Author: zsmd

Family Expansion

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Why am I here?

Tatu’s first days with the Drosey-Lees. He’s not sure why we’re calling him Tatu, having been Odin for as long as he can remember.

Comfort in destruction

A black and white kitten playing with string
Whenever you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, find something to destroy. It’ll take your mind off the situation and establish your dominance among those watching.

The family grows again. Tatu (meaning ‘three’ in swahili) is the name of our new cat. He’s a mutt, though don’t tell him that.

 

We think he was a good choice. Keen is not exactly a gentle cat carrier, usually focusing on the neck, but he has yet to take her eyes as trophies. Also, the vet said, “This is a good cat.”

 

In case you’re wondering, Pili means “second” in swahili.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-Nut

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As many of you know: Moxie has a serious obsession with ballet.  She took a class (cutest thing ever) and was very serious about her dancing.  This year we got tickets to Maryland Youth Ballet’s Mini-Nutcracker performance.  It is the highlights of the longer ballet complete with Mouse King, sugar plum fairies, and, yep, Nutcrackers.  Mox took her class with her bestie Riley and we got to sit with them at the show AND go to dinner together.  At the end Moxie and Riley got a pizza with nutella and strawberries on it.  WIN.

We dressed up in our nice clothes (for the second and likely last time)

Both kids needed to blow off a little steam after sitting quietly and enjoying the show for a solid hour.

YES!

Sisters

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As Keen gets older she both becomes more fun AND a bigger threat to Moxie’s happy existence.  Now that Keen can crawl, climb, and sometimes walk (a little) she has become more of a playmate AND more competition for resources.  So far they play well together most of the time and we only catch Moxie trying to choke Keen occasionally.

Dual Slide Masters

“All the princesses are in the tower!”

No room in the bed left for parents.

Making silly faces during snack time.

Playing the piano together. (heart melts)

Christmas Decoration

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This year we got a REAL tree.  We also decorated it, hung ornaments in the yard, put up a wreath, and hung stockings.  It was legit.

Moxie got an awesome Playmobil advent calendar that looked like a weird forest/farm scene until the last couple days.  Santa, an angel, the sled and reindeer all came at the end. 

Our stockings: all made by Teresa Lee were hung on our wall (using pens).  Keen’s was sent directly to Wichita for the inaugural Santa visit. 

All kinds of crazy ornaments.  Moxie picked every. single. one.  She also tried to hang ALL of them on the same branch.  
She was quite proud of herself.

Keen tried to kill herself and the tree. 

Stepping Stones

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This year for Christmas we convinced Grandma that a homemade thing was the same awesomeness as a store bought gift.  We made stepping stones for her garden.  Jess looked up the directions, Ron bought the supplies, and Strider punched in the letters.  Keen and Mox provided the footprints and gem placement and Carmen got to wash concrete off kid feet.

They turned out well…hopefully.

We will do this annually so our family can see how giant our kids’ feet are and remind them to buy us shoes.  We think next year we might have to get a bigger pie plate for Mighty Moxie Monster Feet.

Note both Keen’s dirty little foot and that she curled her toes upon impact.  No where anywhere on pinterest did they warn me of this. 

Keen unsure of what’s about to happen.  Moxie, having survived, looks on with joy in her eyes.

As a compromise for not putting the gems in the toes she put them on the feet.

 Moxie process
Making sure Gramps does it right.

Gem and letter placement is serious business. 

Seeing the Bullers

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We got to see the Buller family during our visit to Wichita.  Holy cow those kids are cute.  We got to hang out, eat lunch, hang out, and go to the park.  It was a great day.  Peter and Ben were super patient with Moxie and Moxie loved them so much.  Keen thought they were the coolest.

We exchanged gifts.  Keen ate the paper.

Everyone helped out. Except Peter: he watched.

The one time Keen smiled in a car seat.

Ben at the park.

At least one of them is having fun.

Silly swingers.

The families!

How it really went.

Shocked!

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We went home to Wichita for Christmas this year (other associated posts to follow) and one of our major activities was attending a WSU men’s basketball game.  Keen and Mox participated in the citywide tradition of wearing yellow and black.  They rocked it.

Also: Keen made it through less than a half but wore her protective head gear like a champ.  Moxie got to have cotton candy and lemonade and made it through the whole game (almost).

How Moxie was supposed to wear her outfit.

How she wore it most of the night (not kidding).

We got their early and got to see warm ups, stretches, and other exciting things.

Popcorn.

Shocker family! (Plus a photo bomb by River)

See? I told you.

Keen sported a face tattoo.  So did Strider and Jess.

A lot of wiggling but here’s Keen in her hear protection and Strider with his face tattoo.

Butler’s Orchard

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We took the annual trip to the pumpkin patch/fall festival.  Moxie got to pick any pumpkin she wanted and she picked a weird bumpy goose neck one and then a white pumpkin.  Mom picked the traditional one.  Moxie’s favorite thing?  A weird ear of corn she fell in love with–she’s been prying individual kernels off for days.  

Carving the pumpkin

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We carved pumpkins.  Well, first we picked them out (I’ll post about that later) THEN we colored on them and THEN we carved them.  It was pretty stinking fun.

No Pants.  All Business.

This is what the second kid does: crawl around the outside.

Unafraid of the knife

Despite her best efforts she can’t saw her fingers

Moxie takes this biz seriously.