These days at home are full and fun and I wouldn't trade them for the world. It certainly helps that my kids get along with each other pretty well, as evidenced by the the fact that they've slept all together (in sleeping bags on the floor) in Will's room for the past three nights. My heart is thankful for kids that love each other!
Anyway, here's the lowdown on some of what's been going on with each of us.
John: He's heading to Denver for a lunch meeting and to finish up our shopping then he'll be home with us for ELEVEN days!!! I am beyond thrilled about that. We all are for that matter. John's parents and his brother's family are coming next week and we've got some super fun stuff up our sleeve (more details soon)! I'm glad John will have this break because he has some HUGE deadlines coming up after the first of the year. He's going to need to take advantage of all the relaxation he can get before the ensuing projects slam him.
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Me: Well, today is Operation Clean This House! It's not in bad shape, but there are a few things I want to tackle before our company comes. I also have some baking to finish up. And some menus to plan. And laudry, there's always laundry.For some reason, this Christmas season has felt really busy. I've scaled WAY back in the last few years and have really felt a sense of peace during December. Not this year though and for the life of me I don't know why. I'm not doing more. I'm probably doing less than normal, but it just hasn't felt as calm for whatever reason. I have thoroughly enjoyed our Advent worship/soup suppers at church on Wednesday nights. It's been nice to have a focused time to slow down and simply pay attention. I try to do that every day, but sometimes I'm easily distracted.
Oh, and I'm LOVING my new refrigerator!!!
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Will: Poor guy was sick yesterday with some sort of stomach bug. He wasn't able to keep much down for most of the day, but finally started to perk up around dinner time and woke up feeling much better this morning. I'm hoping and praying that whatever he had doesn't get passed around this week!A couple of weeks ago, Will started BEGGING me to buzz his hair. He had beautiful, long-ish hair that I'd grown to love so naturally I refused. I thought it was a phase he was going through but he kept on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.... until I finally said okay. I was super nervous about cutting it and begged him to let me take him to see Rachel (our family hair wizard) because I was sure he would hate it but he refused and insisted he wanted me to buzz it. Sarah (such the diplomat) suggested I write up a contract for him to sign saying he wouldn't complain if he didn't like it. We didn't write/sign a contract, and he hasn't complained but he's been wearing a sherpa hat ever since so I'm not really sure he loves it. I have deep regrets, but shhhhhhhhh, don't tell Will.
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Sarah: I took the girls to the library yesterday because Sarah informed me that she had nothing to read. It was true. Our weekly Sunday afternoon library trips have been completely skipped over for a few weeks in favor of Christmas activity. Yesterday, she loaded up on books and disappeared for the remainder of the afternoon. At dinner last night she announced that she'd finished one book and was nearly finished with another. She still maintains that her sport is eXtreme reading. Love that girl.
She joined her school's speech team this year and is loving it. She's really good at it too! She's in a Reader's Theater group with two friends and they got third place at their last competition.
She's changed her Christmas wish list at least twenty times, her last alteration being Sunday afternoon. OY!!! She loves to bake and create, and lately her babysitting jobs have been funding her craft addiction. I bought a gingerbread house kit for the kids last night and I think I'm going to let her have at it this morning while I'm cleaning! She can totally handle it.
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Abbey: She's our family clown and keeps us all in stitches. She made up a new word the other night at dinner: farfing. Trust me, you don't even want to go there. No matter how hard I try to keep the potty humor out of dinner conversation, it always worms it's way in. Always. I'm sure I'll miss that one day.
Her class finished up a unit on Pioneers last week and everyone had to dress up as a pioneer on the last day before break. My friend, Sid, has let me borrow this dress numerous times and I'm so thankful! Abbey looked adorable, even without the matching bonnet and braids. What can I say? She's a non-conformist!
If you were to ask her what her favorite Christmas song of all time is, she would matter of factly answer: Feliz Navidad. She's completely serious. She knows every. single. word.
