I really liking doing these random posts at the end of the month.
On Wednesday, December 3rd, Michael took the kids out shopping for my gifts.
Usually Michael takes the kids out for dinner with just him. This time around they went shopping and then came back to the house to pick me up and we all went out.
Red Robin tends to be our go to when eating out at a sit down restaurant with the kids.
Justine LOVES Charlie so much, but Charlie puts up with Justine.
Ella and Justine had to come with me to church on Thursday, December 4th, when I was setting up my table for the Women's Christmas Dinner. They just hung out on the couch in the lobby. They are doing the whole 6 7 sign that was all the rage last year. Now if you say 6 7, Justine will say something like "That was 2025, it's 2026 now."
Our Worship Pastor Kima and his wife Jeanette, had a Worship Team Christmas party on Saturday, December 6th.
Even though Michael and I aren't on the Worship Team we get to come because we have kids that are involved. Owen volunteers to do camera, Jack plays the guitar and does camera, Justine sings and does camera as well and Ella sings. Zeke needs to pick up some musical talent and start volunteering!
Even at parties like this where there are adults it seems like we always make our way to the youth.
This time around we played spoons. Jack and I got to the end together and he ended up winning.
On Wednesday, December 10th, I went out shopping with a couple of the kids for Michael's Christmas presents. We were talking about how it was difficult for Justine to carry Ella into the house on the night of the Women's Christmas Dinner because she didn't put her arm over his shoulder and hold on. So they were practicing him carrying her. It was much easier for him since she was holding on correctly.
That night we went out for dinner to celebrate Ga-Ga's birthday. We went to Black Bear Diner.
It had been quite a while since we'd gone to a Black Bear Diner since I got sick from eating at one in California back in 2021. Thankfully there were no problems this time and all the food was delicious!
Since Justine is basically a part of our family now, I had to get him his own stocking. I found this knitted stocking on Amazon and they actually personalize them and it's only $9! I bought Justine one and then I didn't like that the rest of ours didn't match his...so I ended up buying us all new stockings that match. Miss Ruth also got these cute little wooden people for the kids a couple Christmas' ago. I like to hang them on the stocking hooks. Justine didn't have one though so I asked her where she got them so I could buy him one. She got them at Grocery Outlet of all places...they come in a box of 4 so I bought 2 boxes so when the boys start dating I'll have some for their significant others as well.
Every December I like to have 2 days to myself to wrap all the gifts and watch my Christmas movies. It's like an early Christmas gift to me. Normally the kids go to Ga-Ga & Pa's, but now that they've moved into a condo they don't have enough room for all 4 for them to stay at the same time. So...we worked it out where 2 of them stayed at Ga-Ga & Pa's and 2 of them stayed at Papa and Miss Ruth's for one night and then the next night they all switched. It worked out so nicely and it was great that they got time with both sets of grandparents.
This was during the time when the atmospheric river had come through so the rivers were really high or overflowing in places. Papa & Ruth took the kids down so they could see it up close.
Last summer Owen worked at a local Water District as a Seasonal Maintenance Worker...that finished at the end of August. During Christmas he was a seasonal worker at Costco in Federal Way. He mainly retrieved carts, but a few times he helped inside by packing food into boxes at the check stands.
Jack worked at Wild Waves during the summer, then he got a seasonal job for Carpinito Brothers at the Pumpkin Patch. At the end of the year he got a job with Justine at the Tukwila Pool as a swim instructor. I have truly loved seeing these boys grow into men!
Charlie is so loved!
Between Christmas and New Year's this is basically how we spent our days....well this or on the couch watching shows. We had a such a great time playing all the new games we got, but hands down 7 Wonders was our favorite.
