It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

Well, at least the tree's been up for awhile!  This may be the last year for the poor thing.  It has several strands that don't light up anymore, leaving vast dark swaths at the top and at the bottom.  Fortunately we have tons of ornaments.  Unfortunately, we have Verity trying to make that number less . . .

First Verity was cracking like eggs on the coffee table the few remaining shiny ball ornaments we had left from before we had kids, so she made short work of those.  Several years ago Caleb made us each ornaments out of model magic--a stocking, a few Christmas trees, a wreath, an angel . . . Verity has managed to bite a chunk out of everyone of them!  She'll chew away, with the washable paint running down her mouth.  Blech!  I really am not going to miss this phase!

It also feels like Christmas because we've been super busy lately.  It's been all parties, and not even shopping or baking!

Firs we had our elementary co-op skating party Friday.  It was weird to have it be warmer outside than inside, but that's how it was.  Bob was able to come too, so I broke my rule of only letting kids old enough to be in TNT skate.  Drew was so cute out there in his Minion hat he got from Nathan!  Christine brought double-runner skates for him to borrow, so that helped, but he needed a tremendous amount of assistance out there.  It was a good thing Bob was there, as well as our older boys and the McC boys to help him and Micah!  Micah was a little more independent, and he had a great time.  Verity was mad that she couldn't be out there on the ice, and she kept trying to dart out there.

Our next big party was Friday night at Bible study.  We had our annual baked potato bar, re-enactment of the Christmas story, and ice cream sundae bar.  It was so much fun!

There's a part for everyone during the re-enactment, and plenty of random costume pieces to assemble however you can figure out!  Faith had a ton of lines, as the Angel Gabriel, and Jonathan got to be Joseph.

There was a gang of enthusiastic large angels as well.  It looks like we need some bigger costumes, LOL.

Here's Joseph and Mary.  Mary was the lovely Stephanie.  As Jonathan has said, they are "more than friends but not married."  Well!  Plenty of distance between those 2 points, LOL.  She's a very sweet girl!

Drew was an unpredictable shepherd with a crook/gun.  I felt like I was refereeing a hockey game the whole time:  "Keep your stick down!"

Micah was a fierce Roman soldier, but I don't think he had a sword, so I didn't have to constantly be watching him to make sure he wasn't about to poke someone's eye out or conk anyone on the head.

This is such a fun tradition, and we all laughed a lot last night!  Plus the food was yummy, and so was the company.  Good times!  I think an ice cream sundae with all sorts of toppings is my absolute favorite dessert.  Strawberries, nuts, crushed up Oreos, M&Ms, chocolate sauce . . . YUM!

Now we have Bob's company Christmas party, which we've heard good things about, as well as our Rivendell Christmas party.  I think we're all looking forward to that one most of all, because having it means we'll be on break, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are really ready for a break!

Happy Birthday, Drew!

Drew turned 3 yesterday, but we actually celebrated on Saturday so that Nathan could be here with us.  Drew was perfectly happy to celebrate early, although he kept saying he wasn't *really* 3 yet.  Yesterday he and Micah were bickering about something, and he said that it was his birthday, and Micah said, "No, Drew, we just CELEBRATED early.  You're still not 3 yet."  Micah did not really believe us that it actually was in fact Drew's real birthday, and he was in fact 3.

Drew was happy to get some fun books and a plastic motorcycle with guys to go on it.  He's a big fan of motorcycles, which he calls "noisemakers" for some unknown reason.

I didn't ask Drew what kind of cake he wanted.  I was up last Friday after Thanksgiving, and I realized that if we were going to have a cake the next day, I'd better bake one then so it could cool.  I needed an idea that could be made really quickly, and a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" came to mind. So I only used one box of cake mix, and I baked an 8" round plus a ovalish casserole dish.  Then early Saturday morning, before everyone else was up, I cut off the bottom on the round cake to fit on top of the oval cake, and I cut the part from the bottom in half to make the bandana.  It didn't take very long, and Drew was happy with it, even though he's not a super-big fan of TMNT.  He might be, but he's never seen a show or anything really, LOL.  Micah went to a ninja turtle-themed birthday party a few weeks ago, and Theodore L. is a huge fan, so that's pretty much been his only exposure.  Since the girls have preferred cupcakes or some other dessert, I've had a nice break from making cakes!

Verity was a big fan of the cake, obviously.

Drew loves playing with this bulldozer from Grandma and Grandpa G.  Bob suggested leaving the little driver guy tied into the seat, like it came, but so far amazingly the guy hasn't been lost.  Let's give it a few more days . . . Drew actually lost his favorite Batman pajamas about a week ago, and we are all scratching our heads as to where they could possibly have disappeared to.  He has a gift!  

I am happy to report that Drew's potty woes seem to be over.  It's as if August and September never even happened!  Who can fathom the mind of a 2 year old.  Now that he is 3, though, hopefully he has put childish things, like peeing all over the floor, behind him.  Drew really talks a lot now too.  I love to see his little brain work to describe things and to communicate.  He is so much fun!  He definitely doesn't have the temper that Micah did, so that's a blessing.  I no longer take that for granted!  He's sweet little boy who loves all his older siblings, and his one little baby sister.  We thank the Lord for putting Drew in our family!