A Very Full Gingerbread house.

I think perhaps I'm crazy. Today we have 3 extra kids over. The gingerbread house is NOT equip for this much "foolishness". WE. ARE. AT. MAXI UM. CAPACITY. I think outdoor fun is in store.

Merry 2 days after Christmas!

Notice the color coordinating wrapping paper (cause I'm OCD like that)
This one is for Lindsey (two words: Tonsils Picture) AND to demonstrate the general vibe of the morning.
This is proof that one of our children feels the same about mornings as her parents. Where'd the other 2 freaks early risers come from?
They don't really look as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as they actually were.

T'was the Night Before Christmas...

Remember when you were a kid and on Christmas eve you were so excited you couldn't contain yourself? That's exactly where all 3 of my kids are! They've just been running from one side of our house to the other since 3 this afternoon. (Back and forth... over and over, until you're ready to strangle someone!!!) :-) Taking a clear picture of them is nearly impossible without using the sport/action setting on the camera.

Gaius is determined that in a waist-high (to him) box is a pink bunny. And while bathing Leia we were having a conversation about whether or not Santa would be coming to our house. Here's how it went:

Mom is Santa coming to our house?

I don't know, what do you think?

I think he could just walk through the door, since we don't have a fire. But we do have a chimney.

So there you have it. Mystery solved! Santa can just use the door if you don't have a fireplace. So simple...and logical!

Also FYI, we don't usually believe is Santa. But things get a little fuzzy in the U.S. at Christmas time.

Mama Files: Don't tell anyone I said this, but...

...the big, fat, juicy snowflakes coming down outside my window look beautiful! :-)

*sigh* The one perk of lake effect!

Tis the Season.

At least this year's Christmas tree shot is a little better than last years!

All I Want for Christmas is My 2 Front Teeth

Here's my kids' wish lists:

Xavier's list is a full page of boring boy stuff (mostly transformers and video games).

Leia wants a wand and moon sand.

Gaius wants a rabbit. Real or fake, he'll take whatever (FAKE the answer is always, always FAKE).

Their lists pretty much reflect their ages and personalities to a T!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Christmas Part 1

Oh boy! Here we go!!!! Xavier's first solo (pictures to come)!

N.I.X.V. [New International Xavier Version]

"Mom, this is the shortest verse in the bible: God swept"

"Um Xav, I think you mean Jesus wept"

"Oooooh!"

Voices from the Art Room.

The Girls Table:
L- Do you want to get married someday?

A- I don't know, maybe...

L- How many kids do you want to have?

A- Four is definitely too many. Maybe 2, and HOPEFULLY they'll be boys. Because they aren't as expensive as girls. Although I might like having a girl so that we could do things like: going and getting our nails done and stuff.


The Boys Table:
JD- SW! Santa isn't real!!!! It's just a man dressed up who tells your parents what to buy for you!!!!

SW- Yes he is real!

JV- He really is real because I saw him once on a train and he wasn't dressed up. He was just a regular man!

This continued for 20 minutes (at various volume levels). Neither side ever persuading the other.

The Mama Files: The Gingerbread Man.

I wish I was a mushier person (I'm totally blaming it on growing up with only brothers).

I read these blogs where ladies are saying all these nice, heart felt things about their husbands. And all I can think is: Marc and I just work together.

Sure we have fun and truly enjoy each other's company. And see eye to eye on important things. But I feel silly talking about it.

We also hate each other's music and movie tastes, which turns into a game of trying to find some common ground...somewhere. And I love the fact that we've learned to love watching sports together. Not to mention that we have 3 adorable children with bits and pieces of each of us all mushed together in them. But who (other than me) cares about that?

Maybe I'd feel confident talking about how he's an amazing father and has a strong conviction to teach our children biblical truths. Or how he's willing to put in as much time as is required to make sure that his ideas are biblically founded.

Or maybe you'd care to know that I cannot wait for the said children to grow up, so I can have their dad all to myself. :-)

My husband is amazing! (He'd be completely embarrassed that I told you, which I also love!)

The Gingerbreads make some gingerbread: take 2!

The Gingerbread train courtesy Leia and Gaius
Xavier's Gingerbread House

Finished, Complete, Ik ben klaar, He terminado, J'ai fini, done!

My Christmas shopping that is!

(It sounds great in any language doesn't it?)

Oodles of Noodles, kit and kaboodle

Leia- "My fork is having a hard time keeping track of these, so I have to use my hands"

"Rocky"- Gaius style!

Leia: "The eye of the tigeeeerrrr"

Gaius: "The eye of the hippo-o-o-o"

The Story of the Geese

There was once a man who didn't believe in the incarnation of Christ or the spiritual meaning of Christmas, and was skeptical about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in her faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her faith and mocked her religious observance of Christmas.

"It's all nonsense - why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It's such a ridiculous story!" he said.

One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had left, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window. And another thump. He looked outside but couldn't see. So he ventured outside to see. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese! They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but had been caught in the snow storm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles.

He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, "The barn would be a great place for them to stay! It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm." So he opened the barn doors for them. He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But they didn't notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety and shelter.

Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, "Why don't they follow me? Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. He said to himself, "How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them! Then I could save them! They would follow me and I would lead them to safety."

At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: "If only I could become like one of them- then I could save them." And then, at last, he understood God's heart towards mankind, and he fell on his knees in the snow and worshipped Him.

Submitted to all-creatures.org by: Deb Carpenter

Inquiring Minds Would Like to Know:

"Leia, is Santa Claus real?"

"No!"

"What's Christmas really about?"

"God being born. That's why it's a rejoicing!"


Couldn't have said it better myself!

(Well maybe I could have said it with better English, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been as cute!)

Mama Files: K's Last Day!

Today is my last day working as a daycare assistant! I'm not going to lie, I'm Thrilled!!!

Here's one aspect where I am NOT my mother's daughter.

It's heeeerrrreeee. Dun. Dun. Dun.

But will it stay?