The Villages-

Each December in addition to trimming trees, hanging wreaths and placing stockings on the mantle, I am busy setting up different Christmas villages. They are a lot of work but my children are old enough now that they remember each house and could give you a tour of each village. Their favorite (of course) is the North Pole Village. There you will find the many shops of the elves and atop a mountain- Santa's Sleigh Launch. I love watching their eyes light up and hearing their conversations as they spend hours looking (and surprisingly not touching) the villages.

When I was a little girl my dad had a 10 gallon fish tank and under that fish tank each Christmas, my mom would set up a Christmas Village. It contained a few houses- (I believe it had belonged to my Grandma Drapal) and a skating rink she created on a mirror. The way she displayed it I felt as if I could shrink down to the size of the figurines and enter that world. Like my children, I spent hours there- dreaming.

My mom began collecting the Dept. 56 Dickens Village and has such a talent for display. Her village spans rooms and she could take you on a walk through her village. My Village began here, in the city. My first piece of course was the church and each year therafter, I would get one or two houses from people in my life and there was always a meaning associated to the houses to remind me of something that was happening in my life. In the background here you can see a school which I received in 1998, when I began teaching.

My collections of Dept. 56 things began with the Snowbabies. I received my first piece from a family I babysat for. The only pieces added to this collection are for my children. They know which pieces 'belong' to them and again love looking at the different figurines.

Some of my pieces don't belong to a 'Village' but stand alone. I love the Dr. Seuss book and cartoon, "The Grinch" and so my Auntie Irene found me a Dept. 56 house as well as a Snowbaby with the Grinch. I display these with the beloved book- though the book is read so often you won't always see it where it belongs.

Though my children can't play with my villages, they have a love for them already. Jonasen put up my Nan's village this year and Ali Jane was playing with a Little People Nativity display that she got a few years ago from her Uncle Jim and Tia Trish.

Of course the most important village is one of Bethlehem. We've enjoyed nightly devotionals this advent season and the children know that the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate our Lord and Savior being born. We have so much to be thankful for.

Merry Christmas friends!

Oh Christmas Trees!

I am a sucker for Christmas decorations and so we have two trees. The one in the front window, I trim in reds and golds (I don't know why the lights look so weird...) but the tree in our family room we let the kids decorate. (That's the one that Santa leaves the presents under.) We had a wonderful time as one by one I handed out the ornaments and we talked about whose they were and the story behind them. The kids absolutely loved hearing the stories and Joey remembered quite a few of the ornaments.

After a while, I noticed that they REALLY liked using the stool to put up the decorations, so I suggested they turn off the lights and try to put the decorations all over and not in just one place. They did start spacing out the ornaments better, but there is a large concentration in one place. I love it though and didn't change a thing.

I did add the ornaments I've been given by friends remembering our sweet Andrew (so there are some ornaments near the top of the tree) I am so touched that he has so many and has been given them too throughout the years. I could look at them and think of the stories- about the givers and the meanings behind each ornament. Jeff put the angel on top of the tree- a special find that first Christmas we had our very own angels- one in heaven and one on earth. I can't wait to see what ornaments we'll be adding this year. (No doubt Sean will be able to have a few to put up next year!)

The Big Man in Red!

Well it is finally December, the time that many children start thinking and dreaming about Santa. In our house however, we talk about Santa all months of the year, and even call him throughout the year. It was no surprise that the kids were VERY excited to see him in the flesh!

While waiting, we were again able to see and experience some cool things from "The Polar Express" and the kids LOVED playing in the fake snow. (So much so that they still had some flakes in their hair and clothes that didn't want to brush off.)

It was a great year though! No one cried and I didn't have to be in the picture (like in one of the past years...) and Sean slept through the whole visit. I love that I have pictures with this same Santa from when Jonasen was Sean's age and every year since.

My favorite part of the visit was watching them talk to Santa. (And I love that he took his time with them and listened to them so intently.) Ali Jane asked for books- specifically books that have to do with princesses. Now I think that the last thing this house needs is one more book in it- but if Santa brings her some, there is nothing I can do...

