Some families celebrate Advent as they look forward to Christmas, but our family has always been a little, well, different. Today I took my two girls out for an ice cream cone, in honor of Advent.

It is true that Easter came pretty early this year, but I think we still have a little time before the Christmas season is upon us. I’d hate to miss the summer, for starters.

We were so busy eating, that I didn’t remember to use the camera until the ice cream was almost gone.

No, we were celebrating last Advent, in our inimitable style and tendency to procrastinate. As Kathy mentioned in her Advent Calendar post, each year we offer daily prizes to the kids in daily Advent calendars. One of the prizes they particularly appreciated was a small slip of paper, inscribed with these fateful words:

A Special McDonald’s Outing with Daddy

I found it amusing that the scraps of paper bore Kathy’s handwriting, and that she hadn’t bothered to check with me before she volunteered my services as a prize. Sometimes she panics when she doesn’t have quite enough little prizes for all five of the children, times 25 days.

Truth be told, I absolutely love Christmas, and I greatly enjoy foraging for ice cream with my kids, so it wasn’t much of an imposition.

Rachel has been very faithful on her 5 for $5 goals, avoiding sugar six days a week. But this was the seventh day, and she rested.

The boys redeemed their coupons pretty early-on, but Rachel and Sarah hoarded theirs. Thus the Advent celebration while April showers and flowers abound. I bought the ice cream and we sat companionably, licking the sides of the generous cones to prevent unsightly drippage.

Sarah positively adores her older sister, and with good reason — Rachel is very good to her.

After we finished our cones, Sarah wanted to explore the Playland structure, while Rachel and I looked on, swapping memories. “I remember,” Rachel sighed in reminiscence, “when Sarah was too scared to climb above the second level … and now look at her!”

Indeed, time flies. I remember when Rachel was too small to climb above the first level, and it seems like only yesterday. I am greatly privileged to be the Daddy of such delightful young ladies, and I’m intent on savoring as many moments as I can, before I look around and they’re off “on whatever adventure Aslan brings them”, as C.S. Lewis would say.

Sarah, a true child of the blog, is always willing to pose for the camera.

On the way home, we stopped off at Wal-Mart to buy another one of those cool Jiffy Seedling mini-greenhouses that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. This time, in honor of my girls, we bought flower seeds.

Tim
Project 366, Day 97

One of the families brought baby chicks to co-op this week. What a treat!

I remember years ago friends brought their horse to Vacation Bible School. Strange, no one seems to have a cow. Anybody own a cow? We had friends with goats and another with llamas. No cows. Is there a deep, meaningful lesson in the lack of pet cows? What would Gary Larson have to say about that?

Kathy

At the park yesterday, Sarah surprised me with her skill on the monkey bars. She was determined to cross them successfully.

It’s hard work, sometimes, being five. Life is sweet though.

Happy Good Friday!

Kathy

Rachel has been taking piano lessons for several years. Recently David began to beg and plead for lessons himself.

“Maybe Rachel could teach you,” I suggested, trying to test his sincerity and keep the price down. Rachel, of course, looked at me rather incredulously, shaking her head firmly. Becoming a piano teacher is obviously not high on her list of career choices.

“Well, we’ll see. You’ll have to talk to Miss Nancy.” Miss Nancy is our beloved piano teacher and dear friend of Tim’s parents. She’s also An Adult and therefore Scary. I was sure that would put David off a bit.

Nope. He was determined.

It’s official, we now have two piano students in our home.

Or maybe it’s three.

“Don’t worry, Mom, I can SO play this song. David’s teaching me.”

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 23

I’m not sure about this whole swimming thing. It turns out they want you to put your head under.

Look what I did today!!

I have a GREAT swim teacher and she told me I could “Do It!” and so I went under.

Twice.

This isn’t too hard. Bring it on!

Sarah
Project 366 - Day 23