Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms, Chocolate Pecan Toffee, Iced Sugar Cookies, and Chocolate Chip cookies packaged up for our neighbors. The kids had a blast decorating the sugar cookies! It was a lot of fun :)

"I want to paaaaint"

This was 'Daddy's' cookie which Therese made - a pure Daddy's Girl!

charlie's paint job...  ;)

Have a Blessed Christmas Season!!

Wordless Wednesday

LF Christmas Party/Nursing Home Performance

Monday was the girls' Little Flowers Christmas Party. They had lots of goodies to eat, wonderful Christmas stories were read, musical chairs game played and precious time with great friends was shared - children and moms alike :)

Afterwards we went to the local nursing home where the girls sang Christmas carols, some performed on the piano & violin, and handed out stained glass Holy Family artwork to the residents which they had made at the previous LF meeting (I wish I had pictures of them but I don't :( - they were made with a black construction paper frame, contact paper, any picture, and lots of little pieces of various-colored tissue paper -- Oh wait! They got to keep one, so I can take a picture of those!! Yay :)

The residents' faces just lit up, as did the children's. The activities director told us how much they appreciated us being there - and even told one of the moms the thing that they really appreciated was how the girls were dressed up in their holiday attire. It was touching to see how something so simple could mean so much.

Seeing a gentleman kiss the back of Therese's hand really caught my attention. How lost is that little action in our culture? I thought it was a beautiful gesture and one I wish I could see more often. I suppose starting with my boys? Hmmm.... maybe.

The girls were very loving toward the elderly ladies and gentlemen. I noticed quite a difference in Therese's approach this year from last year's visit. She was so warm with them and even asked me if she could go back into the large entertaining room to visit with some who were just sitting alone. Some of our group were already leaving, and by this time Sophia had joined Therese in the large room. I soon had to motion to them that it was time.

We are planning to go back at Easter time. I know Therese will surely be looking forward to that!

Thank you all for a wonderful experience for our girls and for me too!

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

Enjoy!!!

Christmas Break

This is our first week off for Christmas break. Therese and Sophia go up to their room and just play for hours! Yesterday, they made a huge nest on their bedroom floor. And yes, they got to sleep in it last night! Today, they built a replica of Santa and his sleigh. Well, their own version:

Santa pictured with two of his elves :)

"Santa" [love his beard! LOL]

Santa's sack with one of the elves

And all 8 reindeer. Sorry, no Rudolph.

What do they have there? Beaded necklaces, elastic bands, ribbon, string, a pinchy hanger for the hitch!

They were so excited to get confirmation that this would be posted on the blog! They are so funny :)

Go Sock

I love the creativity of these girls! I give them a basket of unmatched socks from the laundry room (a rather large basket of socks) and they come up with a game to make a mundane job more pleasant.

Go Sock! Like Go Fish, but without the cards. Or the fish.
Whoever makes the most matches wins!

Yeah our leather couch is rippin' at the seams these days.  And ya know how that goes... kids boys jumping, rolling, climbing on it makes for a larger rip.  Then a larger rip until...

I figure I'll have to put a blanket on it!

Candles, (Cup)Cakes and Gifts

Here are some pictures of Charlie's birthday party/ies - festivities on the actual day...

Cars from Joseph...

A boat and a paintbrush which John Paul made in his workshop...

Sophia made this camera in John Paul's workshop ;)

And this kitty picture (if you click on the image it should open up larger)

A wolf finger puppet from Therese...

Something Charlie has picked up from his older brothers...

A "robot" from John Paul...

...which was destroyed about 30 mins. afterwards! Oh well.

And the second party which included Grandma, Grandpa and oldest sister Kayla.

Gifts from Grandma and Grandpa...

a remote control car (which he's rather good at maniputating)

and a fireman helmet!

Policeman gear from big sister Dani...

Pink? I know, what are ya gonna do? :)

From Mommy and Daddy Charlie got a 'doctor's kit' (although, I'm rather loving this gift idea which this three year old received). So here, he is the jack-of-all-trades - checking his temperature on his finger...

So Charlie how does it feel to be such a big boy at 3 years old?

Goofball!!

You are such a blessing to our family - you sweet thing you :)