Joe wants a drawing toy, where you can 'even draw with your finger!' He has turned into quite the little artist with all the writing he does at school and I am certain that Santa will find exactly what Jonasen wants. (I don't think he's ever been on his naughty list- even for a second.)

Zach of course wants trains- and when they were leaving, Santa gave them a little toy from the Polar Express. I absolutely love seeing all my children with the big man in red and can't wait until next year, when Sean will be awake and I wonder if there will be tears or not... only time will tell...

Kindergarten Pow-Wow

I was so excited to be able to volunteer at a school event! (Being on maternity leave has its bonuses!) I was given the wonderful job of drawing tattoos on the children's' faces... and hands... and arms... there were quite a few children who came back again and again.
Joe had fun with his friends, but kept coming back to check on me and tell me the name of everyone in line. It was very sweet! I am treasuring this time for sure. Sending my baby to school was tough, but I know he is in the best hands ever. He has an amazing teacher and I am so very proud of him! Proof again that all you need to do is read with your kids every day!! He LOVES school!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving Day began at 2am when our first born, Pele', began to have seizures- and they didn't stop- so Jeff had to bring him (once again) to the animal hospital. It is very scary, and very sad and also the reason we haven't been able to spend holidays far from home.

We are thankful that my parents live nearby and we were able to spend the day with them, my brother, his wife and daughter, and my dear Nan! My dad was very excited to have all his grandchildren together and gave them all matching Wolverine hats (much to the dismay of my Buckeye mom). As always it's a little tough to get Zach in a picture. But everyone had a great time!

I brought two dishes, green bean casserole and sweet potato balls. The sweet potato balls are from a recipe my Nan always used and thankfully I remembered it and they turned out quite yummy! (There are no measurements in the recipe- a little of this- a little of that- so I felt like quite the cook!) The food was delicious and the company was even better and yet again we found ourselves so thankful for so very much this year! (especially the new little ones at the gathering- Maddy and Sean Asher)

We did get a call that Pele' could come home that night and thankfully it wasn't quite as much as it usually is when we have to take him to the hospital. (We've nick-named him the Million-Dollar Mutt as he has turned out to be quite the expensive family member.) It's been really hard because when not having a seizure, he is normal. But with each seizure, and each increase in medication we wonder what the next day will bring, and we worry about him more and more.

Unfortunately there were many patients that night at the animal hospital and it took us a while to pick up our patient. The patience of the big passengers in the car was wearing thin. They were not too happy because they were eager to get home and to bed after their long day.

The younger passengers however, were off to dreamland with full bellies and dreaming sweet dreams. (And so were the grown-ups as soon as our heads hit the pillow- it was a looooong day.)

Cousins!

Sometimes pictures can tell a good story all on their own!

(Videos don't hurt either...)

And as a P.S., Sean Asher decided he could roll over today. It was his second day of having 'Tummy Time'' and I guess he decided he liked being on his back better. Thought it may be a fluke but he did do it five times. By the time I took this video I think he was tired of 'performing'.

The Curls have been Clipped!

Our babies are all bald for about two years... Ali Jane unfortunately has thin, fine straight hair (like her mother) and the boys have had beautiful curly hair (like their dad). All I can say to Ali Jane is, "I tried..."

Jeff, my dad and my brother have been trying to get me to cut off Zach's curls for a while- I've been dreading it because the curls are so cute- especially when they are wet or it is humid. I've also been dreading it because Zach has officially hit the 'terrible two' stage.

I took Zach to see my wonderful friend Diane. She is a miracle worker when it comes to Ali's and my hair and she was a miracle worker today. Zach wouldn't sit, so we started out with me holding Zach and when that didn't work anymore, she followed him around the salon, snipping away. I will miss the curls, but I still have a very handsome little man- who suddenly looks a lot older- (Maybe he'll forget he's a 'terrible two.')