A Blessed Merry Christmas to You All !!!

Merry Christmas!!

And so the day is finally upon us! We have prepared our home and our hearts (although Mommy will always believe we did not quite prepare enough). We have celebrated Christmas Mass. We have had our Christmas Eve tamale dinner. We put out our cookies and milk for Santa and we read our Jan Brett copy of The Night Before Christmas. The children are tucked in bed and awaiting a joyful day tomorrow. I will catch up with you after the celebrations are over.

Merry Christmas dear family and friends! May all the blessings of the newborn Christ Child be on you!

Happy 7th Birthday Jacob!!!

I cannot believe it, dear son! It seems like just yesterday that we were holding you in our arms as we came home from the hospital on Christmas Day! What a Christmas gift - both then and now! Our first child, our first son!

Where have these seven years gone? They have zoomed. They have flown. They have been passed with much joy, much laughter and more happy smiles (both yours and ours) than I could begin to count.

You were a baby, then a toddler, then a preschooler, then a little boy. And now? You are all boy! A BIG all boy. How can it be that you already come up to Mommy's shoulder? It can't be!

I treasure you, dear first born son, my Jacob. Your laughter and joy, your contagious interest in everything around you, your doting love for every baby that has been born since you - these make me smile. You are growing into an incredible young boy and I am so proud of you.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

I almost forgot

One other craft project I checked off my list this past weekend was.....

With a little felt, several sizes of rick rack, some craft buttons and paint, and some thread and good old Tacky Glue we have Michael's stocking!


Every year I have had a stocking to make for someone new, it always manages to sneak up on me! But, thank goodness, once again the littlest in our house will have a stocking for Santa to fill come Christmas night.

Hooray! Hooray! It's done before Christmas Day!

I was so excited last night to finish the little Christmas quilt I had been working on. It wasn't a difficult quilt, but it took a while to complete since I could only work on it in short installments. Even so, it is done.


At 10:30 last night I stood there holding my finished quilt and asking Brian, "Well, now where do I put it?" His words? "Be bold." Oh boy! So I removed the mirror and the dust magnet, I mean floral swag, from over the fireplace and hung it there! I like the results!


Merry Christmas to ME!

Koala Glamour

Jacob (playing something - not sure what): Don't eat the eucalipstick leaves!

Nicole: What is "eucalipstick?"

Jacob: You know. The plant koalas eat.


Oh, yeah, that one.

And while we are laughing...

Earlier this afternoon we were frantically searching for Monkey before heading upstairs. We looked everywhere, but to no avail. Well, not quite everywhere. Later as I opened the refrigerator to get a drink, there was our good friend Monkey - just chillin'. She giggled as she came to retrieve him. She had put him in there to get his eyes cold. Don't ask why because I don't know - she just likes it when his smooth eyes are cold.

Our Advent and Christmas Reading BUCKET

I have been wanting to create this post for a while - well, since we got out the Christmas books a couple of weeks ago. And finally, here it is! The book selection for the holidays!

Our fall and Thanksgiving reading selection fit nicely into my lovely Longaberger basket. Our Advent and Christmas selections? Not quite. We graduated to one of the plastic crates we keep toys in. And it is almost too small. Next year it might have to be a two container system!

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend
The Saint Who Became Santa Claus
The Legend of the Poinsettia
The Night of Las Posadas
Miracle on 34th Street
Clown of God
Country Angel Christmas
B is for Bethlehem
Who Is Coming to Our House?
Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey
Max's Christmas
Santa Mouse
Frosty the Snowman (Barnes and Noble)
Babar and Father Christmas
The Nativity
The Night Before Christmas
Away in a Manger
The Christmas Story
Merry Christmas Strega Nona
Little Bear Christmas
The Nutcracker
The Christmas Knight
Santa Comes to Little House
Charlie Brown Christmas (Kohl's)
The Family Christmas Tree Book
Jingle the Christmas Clown
An Orange for Frankie
Baboushka
The Polar Express
The Hat
Angelina's Christmas
The Nutcracker Ballet
Clifford's Christmas
Christmas on an Island

Advent Thought

After Father said it, I read over and over again this line from the Opening Prayer of today's Mass. This one simple sentence has so much for us to ponder all week long.

"Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope which his presence will bestow, for he is Lord for ever and ever."

Christmas Photo Session - Take One

All I can say is......




What did we do before digital cameras?

The world is truly a better place because of them.

P.S. Just so you know - the session was calm and uneventful and there will be no "take two".

I have not fallen

Some very funny people out there (you know who you are - he he) speculated as to where I had fallen. Behind the desk? In a bowl of batter? Way too funny!

Well, I have not fallen. I just have no time lately!

I do promise a decent blog entry very soon. Possibly tomorrow. Today was Jacob's birthday party (not quite 7 yet) and then this afternoon he had a fever. At least he got to enjoy his party first!

Until later I leave you with a few explanations as to why my blogging is so light and fluffy lately.