Project 365: December 31

Our plans were much better than this. No need for details, but just know that it will not happen again.

How can such a generally healthy family lose it's entire Christmas break to colds and Strep? The only one completely unscathed is Caroline who is just too stubborn to fall prey to the germies.

I'm not one to cry "unfair" but it does seem a little unfair that David should be sick on his first real holiday vacation since graduating from law school in 1990.

Our Evening

We* watched a movie, played Blokus, tooted horns on the deck, drank sparkling cider from dixie cups, and had a sleepover in the living room.

Happy New Year!



*I watched the movie, played one game of Blokus, took a bath, and fell asleep!

Project 365: December 30

This guy is a rescue hero.

If you met him in real life you'd likely run the other way.

I know I would.

Project 365: December 29

New Play-Doh!

When Will opened this cool package of play-doh and cutters from his cousins in the desert, I chuckled to myself, thinking of the drum I had sent for the littlest boy! Tee hee! I just couldn't leave that music set behind!

I hereby promise that next year's gifts won't be noisy!

Project 365: December 28

Meet Bonnie.

She's kind of like our new puppy, except she's not really ours.

Grandmama and Granddaddy decided that their lives were just a bit too calm and that they needed to be reminded of how wonderful life was with small needy beings in the house so they got themselves a Golden!

They picked her up today because all of her siblings had already gone to homes and this one needed some love. She's getting it too - Grandmama's just a lovin' on that sweet puppy!

Project 365: December 27

These two cannot decide whether they are friends or foes.

Things will be calm for the longest time and then whirlwind of dog/cat madness will consume the house leaving the rest of us human types seeking shelter!

At least when they chase one another through the house we know that they'll eventually stop and nap!

Bonus Pics:










These pictures kind of make me feel sorry for Gracie (!), but then she turns around and starts the trouble all over again. Just look at this one!

Project 365: December 26

Too Cool!

Isn't this great?!

David ordered it for me to run in - that way when I'm dragging people can cheer for me by name!

I'd love to be able to run so fast that they couldn't even begin to make out what the shirt says, but I suspect that's not going to happen!

Project 365: December 25

Never mind why they're laughing so much, we should have taken the opportunity to look down their throats!

It turns out that the two on the ends have Strep, as does their father. The remainder of the family is trying desperately to stay away from those icky sickies!

Christmas Day

Christmas morning came way too soon, for me...but not for these pesky children!
So what did Santa bring?

Will got a toothbrush - such excitement, and a remote controlled monster truck!

Katherine got Kit doll - it looks just like her!

Caroline got a new bike - it's huge!

Morgan got a camera - now there'll be two cameras going at every event!

After hours upon hours of unwrapping and oohing and ahhing we headed over to Ivy for some more unwrapping and oohing and ahhing, and eating!

Dangy got a singing dog for one of his presents - just the thing he needed - along with his jiggly dancing hula girl car ornament!

Merry Christmas to All!

As is my habit of late, I've fallen behind in my posting responsibilities. I promise to catch up, maybe even tomorrow, or the next day. Judging by the number of packages under our tree we may be tied up for a while....

In the meantime, I wish you all a
very
merry
Christmas!

Project 365: December 24

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve.

For months now I've been ready for Christmas. No, really, I have been, and had I stopped no one would have been any wiser. Alas, it's in my blood never to stop and to completely overdo, especially when it come to Christmas!

So, today David had quite few returns to make. As it turns out, today was a good day for returns -everyone else was still shopping so the returns lines were empty!!

While he battled the traffic and non-crowds and got a long run in, we stayed home and finished our to-do lists. First we had to make chocolate covered pretzels and toffee, and finish wrapping gifts.

I had all the kids working at the kitchen table making the pretzels while I worked on preparing pound after pound of toffee.

Then we headed into church so I could organize Christmas cards so that people could pick them up on their way in or out of the service. Meanwhile, the kids were pressed into service assembling candles into the new cup holders for the candlelight service. Everyone, no matter how small or spastic, gets a candle. Needless to say, I wasn't really paying attention to the singing when the candles were lit. Will loved having one though, and I think it was the highlight of his day!

Upon arriving home we ate a quick meal and settled in to make our gingerbread house! The kids had a great time assembling the house and decorating with all the candies! Then, once it was done, the unthinkable happened! The roof fell off and the walls fell in. I had to come to the rescue with curling ribbon!

The day ended as it has in all the years since children...with David reading Twas the Night Before Christmas to all the kids.

The kids scooted off to bed hoping to hear bells and scuffling of hooves, while David and I finished up our last minute preparations...after falling asleep in front of the tree!

