For Posterity's Sake: Week in Review 101

It's time for our regularly scheduled Week in Review. However, holidays being what they are (most notably, time to make as few lists as possible while spending the hours with loved ones and as many cups of hot chocolate as you can handle) I have only one anecdote written down to share:

Sunday, while gathered at the table, Audrey told Jason, "You're the biggest daddy in the whole world because you can lift the couch all by yourself with mommy's help."

Just how does a super daddy and his sidekick couch-lifting mama and commentating children spend their holiday? Here's a short holiday recap, Christmas in Review 2010:



We decided to go simple and rustic with the tree this year - a lot of paper, a lot of clay, and one handmade star, because Audrey asked for one. We tied some twigs together in a star shape and added a little glitter for some extra sparkle when the lights were on.



We also found a way to use those acorns Audrey collected at the art museum. A dab of glue, a shake of glitter, and string of ribbon, and they felt right at home on our tree.



Our oldest elf wanted to lend her hands to Christmas card production this year, so a few handfuls of cards made their way to mailboxes in time for Santa's big day.



Audrey wanted to include angels on the cards this year. She cut them out with a special hole punch before covering them with glitter (yes, it was a big year for glitter).



Our traditional Christmas Eve pancake dinner featured pancakes shaped like snowmen and pine trees. Nathan ate 5. The rest of us got 4 a piece. Next year, we'll make more. (Audrey selected the silverware. She was attempting to be festive by giving the adults children's forks with green and red handles).



We kept our cookie adventures simple on Christmas Eve with one batch of chocolate chip. Audrey thought our plate for Santa should also include one of Grammy's brownies and a carrot for Rudolph. She insisted we leave a note for Santa so he wouldn't think the carrot was for him and eat it by mistake.



Of course, there are other snapshots - those saved on our SD card and those saved only in our memories. Each child's reaction to their favorite gift, moments of play between young cousins, the youngest ones in our family contending with the likes of wrapping paper (or seeing snow) for the first time. All of these moments stacking up to build the story of a family, one Christmas at a time.