Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah! And more!

Hanukkah has come and gone and we had a great time!  We did a lot of Hanukkah-y things like make a paper hanukkiah, make Hanukkah shaped cookies, listened to Hanukkah music, eat lots of gelt (which Leo can now reach off of the mantle) and have dreidle battles.  That last one was on Leo's suggestion, and yes, it's a fun game.  Here are some highlights from the last few weeks:

Brad made homemade sufganiyot (and latkes!) that were so delicious!  I was in charge of the jelly squirting, and some had about 1/16 of a teaspoon and others had about 2 tablespoons.  More practice is needed.  But one thing is for sure, Gavi had a fun time playing with them!

Making Hanukkah cookies with a recipe vetted by Grandma (they were delicious!):

We had a Hanukkah party at BiBi and Zee's house!  We had Thai food and decorated Hanukkah cookies.  My kids love to decorate cookies and then only lick the frosting off.  They did not get that from me.  Definitely from Brad:

Aunt Erin teaching Gavi how to use chopsticks:

We lit candles virtually with all of our family:

Gavi celebrated Hanukkah in style.  Yes, she even wore this headband to Spanish class today!

Aunt Lissie and Uncle Merle got the kids these adorable new robes (with ears)!

Leo helped me dye rice then they played in the sensory bin for such a long time.  I've tried doing this a few times and it's always okay but this time they really loved it.  I think it's because of the cool blue rice:

Leo and I went for walks in the snow.  Gavi hates the snow.  She refuses to stand in it and insists on being picked up.  She does not want to touch it, does not want to lick it, does not want to sit in it, and does not want to sled.  Brad, you have to work on her.  Leo on the other hand loves the snow!  Can you tell?

Things we watch out of the window:

1. snow

2. garbage truck

We still go for walks when we can, play at the playground (even in the snow) and go for scoots:

Here is a video of Leo and Gavi using their scooters at our secret spot to ride, behind the Recreation Center:

Leo and Gavi each gave each other a gift.  Gavi gave Leo a drill and Gavi gave Leo a baby stroller!  Check out this cute video of their exchange:

Gavi took Leo's goggle and just raaaaaan:

One of Gavi's favorite activities is to dump toys out of a basket ("DUUUUUH!), then climb in said basket and just hang out:

Grandma and Poppa got them a super awesome kitchen!  They were so excited.  Over the next few days they unwrapped fun pots and pans and some food to add to their kitchen.  Int he last couple of weeks we have been so lucky to enjoy such delicacies as salt and pepper coffee, cabbage and lemon coffee (Gavi really like to make coffee), pickle and lettuce soup, and lots and lots of orange juice.

Check out this video of them enjoying their new kitchen set:

PJ Library had a great event where they provided us with all of these materials - frosting, donuts, glow sticks, and the kids created their own menorahs.  It was so cute, and of course the kids just like to shmear on more icing, lick it off, add more to their design and lick more off.

Here is the before:

Completed projects:

And after:

I've unknowingly created activities for the kids that involve snuggling.  Leo and I like to be "lumps".  That is where you get on the couch in a ball and hide under the blanket for an undetermined amount of time.  It's awesome.  And Gavi's favorite activity is to hide.  Usually behind curtains which is hilarious because then her feet stick out, but also under blankets like here:

This is how Gavi falls asleep, every nap and every night.  We tuck her into bed.  Then she lays there for a few minutes, climbs out, calmly shouts "Mama!  Mama!" for a few minutes, then sits down and calmly relaxes against the mesh gate.  Then she'll eventually fall asleep by her door.  After an hour or so, it's safe for me to come upstairs undetected, and I pick her up and put her back in bed.  What do you think, should we get her a little puppy bed by her door so she doesn't sleep on the hard wood?

Gavi got her passport in the mail!  So she is now free to move about the world:

Check out these cool kids:

Brad brought out his old knex set from when he was younger and the kids have been having a blast playing with it:

Gavi, just chugging her morning milk, enjoying the freshly fallen snow:

Look how Leo organized his stuffies before he fell asleep last night:

Gavi tells us that all of her stuffies have poops, so this is what we need to do, which Gavi thinks is hilaaaaarious:

Leo and Brad made homemade pasta this week which was so delicious!

We celebrated Christmas with Chinese food and friends.  We celebrated with this crew last year although this year was different.  There are two new babies (Jonah and Audrey!), we all ate at home, and we al had to clean our own floors after dinner:

Leo loves helping to shovel the driveway and really loves cleaning off the car:

Erin, Riley and Asher joined our bubble last week and we are beyond excited.  It's been 9+ months since we've been able to hug, play together and enjoy each others company and we are so thrilled to be able to pop over to BiBi and Zee's house (where they're staying while Chris is staying at their house) for an hour or 6 to do some Silly School, go for a bike ride/scooter ride, and even have a cousins sleepover.  It has been great for us all, but especially for Leo who has really been missing friends and kids his own age.  

So that's an update on what's going with us so far this December.  We're staying busy!  Until next time!