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An entire garden of festive cupcakes. (12/2/21)
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The ancient cat has become much more tolerant of people picking her up and holding her in her old age. (12/3/21)
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Lee's second Pfizer shot! We all have all our shots! (12/2/21)
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I was reading quietly in my bed... and then suddenly...
swarmed! All the dogs! All the kids! Chaos!
(12/4/21)
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Lane (as Hermie, the elf who wants to be a dentist)
tells Lee they can be the first elf to get their teeth checked out in
Upstart Crow's production of Rudolph Jr. (12/11/21)
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The weather played along, wind and rain rising exactly on cue for the big storm at the end of the show. (12/11/21)
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Lee brings the Christmas spirit next door to Grand Janet's house by helping put up and decorating her tree. (12/11/21)
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The first few present have appeared under the tree! (12/15/21)
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Preparing for Christmas. (12/17&18/21)
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Time to hide the hidden cows. (12/18/21)
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Lee
is looking forward to destroying this present wrapped to look like a
cat, because the wrapping paper makes it look like a Minecraft creeper.
(12/19/21)
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Lane draws a picture for Lee... (12/19/21)
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...the picture is of a cat, so Lee loves it. (12/19/21)
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A not-yet-filled unicorn notebook, and a partial Lego mini-figure called Not-Yet-Completed Lloyd. (12/19/21)
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The pile of presents under the tree is growing. (12/19/21)
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Mere days before Christmas, we escaped to the beach for a quick vacation. (12/20/21)
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The beach is very cold in December. (12/21/21)
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Lee didn't stay out long; Lane, who's a polar bear, stayed out much longer. (12/21/21)
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Lee has decided they're a River Clan cat, because they REALLY liked the hot tub. (12/21/21)
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Beach games. (12/21&22/21)
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After outlining our own novella version of Sonic the Hedgehog together in the hot tub, it seemed like it was time for Lee to finally be properly introduced to Otters In Space. (12/22/21)
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A lovely but treacherous stroll along the sunset beach, striated with icy streamlets. (12/22/21)
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As Lane joyfully pranced through the bitter cold, Lee fell sound asleep in the warm beach house. (12/22/21)
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Angelic. (12/22/21)
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Watching Miracle on 34th St. The original. Because it's perfect. (12/22/21)
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Balloons -- the last thing you see at night and first thing you see in the morning at this beach house. (12/22&23/21))
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It
took Avery a while to figure out the rules of this game, but once she
did, she was punching the balloons with her nose and barking like a
pro. The barking isn't really part of the game... at least... it
wasn't until Avery added it. (12/23/21)
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Making exquisite cookies inspired by the final season of How I Met Your Mother -- they're chocolate, peanut-butter, AND caramel. (12/23/21)
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A perfect Christmas Eve activity. (12/24/21)
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The
kids had fun with their gingerbread houses this year, but didn't
decorate them as thoroughly as some years in the past, opting instead
to round out the evening with Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. (12/24/21)
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Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" before settling down for the long, quiet night. (12/24/21)
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An early morning full of delights. (12/25/21)
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After a long night, morning brings magic, treats, and smiles. (12/25/21)
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Leopard hoods and rainbow socks. (12/25/21)
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Foxes with vests and boards that skate. (12/25/21)
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Lee is all rolled up like a taco in their new tortilla blanket. Avery understands none of this chaos. (12/25/21)
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It was really too cold for skateboarding... (12/25/21)
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Snow
began falling right before midnight on Christmas, so the kids woke up
to several inches of snow the next morning. It took a while for
us to get together the energy to bundle up and forage out into the
cold, especially given all the fun new toys to play with inside.
(12/26/21)
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As soon as we got outside, Lee began throwing snowballs. (12/26/21)
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Lane threw them right back, in spite of their bare hands. Polar bear. (12/26/21)
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Pausing to notice and photograph the brave, foolish organge rose, covered in snow. (12/26/21)
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We
don't get snow like this very often. Getting it the day after
Christmas? It was a like a Christmas gift from the world.
(12/26/21)
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Lee
ran about throwing snowballs and helping other children build snow
forts for as long as we let them, until it started getting dark.
(12/26/21)
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Even
polar bears get cold eventually, whether or not they'll admit to it.
And kitty cats get cold faster. Cold and tired, but happy.
(12/26/21)
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On the second day of snow, it was time for sledding. Muddy, slippery sledding. (12/27/21)
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Lee built a beautiful snow cat and zoomed like Sonic down the hillside until the dark of night. (12/27/21)
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Even
on a simple walk, Lee found ways to get soaked by the snow, but they
left a lot of beautiful snow angels in their wake. (12/28/21)
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Toasting the end of the year. (12/31/21)
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