Making Cookies and Houses

Today we had our church homeschool group activity for December and we decorated cookies and made graham cracker houses. The kids had a blast and now we have way too much candy and cookies in the house :) Here are a few pictures from our fun day.

Everybody getting ready to make graham cracker houses

Christiana

Joshua enjoying the candy

Kaitlyn

Josiah with his house

Christiana and Josiah

Plate of cookies we gave to the office staff

Matthew, Kaitlyn and Joshua decorating cookies

Decorated tree and gingerbread man

Cookies

Josiah

Kaitlyn helping Matthew

Micah

Matthew

Josiah with his lego man cookie

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

Every year around this time my Dad sends Christmas presents for the kids from NC. He never fails and the kids know he's as dependable as the sun rising everyday. It's at this time that the kids get so excited and really begin to believe that Christmas is almost here. Since my kids love to decorate early (in their rooms) play Christmas music from July until Christmas and aniticipate it all year, when it finally arrives it almost doesn't seem real. So with Papaw and Mamaw Connie's box they know it is finally, really the Christmas season. Every time the package arrives they ask to hold their gift and usually they get to put it under the tree. However, since Joshua is extra curious, we will keep them in the box until Christmas Eve, or else nothing will be a surprise. So for us, with the arrival of Papaw and Mamaw Connie's gifts also comes the arrival of Christmas reality.

Wordless Wednesday - A Few of My Favorite Things

Getting Closer

So as I look over at my Baby Ticker I can't believe that I only have 33 days to go. Today I had an appointment at Lisa Ross for just a regular check-up and all looks well. I can't believe how quickly time is flying by with this pregnancy. Of course, with the holidays being here everything seems to fly by anyway. I do confess that I like the busyness of this time of year when I'm pregnant because it does keep my mind occupied.

Everyone around my house is getting excited about a new baby. Our church gave us a baby shower so we now have lots of little diapers and clothes to remind us that a baby is coming soon. I can't wait until the time when I get to hold him in my arms and feel his little body against mine.

I wonder sometimes if this little guy will decide to come early but then quickly remind myself that my babies usually hold out until 41 weeks. It's hard to believe how quickly it will be here. Can't wait until I have pictures to post of our little guy. Until then, keep praying for me and our baby, that labor and delivery will be quick and without complications. Thanks.

Little Helper and Uh-Oh

During our Thanksgiving bake day Joshua wanted to help out like all the big kids. So, I let Kaitlyn watch over him while he helped stir the lime salad mix. Here are a few pictures of how it went.

Joshua excited to be helping stir the

jello and marshmallow mix

Here he looks like he's getting ready to taste it, however once

Kaitlyn took the picture he started stirring again.

Looking very serious at his task

Dropping the spoon in the bowl

Uh-Oh :)

The Nutcracker

My oldest son, Josiah, is performing in "The Nutcracker" that is presented by the Appalachian Ballet Company out of Maryville along with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra playing live along with them. They did a matinee today and will do another one tomorrow for school children then Saturday night at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm they will be performing for the public at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium. Then Next Saturday, December 11th at 2pm and 8pm at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville.

He's having a blast and I'm so excited for him to have this opportunity. It is keeping me busy though, so if you don't hear from me tomorrow, you'll know why. Wish I had better pictures but my camera is on the fritz and I only have my phone camera right now so these are the best I can do. Hope you enjoy them and if you get the chance come watch live, it's a great show.

Josiah in make-up and costume for the show.

Act 1 "The party scene"

Act 1 "The party scene"

Not Yet...

Understand as you read this that we lived in Vermont for 4 1/2 years where there is plenty of snow to play in.

This morning we had a few snow flurries and my children headed outside as quick as possible to enjoy it. We have been in Tennessee one winter so far, so we are very aware of how quickly snow disappears here. What I found amusing, though, was that although we were having snow flurries, there was nothing on the ground and yet my children drug out the sleds. "Poor things", I thought, "they can't sled without something on the ground." But they had to try anyway, gotta give them an "A" for effort (my kids have found out that if they can get outside while there is still frost on the ground that they can sled on a frost covered ground).

So anyway, I just had to take a picture of Josiah pushing Joshua down the hill on the sled (because otherwise it wouldn't move). Oh well, hopefully soon we'll get enough snow for them to enjoy :)

Josiah pushing Joshua down the hill on a sled.

My delicious cup of hot chocolate that Christiana

made for me after they came in from the cold.