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...