Christmas Tree Quiz

You Should Have a Pink Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of friendship and sharing. You're happy as long as you're spending time with the people you care about. You are passionate about the holidays, and that start of the holiday season makes you very excited. You sometimes go a bit overboard in your celebrations. You just can't help it! Passionate, easily excited, sweet, giving, love, friendship, sensitive, caring Your pink tree would look great with: More pink! You should spend Christmas Eve watching: The Muppet Christmas Carol What you should bake for Santa: Rice krispie treats with red and green food coloring

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

Project 365: December 23

These are my new favorites!

Mary & Joseph are actually ornaments - their feet are the ringers - but they'll sit on my mantle this year for fear of the cat climbing the tree and breaking them.

Happy Birthday To You!

So, the same thing happens every year. We get ourselves all ready for Christmas - actually we work ourselves into a tizzy about getting ready for Christmas. And then, we stop, for a very important event.

David's birthday. Today he had chocolate chocolate cake and singing by the girls. It was supposed to be a larger family gathering, but we had to call that off because of Will being sick. We ended up eating at 8 o'clock and having cake closer to nine!

And then he had presents and singing!

Project 365: December 22

The girls and I were invited to a cookie bake beginning at 2 o'clock and since the invitation came over a week ago I really did have plenty of time to think about getting the girls aprons to wear.

I thought about it, really I did.

I just didn't do anything about it...until today. At 11:30 this morning I got out my trusty Singer and dug out some extra large dishcloths that I'd been saving for a project such as this, and ... voila ... we had aprons. You'll have to check out the previous post to catch a gander at the finished product. The girls liked them and they did their job well.

Cookie Bake - Updated

Meet Martha.

This brave woman invited 9 girls to join her own 3 girls for cookie baking. She also invited the moms to come for conversation and yummy snacks.

The girls really did most of the work, while the moms mostly just gabbed and ate things like a so-delicious-that-it-cannot-be-described pesto/sundried tomato/feta & cream cheese spread. Oh, and we got to eat cookies too!

So, here are the girls hard at work.














And here is the yummy treat and the slacker moms!





Here are the cookies - don't they look delicious?

Project 365: December 21

The 4th Grade had a Winter Solstice party today.

They ate only foods grown or produced in our state - milk, hams biscuits, crab soup and crab cakes, cheese, apples, apple juice, and some others that I'm forgetting.

The students and mom-helpers ate well and started the winter break with full bellies!

Funny

Project 365: December 20

This is Will.

These are his gifts.

Can you tell he's excited about taking these gifts to school for his teachers and friends?

He's so excited that his nose is blinking!

Project 365: December 19

Project 365: December 18

Who are these women and why do they look so happy?

Well, let's see. It's December so they must be at Alice's restaurant where they'll eat scrumptious delicacies like Diane's constantly sought-after crab dip, and then Jane's totally awesome and doctor-prescribed red velvet cake!

Then, of course, there's the annual quiz your neighbor about what she can remember from one month to the next and why she might think someone in the group has a computer or perhaps has mail delivered via Lynchburg.

Time for the unveiling of the secret pals!

Project 365: December 17

Requirements

There are two requirements at Christmastime. One, I have to make toffee for my snowman-loving-English-major friend. Two, I have to make chocolate-covered pretzels for another friend. I forgot both one year - it must have been a busy time in my life - and neither has let me forget.

One down, one to go.

Project 365: December 16

This is the K-5 choir during rehearsal. They sang O Holy Night with the youth & adult choirs.



The song was beyond beautiful.

He Sees You When You're ... Nice

There are mall santas and then there is the one and only real Santa. Each year since Katherine was 2, we've made the trek to see the real Santa. Will's radar has been set on high since December first - each day he asks "Am I being nice?" Usually , I can say "yes," but once or twice I've had to set him straight. His response thus far has been, "Okay, I'll be nice now." He's never come out and told me why he's asking, but it has to be the guy in red.

So, we got to the right place, and the sign said there was a 2 hour wait. Two hours is a looooong time with a 4 year old, even if he does have three older sisters who don't mind doing his bidding. I stood in line for the first 20 minutes while everyone else stayed in the van and ate the sandwiches that David had packed. Then we all stood in line together for the 45 minutes while the line barely moved - Santa was feeding his reindeer. Once we got the point in the line where we could see the door to the inner sanctum, we let the kids wander a bit. They filled the next hour with all kinds of activities.

Then we got really close - and the kids did their happy dance!




We saw this sign...


Then we entered Santa's room. At this point the wait no longer mattered, we could see the man. Parents were happy, kids were smiling, and babies were screaming. It was great!

We finally saw the man himself...and his snow princess. No one sees Santa without first meeting the snow princess. This one had been meeting people for so long that she'd kicked off her shoes.

All afternoon - in the van, in the line - the boy told us what he wanted Santa to bring - a movie and some books. Once he got up there I could barely hear his response when Santa asked him the big question. "What would you like me to bring you, Will?"

We wished Santa a Merry Christmas, got our tree, and headed to dinner. Tonight we dined with the Fab Four.