Merry Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas.

Santa came!

Peter is ready for duck hunting with Daddy!

American Girl dolls were at the top of the girls' lists. Caroline got the newest historical girl "Caroline" and Helen got a Bitty Baby, which she named "Helen".

Santa remembered to leave a treat for Tigger.

This was one of the only things Helen asked for - a "blow flute" just like her music teacher's at school.

Peter got lots of wheeled things. And balls. Hooray for boy things!

Princess karaoke

Our gift to each other was a new piece of artwork for our family room.

It was unintentionally a merry "Grizz-mas", due to all the gifted Grizzlies items. It just kind of happened. Peter got a mini Grizz from his sisters. Helen wanted to get Daddy a flag (no idea where that came from), so I ran with it and got him a flag pole set up and the official NBA Grizzlies flag. Not pictured is Kevin's new Grizzlies polo shirt Caroline picked out for him. Helen's favorite player is Mike Conley. Kevin found this jersey on sale several weeks before Christmas. She is really proud of it and has hopes of meeting Mike to show it to him. And I love scarves, so of course I love my Grizzlies arena scarf! I'd say we're all fixed up for game days!

Evidence of Christmas good times

It was just the 5 of us here at our house for Christmas eve and Christmas day. Kevin worked through Christmas day, so we celebrated with our families both before and after the actual holiday. Honestly, I kind of like stretching the holiday out for as long as possible. I think the kids do, too. Who doesn't love 4 different celebrations with loved ones?

~~~~~

As for all of the musical happenings, they all went well. I closed out Christmas Eve services with a midnight postlude that, although quiet, was so fitting. This tune appeared again and again in my musical involvements throughout the month. I took that as God giving me a not-so-subtle reminder. I don't know that I did the best job, but I tried throughout the month to reflect on the words of this hymn and remember that my ultimate goal here on earth not only at Christmas but every day is to rejoice in Him!

In dulci jubilo:

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today!
Earth and heaven before him bow
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

And because I'm a good music nerd, I looked up the English translation of the original Latin. I love the line about our hearts' joy lying in the manger.

In sweet rejoicing,
now sing and be glad!
Our hearts' joy
lies in the manger;
And it shines like the sun
in the mother's lap.
You are the alpha and omega!

May He be our hearts' joy not just at Christmastime, but every day! (And I'm counting that as my happy 2013 to all of you!)

Concerts #2, #3, and #4

Concert number 2 was our church's adult choir Lessons and Carols program. If I had to pick a favorite night of the year, this would be it. Every year this program becomes more and more meaningful and emotional to me. I pray the music was just as illuminating to listen to as it was to sing.

I wish I could highlight every piece we sang. I've been doing much thinking about these lyrics the past couple of weeks:

As the dark awaits the dawn, so we await Your light.
O Star of promise, scatter night, loving bright, loving bright, 
Till shades of fear are gone.

As the blue expectant hour before the silv'ring skies,
We long to see Your day arise, whole and wise, whole and wise,
O lucent Morning Star.


As the moon reflects the sun until the night's decrease, 
May we Your healing light release, living peace, living peace, 
Unto Your holy dawn.

Shine Your future on this place, enlighten ev'ry guest,
That through us stream Your holiness, bright and blest, bright and blest;
Come dawn, O Sun of grace.
We await Your light.

So beautiful. It expresses perfectly this "now, but not yet" time of waiting. Someday...

Concert #3 was Caroline's choir program at church. The first grade choir sang 2 pieces and did a fantastic job. I accompany this choir. They are such a good, sweet, big group! I can't wait for the spring concert! I have to say that the most fun part of helping out with children's choir is getting to work with my own and my friends' children!

She looks so grown up! Can she really be old enough for a choir robe?

Concert #4 was a program at Caroline's school. The girls have been studying Mexican Christmas traditions and made a special Las Posadas procession at chapel. They made "lanterns" and got to dress up as a nativity character of their choice. I think out of 60 girls, 50 were angels. Here's ours:

Wings and halo look familiar?

Caroline's first grade class - the Ladybugs

(I'm going to sum up a few concerts/performances. They include gigs as a handbell ringer, accompanist to a high school choir, pianist for a nursing home program, and organist. 'Tis the season to make LOTS of music!)

Splish splash

I was so glad we left the house for carpool a few minutes early on a rainy day a couple of weeks ago. Helen was thrilled to get to splash around in our driveway puddle. Seeing her delight made me smile.

Treats

Daddy worked a week of nights recently. After his last night, he brought doughnuts home for breakfast. The girls were thrilled! (Alright - Mommy was excited, too.)

I don't winter well and the spring-like weather we had at the beginning of February was very welcome. This is how Daddy helps Mommy with dinner preparations when the weather is nice. Hurry up, spring!

Snow #5 (or is it 6? I've lost count.)

More snow. It fell all day long. And the snow from last week's winter storm was still on the ground. We certainly weren't expecting a winter this exciting! Caroline's school Valentine's Day party keeps getting pushed back until the next day. Kevin says it will be March before they can celebrate!

Gotta love a man who shovels snow in a shirt and tie! Or who just shovels the snow.

Snowed in

We've been snowed in for a couple of days.


