Charlie's check up and Marky's reflections

Overheard-

"Mommy, why would a snowman ever wear a scarf? I mean, a scarf is to make you warm. Warmth kills a snowman. It would melt his neck and then his head would roll off."

This has been deep thoughts with Markyboy.

In other news, Charlie had his four-month check up today and is still the biggest boy. He had grown three inches in two months. He's now completely off the chart for height and head circumference and in the 95% for weight (see, he's skinny!). I pulled out the 6-9 month clothes last month, then I put all of those up and got out the 12 month clothes last week and then today went through the 18 month clothes to find more one-piece things. I think he has a L-O-N-G torso. He is such a sweety pie. He is just Mr. Smiley and smiles at me first thing in the morning and any time he sees me afterwards. He loves to be sung to and laughs out loud if I sing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" or "If you're happy and you know it." He can roll over and loves to play on his playmats or with toys in his bouncy seat. He sleeps SO WELL it's ridiculous. He takes an hour or so morning nap and cat naps here and there and then takes a long two to three hour afternoon nap. Then he sleeps from 7:30 to 8:00. He's completely spoiled me. He sleeps on his tummy in a sleep sack and loves a Sassy and his lovey bear- basically the same combo as Tucker. I rock him as often as I can because I LOVE to cuddle a baby. And he loves it too. Thank you, Charlie, for being such a sweet, joyful baby. We all love you to pieces.

It's beginning to look a lot like Advent....

I LOVE this time of year. The cold outside draws us all in to home and hearth. Per my new usual, I got all my Christmas shopping done and wrapped (and even shipped!) super early. It frees us up to enjoy these weeks. We have been enjoying the advent wreath....("I blow dis candle Mommy")



Reading Jotham's Journey at night....



The advent calendar with scripture references-


Our Jesse tree and books-






Our book baskets (we have three total) filled with books for the sesason-



And tonight, our first fire of the season made with wood cut down by Marc and little Marc out in our yard!

Charles enjoying his first fire-


P.S. Tonight I was singing the "12 days of Christmas" (early I know) and when I got to 10 I said, "Julia- is it ten drummers drumming or ten pipers piping?" and Julia said, "drummers" and Marky said, "no, it's pipers!" and they went back and forth and Tucker finally said, "Mommy, it's 10 lords a leaping!" And of course, the 2-year-old was right. How he has memorized that I have no idea. He just keeps me in awe daily of what he has learned. :)

Thoughts on Advent...

"What has happened to the old-fashioned, spiritual Christmas? The cause is our disregard of Advent. The church set aside this four-week pre-Christmas season as a time of spiritual preparation for Christ’s coming. It is a time of quiet anticipation. If Christ is going to come again into our hearts, there must be repentance. Without repentance, our hearts will be so full of worldly things that there will be ‘no room in the inn’ for Christ to be born again.…We have the joy not of celebration, which is the joy of Christmas, but the joy of anticipation."

Old-fashioned, Spiritual Christmas?. . . . . . . . . John R. Brokhoff, Preaching the Parables—Cycle C. p. 28

"It might be easy to run away to a monastery, away from the commercialization, the hectic hustle, the demanding family responsibilities of Christmas-time. Then we would have a holy Christmas. But we would forget the lesson of the Incarnation, of the enfleshing of God—the lesson that we who are followers of Jesus do not run from the secular; rather we try to transform it. It is our mission to make holy the secular aspects of Christmas just as the early Christians baptized the Christmas tree. And we do this by being holy people—kind, patient, generous, loving, laughing people—no matter how maddening is the Christmas rush…"

Meanings of Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Andrew Greeley, Woman’s Day, 12-22-81

Thanksgiving 2011

This year was the first year our little family had Thanksgiving without any extended family. I went back and forth on wether to cook because only Marc and I really like the variety, but I decided I would be sad not to have the regular fixings. So thanks to Publix- I heated my very own Thanksgiving dinner. :)
Our menu:
turkey, dressing, ham, green beans, corn casserole, mac-n-cheese, sweet potato casserole, heavenly hash (I did make that), cranberry sauce and rolls. Not bad!










Charlie was playing on his playmat for the first 1/2 of dinner, then we decided he should come sit with us. After all, when we had gone around to say what we were thankful for- everyone said Charlie!


When asked what he was grateful for Tucker immediately said "Milk!" No truer words have been said. The boy drinks milk ALL day every day. :)


Now we are dressing in Christmas clothes to take our Christmas card pictures. I have already prayed for patience and peace through this ...um.....tough task ahead of me. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Little Flowers- Love

Today was our monthly little flowers club. Today we studied the virtue of Love (or Charity) and the life of St. Agnes- the flower was the peony. :) We began with the girls coloring beautiful pictures of St. Agnes-




While they colored their pictures we discussed the three theological virtues that we've learned- faith, hope and charity. We talked about how they build on each other and love is the greatest of all- the flowering fruit of our faith and love. It helped so much that they had memorized their Bible verses and acts of faith and hope earlier. They really seemed to follow the discussion.






They had a sheet they could take home with the virtues-


Then the big sisters led the girls in this month's song- it is Psalm 18:1-2-


While they sang the girls worked on their notebook pages-


Julia's page- this month they will memorize the verse and the Act of Love- "Oh my God, because you are all good I love you with my whole heart and soul."


Saint Agnes was martyred at age 12 or 13 for refusing the marry. Marc, Marky and I actually got to go to her church and pray at her grave while in Rome. She is always seen holding a lamb, which represents youth and innocence. Also the name Agnes in Latin means lamb. So we had the girls decorate lamb cupcakes- so precious! We ate them on heart-shaped plates to remind us to LOVE!



The finished product-




Julia made hers VERY puffy-



It was another wonderful day with the Little Flowers. We let the girls play a bit and then did our regular recitations of memory work on the porch. That's always a treat to see what people have learned over the month. Tucker and Charlie slept through the whole thing. When Tucker woke up everyone had left, but I had saved him a lamb cupcake- he was SO HAPPY!


Should I try it? Would anyone care?


Yum, yum Tuck Tuck!


Yep- not Baaaaaaaaaaad! :)

Sunday Pics

Fall Fun

The colder days have fall have been so nice. Although in the afternoons- all I want to do is curl up and watch TV in bed with my babies. So this is what Daddy saw when he walked in the door at 6:00 on Friday night- Mommy and babies watching Charlie Brown- (looks like they'll still be room for Charlie when he's ready to join us!)



We went to our Goddaughter's 5th birthday party on Saturday at a park. It was fun- my kids made sure to stay near the cake-


I gave Tucker his cake and said, "Go find a seat" and he found this tiny toy stroller- he got a kick out of his joke. :)



After the party we went Christmas shopping and stopped by Bass Pro Shops. The kids liked this sleigh-




We shopped a good bit and then came home to rake leaves! Talk about a fun time!

















After all the raking and shopping it was time to eat a yummy Mac N Cheese dinner prepared by Daddy. First, the blessing- and let's be sure to thank God for our happy fall weekend!