Christmas Day

I think its funny that I wrote how a great christmas present would be an afternoon on the couch.  I ended up spending two entire days either in bed or on the couch right before christmas.  It wasn't fun. At all. Downright miserable. So I take back that gift idea for the future.

We were suppossed to spend christmas eve with brents dad but he heard the word germs and stayed clear away.  We are going over there tonight instead.  The kids were devestated.  So we let them open on gift on christmas eve.

 At first we were going to just have them open their new books they all got so we could go to bed reading those. 

Joel wasn't excited about that. Not one bit.

Please mommy can I open this big present I've been shaking all week trying to guess what it was.

We caved and let them pick out a big present.  Well the boys.  Norah didnt notice so we just saved hers until the morning. It was christmas after all and they hadn't been anywhere for 2 days since mommy sick. All our plans had changed.  Norah has a beautiful church dress to wear.  Didnt happen.  I think mommy is more disappointed about that than her :)

Joel was not letting his present out of his hands.

Christmas morning came and I woke up feeling much better.  In Joel's words after opening his stocking,  "santa got it wrong" because "santa" brought him a lego set he already had.  oops.  Thought it looked familiar when putting it in the stocking.

Norah was a little confused when we gave her presents to open. 

You  mean I can finally chew and open these gifts you keep taking away from me?

Alright!!!!

After opening gifts at our house we headed over to my parents house. I think it was funny talking to them that morning on the phone and mary is saying "dont come - we dont want your germs" and hearing my mom in the background saying "we want you - please come" 

 The green ninja morphed into a gold ninja during the season finale.  So mom made him a new costume.  Joel has now requested a red ninja costume. We like to keep my mom busy. 

 Mary gave the boys this amazing bow and arrow set.  Brent and I want to make a bunch of them since it was so fun. This picture of Capers reminds me of the picture of her mom shooting a gun at the farm. 

Norah loved the icecream at the end. Brent couldnt shove it in fast enough. It was a great christmas. Thank you everyone for our gifts. And for all the fun.

And if anyone wants to guess what we're doing all of christmas break take a look at this video. 

Merry Christmas

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

 

Luke 2:12-14

Mary and Baby Jesus lying in a manger.

 

Drawn by Colin. 

Mustache

It was mustache day at school on Friday.  I thought this felt one would work but it was too small and I was trying to fix it while walking him into school that morning. Next year i'm painting one on.   I usually drop him off but had made some sugar cookies for his class party and Colin wanted me to ask the teacher if I could come to it that afternoon.  We were late so I got to stand in the hallway for the pledge of allegiance, moment of silence, and national anthem.  It was fun but also made me tear up in light of what happened last week.  I had to wipe tears away after I dropped him off in his class. I saw the principal and other teachers doing the same thing after the Pledge.  I came back that afternoon - his school is so accomodating to parents. (Brent was home sick with Joel and Norah so I got to really focus on Colin which was nice)  I helped out with his party and he has such a fun class.  The teacher said a class like this doesnt come around very often and according to Colin they get so many "complements" while walking through the hallways. If they get 15 they get an icecream party. I think Colin has an ice cream party at least twice a month.  I hope this class stays with him all through school :)  The assistant principal sang christmas songs to the kids during lunch which they were all talking about.  And I have to say its pretty funny hearing a bunch of 1st graders break out into "jingle bells, batman smells, robin laid an egg...." right after singing Little Drummer Boy while making their christmas crafts.   

Gingerbread

 We held our annual gingerbread/christmas exchange with the Fosters. Only this time we decided to make christmas trees out of ice cream cones.  I love the look on Norah's face.  She know she was just getting puffs - that the big kids were getting something to eat that was much better. 

 Adah worked hard and hers was so cute. 

 The boys - all the boys just ate theirs. At least some of them got some icing on the cone before they ate it. 

 Too funny

 At least they had fun doing it.  And thats all that matters. 

Sweet baby girls - growing up too fast. 

