Winter Fun

 

Mama got a new lens for her camera as a Christmas present, and it makes taking pictures all fun and new again.  Yeah for crisp, clear pictures!!  The kids and I went sledding, as it was a GORGEOUS day outside, and we just didn't want to waste all that great sunlight and snow.  Oh, how I love beautiful days outside - even in winter....

 



Aunt Diane's Birthday

Merry Christmas!!

Colbyman was a bit too excited to see what Old St. Nick had brought him, and was awake by 1:30.  Yes, in the a.m.  UGH.  Mom made him crawl into bed with her, and forced him to stay there until the clock struck five.   He did not fall back asleep, but instead twitched and tossed mercilessly for the remaining few hours.  I tried to put a movie on for him, but he couldn't concentrate enough on it.  Finally, I tod him to go get a book, and when he went out at 4 am to go get it, I heard him talking to someone out in the living room.  I was about to scold Colby AND his brother, as that's who I assumed was up at the ungodly hour of 4 am, but no.... it wasn't Quinn.  It was ROB.  Sitting on the couch, talking to his son, just waiting for the rest of his family to get up and get the day started.  We all just threw sleep to the wind at that point, and woke Quinn and Reagan up to start our day.  We'll sleep when we're dead.

Santa brought a Wii!!!  How cool is that?? The boys were beyond excited.  Santa brought Reagan a cowboy doll to ride her toy pony, which is just what she wanted.  As it was the first time that Reagan really understood what Christmas was about, we have a disproportionate number of pictures of her as compared to her brothers.  She was just so dang cute - saying with awe in her voice "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" and "Thank you, Santa!" with every gift.  We had to explain that not EVERY gift was from Santa - some were actually from her family - but that did not lessen her affection for the man in red in the least. 

The boys were so wrapped up in their Christmas gifts, that we decided not to pull them away to do our annual tobogan ride.  Rob wasn't positive there was enough snow anyways.  Instead we vegged in our jammies for the majority of the day, until Grandma and Grandpa joined us for dinner.  After dinner we took "Jesus' Birthday Cake" to Uncle Carly in the nursing home, and spent the evening with him. 

"Low-key" seems to be the order of the day for our holidays lately, but that's just fine.  We had a lovely day!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

 

 

Jesus' Birthday Cake

Reagan is all about birthday parties, and Christmas is the biggest birthday party there is. She has been talking NON-STOP about making Jesus a birthday cake, so... we did. Her favorite color is pink, so I asked her if she wanted a cherry-chip cake. NOPE. White. It HAD to be white. Which is very appropriate.

Today we spent much too much time decorating the birthday cake, and it looks very.... rough.... but I'm hoping Jesus looks down with parental eyes - eyes that see the love and intention and not the SKILL of this effort by a 4 year old girl, two rambunctious boys and their cake-leveling-impaired Mama.

We're pretty close to ready for the big day!

2012 Christmas Letter

A Christmas Pageant

Two shepherds posed as if for mug shots, but they said their lines and did a great job in the church Christmas pageant!  The kids do an amazing job.  And acting out the Christmas story brings it home for them more than hearing it ever could.....

A Christmas Program

It's something that we all really LOVE, but are afraid to talk too much about, in the fear that it will be banned forever.  My children's public school puts on an unabashed CHRISTMAS program every year, complete with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, wise men, angels... the works.  Every year, Rob and I think "WOW!  I can't believe they're still allowed to do this!"  And every year, we're glad that we live where we do, where the true meaning of Christmas is celebrated without fear of the ACLU.  Thank God for small towns.  Rob even wrote the principal a thank you letter.  Such a cool program.

The boys did fantastic this year.  I remember back to the first few years of their "performances", where they stood there like deers in headlights, and I see how far they have come.  They sang their little hearts out.  I cried.  Not a surprise.  I do every year.  I become ridiculously sentimental this time of year, what with all that cuteness and "Peace On Earth" sentiment.  Just does me in. 

 

 

Reagan's First Christmas Program

Reagan had her first ever Christmas Program, and Mama had to work and miss it.  I had a new eval scheduled that had already been cancelled twice - didn't think I could cancel it a third time, so... I missed it.  I dropped the girl off, and left in tears.  Sometimes the working Mom gig is tough.  Thank GOODNESS Rob and Grandpa Al/Grandma LaVerne were there to support Little Miss.   Apparently Reagan looked crestfallen at the start of the program, thinking she was the one child without a personalized audience,  until Robbie and her grandparents showed up.  Then she lit up and yelled loudly "DADDDDDDDY!!"  :)