Our Little Fashionista

Snowday checklist

You need your decorated Jesse tree,

your "handy" wreath,
& your sleigh with reindeer!

Ever heard of him?

Rebecca: Crusty the Snowman was a merry tale they say...

Christmas #1

After a special visit from Aunt Denise, Julia, & Lucy

last Saturday, who came bearing this adorable book:

Mortimer's Christmas Manger,we went up to Darren's parents' home to celebrate.

Grandkids growing in leaps & bounds!

Abby & Teresa this year, two more new babies next! Rebecca enjoying her new cupcake set.

Thank you, everyone, for the great companionship, food, gifts, & hilarious game of Telephone Pictionary. ; )

Winter Wonderland

Child of God

Our beautiful new niece, Abigail Loretta,

was baptized this weekend. She let out a squawk right after Father touched her mouth, "Jesus made the deaf to hear & dumb to speak...". Right on cue!
Darren is her godfather!
Our cowgirl at the hootenanny afterwards.
(I wish the other picture had turned out...
all of the kids were parading around in a variety of hats. Hilarious!)

Thanksmas

We celebrated "Thanksmas" with the extended family on Darren's Dad's side last weekend. It was quite a turnout! That's a lot easier to make happen when almost all of us live within three adjacent counties. =] Lots of good conversation, delicious potluck dishes, & crazy kids everywhere.

Speaking of crazy... check out Teresa's hair! Kind of the opposite of that whole St. Francis look. ; )

Our Snowboy

Mele Kalikimaka

Holiday Recipes

It seems each holiday season, I discover a couple of foods that I just love & latch on. They become my staple party take-alongs. Below are the recipes for two of this year's favorites!

***

Spicy Sausage Spinach Dip

16 oz. medium pork sausage
4 chopped green onions
1/2 t minced garlic
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed & drained
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
10 oz mild diced tomatoes with chilies
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar

Fry & drain sausage. Add onions & garlic to pan & fry for 1 minute. Put in crock pot with rest of ingredients & cook until all is melted together. Stir. Serve with Fritos scoops. Yummy!

(You can add more cream cheese or sour cream to stretch it. You can also adjust the spiciness based on your preferences.)

***

Peanut Butter Cornflakes

1 C light corn syrup
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla
1 C peanut butter
6-8 C cornflakes

Bring corn syrup & sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Add vanilla & peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Pour into bowl of cornflakes. Mix until coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet while still warm. Let cool & enjoy!

Elf Yourself

Because the kids find it hilarious... and so do I.

Click the links to see some crazy elves!

Disco dancers
Country barn dance
Hip Hop
Coo coo clock singers

First Love

Andrew: Good night, Teresa. God bless you, little star. I love you more than Santa!

Mmm...

cocoa.

Sure, she's ready to forget the sippy cups.

Smilers #3 & 4

Thankful

for a generous & loving husband, children, parents, & siblings,

fun in-laws, sweet nephews & nieces,
fun ideas, cheesy grins,

Red Grandpa's treehouse, the gift of imagination,

flowers, pumpkins, fall,

toddler ponderings... "Pumpkins drink milk?",

a love of farming, playing outside,

music, tradition,

babies & priests,

and so much more.

Thank you, Lord!

What did you say?

Andrew: Mom, I got two boogies & one birdie!!!
Me: What?
Andrew: Oops, I mean boggies.
Me: Boggies?
Andrew: You know, when you play golf on the Wii.
Me: Oh, BOGIES.
Andrew: Yeah, boogies.

Gotta Get That Name

We watched "Muppet Classic Theater" over Thanksgiving with my parents & I have had this song from their version of Rumpelstiltskin in my head making me laugh ever since! The whole thing is amusing, but the song is from about 2:15-4:20. My favorite is the crazy little critter in the front shaking his head. What is that? A ferret?

Happy Birthday to me...

Thirty-one.

