Albi Angel

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is that it's rooted in tradition-- not only the overarching ritual of celebrating a new birth and joy for the world, but also the smaller traditions. The gingerbread men with piped white frosting, the glee as favorite ornaments are unwrapped and hung on the tree, the holiday songs we hum through the season.

When I was a child, we had a book called Albi Angel about an angel that was chosen to be the star over Bethlehem on that fateful night. It's a beautiful story that captures the true meaning of Christmas. When Mary was born, we decided to read this story to our child (or children, as time would tell) every Christmas Eve.

We missed a few years (perhaps this has something to do with Lucy's dislike for sitting still?), but I just love this series of photos.

2004- Mary's first Christmas.

2005- Mary listened attentively the whole way through the story. 

2006- The chair is definitely crowded. Lucy joins the tradition. 

2013. Next year, we may have to move to the sofa! 

How is it already the middle of January?

It's hard to believe we are already well acquainted with 2014.

The holiday season- from another memorable Thanksgiving in Bend all the way through to a Loeb family New Year's Party-- was filled with magical moments and celebrations big and small. Here are just a few of them. 

Merry Christmas 2013! 

Grandma and Papa Loeb with the kiddos after a fabulous gift-opening bonanza! 

The view on a bike ride to my parent's house. Majestic Mt. Hood-- one of the best things about Oregon. 

Zoo Lights with the fabulous cousins. 

Ryan and Liesl in the deluxe Radio Flyer. So cozy.

Melting just like their melting snowman cookies at a cousin sleepover.

The park swing is way more fun with Chiara!

New girls for our girls.

Hanging stockings (no coal in sight). 

And the week after Christmas-- sweetest Irish boy in town with his Irish Nan on her birthday. 

Volleyball Adventures

Another season of volleyball has come to a close, and with it, Mary's team has worked incredibly hard and become hugely successful. They only had one loss all season long-- and received third place in the final tournament of the year. 

It's amazing to watch this girl play -- she can volley like a champ, is quick with her feet, and so consistent with her serves. She's been a strong member of her team, and they've grown and improved together over the season. Best of all, Mary loves this sport. As a child who tends to be reserved and a bit timid in most areas of her life, Mary shows remarkable grit and poise on the court. I just LOVE to watch her play. 

Our Bucket is Brimming...with pride!

Lucy received the Bucket Filler of the Week award from school, and was knighted by the principal with a fancy tie that she can continue to wear all year. Bucket fillers are people who offer help to others and show kindness in their actions (as opposed to "bucket dippers" who tend to take away from others with less-than-kind gestures). Each week, the principal selects a handful of students who have shown exemplary effort in this area. We are so proud of Lucy for her optimism and kindness.

And that's a wrap... and an App!

Our neighbor is a graphic designer and photographer. She is currently helping UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science to create education apps based on scientific experiments. She asked if Mary and Lucy were interested in participating in a shoot on Sun Science. They eagerly agreed, and our kitchen was transformed into a studio for the afternoon. With the help of an expert astronomer from the Lawrence Hall of Science, Mary and Lucy built a solar oven out of a pizza box that actually made gooey s'mores in the mild 60-degree sunshine. Next, they decorated cookies to mimic the properties of the sun, complete with m&m sun-spots and licorice solar-flares. A great learning experience for them, not to mention the fun of getting to say, "I'm in an APP!" 

The official app will be free in the iTunes store within the next few months. We'll be sure to share the info when it is released. Until then, here's a preview. 

October

Just as the older generations warn, time does in fact go more quickly as we age. I often think it should be the reverse; we pack so much into every day, how can time possibly escape us? But inevitably, I get a quick reprieve from the daily tasks only to discover that another month is in the books. 

Fortunately, the photos remind me of how much fun we had in October. From pumpkin hunting with cousins to munching crisp, petite apples from Papa's trees to a balmy evening of coat-free trick-or-treating, the first full month of fall was very kind. So kind that our hearts are filled with gratitude. And quite appropriately, seeing that Thanksgiving will be here soon. Like, tomorrow, the way time is flying... 

Sasquatch

Did you hear the news this week about new evidence of Big Foot's existence? Well, guess what? We've confirmed it. And he's far more handsome than previously reported sightings.