Colin started asking when we were going to do this weeks ago.  A fun tradition.  Even if we dont get to line up the finish products to admire :) 

At the very end Colin decided to pour the whole jar of sprinkles into an empty cone and bite it.  sprinkles went everywhere.  At the same time Norah was tipping over a plant and shoving dirt into her mouth. Laura was packing up the kids and my friend Bethany walked in to drop off her car key since we were picking up her car.  haha good thing Bethany is such a great friend.  One of those moments where you hand off a baby and clean up the mess before saying hi :) 

Presents

Oh look a present under the tree.

Lets see how it tastes

I'm pretty sure this present wasn't on my christmas list

Let me try it again

Maybe it would taste better if I removed the paper out of my mouth.

Maybe this is the one I wanted.


(The boys quickly discovered that Norah can open presents enough to peak by chewing on them.  We had to stop them giving her their presents to chew on.  Now she just chews on hers. Until we notice and then we move her or the present. )

Parade

 Joel's favorite game right now to play is parade.  He made it up.  I used to make up games all the time and get the whole neighborhood playing so its fun to see him come up with this. 

 Only he plays a little different. Sarah and I would set up our stores with all our friends and the fun was in setting them up.  Joel's is in destroying it.  See all the innocent lego and little people?  The green girl is sally, the pink pants girl is molly. There is even a Grandpa and Uncle Jeff (Uncle Jeff sleeps all the time which makes me laugh every time.  Jeff you might have some explaining to do to Joel)  And notice the wise man in there beind Molly holding the gold box?  Joel keeps asking why the wise men wear pies on their heads.  haha. 

 To play parade you line up all the people and they have to talk and then Batman enters the picture and destorys them all. Or takes them to a dark cave with bats. Or somewhere else - depending on what Joel comes up with for that day. And I have to get the other "people" to save the captured ones. Or when I'm just lazy and dont feel like moving, make the "people" cry for their friends.  When Norah is awake and playing with us she is Monster baby who gives everyone a bath by slobbering on all of them.

He loves it.  I have to admit it gets old after the 1000000th time of having Batman destroy my set up. When he gets upset at me Joels first thing to say is "well I'm not going to play parade with you." Spankings, time out dont work with Joel but taking something away that he is playing with does.  So when he gets upset with me I think he takes what he thinks I love away from me.  Its not my favorite thing but I love this boy.  And I love playing with him.  And I'll play parade with him over and over because he loves it. 

wisdom

 

Words of wisdom from our 3 year old:

 

"Mommy, if an alien is in the road - dont park"

9 months

9 months today.  Sweet sweet baby girl.  She is into everything.  Norah has discovered drawers and cabinets and loves to go open them and pull everything out.  Makes for a lot of fun for her and Joel who thinks its fun too.

She loves dirt more than Joel did at this age.  I think we might have a mud girl on our hands. She is so wiggly if I'm holding her outside and just wants to get down to put all the dirt, leaves, grass, and mulch in her mouth.  She also loves to crawl all over the yard so I'm having to pretreat all her pants since they all have grass stains on them. 

She desperatlely wants to walk.  But she crawls fast everywhere.  If I put her down, before I can walk into the other room she is there pulling up on my legs. 

Norah has 6 teeth right now.  Still hasn't gone back to sleeping all night.  But she isn't doing too bad. Just a few times a night which is doable.  She still only says mama.  Loves to snuggle. Loves her blanket. Loves to clap.  Loves food and is really good at feeding herself. We still havent figured out whats giving her a rash but she definitely has an apple allergy of some sort.  From what i've read she can grow out of it. 

Its fun seeing her personality come out. She loves when the boys play with her and will squeal when they get down and crawl after her.  She also loves when they carry her all over the house.  Last week at our community group christmas dinner she was crawling under tables and following all the big kids trying to be just like them.  Its hard to believe she's old enough to even try to keep up with the big kids. 

Its really fun to watch her play games with her brothers. Sweet Sweet baby girl.

