Merry Christmas

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TO ONE AND ALL!

FOUND!

The ornaments were located just in the nick of time! But since we keep our tree up past the new year, we have plenty of time to enjoy them!

A Little Update

I thought now would be a good time to give an update of what's been going on around our household.

The kids are enjoying their Christmas break. They get a whole three weeks off! So they won't return to school until January 11th. Needless to say, they are so excited about Christmas coming.

Emily recently participated in the school Christmas program with her class. They sang a little song that I don't remember the name of - not a well known carol. She also portrayed a shepherd in the little class play they performed - real cute! Now during this vacation, she needs to practice a cheer that she will be performing during halftime at a basketball tournament in January. It's just a minute routine that anyone in the school can participate in, K-8th. She really wants to be a cheerleader, when she's older, but I don't know if that will happen. It's quite expensive.

Ryan also participated in the school Christmas program. His class sang Away in the Manger. He enjoyed it, but doesn't get too excited about those kinds of things. Right now, he spends his time reading about animals, playing with his toy animals, watching animal shows or doing anything with animals. He just loves animals and knows so much about any kind. He talks about wanting to be a zookeeper. I'll have to look into some programs that our local zoo has to offer. His favorite animal is the koala. Lately, he's asking me to get a chameleon---- not yet!

Kathryn got braces about two weeks ago. Luckily, she didn't have much discomfort with them. She doesn't mind wearing them, because she sees so many other kids with them. She's twelve now, and I can see little changes going on with her. Friends are starting to be a big deal with her. Parents can sometimes do embarrassing things-LOL! Last night, she had a sleepover with one of her friends and I just got a call asking if she could stay just a little bit longer--pleeeease!

This is the picture we settled on for our Christmas card. Everyone is smiling and looking at the camera. It was cold that day and no one wanted to go down to the beach to try and attempt to get decent poses so we decided to just have the kids sit on our front porch. This picture was taken before Kathryn got her braces.

Steve also has three weeks off of work. The university where he works has mandatory furlough days and that combined with vacation days enables him to take the time off. We're not taking any trips, but just enjoying family time together and doing some fun local things.

I still have to do a little wrapping and a little bit more baking. I made pumpkin bread yesterday and today I want to make cranberry bread. Kathryn wanted to try her hand at making eggnog muffins, so I looked up a recipe and maybe we can to that tomorrow.

Oh, and I need to find our tree ornaments! We have our tree, but we cannot find the box with our ornaments! They should be in the garage, but so far, no luck. Maybe we'll have to go to the dollar store and see what they have!

Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind.
To show God's love aright, she bore to us a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger they found Him,
As angel heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.

Second Sunday of Advent

OOPS!

I just noticed on my previous post that one of the pictures of a rose didn't appear. I had to include it here because I thought it was such a perfect, beautiful creation!

A Few Shots from Last Weekend

Last Sunday, we went out to take some shots that would hopefully be good enough to put on our Christmas card this year. We didn't get any that we liked. It was windy and the kids were getting impatient.

Ryan has his eyes closed here.


Kathryn is not a happy camper!



A little too windy!

I did manage to capture a few good shots!

Then we headed out to get something to eat. We headed out to TGIF. We all had delicious food and the kids shared a yummy dessert!