Something's wrong here.....

and I don't know for sure what it is. The kids are fighting, Matt is working, and I could care less about anything. Maybe the After-Christmas-let down? I don't know. Please say a prayer for us, will you?

Feast of the Holy Innocents

"Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and their angels always see the face of my Father!"

Today we pray for all the innocent ones who have died.

Especially Baby Bailey, whom we have lost to this world, only to be known in the next.

May the Lord bless Baby Bailey and his family.

Please let them feel Your comforting peace, and hold them in Your strong hand.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Mindi and Tim, we love you so very much and send our love and prayers.

Some things to remember

about this Christmas.

1. Assembly should start earlier. Say, a week or two in advance.
2. Test the zipper on the new dress several times. It will save having to sew your daughter into it because the zipper broke at first try-on.
3. Make as much of Christmas day dinner ahead of time as I can. I really didn't feel like cooking since I was sick and very tired which was because I couldn't.....
4. Go to bed before 2:35 am on Christmas eve, which we couldn't because.....
5. Assembly should start earlier.

We would like to say

for everything!

Christmas morning celebration

We have to cover the door with paper and they love to break through!
Guess he liked that!
Amy on the new balance board
Even James got a new toy
Marty hardly left that spot all day.

Sarah was happy to have even more "Full House" episodes to watch.

Christmas Eve

Donut and milk for Santa, carrots for the reindeer, and letters from all. They left a note telling the big guy to write back. He just jotted "Gotta Fly!" Must've been in a rush.....
They had a sleepover in the boys' room. Even Elvis was there!

The Christmas Cuties

Here they are, all spiffed up after 5pm Mass.

Aren't they beautiful?

And again, I ask

"What am I doing here?"

I finished the girls' jumpers today, except for the hems which will be done in the morning with better light. No (secrets) have been knitted, but that is tonight's work while Matt starts the assembly process. And, now, I'm sick. Ear aches and sinus issues. I was a holic last night and ate all kinds of things I should not have--and this is the result. No hives, but I am painfully aware that my body is not happy with my brain's lack of impulse control. I couldn't help it....I just looooove fudge-I reeeaaalllllyyyyyy looooove fudge. I will send myself an apology just as soon as I get done knitting.......

What am I doing here???

Did you like the wreathes? OK, great, but the real question is this: What am I doing on the computer at 12:30 am instead of knitting two more (secrets) and one more (secret)?
Must. Knit. Faster. See ya later, Tater!

The mitten wreaths

Shore Family
Strobel Family
Kemple Family
Flanagan Family
Henderson Family

All have been delivered with many wishes for a Merry Christmas. We had fun driving around and delivering them the last 2 days. We included pumpkin bread with some, and sugar cookies with others , and everyone liked them. I also made a standing offer: I'll knit another mitten (or more) for the families who add more little ones in the future! Fill those wreathes up!

The "O Antiphons" or, "He's almost here!"

This is the "O Antiphon" book I made to study/celebrate the last week of Advent.

The "O Antiphons" refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover a special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23. The importance of "O Antiphons" is two-fold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sepentia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah ( O Clavis David).

If you click on the second photo you can see that after I added a piece of dark green metallic card stock to the backs of the "book", I added a paper with all the antiphons explained on the left side. In the right side we have placed blocks (painted gold with symbols drawn on) for each day of the octave. I put them all in so you could see them, but really, there are only 5 in there today. Next year, I'd like to do a better job with the pictures on the blocks. I really like how this turned out. Thanks to all the ladies over at 4Real who shared all their "O Antiphon" ideas--that's how I came up with this.

Christmas wreathes

Oh, I am so silly! I was going to post pictures of the wreathes we made for our friends, then realized that they will SEE them here before we deliver them. ha ha Carey! Fooled you!
Pictures to be posted after Saturday night....see you then :~))

Late night sugar consumption

Tuesday night Miss Carey, Owen and Jeffrey come over to bake and decorate sugar cookies. The kids did a great job and had fun. It was a loud and wild evening that lasted until 11 pm!

What fun!

stocking swap

I participated in a stocking swap this month where we each made a stocking for our partner, then filled it with goodies. This is the one I received. The stocking itself is just beautiful! Robynn must have spent hours on it! Then, it was filled to the brim with great stuff! This was a fun swap!

Is it Christmas yet?

They are ready, but......
I am starting to go a bit whack-o here. Finished up on the shopping ( or internet ordering--this is why they invented internet, isn't it?); need to mail out packages today, need to stop eating chex mix from friends; need to clean the house; need to make fudge so I can eat it; need to do laundry; need to bake bread; need to ...............................slow down.

