A Polka Fish Fry

In January, new friends invited us to our first ever fish fry, which is to Wisconsin what sweet tea is to the South.

It was fabulous! We got bundled up and walked through the steamed up doors into a convivial, happy scene. Throngs of kids danced to an old man playing the polka on an accordion while a bubble machine worked its magic in the corner to the absolute delight of Madeline, Charlie and John.

Christmas and New Years Recap

Life has never seemed busier. Sometimes sending a two sentence email feels like a herculean effort, so finding time to sit down at the blog is a real luxury. But I love doing it because I never want to forget the joy in these chaotic, fun-filled days!

Christmas was fabulous. We had an early celebration with Ning and Papa before they left on vacation, celebrating with beef wellington, which was a meal we used to enjoy at the holidays with my mom. The kids piled every pillow they could find in front of the fire. My dad and Ning gave me a vintage short-sleeved jacket embroidered with hundreds of pearls -- breathtaking!

Then we welcomed Rob's mom, dad and sister for five festive days! We were so grateful to them for making the trip to Milwaukee and being so willing to sleep on the nearest couch. Sandie made an amazing Czech feast of pork and dumplings one night; another night we made Marion's (Rob's grandma, who was 100% Italian) authentic spaghetti sauce. It's wonderful how many traditions and memories revolve around meals.

On Christmas Eve, we took Madeline and Charlie to a Christmas pageant at the Episcopal Church where Charlie goes to preschool (John stayed back with Sandie and Tom). Poor sweet Madeline had a high fever, so we snuck out of the service after communion, had a special dinner and let the kids all open one gift before bed (Aunt Nicki hit the jackpot with Spiderman roller skates for Charlie!). But before we tucked them in, we opened letters that came from the North Pole written by Santa Claus himself. He knew that Madeline wanted clothes for her American Girl Doll and that Charlie wanted firefighter gear! Included in each envelope was special glittering reindeer food that would sparkle as the sleigh flew over our house, helping Santa and his crew find their way to our chimney. Madeline got a burst of energy despite her 103 fever and ran outside to sprinkle the food on our lawn.

Stockings were hung....

 

After the children were nestled all snug in their beds, the adults got into our pajamas and exchanged gifts. What fun! Rob really surprised me this year with a beautiful SLR camera and a sewing machine! I gave him a reciprocating saw (what's Christmas without a power tool under the tree?) and a chance to ride shotgun in a real NASCAR stock car around the Milwaukee's Mile racetrack. The Vlachs gave us a three day trip to the Wisconsin Dells over Easter -- we're so excited! We readied the living room for the kids to come down in the morning, happily staying up until midnight putting together toys and nibbling on Santa's cookies. I ripped apart a velour stocking, rubbed it in soot, and stuck it in the fireplace to look like Santa tore his suit, just exactly like my mom did one year when I was growing up!

Notes from Santa and Tinsel, our elf

The excitement the next morning was incredible. Sandie had sewed Madeline and McKenna, her American Girl Doll, two matching outfits! Charlie basically hasn't taken his firefighter gear off since Christmas morning. And every time we handed John a gift he would say, "Wowwwwww!"

We rang in the new year a few days later with a last minute, super fun pizza party with a small group of friends. We let the kids bang pots, stay up "late," and we were in our pajamas by 8:30pm. A perfect ending to an amazing year!

Madeline was so excited about her new booster seat!

Our little elf

Santa piled presents inside a fun tent!

Virginia, Yours Truly, Jamie, Emily and Nikki. NYE!

 

The Mystery of the Cut-Up Backpack

One Monday morning, as I was helping Madeline get ready for school, I noticed the nylon strap on her backpack was cut clean through. So I started to look a little closer and realized her monogrammed Pottery Barn backpack had been attacked. The zipper track was snipped (so the zipper came off the first time we tried to close the outer pocket) and the padded arm straps were shredded to the middle (as far through as three- or five year old fingers were strong enough to cut). I fired up my brand new sewing machine for the first time and reattached one nylon strap to the other, but that's the best I could do. Off she went to school.

Another interesting parenting challenge. Who to discipline when neither Madeline or Charlie will fess up? They both cheerfully offered theories -- that maybe it was just old? That maybe the friends we had over the night before were responsible (I knew that wasn't the case because Madeline's lunch box was chopped at the hand of children's scissors about two months earlier). I think they even threw out Maple and John as potential culprits. Rob and I agreed we didn't want to discipline both for what one had done, though we happen to think that both kids might have been in on it together. So we decided to let Madeline continue to carry the bag as quiet penitence. Interestingly, she's never complained once, even though she has to carry it by one strap and the outside flap is attached by a safety pin. I mentioned our little situation with a half-smile to Madeline's teacher (as a somewhat embarrassed explanation for why we were weren't replacing it immediately) and found out that Madeline had proudly showcased it at show-and-tell earlier that week!

It reminds me of the time when I was exactly her age, and I kept cracking raw eggs against the wall in the garage, desperately trying to understand why none of them were hard-boiled; I figured I'd keep cracking until one turned up. We may never solve the Mystery of the Cut-Up Backpack. But we did let Madeline pick out a new one from a catalog, which she will receive for her birthday in a two weeks.

A Magical Christmas Season Underway......

The Christmas season is underway and it's absolutely magical. Literally! The kids are at an age where they believe in everything! They are simply captivated and filled with wonder; seeing it all through their eyes has brought us so much joy.

