Christmas and Snow Day!

 Most of my Christmas pictures leave a lot to be desired.  I didn't even take that many.  Frankly I took so many in Florida I'm about shuttered out, and besides, it has been a BUSY Christmas.  We went to Florida December 6-16 and I need to post about that soon.  I'm just tired.

 I tried for a picture under the tree, but the kids were excited and I didn't get a perfect one.

  I did get some funny ones.

 And this one is the best.  Ah, Merry Christmas!

 Sweet Pea did pose for me a little.  She is wearing the dress my mom made me and that both Rosebud and I wore our first two Christmases 

 #1 kept a fire going all Christmas day and it was quite cozy.  We did stockings when the kids first got up and then had the breakfast my aunt made for us every year growing up-egg bakes and monkey bread.  Like her, we also invited people who don't have family around here/weren't having anyone for Christmas.  We had four guests and it was fun.

 Around noon the last guest left and we opened presents.  Florida was our kids present this year, but they each got something under the tree to open.  Little Monkey Man got this computer-y thing (he played with it at a friend's house one day FOREVER and when I found it at Aldi I grabbed it up) and an empty plastic storage bin to keep his Legos in.

 Rosebud got this doll.  She ended up with a few dolls this Christmas, but she'll mother them all I'm sure!

 Snug got a Leapster2 that I snagged off of Craigslist and a new Leapster game.

I got a yoga mat and yoga mat carrier along with the last Harry Potter DVD.

Christmas Eve after the candle light service LMM couldn't go to sleep he was too excited.  He said he hoped there would be an orange in his stocking (its from a book he likes) and SNOW!  Well I could stick an orange in, but the snow?  Not in charge in that department.  However...

 When he woke up this morning he (and everyone else) was super excited.

 We got several inches of snow and played for about an hour in it.

 Our dogs LOVE snow.  They live for days like this.

It wasn't really packing snow, but it wasn't total powder either so we managed a little guy.

I'll post Florida pictures soon, first I'll get them on Facebook.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Santa?

I don't know if I've posted before on how we "do" Santa.  We're not perfect parents (by a LONG shot) nor perfect Christians (no one is), but when Snug was a baby we decided how we'd "do" Santa.
 Santa, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy (we've got a loose tooth here at the house!  First one!) are all cute.  Fun! Part of childhood.  But.  Take a moment to think with me.  If all of these childhood "heroes" turn out to be fakes...why isn't Jesus?  He's miraculous, he loves us, is with us, and we don't see him.  Obviously He isn't the same as make believe childhood icons, but to a six or seven year old who discovers these things aren't real, it stands to reason they could wonder if we're just making up Jesus to make them feel good or act a certain way.
 We want Jesus to be about a relationship-He is REAL.  God is real, and in this world that daily feeds my children the lie that He isn't...we are going to do our best to show them He is.  We talk about the blessings He's given, ways we see him moving in the world around us, and what Christmas really means.
However, that being said, we do Santa.  If the opportunity is there my kids sit on his lap.  Didn't happen this year and that's fine too.  But they know it is a nice man who is giving his time to make kids happy.  They also know about the real St. Nicholas way back and how the tradition started.  And Santa is a tradition.  Something fun, but not why we celebrate Christmas. We don't make them snub friendly old gentlemen in red suits.
They don't get gifts from Santa (although they are getting one from Mickey.  Who they also know isn't real.). We give gifts on Christmas because God gave us a gift that very first Christmas.  We don't give them because our kids were good or earned them in any way.  Santa isn't watching to see if they deserve them.  They get them because we love them and want to give our children good gifts because our Father in heaven has given us many blessings.
All that being said, our kids also know that many kids really truly believe in Santa and they know NOT to say anything to the kids at school or church.  We're trying to teach them to respect other people's feelings, and use it as an opportunity to share Jesus  If kids are talking about it we've just told them to tell them about the first Christmas-the true meaning of Christmas and not to debate Santa.
So, that's how we "do" Santa.  What do you do?

Happy Birthday Precious Girl

Well this is it!  Her 12 month post.  This baby girl hit the big ONE!  Her birthday is today, but we celebrated Saturday with friends and family.  I wanted to do the same cupcake theme that we did with Rosebud.  I wanted it to be a little different, but wasn't sure what direction to go.  My mom asked if she could make a bib and when I saw it I was inspired.  I added buttons to the decor and it changed it just enough to be uniquely hers.   

 We had white chicken chili and salad for supper.  We have a big IKEA table that seats sixteen, but we needed more space so we made a "kids" table.

 This banner and the pom poms will hang in her room (when I get around to taking them down).  I didn't decorate our dining room for Christmas as I don't want all of her birthday pictures to have a Christmas theme in the background.

Birthday blowers always seem like a fun idea. It's a PARTY!!!   Till the party.  And then I hate them.  Until the next party when they look so cute and would be so fun!   

 Cake!

 This cake was not gluten free, and was the cake we served to the guests (a couple of the cupcakes were regular too)

This was her smash cake.  I made the buttons out of fondant.  I didn't take the fondant off, and she got one in her mouth and made a funny face till she could spit it out.  

She was pretty serious about the whole singing business.  

The cake pictures are out of order, but enjoy anyway.  There's the face.  She made it when she got through the icing to the cake too.  

 Sweet Pea is now 26 1/4" long (birth was 19.75') and 15.13 pounds (birth was 6.9).  She has EIGHT teeth, the 8th is a molar (or cuspid or whatever...its big and in the back) that came through today.

 Her new favorite food is CAKE!  She's still nursing but down to just a couple times a day.

 She loved presents.  Well, she loved the paper.  She is a paper-a-holic.  We may get her in a support group.  She's eaten the equivalent of War and Peace at least.  I swear she can spot a book or magazine or Sunday School paper a mile away and will eat as much of it as she can before we grab her up.

 It was her siblings that got the biggest kick out of her gifts.  They all FOUGHT (and are still fighting) over the use of this large talking-singing-ride-on dog.  She likes it too, but man you'd think it was real the way everyone goes on.  I'd worry about the cat getting jealous, but I think he's relieved to be out of the spotlight for the time being.

 She also got several cute outfits, including this Christmas tutu and sparkle shoes.  Rosebud was also in love with that, the boys...not so much.

Happy birthday Munchkin!  We love you very much.  From your serious stare to your belly laugh.  We pray that we will be an example to you of how much the Lord loves you and that we will continue to watch you grow and come to know Him.