Christmas 2012

Nathan was an angry elf this year. He didn't like the fact that he was no longer the baby and that Esther got the job of putting baby Jesus in the manger. Every picture I took of him this Christmas morning was a scowling picture.

 

While Esther put Jesus in the manger, Thomas started yelling, "He's finally here!!!"

I am assuming he meant Jesus and not Santa...because that is the kind of mother I am.

This advent was neat for us because the children understood the whole "counting down" thing. Every week, they would talk about how many candles we had lit and how many more we had to light. We did our Jesse tree again, and it was remarkably successful. Studying the lineage of Jesus was inspiring for all of us...even Nate, who requested daily that I "do the Goliath one again".

It was a small gift-giving Christmas this year. Each child received one gift from us and one from Santa. They all picked out books for one another. It was simple and beautiful. Matt and I were so grateful for each and every moment and blessing.

The face of content holding the face of "I'm starving! WHY ARE WE WASTING OUR TIME NOT EATING?!"
I don't know if that double chin will ever go away.

The children all bought Matt a Christmas Tie Fighter ornament.
I've never seen Matt so excited...his smile rivaled our wedding day photos.
Hmmmm...

Bean bought the Hot Mess a little stuffed bunny which kept her entertained most of the morning, along with the clementines from her stocking. I don't know what Santa was thinking, giving a 3 month old citrus products.

Stickers. Everyone else's stickers. Nate loves them. Don't take them or he will scream...non-stop...until you give them back...even if it takes 2 hours...imnotkidding.

Santa did Legos this year. It was awesome!

The Hot Mess got all sorts of lovely clothes for Christmas, including bunny Uggs from Uncle Peter and Aunt Emily.
The bow on her head is to show that she is a girl, I tell my sons.
They don't believe me.
(I jacked Matt's new Buffalo Bills coat for this picture.)

The first sleepover is always the scariest, Esther.

So, we got some snow this vacation. It was amazing and dream-like because we didn't actually have to go anywhere or do anything.

Both, Esther. We are Both.

Twins.

Advent 2012

If you received Christmas Cookies from us this year, you were among the lucky few.

The cookies had to make it through three stages.

1. Nathan

2. Nathan

3.Nathan

Yes, his mouth is full of cookie dough.

Don't lecture me.

I know.

In all seriousness, the cookies really did have to make it through three stages.

1. Baked into some form of recognizable Christmas pattern

2. Frosted without being licked

3. Delivered without being eaten or stepped on in the car

 

The five cookies that made it out of the house went to our next-door neighbors.

Watching the train go around the tree

Learning how to throw airplanes in the house with Daddy.

Esther is still not amused.

 Filling out job applications/ Bonding time.

 



 I showed this picture to Matt. He says, "That's A LOT of babies!"

 

 

Santa Claus came on Christmas Eve, before the children went to bed.

He rang the doorbell and when we answered the door, there was a package waiting on the front step.

Thomas was so excited that a present could ring the doorbell!

 Then we showed him the packaging and tag. He was even more excited...and then got nervous that Santa wouldn't be coming back.

 How in the world did Santa know their affinity for trains, especially the PRR and GG1?!?!

 Super-psyched about Santa and Mrs. Claus visiting on Christmas Eve, before bed!

 Nathan took two hours to fall asleep. He couldn't stop singing about his trains and Santa being at his house.

 We had to settle the children down to read The Night Before Christmas. At the end of the book Joseph said, "And that's NOT the true meaning of Christmas! Jesus is! But I really like presents!"

 

 

Hanging On

This fall has been a challenging one for our family. With GM closing its facility here, Matt's never-ending job search, fixing up the house for a questionable move in the future, sick kids, homeschooling, up all nights with a newborn and the holiday season in high gear, we have been slightly stressed. Thanksgiving was a challenge for us spiritually. And now Christmas is upon us with the same call, to be grateful for what the Lord has given us.

 

Serious child with serious attitude and even more serious sleeping problems.

I do love that girl.

 

Saint Nicholas came, just as we expected, this year! Matt says we need a bigger house with more stairs. I told him we have to stop spackling and sanding the entire house because all my pictures show how I can't care for the stairs we do have.

Nathan promptly took everyone's candy and played the bully of the morning.

 Thomas stole away to the dining room table before Koala could get to him. I do not have a picture of Nathan crawling on top of the table to torment Boo, but it did happen.

We lit the candle at the first Advent Mass. It went much better than last year, as we did not nearly light the church on fire and Joseph only tried to climb up the candle holders thrice...then proceeded to cross his eyes during EVERY SINGLE FAMILY PHOTO.

This picture is proof that the boys have zero clue about how terrible the football team is that they are advertising for.

"Nathan, if you can't smile nicely, don't smile at all."

 

 

Find the real baby in the nursery.

 

 We are holding tight to the blessings. We are grasping for the grace to ask for the grace to get through. We are constantly looking for the Lord's presence in everything. We are praying for disernment and are very certain that we cannot do this alone.

Grandma Schwalm, Thank YOU! My sweet kindred spirit of a grandmother cross stitched this beautiful picture and decided to give it to us during this incredibly appropriate time. It is on display in our dining room, which is where I spend the most time during the day. I need the reminder this frequently!

 

Sarah built a daycare for Esther, complete with books and toys and a bumbo. "For when you need to do chores and laundry and you want me to babysit, Mom", says Sarah.

Paint cans, bedsheets, spackle dust, dirty house, 2 year old in a bumbo.

This is wrong, on so many different levels.

Regression, in its truest form.

They were the best of friends. They were the worst of friends.

 

I will try to keep posting. Please pray for our family as we hang on and search for God's Will!

 

Inherited

Sarah has been taking piano lessons for just over a year now.

Joseph started this fall.

 Thomas started a couple of weeks ago.

Nate?

Oh, Nate!

Nate started this week.

My grandfather was an amazing musician. He could "tickle the ivories" like nobody's business. He could sing. He even helped me and my brothers along all our different paths in music: violin, trombone, trumpet...and the Irish flute. I loved that whenever someone saw me playing an instrument they would say, "Of course! You are Bill's granddaughter!"

 

How happy I am that now my children are being blessed in the same way!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of music and the way it brings our family together. 

 

Sweet Somethings

 

The children got out all their flash cards...Phonics, Math, Dinosaur and Insect...and played Go Fish.

Amazing.

Joseph loves Esther. She is interesting to him. Here they are playing Joseph's favorite game:

 Name Esther's body parts in French.

He covered her up with a blanket because she was "acting cold". I didn't want to tell him that it was a burp cloth, but Esther tried to!

Tom.

Bumps and scrapes and bruises and everything else that 3 year olds are made of. Nathan threw a wooden tool box at him this week.

The boy still smiles.

Genuinely confused as to why she has to be related to all of us.

Making the best out of the situation.