2024 :: week 50

December 8

Miles is enamored with the lights on our Christmas tree. He keeps asking when he can sleep under it, but he usually only remembers to ask on school nights. Most nights we have been reading under the tree. Miles does most of the reading these days. Miles has really taken to reading, and is very good at sounding words out. He can read all of the BOB books we own, and most of the early readers with little to no help.

December 9

It was an unseasonably warm day and Elliott and his buddies had a lot of fun playing at the park after school. In more exciting/scary news, a student in the grade older than Will brought a gun to school today. Several members of law enforcement descended on the school, and they temporarily locked the school down, though they told the kids it was a drill. Will was in his math class, and he texted Anthony and I. It was a scary half hour with lots of misinformation going around. Thankfully no students were injured and the student with the gun was taken into custody without force.

December 10

In the morning I went over to my parents to clean in the basement in preparation for the Tom visit and the Starita move. In the afternoon I met Joi, Amanda, Michelle and Charlotte for lunch at Best Regards Cafe to celebrate Charlotte's birthday. That evening it was a fun surprise when we opened the Shawnee Mission School District Magazine and we saw this photo that was taken in Miles' classroom. Miles is in the red Phillies shirt.

December 11

Winter is here. The leaves are off the trees and we can see our breath more often than not when we walk to school. Miles needed a new coat and I found one last week when I was at Savers. I love how bright it is--it is easy to spot him across the park. I spent a few more hours cleaning at my parents to get ready for the Toms.

December 12

Nana & Papa sent an advent puzzle in their Christmas box this year. When we were in Utah for Thanksgiving last year Lauren helped Papa with theirs, and this year she works on it most mornings while waiting for the carpool. 

December 13

The Toms came over for a bit Friday afternoon. Riley loves all things fans and vents, and Will gave him a tour of the vents on our mail floor. I made a major mistake and left a few melatonin gummies out next to my bed that Riley found. I didn't think there would be any reason for them to go into my room so I didn't worry about hiding them. Riley found them and then ate them and then took a long nap that negatively affected his bedtime. I still feel bad, Laura & Trevor! After the Toms visit I met up with some book club friends for a Secret Santa exchange at the Blue Moose Christmas pop-up. 

December 14

Saturday was a very Christmasy day. We met the Toms at Union Station and walked through all the vignettes in the Holiday Reflections exhibit. That afternoon the kids performed at their piano recital. Lauren and Brena performed a duet of "Angels We Have Heard on High," Will and Elliott performed a duet of "Silent Night," and then Will also played "Christmas Time is Here." I have LOVED having our home filled with the sounds of these songs as they have practiced over the past month of so. That evening Anthony and I went the NCCT holiday party and at the Fowling Warehouse in KC. It was our first time fowling (knocking down bowling pins with a football) and it was kind of hard. We both had sore arms the next day.