Christmas 2013

We had our first snow a few days before Christmas!

Coming in from playing in the snow

Is he cute or what?

Rosy cheeks from the cold

a smile from Romy

She's just so lovely!

Christmas Eve.  I couldn't get her to stop furrowing her brow.  I guess she was wondering what that shiny thing (camera) was.

Christmas Morning.  Can you tell the kids are excited?

Gwen got a karaoke machine.  We've been hearing lots of karaoke.

Fun with uncles

Look at those neck rolls.  She's divine.

Just so you guys don't think our family is all roses and gumdrops at Christmas... here's something I discovered yesterday in two different places on two different walls.  The first is Gwen's artist's rendition of a truck in ink pen on my den wall.  The second is Gwen's name and Zeke's name that she drew on her wall with marker.  We spent a good deal of time scrubbing the wall with a magic eraser yesterday. (Gwen, then me)

I bought this horse at a garage sale in the summer for a dollar.  Gwen got it for Christmas and she has named it Lacy Raindrop.  She tethers it so it doesn't run away.

We cloved some oranges.  I know there is a specific name for that but I forget it.  Can you tell which is mine?

I sang Christmas Eve at church.  Here are all the candles lit at the end.  We try very hard to keep Christmas about Christ and not all the rest.

and just to prove I am very much alive... a picture of me on Christmas Eve with my sweet baby.

Every Season

Thoughts tonight... is there anything more beautiful than actually watching your kids fall asleep?  Or have them grab your shirt as you nurse?  Or the perfection of a baby's skin?  Tonight we get our first snow.  I thought of this song tonight.  This season is a gracious one for me.  The really good news is that the Lord is in every season of our lives... the hard ones... the gracious ones... the transition ones.  Thankful

Thumb Sucker

My first ever thumb sucker

Classroom Holiday Parties

Whew! What a day.  I nursed Romy 3 times in the car and once in a restaurant, Zeke peed on a bush outside of the bank, and I went to two holiday parties at the kid's schools.  Here is Zeke in his class (he attends two days a week).  He is quite the socialite.  He was telling everyone funny jokes and making faces and showing his cookie off to everyone.  I heard him saying "hey guys, look at this" often.  

Gwen's class was very busy.  I'm amazed that the teacher has her wits about her.  I'd go crazy in a kindergarten class.  Gwen was calm and sort of quiet when I visited today.  She did tell me she was hungry right before this picture.

Christmas Crafts

My time off of social media has been filled with these sweet faces.  We are having fun family times and making good memories.  

Zeke is very loving.

Bird feeders made with pipe cleaners and cheerios.

Popsicle stick manger scenes.

Saturday Night Fun

The two oldest spent last night with Grandma Pam and they came home with these big flowers.  I caught them tonight pretending to write on the wall with the stems and saying "don't eat flowers or Jesus will be mad at you."  They caught us observing them and took a few photos.

Romy loves her daddy.  When he hands her off to anyone other than me she starts fussing.  Just in case you were concerned, she get LOTS of attention from all of us.

Vanilla Bottling

Gwen once again has helped me bottle up vanilla extract.  It is turning into our Christmas tradition.  Just because I'm feeling nostalgic I'll show you the pictures of the past.  This first one is her in 2013 looking like a beautiful and intelligent kindergartner.  

2010 vanilla bottling... she was a little thing, but helpful.

Here she is again now.  She's still helpful.  We love her a lot!

My New Song Obsession

Romy

These days I feel like I am having a lot of de ja vous.  The first picture is of Gwen at around 3 months.  The second and third are Romy at 3 months.  They are so similar in looks to me!

Her brother and sister are always wanting in the mix.

Zeke's "kite" he made with bubble wrap and popcorn things from a package we received.

Gwen's "kite".  They ran with them and thought it was hilarious for them to "fly".

Penguin House

A house not too far from us has tons of blow up penguins.  It is craziness but the kids enjoy going there.  It is so cold here that Romy sat in the car with Daddy.  Here are some pictures I snapped of Claire, our neighbor friend, and the kids.  

Christmas happenings

Tomorrow I'm going to a mix in a jar exchange and I chose lemon white chocolate cookie mix in a jar.  I made these cookies to try them out and they are delicious and very easy to assemble.  I thought I'd put the recipe in case any of you are making gifts in jars or would like to try it.  http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/cookie-mix-in-a-jar-gift.html

This is our tree up and the stockings are hung.  We are hosting Christmas dinner at my house.  

Thoughts On Hurry

How do we cut down the amount of hurry we have in our lives?  I blink it seems and it's 2:00pm.  So much of my time is spent consoling a crying child or making food for a child.  This is the way of motherhood and I'm not whining.  I do realize that it is a privilege.  The thing I've been thinking is how to not have hurry as a mother.  I mean, I get angrier when I'm in a hurry.  Jesus wasn't in a hurry... so how can I have less hurry.  Saying no to things, staying home, simple joys, finding peace in the mundane.  Maturity takes a lot of work, and I'm not there yet... but I am proud to say I have half a brain cell left to ponder how to eliminate hurry in my life.

Christmas Anticipation

I have been feeling the need to make room for quiet in my life and so I disengaged my facebook account for a while.  I have said no to a lot lately in order to be present with my family and some of those no's were difficult.  Nevertheless, we are enjoying preparing our hearts to celebrate the greatest gift of all.. Jesus.  You will probably see me more on here and can keep up with our happenings.

Getting the tree out

Our supervisor

Gwen has wanted a seat pet for a while and has been saving her commissions (money she gets for doing her chores) for a long while.  She saved up $12 and bought this seat pet.  She is thrilled with it and sleeps with it, rides in the car with it, walks around with it, and asked me if she could bring it into church today.  (no)  I think she likes it even more because she had to save up for it herself.

Zeke saved $10.  He didn't have enough for a seat pet, so he had to choose to spend on something different or save up some more for a seat pet.  He chose to buy this remote controlled car.

My neighbor gave me a blow up snow globe she had laying around in their garage.  I thought about selling it, but I thought it might be fun... so we put it up.  I love it! :)

Gwen and Katie Beth

My beautiful Romy... turned 3 months on Friday.  How time flies.  She is just a sweet gift.

My Mom's Apple Pie

My personal favorite pie is pumpkin.  We never had it in our family.  My mom doesn't like it.  I adore it, and might actually request it for my birthday.  Anyway, something my mom makes that I really love is her apple pie.  It has a crumb topping that seriously, even Amish people can't even get better.  Here is the recipe.  You have to try it to believe it.

Peel and Slice apples (Granny Smiths are best).  (I used 4 large apples, but I wish I'd have used 6) Mix 1/2 C sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and mix with apples.  Pour into uncooked pie shell.

Mix 1/2 C sugar with 3/4 C flour and cut in 6 T butter until crumbly.  Pour over apples and spread out.  Bake in 400 degree oven for about 35 min when it should be getting browned a bit on top.  IT'S DELICIOUS.