Retro birthday

 

 We drove down to T.O. on the 26th to continue the holiday celebrations with Grandma and Grandpa.

 Gotta love Christmas in Southern California. 

Then we had a blast-from-the-past birthday celebration. 

 With my high school boyfriend, my childhood best friend, and our old neighbors from across the street.

And, look! Children! Danielle's daughter, Peyton, shares a birthday with Amalia (same exact age!) and Matt's little girl, Molly, is 2 1/2. Matt's son Harrison, who is 5 months, got lots of lap time from my mother.

 Pretending to eat my Angel Food cake in one bite, with gratuitous Pepsi product placement. 

Friends, family, and CAH. What more could a girl ask for?

Christmas morning

 Stockings first!

 Lily generously gave Amalia her old iPod Touch.

 Santa brought her an iPad Mini.

 A sparkly new gymnastics outfit! It's already been tumbled in this morning.

 We already put it to work--using it to FaceTime with family this morning.

 The earworm that just won't die.

 GoldieBlox--a cool engineering toy invented by a Stanford grad.

 

The product's ad has already stirred up quite a bit of attention (and controversy).

 

Still, the girls have already enjoyed trying out some new things on it.

 

All three Pierce girls, wearing some new duds. 

(The iPad still attached to Lily.)

Christmas Eve

 

We attended Christmas Eve service at the beautiful Stanford Memorial Church, which also happens to be where Andy and I got married.

 

Lily and Amalia on the Quad. 

 

One of the girls took this picture.

  

Inside the church.

 

Whereupon Amalia fell asleep about 2 minutes before the service began. She missed the whole thing, including the gorgeous pipe organ and the appearance of the Stanford Tree.

 

The Christmas Eve PJ tradition continues.

 

 

  

Our elf, Tin, and his reindeer buddy hanging out, ready for Santa.

Tardy Tannenbaum

 Better (almost) late than never, we finally made it out to a Christmas tree lot. 

The girls took their tree selection duties very seriously. 

 The girls helped Mr. Green Jeans get the tree right-side up. 

 It's quite possible we'll need to get a second tree next year for all of our ornaments. 

Moo Cow made himself right at home, again. 

Hair-raising experience

 It looks like Halloween, but it's really just dinner at the Kohn house last night. 

 That's Joaquim, Amalia and Lily under all that hair (and mask, for Amalia). 

Checking their bad selves out in the bathroom. 

The incredible shrinking woman

Wheel of Fortune came on last night after we watched Jeopardy. (Who knew I've been pronouncing "gif" incorrectly all these years!?!) After watching for a few minutes, Amalia wanted to know how Vanna got to be so small some of the time (they put her down on the lower third with the the letters when they're showing the contestants spinning and making guesses). I didn't know what she was talking about first.

Amalia: How do they shrink her?

Me: Who?

Amalia: The lady!

Me: Oh, Vanna. Well, she's not actually smaller. It's just a picture.

Amalia: But how do they shrink her?

Me: Well, it's just light pixels. That's how we see the image on the TV screen. They...

Lily: No, no, no. Let me explain. You see, Amalia, (pause for effect) the Light Pixies wave their magic wands and make her smaller. (smirk)

Big sisters are so helpful.

Thanksgiving 2013

We gathered with Andy's family at Mike and Sherri's for Thanksgiving--one of the major perks of moving back to California. 

The girls love being back with their cousins. 

Cousin Chase got some love too. We missed seeing Hannah. 

Bonding over smartphones.

Back at Stacey and Steve's in Roseville, Amalia predictably found a canine friend.

And just as predictably, Lily made a Rainbow Loom friend.

 Then we ventured out ice skating. And by we, I mean the girls and their cousins.

 Nice save!

  Getting the hang of it. 

 Joey and Lily

  Lily and Ryan 

Ryan, Joey, and Amalia 

Skater girl

 Amalia even found a car that matched her dress.