Hanukkah and Christmas are here again.

In our family, there hasn’t been one without the other.  It’s all that my kids know, although both holidays are different they simultaneously exist in our home, melding together like a salad. Although I try my best to separate the two, I do wish I could enjoy eachone entirely on its own.  I didn’t grow up celebrating Hanukkah, but I can imagine how beautiful this holiday is on its own, without the Christmas flare that exists around it in our home. The Holiday is so beautiful and simple and doesn’t need any bells and whistles. The candle lights flickering on the menorah are enough to fill your heart with peace, love and joy. It’s a holiday I never knew I needed and In a world where Christmas is so overpowering and overly done, Hanukkah is refreshing and needs nothing more to embellish it. Sometimes it ends up being a competition around here, like “why are we giving these gifts to the kids for Christmas and not hanukkah” and vise versa. Or we argue about our holiday card and it having too much red and not enough blue, or too much blue and not enough red. We get caught up in what these holidays are not.

Not sure if we will ever get it right but what I do know is that it all ends up being ALRIGHT in the end.

Sandwiched in the middle, you’ve always found your way to wiggle out and shine. You’re unique, quirky, loud, silent, fashion obsessed, starbucks lover, know it all but you sure do know how to make a delicious sandwich .

Your first time at pre school was truley your first time away from me and your family. Although the program is only 2 days a week, for a couple of hours, I Had a feeling you werent going to skip your way into class, and in a way, after 3 kids who cried everyday I left them at pre school, I definitely anticipated you would cry. But I anticipated you would cry way longer, for many more days and weeks to come.

You cried so much the first day that Mrs. Ellen called me back the minute I arrived home to come back to the school and hang out with you. I didn’t mind, actually I was happy she was that kind of teacher. She wanted you to be happy, not traumatized. What I felt like would never get better, she knew would get better with time.

The 2nd day, you made me promise to wait on the front steps. Silly me, I did. And I would hear you behind the door screaming for me. They finally called me to come in for the remainder hour amd a half of the class. And happily I did.

To my surprise, with each drop off you got less worried and much more happier. I think by your 4th day you finally got the picture. And I finally got to leave you knowing that I wasn’t going to have to head back to the pre school again.

This little peanut turned four last week. Feels like yesterday we brought him home.  He literally walked his way into this world it seems. He took his first steps at 6 and a half months old and by 9 months was running around and finding balls on the field.

I feel like he just grew up the fastest of all of the four children.
 As nonno used to say, slow down, don’t go too fast.

Moments like this have been happening because I’ve been giving the girls a choice to take a day off of school to experience an outing with Liam during the week. Of course Lia is usually the most willing to take a day off from school. The other two are in junior high so it’s not so easy anymore for them to take a day off.

Once kids start school its difficult to spend times like these together. The weekend comes and there’s so much needed to do that there’s not enough time to do the things you’d like to do. Also, on the weekends fun and entertaining places like this are so mobbed and also overpriced, they are often less enjoyable. Lia enjoyed her special time with her brother and we enjoyed reminicing about the times we would all go together with Isabel and Melina.

Packing and eating lunch at the museum is always my favorite part! Liams is the beach with the sand and this time Lia really enjoyed the radio broadcasting exhibit. She found a love for something she never knew she had. Apparently there’s lots of learning to be had even on a day off from school. Love you my sweet children.

This moment brought you by a mental health day.

Lia stayed home from school today. No reason, she just needed a little break.

They should give school kids personal days off. Who said  they have to wait to be sick to have a day off? They work hard all week and miss out on moments like this. School offers our kids so much, but it also takes away from alot of important things. So happy you stayed home today lia.

The road unknown always seems to feel like such a long road. It’s not familiar and you don’t know what to expect, so it always feels like it will never end. But, then after you’ve walked down it, 2, 3, 4 times, it feels like you’re going down it 100 miles per hours. When bel was born, she was our first. It seemed like she’d stay little forever, and then 2 more followed right along after her and I swore they would all stay little together, until they all started growing up. Now, this little guy is just growing up in a blink of an eye. Having been down the road before, I know what to expext and I know hes guaranteed to grow up which is making time go even faster. Nine months away from turning 4 years old. Im drinking in every moment.

My moms cookies.

Sitting on my porch on cold winter nights.

Chanukah lights

Finding a Christmas tree.

Christmas morning.

Starbucks gift cards shared with my daughters.

Little brothers kissing their big sister.