The month in review

Just after Thanksgiving, I started interviewing for a house helper.  Several mischievous shelf-dwelling elves applied for the position, but I didn't think our boys needed any ideas.  Fortunately, this guy turned up and saved the day.  He is...the Alfred Family's Sneaky Snowman:

The weather has been unseasonably pleasant so far this winter...as long as by "pleasant," you mean "sunny," and don't care that the temperature never breaks thirty.  There hasn't been much snow, either--can I get a hallelujah?  It was causing Elijah much stress, though, so the snowman brought us a personal snow storm...

a million space bucks if you can figure out why Ethan dubbed these "Nerd Flakes"

The Sneaky Snowman also went all Highlander on the fridge snowman (there can be only one!) and left, in its place, a massive Christmas present, complete with ribbons and bows.  And, in what is clearly an example of going the second mile, he spared the boys from a long and painful death at the hands of their Evil Stepmother by cleaning their room (there was UNDERWEAR--dirty, of course--in the legos.  Seriously.  Boys.  The hamper is three feet away).

On Ethan's birthday, he made dessert sushi.  Ethan is a sushi FREAK.  Note:  the snowman reports that sushi is not as easy to make as it looks, even when the sticky rice is rice krispy treat.

Speaking of Ethan's birthday, most of you know he turned twelve this year.  This means, of course, that he has blown out the candles on twelve birthday cakes.  At this point, you'd think he would have the routine down.  Shockingly, not so much.  I set the cake down in front of him, and he blew out the candles before we could sing.  Facepalm.

I love that little space cadet.  He did SO well passing the sacrament--I was massively proud of him.  He didn't drop anything or whack anyone on the back of the head with a tray, which I consider a major victory for a kid who routinely walks into closed doors due to his poor situational awareness.

Anyhoo, the snowman wreaked pleasant havoc for the month.  I think he'll stick around until the new year, as the boys are missing the last few days of his awesomeness while they are at their mom's for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, it took awhile, but Gabriel finally got into the Christmas groove...about the time Jamie woke up and we opened her presents:

Not that Jamie really cared...she found the wrapping paper cast offs and the rest was history.

One of Jamie's gifts is a Baby Prison.  To me, it was the most awesome puzzle ever and I was about to put it together when Jon and Gabriel realized that for me to do the honors would be an threat to their manhood.

Are you ready for some awesomeness?  The Mirror Alfreds gave this to Gabriel.  I'm pretty sure it's intended to be a cape for HIM, but Gabriel seems to think that I'm supposed to wear it and chase him around whilst roaring like a dinosaur.  Either way, it's the cutest flipping cape EVER:

I don't know WHY Gabriel is scared to go in his tent...

His man-eating dinosaur tent.  Hmmm....when you put the facts together, it's not that startling.

And finally, I give you reason #132 why we freak out the neighbors:

Most voyeurs go for subtle.  Not us.  At our house, we're all, "We saw what you did last night, sickos, and we aren't going to hide it."

Merry Christmas.