Sewing Class

Three weeks ago, Kiddo #4 started a sewing class and wow, she has taken to it like a natural!  She has made 2 wonderful projects already- a pouch with a liner and a pillow.  She has been very excited learning how to operate the machine and mastering all of the different stitches.  I can't wait to see what she makes next!  The best part is that she is loving it and looks forward to it every week. It also doesn't hurt that she is learning a practical skill, one that I'm sure will help her throughout life.  She has always been such a creative kid-- always making something or wanting to do some kind of art project. :-)  We are very proud of her!

Dreaming of a "White Day-After Christmas" :-)

The day after Christmas brought the first of several snowstorms that have already hit our area. I doubt that we will top our 6+ feet of snow from last year, but the kiddos are thrilled nonetheless with the opportunities to play and of course, sled.


We are lucky that there is a local community center only several blocks away that has a fenced-in field with sloped sides. This is where we take the kids to sled. It is always fun!

Christmas

Sometimes I have to remind myself that Christmas is truly a season and not one day, because the one day goes by so quickly and no one wants it to end. 

The joy and excitement on our children's faces made it all worth it and the fact that they had joy in giving and not just receiving warmed my heart, as well.

What truly touched me was our daughter's insistence on having a cake for the Lord's Birthday.  She wanted Jesus to have a birthday cake.  I saw her "wheels" turning when she asked me about candles.  She asked if Jesus was indeed 2,010 years old.  "That's a lot of candles."  "Yes, honey, it is.  I don't think they'll all fit."  "Mommy, I have another idea."  Scroll down and see what her idea was and how it still brings tears to my eyes just seeing it.  I know the Lord was smiling when we all sang to Him after dinner, but more importantly, because the sweet idea came from the heart of a 7-year old child.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve in pictures

Before Mass

Getting cookies ready for Santa

Putting out popcorn for the reindeer

Pop-Pop blessing the tree and manger

Merry Christmas!!!!

A Blessed Christmas

I just saw a quote in a friend's blog that summed it up so well. (thanks, Allison!)  I wish all of you the most Blessed Christmas and a New Year that is filled with love, health and happiness.  May God bless us, everyone!

"Every mother, when she picks up the young life that has been born to her, looks up to the heavens to thank God for the gift which made the world young again. But here was a mother, a madonna, who did not look up. She looked down to Heaven, for this was Heaven in her arms." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

It is in giving that we receive....

Some years back, we started a tradition with our children.  We take them to a store like "Five and Below" and allow them to pick out gifts for each other, us and their grandparents.  It is awesome to see how much thought and effort goes into the selecting of each item.  Their excitement today was contagious as we got home and started to wrap.  Instead of hearing "gimmes," I heard, "I can't wait to give my brother his present" or "I can't wait to see Dad's face when he sees this!"  Wow.  Isn't that what it's all about?

Confirmation Portraits

I took kiddo #1 to have his Confirmation portraits taken today.  He makes the Sacrament on the 30th.  :-) 

The photographer took a lot of really good shots, a few of which I have included here.

It truly boggles my mind looking at my son.  It seems like just yesterday that our firstborn decided to come into the world 5 1/2 weeks early.  The time in the NICU was agonizing, but also strengthening, as my husband and I grew closer to each other, the Lord, and the other families whose children were premature.  Kiddo #1 stood out a little, being over 7 pounds.  :-)  (Yes, he was a preemie. Most of you know that my full-termers were all close to 11 pounds) He was incredibly spoiled from the beginning.  As soon as he came off of the ventilator, the nurses were delighted that they could hold a baby and actually give him his bottle.  Needless to say, between the nurses and ourselves, his little bottom very rarely went back into his crib. :-)

To look at this mature young man and realize that he is only 12 years old is mind boggling, as well.  God is so good.  Kiddo #1 has truly grown in strength and enormously in size. (he's taller than me and weighs more than I did when I got married!)  He has grown in wisdom, as well, and is a good, kind soul who can also light up a room with laughter or with his silliness and pranks with his siblings.

We pray that as he receives the Holy Spirit, he will continue to grow in all ways, and become even more on fire for his faith.   May God bless him always!