Spending Our Time

I love that there is no school for three weeks. This little reprieve is making me miss the lazy days of summer.

This is how we have been spending our time. Someone (named Latham) thinks she is ready for a big girl bed. She desperately wants to do everything her sisters do!

Even though it has not been too cold -- we are taking full advantage of cozy fires.

And using Daddy as our indoor playset.

A sneak peek

I know I have promised pictures of the basement and "kids club" for weeks now. It's just that I am still waiting on some finishing touches. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek.

A little pink leopard. After all, we do have three girls!

Some bright colors.

Interesting lighting.

And a homemade chandelier.

Christmas Eve

This is the story of our Christmas Eve.

This is the last shot before we went to bed. But our festivities started with the Christmas Eve Pageant at church.

Ellery was one of the three Magi. It was her first speaking part and she was a little nervous.

Vaughan was the Christmas Star.

While we don't have any pictures to prove it - Latham was the naughty bugger in the pews, scribbling on paper and dashing up the aisle. She rocks a mean mullet, right?

When we got home -- we prepared our traditional Christmas Eve meal (a seafood/vegetarian supper).

A toast was made (using fancy glasses by all -- except Latham, see her little sippy cup?)

After dinner, the girls prepared a snack for Santa. I found this sweet note from Ellery right next to Santa's cookies.

Let me translate "Dear Santa, Please make sure Vaughan gets what she wants. Please."

And this was the scene by the stockings when we awoke on Christmas morning. Not a lump of coal in site -- but no lack of baby dolls to be sure!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Signing off for a few days...enjoy your families and friends!

More Christmas Fun

There has been gingerbread house construction, gingerbread man decoration and cinnamon ornament making! The house smells like Christmas!

I have pictures of the ornament making...somewhere. It is by far our favorite Christmas activity -- one worth trying because:

1) it is easy

2) it is not messy

3) the kids love it

4) it's not something you eat

Recipe:

1/2 white school glue

1/2 applesauce

cinnamon

This recipe takes a lot of cinnamon. You need to add enough so that you create a rather thick dough. After kneading a bit you will get almost a thick play dough consistency. Now you can roll it out and use cookie cutters to create the shapes you want. Don't forget to use a straw to make a hole where you can hang the ornament.

You can let these dry over several days or we just popped them in the oven (250) for about an hour.

Skating

I mentioned a few days ago that we had been doing much during this Christmastime - including skating.

The St. Regis here in town covers their pool with a skating rink in the winter. The pool deck is transformed into a winter wonderland. There is a fire where you can make smores and a little bar area where you can order bubbly champaign or hot chocolate. I was huddled near a heater while Ellery worked her magic on the ice. I giggle every time I watch this.

Enjoy!

Christmas Caroling

Christmas is here and yesterday I mentioned all that we had been doing to prepare for the season. The preparations included caroling.

Welcome folks this is our own little version of Where's Waldo - I like to call it where's Ellery? Do you see her? (second row from the bottom 5th from the right)

Both girls had school Christmas programs this week. I teared up watching them sing - is that normal or am I overly sentimental?

Next week is our church pageant - always a chaotic performance with lost sheep and crying angels. I am sure this year will be no different.

And just so Latham doesn't feel left out -- she has been busy too!

A Christmas Miracle

A while back I shared with you all the devastating news about a sorority sister and her family. Elisa was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer just 9 days after her husband, Nathan, was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. It has been not been an easy journey for them. There have been set-backs (Elisa's cancer spread to her brain). Today, I share with you their Christmas miracle.

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