Christmas in DC, part 2:

December 25th:

On Christmas day a group went bowling!  I didn't go because Cora was rather sick and napping, but it sounds like a wonderful time was had by everyone.  Here are a few photos from J's phone, and from Laura's phone.

Layla had much more fun than she is showing here...

It was their first ever time bowling, and they came home totally excited about it.  Super cute.

All she wants for Christmas...

...are her TWO FRONT TEETH! 

Don't look, Aunt Laura!

Today is the 6th day of Christmas, so Layla is right on schedule to fit into the song lyrics! :)

She haaaaates living with a very loose tooth, so last night she asked Jonas to pull the second top one out, just like she did last time.  Brave little girl.  When I was her age, I waited until mine FELL out on their own, that's for sure.  

Layla also realized the tooth fairy is, indeed, Mama.  I'm fine with pretending with my kids as long as they want to, but when they straight-up ask me if something is real or not, I'm not going to lie.  So, she asked me on the way home from D.C., and I told her the truth.  She was a little annoyed at me for allowing her to think the tooth fair was real for so long, and gave me a mini lecture on always telling the truth, no matter what.  

So, there you have it, tooth #4 in the books!  

(Jonas took Layla into the bathroom to pull the tooth, and when he had her come show me he ALSO had her bring a massive pair of pliers in with her, to trick me into thinking they had used them.  It worked.  Stinker.)

A Christmas in DC, part 1:

We just returned today from a lovely trip out to D.C. to visit the rest of the Schaefer family and spend Christmas with them.  It was a great time!  The weather was insanely warm, so half my clothing was completely unusable, and Cora got sick for an extended time out there, but other than those two minor bumps, a wonderful time was had by all.

We flew out on the evening of December 23rd, and NO ONE has ever been more excited for a plane trip than Layla and Finn were.  STOKED.  

WE'RE UP IN THE AIR!!!

Finn asked me 46 times, BEFORE we took off, if we were flying yet.  He didn't want to miss it.  Those 20 minutes de-icing the plane wings felt like an eternity.

She is so cute, but she is so much work to fly with right now, at 19 months.  I'm so thankful for Jonas, who does a much better job with her in "tight quarters" than I do...

Layla was an angel the entire tip, per usual.  Love her.  

December 24th:

Help with shoes from Aunt Patricia.

Off to house #2, across the street, for an adventure and some races...

Finn loved having a backpack for this trip and wanted to wear it often.

This picture made me laugh...no way was Scooter going to let Landon get dirty! ;)

Here come the cars!

Sharing was...difficult...for Cora.

In the bottom left of this photo you can see Jonas and Finn going off on a walk adventure together.  

The guys trying to soup up the sports car.

I think he was doing this one on purpose, but this is his "concentrating" look as well...

Tongue thing just like her brother...

Finn, in heaven.

NO FEAR child.

Loving life.

THE GREAT RACES:

Starting line for race #1:

Landon and Cora take a very solid early lead.  Father there for steering issues.

Landon's face the entire time he was in any car.

The happy losers!

Race #2.  All kinks worked out this time.  Scooter bringing drama to the starting line, per usual.

Finn with an early illegal block...

Layla jumps in front.

Fathers running to prevent the obvious crash about to happen...

Love Jonas in this one...

Landon cracking me up at 4 MPH.

Poor baby.  She was more tired than normal and actually took TWO naps a day on two separate days.  She threw up somewhat regularly the entire time we were out there, but never acted sick other than sleeping more.  So, so odd.  I still haven't figured it out.

December 26th:

* On the morning of December 25th my dear brother-in-law Ben broke my camera lens (trying to be helpful and clear off the table, I might add, not just throwing it around for fun...haha!), which he quickly replaced thanks to Amazon prime, but this does mean I have no photos of Christmas day and opening presents.  Chelsea, the family photographer, thankfully got those, so I'll load some when she makes those available.  

My lens wasn't working right here, but I was still able to get about every 12th shot that I wanted.  A few photos of a walk in the woods behind the house we stayed in:

The twins!! (And Laura...)

Classic Ben

It was so WARM this day!  Cora was probably over-dressed in her jeans!