sharing and caring. I love this photo of all of us sitting on the sofa with all of our kids. I like to think that in the future, our kids will look back on this picture and remember that afternoon as the thing of urban legend. Yeah, you know, that house where we jumped on the beds and that lady set up the entire tot-city, complete with tunnels, tents and domes all interlocking into a wonderland of Thanksgiving gratitude.

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And in case you don't believe me ... just watch this video of Ava getting the party started.