Abbey has a very pricey item on her Christmas wish list this year. I told her that I wasn't sure she'd get it because it was super expensive and she replied: "That's why I'm asking Santa. He doesn't have to buy things because he makes 'em." I love her logic. I hope Santa pulls through for her or else I'll have a lot of explainin' to do. Wink-wink.
Well, I must sign off and get into cleaning mode! Feliz Navidad.
16 comments:
I just love your family!!!!! :)
I love your updates on your family. So sweet! Merry Christmas!
My 2 younger boys got hair cuts last week and I am mourning the loss of all their beautiful hair. They both had bowl cuts and one of them now has a short, short cut. So sad. the other had the line cut out of his hair, but the stylist left the top long. People used to call him John-John (Kenedy). Noe they are calling him Justin Beiber- not too sure about that....
We NEED to go to the library, too. I think we will go today.
Merry Christmas to all y'all.
So, I love that your family can't stay away from potty humor. I should say that I'm encouraged by it For one, you are the most "mannered" person I know. Also, I thought that with all girls we could avoid it, but not so!
Your kids are adorable. These ages are the BEST ages. I wish I could just FREEZE my kids! They are no longer so much work, but really a lot of fun. I love that you all are a family of readers! Hope Santa pulls through for Abbey :)
Your kids are so adorable. I love Will's new haircut but I'm partial to short hair on my boys too. Potty humor? You have it too? The thing about it though is that it brings laughter and alot of it and when you get up from the table, you're still smiling. Take the laughs and besides, they know their manners and they know how to behave : ) Enjoy them. I'd like to freeze my boys at this age too. They are so much fun!
Karen in MD
I wish we could get our kids together--I bet they'd have a lot of fun. Sarah sounds so much like Jessica, and Abbey like Mikayla! It was fun reading about all of you. Oh--and reading "Touching Wonder" each day has been my peace this season. :) (Even so, it's coming and going way too fast for me.)
I love reading about your sweet family. You know I can relate to the joy that comes with husbands staying home for awhile. Eric is home for 7 days - woo hoo.
I really like Will's haircut. I liked it the other way too. Cute, cute boy.
I get the same idea about Santa around here. Everytime I mention an expensive item, Emma says I don't need to worry about a thing cause Santa will bring it. Hmmm...
That's the same logic my son used when I told him I wasn't sure Santa was going to bring him a Nintendo DS this year. I think my excuse will be that Santa consults parents and if they don't want the kid to have something he won't bring it. He just got a Leapster last year, he can wait for a DS a little longer. I'm mean, I don't care if all his friends have one. He's six, he'll be okay.
And if Arkansas beats Ohio State at the Sugar Bowl I guess I'll still like you, too. :-) Odds are in your favor, OSU rarely beats SEC teams.
I love Will's hair! Although it makes him look at least 2 years older. Merry Christmas!
Oh my, the Santa thing just gets more and more complicated each year. I know she 'knows' but isn't ready to give it up. The one thing she wanted from Santa I just knew I wasn't going to be able to find. My big 'out' is that Santa has to run everything she wants by us. Seems to have worked thus far. Anyhow, I finally got on Amazon and found it (only 5 left), and to boot, got it for free by using my gift cards redeemed from Swagbucks. Whew! Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause one.more.year!
I like Will's new haircut. He has a cute and nice-shaped face.
Tell Abbey thanks for the 'farfing' visual I just had!
God bless all of you this new year.
Oh, and we read John's book again this year as our advent time. We love it!
And speaking of Santa...Grace and I made sugar cookies for our family party on the 18th. Grace reminded me to save some for Santa. There were 5 left so I put them in a baggie and popped them in the freezer. Didn't want to give Santa stale cookies ya know. Then I laughed at myself. I guess I still believe too!
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I think Wills hair looks great! Hope you have a little snow left for a White Christmas!
Laurie
*gasp!*
Your kids are getting so big all of a sudden!
WOW I'm shocked at Will's hair? Has that hat remained parked on his head? He looks so different! :)
LOL - my kids think Santa's real name is "Santa-he's-pretend" haha
Fun to catch up with you and see pics of those amazing kiddos. Sounds like your trip to the mountains was beyond cold, but lots of fun.
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