Big Money

 My my! Look who is getting her very first back account? She got herself a job at the Berry Patch and she needs someone to keep all that cash she's bringing in. 

Naturally I sneak a picture.

She's feeling pretty proud to be the youngest Hufford yet to get a job! 

The Feeling of Freedom

 This girl is SO READY.

She's been practicing in parking lots since she was in 6th grade. 

Hours?

Oh. 

She's got her hours. 

And she passed with flying colors.

Rollin and Smokin

Christmas Eve was all about getting ready to absolutely relax on Christmas Day. That means finishing up the three-day effort to change Anna's room from a saturated orange explosion into a creamy calm experience. We took the "one wall at a time" approach. And it took three solid coats. But she loves it and I'm excited that it's done and I won't have to muster the energy after Christmas!

Mark is smoking some Poor Man's Burnt ends and that means I'm not cooking AGAIN. It really is Christmas!

Everyone got busy wrapping their gifts for each other and finishing up last-minute task. 

Christmas Eve Bingo revealed the theme for the year....polar bear pants 9plaid for the boys) and some type of Chicago themed t-shirt. I tried...I really did. Etsy delivered Anna and Everly's shirts ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Of course, I had purchased nondescript Old Navy back ups just in case. 

The kids WOULD NOT go to sleep. Finally, at 3 am, I texted them and told them to plug their ears and keep their doors closed. Creating magic is a team effort and this team is ready to go to sleep!

Don't count us out

 I was thinking we wouldn't make it to on the neighborhood hayride this year. Everly had her Christmas band concert on the same night. Clarinets beat horse farts any day. 

But she didn't need to report to the band room until 6:45 and there were a few open slots at 6, so we grabbed them. 

Sadly, Everly got a yucky cold and fever and wasn't able to go to the concert anyway. Here was my favorite sisterly conversation of the day (harsh, yet helpful):

Everly: "I'm so sad that I'm missing my first middle school band concert."

AJ: "You're not. You're missing it. The next one will be your first"

Everly: "That true" (she went back to bed)

She wasn't up for the hayride either, so I grabbed AJ and Bug and we went over to the pool parking lot. Bug met up with a friend and AJ an I hopped on the other trailer. We were all pretty glad we are older that 5. We get to hang our feet over the side and that's pretty much the funnest part.

In recent years, AJ has asserted her God-given teenage right to not appear in any family photographs. Especially the smiling ones. 

She's coming around....and I'm so glad. She even cued up some Christmas music and handed me an earbud. 

Bug and Raf

Different kind of beautiful

I usually want the tree to have cute woodsy ornaments, with glass and gold accents. So pretty. 

But these guys have been sorely neglected for many years. 

It's pickle and potato year, my dears.

You know how Christmas kinda has that familiar feeling? I've noticed that the feeling is slowly shifting.  It used to be footy jammies and reading Christmas stories. 

Now it's getting help with math homework 

And dying hair with friends. 

comparing feet 

And supporting our parrotlet in her french horn dreams

She's gotta get ready for auditions.

We are embracing our pickleness and potatoeness. Bring all your butter sticks, your astronauts and iridescent wiener dogs. We're in the mood to roll with it. 

And it's beautiful.

A Birthday in 2 parts

It's funny, it's not a "friend year" and yet we ended up with all the friends climbing at ROKC. Isn't that what we did last year on our "friend year"?? Ugh. Why am I such a softie? 

It might be because we bought climbing passes last year on Black Friday and they are going to expire. So we might as well go. We gathered the youths and set them free. I tried not to hover. 

I mostly succeeded in being separate and aloof, but, as Anna will bear solemn witness...this group can be a little volatile. Drama is always moments away. 

We did have a few dust ups, but ended on a high note with a game of wiffle ball and some grocery store pizza hot out of the oven. Teenagers are an adventure and everyone knows it. 

The remainder of the birthday celebrations came the day after she turned 14. Ethan and Kassie were in town for Thanksgiving and Mathew was passing through on his way to his new job and apartment in Arkansas.  Having the whole family there is rare!

We started the day with.....Climbing at ROKC! Yes, I bought another round of passes on Black Friday. This time we will use them in a more timely manner, no doubt. We always learn our lessons the first time. 

Everyone but me, Ethan and Kassie went for a climb. Kassie stayed home with a cold, I have the hip of an old grammie, and Ethan blamed his BMI. But we all had fun!

Mathew conquering the practice climbs before heading to the taller ones on the main floor. 

Everly overcomes her fear of heights every singly time we go to ROKC. I think they call that exposure therapy?

Bug climbing in cargo pants!

That's a fine figure of a man 

Megan has gotten in touch with her competitive side this year...she was determined and angry! 

AJ looking the part with her new chalk bag and chalk sock. Very cool. 

We paid to climb, but my favorite part was watching everyone try the grip tester. Mark got the highest, of course, but Mathew and Ethan weren't far behind. We are a competitive bunch! 

And look!! It started snowing while we were climbing! You know what that means....

Bug has got to make the barefoot run!

We snuggled in for some Mario Kart and naps...

We had roast and all the fixings for dinner. AJ didn't choose it. She was adamant that she not select a special dinner because she "just wanted everyone to be there". Which is so lovely. And also leaves me to figure out what to make. We had planned on Poor Man's Burnt Ends, but a lunch trip to KC Joes and an inch of snow made that less of a good idea. We also skipped cake or ice cream because AJ is in the midst of doing 75 hard. So....how about roast? and mashed potatoes and rolls? 

How's that? 

Whatever. It's the presents that matter! 

Original goose art by Bug. 

And her very own guitar!! She's been learning for the last month or two and she's getting really good!

Don't sit down! The day isn't over because tomorrow is December. We DO NOT begin December without the tree. 

And isn't it so darling with the snow??

Darling and cold. And snow gets on your pants and shoes when you try to see if that tree is cute enough to bring home. We are famously fast at choosing our trees. This one was an all time record. 2 minutes flat.  AJ was the lucky picker. 

Aren't we cute?? Now wrap that puppy up and lets get out of this chilly warehouse!

Ornaments will be another day, but we figured we'd get the lights on (twice) and pop up the garland. The LED are, in fact, not warm. They are cold and dead and devoid of Christmas love and magic. Kassie and Megan helped me put them up, rip them down and replace them with the good old incandescents. 

Not a bad birthday, all in all. A bit here and there. Full of family. Jumbled up with Thanksgiving and Christmas and 9 personalities. But we had fun and we celebrated are new 14 year old!

And she will have some Egg Nog ice cream in the morning. It's 75 Hard approved.

I reward myself with a quite moment in the closet. Just me, the space heater and Winnie tucked under my hair. 

Halloween 2024

 The Costumes!

Laney went as a character from Lackadaisy. 

Obscure? 

Of course! 

Adorable? 

Undeniably. 

I offered fox ears and a tail, but Laney decided to go with a less literal interpretation. 

Gotta love dressing up with a friend!

AJ decided on Beetlejuice....with some decidedly feminine touches. 

Her and her buddies headed out with pillowcases to make the most of the neighborhood. 

Everly made the cutest little witch! She has a way with eyeliner and lipstick! Her friend groups fell through and she got to go trick or treating with Megan and Mark. 

Megan was rocking her best big sister chaperone outfit. 

I stayed back to hand out candy. My hip is still in recovery mode and can't handle a long trek around the neighborhood. But I got be here when these cute friends came by to collect Laney. 

I love Halloween! We've grown out of the days when I make matching bird wings for everyone, but watching them create their own looks and have fun with friends is just as fun!

Guess who has school tomorrow? Everyone!