scenes from the season

christmas 2014 has come and gone.  this wasn't a stand-out year in terms of big presents; chris and i are focusing more on experiences than things as the kids grow older.  so susanna found out she and will be taking in taylor swift in concert with a bunch of her friends and their moms; liam learned he's going up to DC with chris and chris's dad for another dodgers game.  and the grand prize is a trip out to san francisco for spring break, which they already knew about.  these are all at least three months away, which lessened the excitement a bit ... but chris and i will continue to remind them they have big events coming up at. every. opportunity.

and in the meantime, we can all enjoy my crock pot, dustbuster, and wireless computer keyboard, which were my big gifts.  (hey -- i've turned 40.  need i say more?)

we were so blessed to have a visit by the kids' favorite girl cousin (okay, only girl cousin), kate, from california.  and in the mix was my aforementioned 40th birthday.  a life's highs and lows, all crammed together within a week.

backing up a bit, this was our super fun thanksgiving ... 29 (!) people at chris's 92-year old grandmother's house in sanford

totally surprised in late november with an early girls' celebration for my birthday by alison, leslie, katherine, lainey, and arrin.  sadly, my tiara broke the next day or i'd still be wearing it

  it was liam's year to place the angel

susanna and her friends kate, anna, polly, addison, and maggie were all mesmerized by anna and elsa at Disney on Ice: Frozen (not pictured: the $15 snow cone -- unless you look closely at the stains on susanna's top)

i spent most of the day before my birthday at the umstead with my bestie lainey, enjoying spa treatments and a late, leisurely lunch (with wine, because, why not?).  we should have taken this picture BEFORE i had oil rubbed into my scalp at my massage

 chris joined me at the umstead that afternoon and had dinner and spent the night while both teams of grandparents split kid duties.  they upgraded our room and we wound up in this unbelievable suite that overlooked the lake, with two huge rooms and bathrooms ... sadly, the only picture i took was of the champagne and strawberries my sweet friend alison had delivered for me

one of the season's highlights is always our annual Wrap the Crap extravaganza with supper club.  one need look no further than darren in the back right corner to see one of the gems (which you might recognize from a previous post -- an atkins family reunion t-shirt, kid size to boot)

susanna informed santa that her top wish was american girl doll accessories -- which was news to us.  next year i think everything will be required to be IN WRITING A MONTH IN ADVANCE

a more laid-back, totally faithful liam

kate was far more gracious with the big man than either of our children ever were at that age

 one of susanna's two recital pieces

certainly not an optimal photo to document the annual reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas -- a shirtless liam, a pajama-clad chris, and a freaky-eyed wonder

i got not one single picture of the opening of the presents ... 
but here is the aftermath