Christmas Eve

We had a nice Christmas Eve and then late in the afternoon we headed down to Kentucky to spend the evening with Uncle Scott, Aunt Nikki, Max, Evey, Aunt Jackie, and Glenn.  We had a great meal and then had fun watching the kids open gifts from each other. When we got home, the girls were told this would be the last time they saw Canter, our elf who we found always sitting on a shelf all month.  -T

She comes bearing gifts

Anna just comes bearing cuteness

Gift exchange with cousins

Anna's just not into the whole gift opening thing yet

Mae helped

Mae gets a little more excited

A gift from Max and Evey

"Mae, smile like Max" turned into this

 

Cute cousins

Saying our goodbyes to Canter

He was doing everything in his power to stay

Mae just noticed him

That's not gonna work, C!

You know we can still see you, right? 

Canter said his goodbyes and the girls went to sleep in anticipation of Santa coming.
Oh, and come to find out the next morning, Canter stole Mae's pacifier and now she no longer needs one!

 

Santa Lucia Day - Better Late than Never

Santa Lucia in the Schlensker home came 3 days late, but it was fun just the same.  The girls wore their robes and Mae wore her crown.  Anna really didn't want to wear hers.  Anyway, we enjoyed Mae serving us cinnamon rolls and watching the girls do sprints in their robes.  The cinnamon rolls were top notch! -T

Well why wouldn't wearing a robe give you the urge to sprint across the room? 

No, I don't WANT the crown, I WANT to run

The robe is a wee bit too short, but cute nonetheless 

Wearing the crown

Our attempts at getting a picture with Anna wearing her crown

I should say our FAILED attempts at getting a picture

So close

Mae thinks it's hilarious

 

At least someone's happy to wear it

We did it!

Thanks to Mae for a little assistance

Fulfilling tradition

Cinnamon roll anyone?

 

Santa Lucia Prep

Santa Lucia was on Friday, Dec 13th.  On Saturday Dec 14th, Mae starting prepping for the holiday.  Yes, I said that right.  Sometimes life with kids gets a little hectic.  Oh, and we didn't even celebrate on this Saturday - like I said life with kids gets a little hectic.  We were closer to celebrating though once Mae started busting out the cinnamon rolls with Mom. -T

Sprinkling the brown sugar

Mom added the hat to keep the hair out of the rolls

She eventually just wanted to eat the rolls of brown sugar

She powered through though

Very organized

Anna - I think Mom could get your crown made faster without a little person in her way

Enough with the prep, let's sit in this box that we can't part with - and in case you couldn't tell, they are playing the piano

Santa Take 2

After last year's fail, Mae watched a lot of film and assured us she wasn't going to cry sitting on Santa's lap this year.  Anna was very mellow last year.  This year was just the opposite.  Mae could be considered mellow, but it was moreso she was concentrating REALLY hard on keeping it together.  In every picture of Mae she's turned and focusing on the Christmas tree - not responding to anything or anyone - totally focused.  Anna, well, she's self-explanatory. Poor Santa. -T

Santa's a good sport

Mae focused on her tree, Anna getting saved by Mom

Mae focused on that tree

Hey!  She looked at the camera!

Once we got to the Ward Party Anna found the risers

Hopefully next time she's at church and on the stage she won't just assume the risers are still there

5:59

So in July of 2012 (which I have been running consistently since the summer of 2010 - except for the winter months), I got called into the Young Men's at church.  The first weeknight activity the scouts were working on the personal fitness merit badge and we all ran a timed mile.  Without putting tons of effort into I smoked all the youth and finished in just over 7 minutes.  That got me thinking, "I bet I can still run under a 6 minute mile."  So, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving 2012, I decided to find out...and I failed - miserably.  I ran a 6:10.  I was, funny as it may sound, kind of devastated!  I starting running in 2013 a month early and added new things with one goal in mind - 5:59.  Nine months of getting ready, and once again two days after Thanksgiving, the time had arrived.  I had done some track "speed" workouts on the 4th of July and Labor Day and with bad workouts those days wondered if maybe I just couldn't do it anymore (for some perspective without self glossing too much, I did run a 4:36 mile in high school...age is cruel).  It took everything I had and even after falling behind pace - I hit dead on 5:59!  Put it on the list right under my wedding day and the birth of my two girls!  What?  I said UNDER those things.  Anyway, I'm not THAT old yet!  Yea! -T

Everyone's ready

Pacing because she's so nervous for me

And yes, all these picture-taking shadows are Lindsey

Nervous, but proud of herself for finding her age on the football field

Luckily, the person in the red is the only one to fall down in this video

 

Victory hugs

 

We'll go by the time on my "official" timer, not on Lindsey's unofficial time - dang her!

 

The cool down lap was not much easier

Mom basking in the sun taking pictures

All of us getting our post-run stretch on

A special shout out to my beautiful wife (left) for all her support and encouragement and nights of eating ice cream by herself

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas

Thanksgiving - check!  Which means - time to put up Christmas decorations!  Mae was into it, Anna was not. -T



Whoa...slow down, Mae!

Anna had better things to do

"I still haven't forgotten being the only one working outside with the leaves!"

That awkward moment when your 3-year old wants to take a picture and is pointing the camera at the ceiling until the last second and Dad doesn't recover from making sure someone is in the picture

NOW we can put that piece up

Mae nailed it putting "the star" on

It was tricky since it's not really a tree topper.  Okay sorry, it's a homemade tree topper.  Regardless, she got it!

Holding an angel

Thanksgiving - A Pictureless Holiday

Every year I realize - Thanksgiving is just not a holiday where many pictures get taken.  This year was no exception. -T

We always do enjoy being with family though!

Grandpa Schlensker entertaining Anna, or maybe Anna entertaining Grandpa

Happy Thanksgiving!