It looks even older written out like that. ; P

I had a really nice birthday week. The kids brought me these beautiful roses & some adorable pictures they drew, Darren gifted me with a lovely ring that actually fits my post-pregnancy finger, & another generous friend treated us to her homemade dinner for the night. Many thoughtful cards, prayers, & gifts. Thank you!

"The big kids" had a great time playing with Fr. Jon on Friday night so that Darren & I (& Teresa) could go out to eat at Dish. It was so relaxing, rejuvenating, & delicous. Mmm... paella. Teresa has given me one of my favorite gifts, though, by showing off her sweet smile! She has barely stopped smiling since Sunday afternoon. What an easy way to brighten my day!

I am so abundantly blest & I keep getting reminded of that fact. Loving family, selfless friends, simple comforts, guiding faith, overwhelming joys, strengthening sufferings...

Thank you, God, for life!

Christ is King!

Happy Solemnity of Christ the King!

May He forever reign in your heart & in your home.

(This is a photo from last year when we made our own crowns. He's pretending to hold a crosier.)

Wow!

Andrew: I love you hotter than a volcano! ... I love you yummier than drinking a bottle of chocolate!
***
Rebecca: Look. I made a rainbone! (rainbow)

A Talent for Lyrics

I love to sing & I always have. I sing in the car, in the shower, in the kitchen, outside, & though I'd rather not admit it, sometimes even along with the music in the grocery store. : P My love of singing does not equal a knowledge of lyrics however. Many times I've found out that I've been singing the wrong words for years.

Apparently, that gift is inherited. Rebecca loves to sing, too, but her choice of lyrics always makes me laugh. Sometimes she does it to be silly, other times I think she's just a victim of her genes. Here's what we were just singing before naptime...

I was guiding her through the alphabet song.

(Her lyrics are in CAPS.)

a, b... C, D... e, f... G... h, i, j, k, l, m... N, O, P... q, r... S... t,u... V... w... S... y and ... CARROT. Now I know my ... A, B, C... next time... DON'T TAKE MY SUNSHINE AWAY.

Then she sang her own rendition of

The Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly:

'Nother old lady swallowed a duck, swallowed a chicken, swallowed a mustard, swallowed a elephant, swallowed a blue eye with some pink on it...

One month down...

Teresa Rose is growing!

We went to her one month check-up this week.

9 pounds 5 ounces heavy

23 inches long

Teresa smiles a lot, especially at Andrew. She can hold her head really well for her age. Most nights she has at least a six hour stetch of sleep! Her newborn sleepers no longer fit...already. I forgot how fast they grow out of clothing at this stage.

She looks great!

P.S. We discovered that Rebecca's frequent nighttime waking isn't because she has an ear infection... or because of potty training at night... or because she's just plain evil sometimes... she's teething! Hallelujah! I forgot all about those second year molars. Thank God for simple solutions like ibuprofen!

Top 5

Things we (shouldn't) HAVE to tell our kids...

5. Don't eat the tails off of plastic dinosaurs.
4. Your spoon is not a camera.
3. Don't stand on your sister.
2. The pastry brush does not go in your pants.
1. Don't sit in your Lincoln Logs can!

Katie

Happy Birthday, Katie! I'm so glad to have you as a sister-in-law. =]

Smiler #5

A Big Day

This Sunday was a big family day. We all went to 9:00 Mass together, ate at the KC pancake feed, played at home, & then headed up north for some more fun. First we went fishing at Green Grandpa's pond.
We didn't catch much... but weeds. Here's Andrew showing off his cricket lure.

Rebecca loved being out by the water. Teresa mainly snoozed.

Then we went to see our newest niece Abigail. What a doll! Here are the two cousins side by side.

Afterwards Daddy, Andrew, & Rebecca took a ride in the combine with Grandpa. Andrew had just spent two hours in there the day before but still loved it. Rebecca was on her first ride. She was fascinated! I hung out in the van with Teresa & chatted with Uncle Ron.

Finally we headed up to see Green Grandma for a while & pick up a cooler of meat. Ah, meat. It was so exciting to fill up the bottom of our deep freeze with it! (Wow, do I need to get out more?)