On the Nineteenth of December...

...school was called off! And a happy start to Christmas vacation! The kids were fully awake and loud at 6:20 a.m...what is up with that? Their little bodies must have known school was to be called off and Mommy wanted to sleep!

Lots of snow to play in...8-10 inches worth! Friends to play with inside and outside!

Poor Daddy is out plowing...Teddy is shoveling...Chevy is sleeping...candles are glowing...and Christmas songs are playing...

Waiting for Snow!

The children all nestled, snug in their beds...I'm wrapped in a blanket and Ted fast asleep...dreaming of snowflakes, shovels, and plows we will meet...
I know there is a purpose for everything that happens in our lives...tonight is no exception! Before 3 p.m. today, the school Christmas program was cancelled due to the impending storm...it is now 9 p.m. and well...the storm is still pending. I feel bad about all the practices that the teachers and students endured (I remember those days very vividly). All the planning by the the director. All the schedules rearranged in order to attend the program.
There is a reason...maybe to make us all stop and just be together as individual families tonight...for there wasn't time to schedule up the evening...or at least hopefully there wasn't enough time! The storm inches closer at this hour and the forecast is for one to two inches of snow per hour throughout the night. Teddy and I have been asking the Lord to send snow and not ice...seems to me that God is answering a little boy's request!
I am grateful for this reminder...God answers prayer for His children...I needed that tonight!

A Trip Down Memory Lane...

...inspired by Auntie Gail!
Ornaments made by Gram!

A stocking from Gram...I don't know if she made this or not.

Gram told me "You don't want that old silly nutcracker!" I told I did and she made her funny face at me. I am so nostalgic about some things...it makes for alot of things to dust...but there are little memories that come with these things as they are pulled out each year!

This was another one from Gram.

Do you recognize this one Auntie? Did you make these?

On the Eighteenth of December...

I am all...llll by myself, and I went and got my errands all done! Groceries to stock us, movies to shush us, laundry soap to clean us, and a bunch of stuff to put in our socks!
I am mentally calculating...I think all my bases are covered! I believe Ted has a couple to finish...unless he decides to delegate them to me...we have been back and forth and have never gotten a clear cut decision! It makes me laugh...we clearly are not "done" with Christmas shopping and we usually are by now...oh yeah! A trip to the store with the rest of the greater metro area...and in the snow no less! They are calling for a big storm tonight and again on Sunday...we shall see!

Too Funny Not To Blog About!

The "gift giving bug" has bitten around here! Today the kids got their hands on the scotch tape and their roll of paper and went to town wrapping up "things". They were "sneaking" their packages up and putting them under the tree. We're not sure exactly what has been wrapped...they were in the basement...but we may get some very useful things...to read or color or clean or...

Alisa brought home a little bag today. I asked her to put her present under the tree. "No, Mom, it has mints in it for you and I don't want Chevy to get it. The pail is for Daddy...and...can you get him the little Snickers bars to put in it...remember, you said you would." I remembered ,"Ok, put it on the counter!" Later when Ted came home, she offered the present to him to open and he said, "How about I wait till Christmas to open my present?!" Dad was not "getting it" she wanted him to have it today! So she sat at the table and took the little pail out of it's wrapping to show him. "Oh...oh...don't show me...I'll wait till Christmas!" She wasn't too thrilled with him, "Daddy, it is not a present...it is a gift and you can open it any time you want!" Ted has fun teasing the kids about waiting to open presents...but they are so excited...they don't want to wait...and just can't keep a secret! (So don't tell...Alisa and I are going to switch out the mints and put something in the little pail for Daddy! That way...he won't know it all!)

On the Seventeenth of December...

it's time to stay inside...and enjoy a warm and cozy day!

Welcome!

Come and sit a spell by the Christmas tree...that our children decorated this year! I decided to not be obsessive and rearrange anything when I gave them them the "go ahead"! They did a great job and I just had to add ornaments toward the top as they handed them to me! Our angel is on...with the help of a broom and mop handle!

We had the perfect after-school snack...puppychow and hot chocolate!

This year's cards and letters are being delivered daily...and a constant reminder to me that I still don't have all our's done!

We love the different Nativity scenes we have around the house! This one was a gift from Mom and Dad...a snowglobe that sings!

Our advent stockings...but we really haven't "used" them...I just tell the kids..."Hey, this is what we are going to do today..." Have I lost my spark? Maybe...but they are going along with it!

After a busy, snowy day...

I was struck by how still...how "Silent"... it was last night! "All was calm and all was bright!" As I stood looking out the patio door, I wondered if that is exactly how it was that glorious night when the angels burst forth with "Glory to God"! What an announcement! Then this morning, I caught a few words to a song..."A Baby Changes Everything". I stopped for a moment and said to myself somewhat cynically, "Wow...that person is so intelligent!" As I listened a little bit more...the words were talking about the birth of Christ...it was a Christmas song sung by Faith Hill...never heard it 'cause I don't listen to that genre of music. But it did strike me...yes, our dear Lord Jesus came as a baby and changed everything for this sinful world! ***Pray for Ted during these next few days...he has had some very good opportunities to share this truth with one of our employees...and what a joy to be able to tell him..."Jesus can change Everything...and you don't have to do anything but accept what He has already done!" Ted showed him the Romans Road yesterday!***

On the Sixteenth of December...

the house is all a flutter...with this and that that needs to be done! ONCE again...the snowmen have been rearranged...can you tell what they are doing? Yep, singing...Christmas program songs! I thought the one on the right was the conductor...oops! It is the piano player! And you should hear Ashlynn sing "O Holy Night"! (I didn't know she knew all the words...it is on their Christmas cd in their room...duh!)
This is the last week of school...parties, caroling, Awana party, school program, SS program...

On the Fifthteenth of December...

I stayed inside all day...while the love of my life did all the school runs!!!

I took time to decide what Christmas sweets to make...and then found out the cupboards lacked the supplies for all the goodies. We started with sugar cookie and gingerbread cookie dough... put those in to chill...ran out of flour...made some yummy fudge...and will wait till Tuesday to do some more. Sorry, Teddy!

On the Fourteenth of December...

We're praying for our Papa...who hurt his hand and is in a little bit of pain! (Ok...alot when the medication wears off!)

On the Thirteenth of December...

Breakfast cooked by Grampy, hot cups of coffee, lots of noise and banging, donuts from Grammy...

and lots of love for the simple Saturday schedule!

All the snow is disappearing...which is causing quite a bit of discontent...with certain children!

On the Twelfth Day of December...

My true love has a birthday...and he says he's turning fourteen! "Ooo, Mommy is older than you Daddy!"

Ashlynn made a card and brought (and bought) him some stuff to smell good! MMMM (There's significance in the delivery and more to that story...but not for today...)

Alisa made a card and offered lots of kisses and hugs! And he liked the laptop carrying case!

He doesn't know it yet...but I made some treats to bring to the shop for all the guys! Why is it that celebrations always have food as the center of attention? Oh...well...it is winter and we need to stay warm! Happy Birthday to the love of my life! (And he is wwwaaayyyy older than 14...he is old enough to date! And we have one tonight!!)