 

So much sadness

On Friday when Brent called and asked if I had heard of the shootings I had to log onto the computer since I don't watch the news here.  Little minds who don't nap would see and hear too much.  I went into Norah's room while the kids were playing and cried my eyes out.  It was hard watching the VT shooting unfold - at my school, a place I love so much. It was even harder this time.  I have a 6 year old who goes to a public elementary school. It could very well be my child - his school.  I had a hard time waiting for my boy to come home off the bus.  And with tears in my eyes I watched him walk off the bus, try to outrun the 5th grader that lives on the street over from us, and then with a beaming face run towards Joel and I. When they hugged, all I could think of was what would Joel do and how would we tell him if something happened to his beloved Bubba.

I'm not afraid to send him to school.  And I told Brent that it surprised me that my first instinct wasn't to want to pull him out of school and finally just homeschool him like I want.  I want him in school  Things like that can happen anywhere. There is no doubt in my mind that my sweet boy wouldve been telling everyone about Jesus and heaven while hiding in a bathroom with his classroom. Ever since my grandpa died Colin talks about heaven all the time with just a sense of awe that I wish I had.  I can paint a picture of heaven for him but honestly part of me doesnt have the faith that my son has.  In fact he wants to die in July.  He told me the other day and I have to admit part of me immediately was fearful and my prayer right then was "Lord, not until he's old and gray."

I still vividly remember the first week of March of my seventh grade year when my teacher was shot in a freak accident at school. I still think of that every time I drive by the school.  And I have only been in the 7-11 next to the school once and almost had a panic attack when I was in college (the shooter robbed the 7-11 right before) So we've decided not to tell him anything.  And wait and see what he hears at school.  We went back and forth all weekend and after lots of praying what we decided. We will see when he comes home if it was the right decision but for one more day at least his innocence was protected. 

It was hard to drop him off at school yesterday morning. Not because I am afraid to send him to school, its just remembering all those parents who did the same thing only to have this nightmare unfold. I always pray with Colin before he jumps out of the car each morning.  Yesterday I prayed extra long for him and then sent him on his way.  He kissed me, hopped out, and then walked down the sidewalk and did what he does almost every morning, turned around and blew me a kiss.  And I sobbed the whole way home.  I can't imagine what those families are going through and pray I never have to experience it.  My heart aches for those mothers who long to hold their children, the siblings who have lost their best friends, and especially for those children who were there at the school and lived through it all.  Its a nightmare that they will relive the rest of their lives.

He came home all smiles and got all three stickers in PE and learned all about mistletoe.  No mention of the shootings and for that I'm grateful.  If it was mentioned then it went over his head.  He will learn of it soon enough when he's older.  But for now school is still a safe place and a fun place for him to go to. 

There is a sadness dropping him off at school.  I noticed it today - the parents are all smiles and joy when they are with their kids but the moment the kids leave them and go into the school there is a deep sadness that I wish didnt have to be there.  But its there and at least for us, our children are coming home to us today.  My heart breaks for those families who wont get to watch their children bounce off the school bus today.  And I hope and pray that I never ever take that for granted again. 

I read this blog this morning and think it describes what I can't put into words

Reading

 I love to read. Brent doesnt so much and didnt understand when we first got married how I could sit all day and read an entire book.  I haven't been able to sit down and read a book in over a year though.  I have to say I think a great christmas present would be a good book and an afternoon on the couch reading it.  And I'd probably stay up all night finishing it too. 

 The kids love having us read to them too.  Joel has been the one who has sat the longest reading book after book.  In fact right now there are about 20 books piled up next to his bed that we've been reading over and over. 

 

  But now Colin has picked up the reading bug too and it makes me so proud.  He will come home from school and loves reading books by himself.  He loves to read to us and has taken off with his reading.  I love how he will read to Joel and Norah.  His goal is to read a whole chapter book soon.  I hope his love of reading continues. 

Nativity Scene

It might not be completely biblically accurate... but I think a tiger going after Baby Jesus while the Wise Men and Joseph hide behind a tree is pretty clever.

Dont worry. Baby Jesus was not eaten.  He is the Son of God after all :) 

(brent thought that I had set this up so I feel like I should make a disclaimer - I didnt - Joel did! Thought it was understood but you never know...haha oh brent)

under the tree

One of our most precious gifts.