We had so much fun picking out the Christmas tree and loading it up onto the car. Our house smells divine -- I just love the fresh scent of pine. Charlie and I strung lights on the perimeter of our fence and I took a stab at my first ever evergreen window boxes and planters, accented with red dogwood sticks. It's fun to see our neighborhood decorations too -- when Charlie notices an evergreen garland, he asks me why people have seaweed hanging on their door.

Every night, after bath and pajamas, the kids sit around the tree for a holiday or winter-themed story, drinking sugarplum tea out of miniature Christmas mugs and nibbling on something sweet while they listen to the book. John climbs up on the ottoman and squeezes in between his big brother and sister. Rob and I make a point to stop everything we're doing to sit down as a family. I'm already thinking about how to continue this lovely time after Christmas is over!

Another new tradition for us this year has been the elf who visits us every morning....the kids named him Tinsel. He's been pretty tame so far, but little do the kids know the silly mischief he's about to create! Rob (such a great dad!) remembers to hide him every night.

This weekend, we had a very special breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Pfister, an 1893 historic Lake Michigan hotel; we invited my dad and Ning to come too! The kids all sat on Santa's lap and told him what they wanted. Madeline asked for clothes for her American Girl doll and Charlie asked for firefighting gear. John cracked us up -- it was one of those classic moments where he cried and arched his back, trying to escape from Mrs. Claus' arms. At one point during brunch, we led Charlie astray, giving him what we thought was homemade whipped cream, only to find out (as he retched and gagged) that it was actually butter for the pancakes. Poor kid. How very unsophisticated of us.

And this weekend, we went to a gingerbread house decorating party hosted by the Judy family, new friends of ours here in Whitefish Bay! Each family had a house to decorate and take home. It was such a happy scene -- carols playing behind the cacophony of 25 sugared-up kids having the time of their lives. Fabulous.

The cards are almost all addressed (I underestimated and actually had to order a second shipment!), the Christmas shopping almost complete. Tonight after the kids fall asleep, we'll put chocolate in their shoes to celebrate St. Nick's Day! I can hardly wait for Madeline's Christmas program at school. And of course, the kids run down to the kitchen every morning to open their advent calendars.

While we'll always create wonderful memories at Christmas, this season of life where the kids believe in Santa, mischievous elves and flying reindeer won't last forever. I'm soaking it up and enjoying every second.

 

Thanksgiving on the Beach

Thanksgiving was very special this year. We feel so blessed when we're all able to be together! My dad and Ning rented a fabulous, sprawling house in Two Rivers (which the locals pronounce "Twivers" -- I can't say it with a straight face) right on Lake Michigan! Mollie and Kenny flew in from Boulder and Andi and Kyle drove up from St. Louis. We weren't in the door for more than an hour before we all had on our matching pajamas, a Wiebmer holiday tradition! With red and green stripes, we called ourselves Christmas convicts.

On Thursday morning, Nancy threw the Turducken (chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey) in the oven and the wonderful smells started to fill our home away from home. The kids decorated placemats for every guest, including Rob's parents and sister, who drove up from Geneva, IL, for the big meal -- it was wonderful to have them! We only wished that Kyle and Kenny's parents could have been there too! After the meal, before even clearing the table, we all put on our shoes and played on the beach, the cold wind whipping our faces and helping us work up our appetites again for pumpkin cheesecake.

Dance Party 2012!

We woke up the next morning to Wiebmer Christmas (we'll all be with our husbands' families on Dec. 25)! We set up a four foot Christmas tree, played carols and put gifts under the tree -- it was even snowing outside! That evening, after a candlit dinner (and our pajama photophoot), the time had finally come for our annual Dance Party! Lady Gaga, Chicken Dance, Def Leapard -- we rocked out, swinging the kids around...my dad even danced Gangham Style (just about as funny as him channeling Barbara Streisand a few years ago...."Memories..."). Everyone was so generous and thoughtful in their gifts -- we felt so loved!

The next day, the girls went to Kohler for a fun lunch and to see to gorgeous showroom ($20,000 bathtubs! Fabulous!), and we antique shopped on the way home. The guys had gone to Appleton the afternoon before to see Kyle's old stomping grounds when he worked for Kimberly Clark.

We were sad that the trip had to end -- we have so much fun together! But it was an amazing vacation and a wonderful start to our Christmas season!

[Note: Lots more pictures to come soon!]

The kids love their aunts and uncles!!

Another Fabulous Halloween!

 

 

Halloween was a blast this year! Charlie and John dressed up as Big and little Spiderman; watching John follow his big brother around in their muscle suits was possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen. And  Madeline was a fairy butterfly -- Rob's mom worked for weeks, making a truly exquisite costume. It was exactly what Madeline described to her back in August, right down to the tiniest details. She made a little girl's dream come true!

We had so much fun decorating the house for the holiday and enjoying the season in general -- hanging banners, painting and carving pumpkins, making s'mores in the firepit, jumping in leaf piles. Of course, the Great Pumpkin Festival led right up to Sunday's trick-or-treating! Madeline had the endurance of a marathon runner, but Charlie was more interested in passing out candy than collecting it; he would stand at the door and holler, "Mommy, there's another customer coming!" when he'd see children approaching. 

Madeline had a darling program at school, singing songs with all four kindergarten classes (yes, I have video. Are you kidding?). And I felt so lucky to get to help in her classroom for her Halloween party, moderating spooky bingo and passing out cupcakes to 17 excited Harry Potters, Ninja Turtles, Batmans and Princesses.

 

 

 

Roasting s'mores! Charlie's in his firefighter suit (how appropriate).