This weekend at our house

My dad and Matt
James, aka: Naughty Body"
into the trees
a pretty oak tree behind our house
Grama and Grampa came to visit!!

We had a very nice time with my mom and dad this weekend. They arrived Thursday pm and we took them back to the airport yesterday. Unfortunately, they are now stuck in Memphis because of the ice and snow in Iowa and the Des Moines airport is closed. I hope they make it home soon. They should have quite a shock to their systems, as it was 82* here on Sunday, and 78* yesterday. I told them it was a good thing since otherwise they have to wait until next April to see temps this warm again! I called, and it is 25* there now. This weekend it was in the single digits. Somehow, I'm not missing that.

Home school craft party/cookie exchange

Our table, where the kids made Baby Jesus in his manger.

My mom and dad were here, and got to meet our friends and help. The kids thought my dad was really funny!
The Flanagan's very popular, "make it and eat it" table
Mrs. Kemple had glue AND glitter
The always lovely (always eating) Miss Helena
Mrs. Garret with some other lovely girls, making oyster shell Santas

We had a fun time, and came home with 6 1/2 dozen cookies and treats from the cookie exchange. Remember last year? We arrived in NC on the 6th; our truck unloaded the 7th, and we went to the craft/cookie party on the 8th. That was the first day we met the other home school families....the year has gone by quickly.

A visit from St. Nicholas

The shoes were lined up ever so neatly...
ER ornament for Marty--the ambulance lover
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots ornament for Theo--the rocker/socker
Amy specifically hoped for a nativity ornament, and was pleased
Sarah got another snow globe to add to her collection.

Pictures

Amy baked cookies all by herself for the first time. They were yummy! We took a plate over to our new neighbors, too.
Theo and Marty made themselves a nice bed of pine straw. James has taken it over now.

We're all alright...

Hey, just a short note (I'm crazy busy this week) to let everyone know we are still here and not dying of some awful virus or something. However, both girls are having flares with their asthma, and are back on nebulizer treatments for the first time in a year. But hey, when they have a flare, it's a doozy. Amy's even having to take the orapred--I hate that stuff and what it does to them. Think weepy and irritable.......poor things.....

Also, Iowa people--I'm sorry, but it's going to be 72* this weekend. Not very Christmas-y, but a lot more comfortable than you are right now. Hang in there!

Testing.....testing.......

Amy
Sarah
Theo
Marty
The new "ranking belts" Check out how loooong those belts are, too!

The kids all tested Wednesday night for their yellow belts in Tae Kwon Do. Boy, were they proud to achieve them! They take it very seriously, and practice a lot. We are very proud, too.

No substitute teacher available

when Mama was sick, so we made play dough and talked about caves.

Mittens, mittens, everywhere

but never a pair.........

I knit these 40 mittens (and a few more) for part of our Christmas gifts this year. On a wreath, I will attach a mitten of the appropriate gender for each family member in the family who will receive the wreath. I think they will be cute, and I hope they go over well. Maybe I'll get finished pictures posted too.

A good hiding place

health report...

Matt is still healthy. Theo is still feeling a bit "if-you-look-at-me-wrong-I'll-melt-down" under the weather. Marty seems to be feeling great, albeit, loudly. Sarah has a drippy nose and slight sore throat. Amy fell asleep on the couch at 8:15 (unheard of). As for me, my ears are better; it's just a cold, and will take time to get through. We had a light school day today after which we made and played with lots of play dough and read stories.

Thanks for the prayers--they are working.

We're all getting sick around here

Marty was sick on Thanksgiving. Theo's cold is at the worst part and he went to bed (on his own) at 7pm. Amy has been snuffling all day and feels icky. Sarah wondered if she'd be well enough to go to Mass tomorrow since she feels rotten too (she's getting a cold). I have a very sore throat and both ears hurt. So far, Matt is well, but I did hear him sneeze today.

It surprises me to be sick when the weather is so nice. Actually, today it was cold (45*--I know, it's all relative, and my relatives are freezing!) but the sun was shining all day. I guess winter "bugs" know when it's winter, no matter what the weather. Please say a prayer or 2 for us, would you? I'll keep you updated. Thanks!

Thanksgiving doin's

Act 2 of the playMichael looking a tTheo's lapbook
Scott and Amy
Oops! Sorry Stacy!
Lots of good food, too!