Christmas Parties Galore

We hosted a game afternoon for all the middle school boys (and their younger siblings).

Colleen & Austin went to a gingerbread house making party while Amelia was at ballet so Patrick and I had a date! The first in many months.

We invited Eliana & Josiah over for gingerbread house making.

Josiah's ship was so creative.

Austin's marketplace

 

His avocado tree continues to thrive.

Our friends had a special activity each day of advent; we offered to be one of their special surprises. So Amelia, Austin, & Colleen planned Christmas crafts and games for an afternoon.

 

 

When Patrick came home, he became an easy target.

Amelia was a party boy in this year's Nutcracker performance. She was in multiple performances.

 

Christmas Actvities Begin & Damaging a Brace

Homesteader Mom's Christmas Party 2025

Getting out for more walks and bike/scooter rides

Christmas cookies

Harbor Boat Parade

Amelia had to acquire a new scoliosis brace. After getting it adjusted and wearing it for a month, we had approval to destroy her old brace. Bruce has a skid steer and grew up with multiple health issues/surgeries of his own. So when he heard that Amelia was looking for a way to destroy her old brace, he offered to see what damage they could do with the skid steer. So we gathered at their house, set the kids up at a safe distance, and watched Bruce attempt to damage the brace.

The brace would not break or crush or crack just from slamming and dropping it. So Allison worked with Bruce to position it directly under a spike to poke a hole in it. Then they arranged it in such a way that he was able to crack it in half. Amelia was very excited to see it damaged. And we were all filled with more empathy for the discomfort of the brace.

  

 

Then Bruce took the kids all on a ride up the mountain.

 

We spent the afternoon together completing the Nissar scavenger hunt in Solvang. 

 

 

 

Winters Living at the Beach

We started off December with a game night with some other adults from our homeschool group.

She loves being in the kitchen helping.

Now that we are in the season of ultra high/low tides, we're scheduling tide pooling with friends during the lowest tide days.

We had never seen a sea hare before!

Another sunset on the beach.

 

Amelia had her Rudolph performance.

 

Monday hike with friends