But it hasn't been that bad.


I feel guilty saying "snowed in" when we have friends on the east coast that are really snowed in. This is nothin'.


We've wintered a lot this year and have made the most of it.


The girls and I were excited to finally get out of the house this afternoon.


But, come on, SPRING!

Hans Brinker

Sometime in January, we took Caroline ice skating at Fountain Square in downtown Cincy. We all had a good time. She fell a lot and I thought she might get discouraged. But she hopped right back up every time and kept going.




It is really hard to keep yourself balanced and help a small one stay upright, too!


Shucks... Kevin just missed getting photographic evidence of my triple toe loop.


Please tell me you've seen the movie Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates? It's a classic. It was one of my very favorite wintertime too-sick-to-go-to-school flicks.

Marshmallow World

Happy New Year!

From January 2010

We had a very quiet celebration at home and got two of our New Year's Eve kisses a little bit before midnight. It was perfect.

Every year, Kevin and I have a champagne toast. And every year at midnight we are bewildered as to why we choose to toast each other with a beverage we just do not like. There. I publicly admit it. Next year we're toasting with Blanton's or Disaronno or even Lorina. Remind me next year.

2009 was a fantastic year for us, full of change and adventure. I wish I could eloquently write about all God did for us last year. I see His work in so many little aspects of our year together and I am incredibly awed and grateful. We are eager to see what He does for us in 2010!

December crafts

I love finding little things that Caroline can create. She really loves it too. All I have to do is say, "Caroline, do you want a project?" and she comes running to see what Mommy has planned.

This was a card-making activity. She dipped cookie cutters in glue, "stamped" the glue onto a card, and sprinkled glitter on the glue. She loved it. I supervised her for a while to make sure she had everything under control and then went to start dinner. I heard, "Uh-oh. Mommy, I got glitter on my chair." Luckily, it was not as much of a glitter disaster as I had envisioned and the vacuum took care of it pretty well. Caroline is a very neat child.




This project was making tree ornaments by stringing beads onto pipe cleaners. This kept her little hands busy off and on for a few hours.

Snow

Caroline woke up one morning to something very exciting! She couldn't get through with breakfast quickly enough! We didn't get very much and it wasn't good snow to play in (too dry). It was freezing cold this day, so we were only out for a little bit. I'm sure there are more snowy days ahead for us here in the North. (You all know how much I love snow. Bleh.)

Snow videos

Here are a couple of videos I took in the snow. It might be hard to understand her, but Caroline tells me she thinks the snow tastes like lemons in the first video.


And the second one shouldn't be this long, but I couldn't remember how to stop the camera from taking video. Ah, one of the many perks of pregnancy...

Snow day

We had an awesome snow here in Memphis! I think we got about 6 inches here in the city. Daddy couldn't be here to play in it (he's the big play-buddy these days), but I think I did a pretty good job helping Caroline enjoy it. She kept begging me later in the day to go out in it. I wanted to build a snowman, but once Caroline figured out Tigger liked to chase snowballs, she had to keep throwing the ones I made to him. So we went to the front yard and I showed Caroline how to make a snow angel - without actually lowering myself down into the snow! I was relieved that I didn't have to roll around. It melted quickly in the sun and warmer temperatures, but we did enjoy it while it lasted.

Grizzlies

Caroline and I gave Kevin tickets to a Grizzlies game for Christmas. She loved going downtown and picking out 3 tee-shirts for us to wear. I can't even describe her excitement when we all put them on last Friday night. We had so much fun. It was a great gift idea. The best part is getting to experience things like big ballgames through Caroline. She had a blast. I think her favorite part was getting to use her "outside voice" inside!

More fun

We've had some more December fun! Caroline loves helping me in the kitchen. I love finding little tasks for her to do. She takes her job very seriously!

My friend Bryn and I took the girls down to the Peabody hotel to see the ducks march. It was so fun to see how excited the girls got when the ducks got off the elevator. Then we watched some older kids from our church play Christmas songs on their violins. It was a beautiful morning and we girls loved every second.

We went to Zoo Lights again this year with a group of friends. It was cold, but we still had a great time. I think everyone's favorite part was the quick train ride through the petting zoo.

We want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! We pray that your hearts and homes will be filled with the joy and peace and hope that can only come from our Savior - the Christ child. He was born for each of us - what an incredible gift from God!

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
-Isaiah 9:6

Christmas village

We were invited to go to a Christmas village with some friends. It was great fun for the girls, but way too crowded and over-stimulating for the adults! The sacrifices we make for our small ones... Everyone's favorite part was the snow pit. It was madness in there. And I don't know what the snow was made out of, but it was almost impossible to get out of Caroline's hair! I'm still finding snow. I had good intentions of taking lots of pictures. But the kids were moving way too fast to stand still for a photo!

Fireside

Caroline got to have her bedtime story by the fire tonight. She loved it!