Sedona

Last weekend we took a 24 hour trip to Sedona to take advantage of Nona's spare night in her timeshare. We went to a light festival at one of the resorts up there, which the kids loved.

Santa was there, but there were very few children around. As we approached him, a young preschooler came streaking past us in tears as Santa called out to her, "Hey, come and sit on my lap!" Apparently, Audrey thought he was talking to her, because she promptly sprinted the twenty feet or so between them, and leaped up onto his lap, where she sat unabashedly chatting and absentmindedly petting his beard with her mittened hand. He didn't seem to mind. Our other two children were either too embarrassed or too terrified to approach him, so I guess this is our one "Picture with Santa" for the year.

The next morning we decided to take advantage of the indoor pool, even though to get to the pool we had to dash through the frosty morning air with inadequate cover-ups. I'm afraid the rest of us didn't look quite as adorable as Kateri.

I just had to include the back view.

After breakfast at a great spot I highly recommend: http://www.mesagrillsedona.com/
We had a fun day of hiking and sightseeing before heading back to Phoenix.

It was great to have some fun family time together!

Thanks, Nona!

Dallas!

Kateri and I went to Dallas for the weekend. It was Jon's birthday, and I had been missing my family a lot.

Plus, I had been dying to meet this little guy since he made his appearance into the world last July. He did not disappoint. My sweet nephew was so happy and smiley and easy to make laugh.
And I fell in love all over again with my goddaughter Evie.

Kateri had the time of her life running around with her little cousins. They spent a whole evening playing our family's version of hide and seek.

They had to go find the scary uncles hiding in the back rooms.



This is what happened when they found him.

It was so much fun watching these three play together...

...and no one makes my face hurt from laughing like these two gentlemen. I have more videos starring them that I could post, but I think I'll save them for blackmail.

After all the craziness, Kateri snuggled with all of her aunts and uncles in turn until finally she passed out.

We even got a (too-brief) visit with Genny and Maggie!

It was way too short of a trip all around, but it was so lovely spending that rainy weekend with my family, laughing at my brothers, eating too much delicious food and sipping coffee with my wonderful sisters-in-law.

During bedtime prayers, Kateri's intention continues to be "That I can go to Dallas another day."

I hope so!

How to Train Your Dragon Halloween

Or, "The Best Day of Kateri's Life."




It's not often that the three-year-old of the family gets to call the shots when it comes to something as crucial as Halloween costumes. We were worried that our annual tradition with the Burch Jerks of all sticking to one movie theme was coming to an end, but a post-soccer brainstorming session in the car led Kateri to suggest her most favorite movie of all time: How to Train Your Dragon.









This was her face when it all came to fruition. (She hadn't even had any candy yet.)

These were the characters we had to work with. Lili declined to be the heavyset chap on the left and decided to be a generic Viking girl instead. (Can you blame her?)

I don't know what was the deal with Lili's sassy Viking poses...I'm sorry, I must not be raising her right...

Audrey's were far more authentic.

Here's Astrid and Hiccup working the sweet shields the Burch clan came up with.

Finn and Lili must have gone to the same school of sassy posing...

Audrey and Lucy were the squabbling twins: Ruffnut and Tuffnut.

They really got into character...it was awesome.

Lucy's faces were the best.

And then there was Lili and Jack.

These two make me laugh. They had really been pulling for Willow as this year's movie, but they both wanted to be Mad Martigan. (True story. My nine year old daughter's first choice of Halloween costumes was a Val Kilmar character from the late eighties. I'm so proud)

Here's another shot of the shields...the designs are copied from the movie.
We spent a fun evening painting them all together.


We had a surprise Viking join the fun. Crazy Uncle Justin showed up in full Viking garb to lead the horde of trick-or-treaters around the neighborhood. He stayed in character the whole time, threatening to pillage the houses we stopped at if they didn't give us enough candy.

The kids thought it was hilarious, as did most of the homeowners he threatened.

Best Halloween ever? I think so.

All Saints Day dress rehearsal: Lili

It's that time again. The girls have their annual All Saints Day presentations tomorrow. I never seem to have my act together enough to take a video on the actual day, so here is a little preview.

All Saints Day Dress Rehearsal: Kateri

Of course, since the older girls have had to practice their Saints speeches every night for the past couple of weeks, Kateri wanted to get in on the action. She picked St. Cecelia, and we tried to keep her speech short and sweet. Here's a transcript, in case you don't speak Katerese:
"Hello, my name is St. Cecelia. I lived a long time ago in Rome. Now, I am the patron saint of music. St. Cecelia..."

Sorry about the flash of princess panties...that's why a dress rehearsal is so important...gotta work out those kinks in the performance.

All Saints Day Dress Rehearsal: Audrey

The Book of Genesis

The kids had a half day yesterday. For some reason, Audrey decide to use some of her extra time making a booklet retelling the story of Adam and Eve:

I love these early attempts at spelling:

Wons a pon time = Once upon a time

And I'm sorry, but the strategically placed bird just makes me laugh. Why go for a boring old fig leaf? Also, God made him out of sand?

I skipped to the last page...there was a lot more about the "rool" breaking, but you get the idea. I also made the mistake of asking her why the cherubim with the flaming sword had no face. She gave me a pitying look and said, "Mom, don't you know angels don't have bodies?" Touche, Audrey.