His grace is sufficient for me, for power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Let's Catch Up...

This winter season has been very busy in the last few weeks...
I feel like I have been going and running nonstop for weeks! Between 5 Christmas parties, preschool activities, end of the semester Life Teen, and finalizing Christmas shopping, my brain hurts and it's no wonder I got sick. My body was clearly telling me to SLOW down and I refused to listen.  

So as things have calmed down a bit, I thought I would take some time to blog about our daily happenings in an effort to "catch up!" 

Christmas Cards...
 Yep, I saw something like this on Pinterest...but I don't have a good camera, and I only had one child willing to work with me on this. So...we took as many pictures as we could, and if your family or friends, you have received our card in the mail of our best effort on this! 
 Brother Sister Love
 My willing participant
 my not so willing participant
 This is one of the ones that made it onto the card...

Christmas Decorating
 It was weird not decorating as early as I usually do. Usually, I am done with the house by the first week in December. With limited time, and really only being able to unload boxes when children were sleeping, things were a bit delayed. But that's okay...it is up and will be until Epiphany! 
 The kids enjoyed helping when they could! 

Saint Nick's Day
 December 6 is one of my favorite feast days to celebrate! Watching the kids wake up to their treats in their shoes was so cute! Greg was beyond excited and completely surprised! This was one of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up at home and in Catholic school...it is so much fun to share this with my little ones! 

Christmas Parties
 This is my friend, Elizabeth . We went to several parties together this Advent season. This was at the Gingerbread Man Party. We made a Fr. Josh ginger person. This is also the only picture appropriate of the two of us at parties to post on my blog...oh, the life of youth ministers! :-) 

Santa Claus
 Greg has done a great job with Santa pictures every year. Year 2 for Maria was a lot like year 1...not so happy...
 Greg and Daddy on the merry-go-round. Maria was still recovering from her terrifying Santa experience! 

Bonding
 Being 15 months apart, Greg and Maria disagree and argue and fight a lot. They want the same things, are both still in the "everything is mine and I don't share phase", and they both enjoy getting a rise out of the other one. BUT....when they play well together and love one another, I try hard to capture these memories. 
 They really do play well together most of the time, and they love one another dearly! :-) 

Christmas Program 
 Greg's Christmas Program at school was adorable. A bunch of 2 and 3 year olds singing and dancing together is beyond precious. I teared up a bit, as I watched him file in and get situated on the stage thinking to myself, "how is he this big already?"
 The songs they sang as they told The Nativity Story was beyond precious. I was so proud of Greg as he sang all of the songs, did the hand motions, and listened to his teachers. 
 I still don't know how he is this big...time is just flying! 
 After the performance, we went back to the classroom for cooking and milk. His teachers had a little craft for them to do. 
Maria thinks she is in Preschool when we visit and participates like she is in Greg's class. Greg made me an ornament with his handprint as snowmen on it. He also made me a plate with his footprints as "mistle-toes" These are the things Mommy will treasure forever. 

And that's it for now...I think I officially caught up with blogging in one GIANT post! Trying to get better at doing this more regularly...

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Happy Advent!

I love Advent. For reals...it's my favorite Liturgical Season! It makes me so happy! I love the hopeful anticipation that this season brings. I love the preparation in my own heart and prayer life. I love sharing this with my children and teaching them about this beautiful time of the year! 
 On the First Sunday of Advent (and the Second Sunday) I made purple pancakes for breakfast! This was so fun for the kids! We talked about hope on the first Sunday, and peace last Sunday! I am super excited for the pink pancakes to come this Sunday! 
 Enjoying his breakfast! 
 We had green milk to represent the evergreen of the Advent Wreath! 
 This is the Advent wreath that Greg made at school! This is the one we have been using each day with Greg and Maria as we pray! 
Coloring angels...
Coloring her pieces...
Glueing our angel together! 
A very serious gluer...
We made angels after we read the story of the Annunciation! We talked about Mary's "yes" and how we are called to say yes to Jesus, too! 

This is the only Advent activity, I actually took pictures of...go figure! Maybe next year, I will document all of the fun things we have been doing! :-) 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Gingerbread houses!

After Thanksgiving, we got together with Greg's sisters and their families while they were still in town. Since we will not be together for Christmas, we did a little early celebrating with the little ones....ginger bread houses! Greg and Maria enjoyed making them...but loved eating everything as they went along! 
 Checking out his house! 
 Making sure the gingerbread wasn't poisonous.  
 Pretty girl and her little house! 
 Group shot with all of the cousins! 
 Maria ate more than she decorated! 
 He LOVED this! 
 Maria and her final product! 
 Greg's house...yum! 
Nannie and Pappy and all of the grandkids in their new pjs!