Christmas Eve

Had some friends over tonight to decorate cookies and act out the Nativity.

"Hey, Unto you a Child is born!"

These are the cookies Clara made for Santa

Merry Christmas, everyone!

P.S. This is why our tree looks a little (ok, a lot) disheveled. She tore down everything she could reach, already, so she used the laundry basket to reach a little higher. Crazy baby!

First Snow!

I love the fact that the neighbor kids rang our doorbell as soon as the snow started. Were they asking the girls to come out and play, or to borrow a sled? No, they were challenging my husband to a snowball fight. :)

This little bear cub likes to eat the snow

Haulin'

Greg has been getting lots of good upper body workouts, lately.

Raking leaves

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Ice Skating!

A few years ago, I was in a meeting (for work) of arts leaders in the community. Some guy was going on and on about how downtown Greensboro could have everything NYC has, even an outdoor ice skating rink. Cynical me, I just rolled my eyes at him and thought "there is no way." Turns out I was wrong... look what we got this year!

(You'll see how this fits into our weight-lifting theme if you watch this video)

Last, but not least, SLEDDING! We got our first snow of the year, yesterday. It was fun enough to deserve it's own post, so stay tuned.

The First Thanksgiving

(You can see the entire play on video on Miss Shelley's blog)

As I watched my beautiful girl act out this story filled with sharing, helping others, and expressing thankfulness, my heart brimmed with gratitude for the blessing of being her mother.

I have been meaning to post my "take-away's" from October's General Conference. This time, one single message from President Monson stood out from the others. Here is an excerpt...

In the book of Matthew in the Bible, we have another account of gratitude, this time as an expression from the Savior. As He traveled in the wilderness for three days, more than 4,000 people followed and traveled with Him. He took compassion on them, for they may not have eaten during the entire three days. His disciples, however, questioned, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?” Like many of us, the disciples saw only what was lacking.

“And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And [the disciples] said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

“And [Jesus] commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

“And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

Notice that the Savior gave thanks for what they had—and a miracle followed: “And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.”⁴

I, too, am filled to overflowing!

Sarah-Jane: 15 months

Sarah-Jane is growing up so fast and becoming a busy, busy toddler! At 15 months, she is 31 3/4" tall (75th-90th percentile) and weighs 22 pounds (25th-50th percentile). Her new favorite trick is CLIMBING (anything and everything) and it is keeping me on my toes. Especially since she likes to bounce and dance and do tricks on top of whatever she has climbed. She is very social and friendly, saying "Hey" to everyone we pass. She still loves music and dancing (who doesn't?) and she loves to play outside. Her favorite food is still bananas "na-na" and she is becoming a pickier eater. (I have to hide the bananas from her, because if she sees them she won't eat anything else!) Other likes include copying her big sister and sitting in big people chairs (she asks for help getting into them by saying "Sit? Sit?"). She thinks she likes to read books, but she just flips one page, then closes the book and says "de n" (the end). Just like her big sister, if she wants something, there is no holding her back. We can't get enough of her sweet hugs and kisses. We love her!!!

Halloween 2010

Clara asked to be "Dr. Witch" this year, from this cute story we checked out from the library. "Dr. Witch" is a veterinarian who helps sick animals in the forest, then goes to a witches' and wizards' ball and eats lots of chocolate cake. I also found a witch costume for SJ at a consignment store... (best $5 I've ever spent)!

We made the most of this fun holiday be stretching it out over several days.


Tuesday -preschool Halloween party: I taught the music portion, complete with classics such as Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom, Chickamy Chimckamy Craney Crow, Fly Little Bats, and There was an Old Woman All Skin and Bones

Friday: church Fall Festival and Chili Cookoff (Clara asked Greg to dress up as a wizard to go along with her Dr. witch costume... photos of his hilarious costume to come).

Saturday: I somehow conned by best girlfriend, Trinity, into hosting a big Halloween party for a bunch of Clara's friends. Burlinton held their trick-or-treat on Saturday night, and since we preferred that to Sunday, it worked out perfectly. These girls were professional (and adorable) trick-or-treaters.

Sunday: Greg and the girls had a blast handing out candy. Clara was hilarious... she shouted from the porch "Hey everyone, we have CANDY!!!" She would talk to the trick-or-treaters for as long as she could get them to stay. "What are you dressed up like? Oh! Next year, could you be a beautiful Princess Frostine?!?"

Until next year!

Pumpkin Patch

We had lots of fun at the J. Razz & Tazz Corn Maze and pumpkin patch.

Our day included a hay ride/crop tour, corn maze, and lots of fun things to climb on and in for the kids.

SJ loved running through the corn (she kept saying "Go-Go-Go!) and she even got in on choosing our pumpkin.

We went with Uncle Sean, Anna, Evan, Aunt Suz, Uncle Joel, Chloe, Luke, and baby Gray.
Here are the baby cousins, together. -Oh so cute!

Afterward, everyone came back to our house. Sean made a delicious lasagna for lunch, and we pretended it was cold enough for hot cider and pumpkin muffins.

Beach Trip

Photos from our week at Topsail Island with my family in early September...

We forgot our camera, so my sister was our trip photographer and took these excellent photos.

Oceanfront decks are great for eating popsicles... you can walk right out to the ocean to rinse off if you happen to drip on yourself...

Clara spent some quality time reading with Poppi and Colton.

And Sarah-Jane spent some quality time fighting with Rogan. I love this look of determination on her face.

Zoo Trip

Momma's taking us to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow.
Here are a couple of photos from our day...

We went with lots of friends, which made it fun. Thanks for organizing it, Natalie!

Rex

We recently said good-bye to my nephew, Rex, who will be serving a 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Curitiba, Brazil.

He had been away at college for a year, so Clara couldn't quite remember him. When I told her we were going to see Rex, she asked, "Does he have sharp teeth?" I couldn't figure out why she asked that until the next day when she said, "Is Rex green?" Me... "Ohhhh... no, Rex is a person, not a T-Rex."

Good luck, Rex! We'll miss your stellar sand castles at the beach.

Summer Wrap-Up

Here are some of the things that kept us busy this summer...

I taught a couple of weekly music class at our house each Thursday.

First, a "baby class" for SJ and her friends...

Then a "big kid" class for Clara and her friends...

I played in a doubles tennis league with my friend, Andrea. We didn't DO great, but we DID have a great time!

Here are some photos from some other events/field trips:

Volvo Family Day at Bur-Mill park:

(Do we look hot? Because it was, and we were!)

A trip to the dairy farm:

Afterwards, Clara made up a song about it. It went a little something like this,
"Dairy Farm- Dairy Farm- Dairy Farm- PLLLAH (a rasberry)"
(Do-me-sol, Fa-re-ti, Do-me-sol)

A visit to the butterfly farm:

Here is a picture Clara drew, afterwards. I can see Clara holding a butterfly and she is surrounded by little rocks (the butterfly pavilion had a gravel floor).