The Nutcracker

We were seated in the front row

for this student performance - we

were so excited!

I love ballet and so do my girls. Their ballet classes are one of the highlights of their week.

But, seriously, do the guys have to wear tights like that?? This year was exceptionally bad.

In the Nutcracker, the men at the beginning are wearing suits, but the prince is always in tights. This particular prince was not as slim as most danseurs. And this only emphasized the whole tights thing. Ethan took to averting his eyes whenever the guy danced and the elementary school murmurings after the performance were definitely smacking of "butt crack".

Anna Kate has taken to referring to him as "princetocks." It is the apparently the primary memory they have of this year's performance.

Easy Christmas Shoes

Remember how I bought these boots for Anna's Goldilocks costume. And a Walmart reviewer offered this idea? I love it! And my Walmart still has several pairs on clearance (contrary to what their website says). Maybe yours does too. ;^)

P.S. I was thinking that some jingle bells laced into the the front of the shoes would be cute too - but I didn't get that far.

Ringing the Bell

Silly Girls

Christmas Stress

I remember wondering why people got so stressed out by Christmas. I had two (or fewer or no) children, a healthy husband, a relatively neat house, no one being schooled, and my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving. I loved Christmas.

But these last few years, I finally understand. Sick husband, homeschooling, crawling babies, messy house, decorations that take weeks to get up instead of one day (despite the fact that what I put up drastically shrinks every year), and shopping that takes every spare moment (even when done online - and I'm finally almost done).

It seems that no matter how many pairs of jingle bell earrings I buy and wear. No matter how many Christmassy programs or parades I attend. No matter how much Christmas music I listen to, I just can't keep a hold of that Christmas spirit. It's lost under the weight of "one more thing."

Because when you're nearly drowning in baby, kids, school, laundry, and dishes. Even the simple things in Christmas are one more thing. Straws that break that camels back. And this year they're breaking me. Especially when you add the other kinds of straws. A missed church Christmas program after dragging three kids out alone in cold rain because the auditorium was full. Misunderstandings.

But don't you learn the most when your broken? Isn't that when you learn to become dependent because no matter how hard you try, you just can't do it all? I believe I have a seriously low learning curve in this area.

I need to learn from the Teacher. I need to hear Him. I want to love Him. And I want to love Christmas again.

Autumn Fires

Fall on the Farm

Thus begins the bloggy catch-up

back in mid-November:

making cider

making apple butter - he loves those overalls

and dreams of being a "Farmer Boy"-

doesn't he look the part?

her first time in the stroller facing

forward (not in the car seat)

the children requested, and proceeded to

sing several old hymns

The Bella Went Over the Suitcase To See What She Could See

Keep in mind, she's six months old still here - and crawling - and climbing. no rest for the weary (that would be me.)

Thanksgiving

Bella's first trip to Chocolate World.

This is always at the top of the kids list of

"things to do while at Gramma's"

Heading into Hersheypark's Christmas Candyland.

Note my dad with the stroller trying to veer off

to hit up a Dunkin Donuts for coffee before

we've even entered the main gates.

Rosie is beaming over the first ride on someone's shoulders

that she can remember -

it was so funny -

she didn't know what to do when she got up there!

cousins on the train


Gramma and Bella

watching the train

cousins on the little pirate ship


documenting Dad's inability to pass a
concession stand

the lights are coming on

Santa's reindeer resting up for the big night

cousins on the swing

the band they were dancing to

Isaiah's 19th birthday

Rosie and "Jack", which, incidentally, was Bella's

first word. She quickly added the expected "Mama"

and "Dada", although she did surprise me

by actually calling me "Mommy" too.

She's holding there waiting for some other

words that are half that good.

Probably something like, "go away!"

Pappy, Jack, and Bella

Thanksgiving dinner

Rosie's turkey

Anna Kate's underwater alien turkey

We went to a war museum thinking we could

enjoy the outdoor exhibits, but didn't realize that

there was apparently a 10-15 degree wind chill factor.

After near death-by-boredom, Ethan suddenly was

very interested in taking a picture of everything in this room so that

he could draw them later at home.

Brian's cake nearly burned down the house.

And I had to add another candle at the last minute -

36, not 35 - I can't keep track anymore!

our annual girl's breakfast - this is half of us :^)

We got to drive through the most beautiful sunset, I'd

ever seen in Virginia on the way home.

These pictures don't do it justice, taken through a window that doesn't

roll down, while going 70 mph.

It touched my heart, because, even though, I enjoyed

my time with my family,

it wasn't my favorite trip ever, I just

felt really off all week. Probably the fact that Bella

slept very little, and, thus, I slept very little, had

a lot to do with that. :^)

I'm so thankful for my family.