Merry Christmas

Tradition in our home, places the nativity with an empty manager. After Christmas eve services, Christ is placed in his lowly manager. This is true at our new church as well. I love nativities and have collected quite a few. Some of my favorites are a small Fontanini set that I am slowly collecting, a Guatemalan nativity that E brought home from a mission trip and a new Jim Shore that we just recieved this year. .

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to CHRIST THE KING! May the JOY and PEACE of Christmas be with you all!

If you can't get TV reception ---

A) You need a digital converter


B) Snow is covering the dish


C) Skittles was cold











Answer is C!

If you can't get TV reception

Letter to Santa

Leah is scared of Santa. She always has been scared of people in costumes. For Easter, K (beautiful brown eyed girl) at her preschool held her hand for the pictures with the Easter Bunny. So SWEET! But the fear continues and she was quite upset when we mentioned going to see him. Luke is very insistent he is too old, but told her he'd sit with her. NOPE! So we wrote him a letter and Leah wanted us to e mail it so he'd get it fast! That's my technology girl! This is the letter we emailed to "save" at Microsoft word!




December 20, 2008

Dear Santa,

I have been a good girl. I’d like a Mariposa Barbie or a Game Boy DS. I like pink. How is Mrs. Claus and Rudolph the Reindeer? I have 2 kitties that like cap nip toys. My brother needs to write his own letter. We are not spending the night at Grandma’s this year, so on Christmas Eve please come to my house.

Love, Maleah



**** Since Luke needed to write his own letter.....he did and emailed it to me!

Christmas Tradition

We normally spend Christmas Eve at my in laws. This started when Luke was a little guy and my in laws wanted to spend Christmas morning with him....(not having his mother bring him over at almost noon when she is awake enough to shower and travel!) It has been wonderful-- cheese, crackers and wine after Christmas eve candle light services and waking up to see what Santa brought while still in my pajamas (although I have to keep dodging my father-in-law's camera). This year Ed needs to preach Christmas AM so we won't arrive until afternoon. I will miss spending the night and making Christmas morning easy! It started me thinking about our traditions we will always continue. One is the 7 day nativity that we will start on Thursday.
If you have young children....I highly recommend the story and nativity. Both of the kids love it! Leah's preschool pageant used the story as their program. (Be sure to see post below).

Preschool Christmas pagent

Leah had her Preschool Christmas program last night that was .....cancelled due to snow. Of course it was rescheduled for the noon hour today. Ed was able to go and watch and THANK YOU, took pictures! My new camera also can record a minute video! Almost as good as being there...... My baby is getting so big! ....Leah is saying "A is for Angels bending near the earth"

I am baffled

More people access my blog through google by this picture, than any other!
It's just a picture I thought my snake adoring son would love. He really wasn't even that impressed...but just chuckled a little that I thought of him to grab a picture. I am not sure why about once a week, people check out my blog on referral of this picture?!? If you stayed to follow this little blog about the love of a momma for her snake loving boy and his sister, THANKS! Of course you know by now....that is the closest picture you'll ever see of another snake!

Traditions

Traditions start one year at a time. For years - I have wanted to have a tradition of taking a / my little girl to a Nutcracker Ballet. The yearning started with my almost 15 year old niece. However, it just never happened, and then Luke was born. Luke just isn't the type of boy that could appreciate the culture of dance and ballet. Finally, I had my daughter. Now she is 5 and into all things girly and dance. Her gymnastics class is with a dance studio that put on a community performance. Leah has been excited for weeks. We invited aunt C and cousin J, and then we had a wonderful surprise visit from long time Des Moines friends, so C and T came as well. All day long, Leah was so sure it was time to leave and she sat spellbound until she quickly realized this performance differed from Barbie's movie version, and even the Mikhail Baryshnikov's version that she loves. Her disappointment did not last long! This was live and we knew some of the dancers and I had such JOY watching my girl's eyes sparkle with fascination at what the dancers could do, the costumes, the music and the THRILL! Hopefully, a new tradition has started!

The wii is broke.....

No power.
How will we survive? INSERT SEVERE DRAMA.
Call wii support.
Write a letter to Santa (even though we think we no longer believe). The front side is a desperate plea for another wii. The back is for any game system. You'll note all bases have been covered as the small print says (aka Mom or Dad)

Never fear Tech support called back and the wii has it's own surge protecter that trigger when the TV had a problem last night. WHEW!!!!

I'll keep a look out

Meow, You say someone has been climbing the tree?
I wouldn't know anything about that!

....I hope Santa hasn't been watching, meow.

Trip to the city

Big day today....after school, we all went to Kohls! I thought I should get to the little city nearby since a reader of my blog thought my ALDI's love was a tad pathetic. I believe her words were..... "that girl needs to get out more". So all of us, yes Ed agreed to go and of course nothing was stopping Leah from "buying something" (desperate whine) and Luke needing to bring a friend. After eating out and buying 2 pairs of kids shoes, ear muffs and a XMAS present, we were done with the excitement of the city.... it had a lot to do with shopping with 3 children!

With sales, Kohls earned money and a 15% off coupon on the whole purchase....I saved $86..... now that is better than ALDI's!!!!!!!

Then I got to "talk to baby E" on the webcam. Actually it's more wistfully gazing at such a beautiful child as she finishes her bottle and falls asleep on Daddy's shoulders. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!! Makes me want another....but then they grow up and you have to take them shopping!!!

Luke's having a sleepover with his little friend..... Do I give to precious sleep or do I keep an eye open to keep the party to a dull roar? Actually, they'll deny it....but they are getting pretty quiet!

Note to self:

Do not forget gloves when Iowa recess is held outside unless -80. Seminary City really spoiled us for Iowa winter! Actually.... I'd be surprised if I ever forget my gloves on a school day again!