Christmas 2011 at Grandma's (& Elk River)

Michael's baby rocking chair

Propped up in her Daddy's rocking chair, watching the geese on the water at Grandma's.
One of our favorite smocked dresses of the Christmas season this year.

Off to church on Christmas Eve...Andrew (and Mommy) would get to "go up front" at Grandma's church to help participate in the nativity. Children got to be shepherds, stars and angels. (Cute service, but a little disappointing for me as there was not a live baby. Am an I the only "Mary" that has to use other people's live babies for nativities?!?)

Margaret was an angel (briefly) for the Christmas Eve service.

Dec. 24 Advent Calendar

Placing the last star on the scene to make it just right.

Opening up the 24th door in the Advent Book!

Andrew reading the Advent to Mommy.Andrew's favorite line comes on Day 5:

"They called him 'Emmanuel', which means 'God with us'.'"

Watching Santa's email to Andrew.

Andrew diving into everyone's stockings (notice Daisy's on the table:( )

The big gift this year = Rocket, from Little Einstein's, complete with June, Quincy, Annie and Leo, of course!

Margaret mesmerized by Caroline in her Santa hat.

Caroline and Ellie helping Andrew open his scavenger hunt present.

Andrew's turn to sport the Santa hat and hand out presents.

Waiting patiently for everyone to open their "bag" presents from Grandma at the same time.

Grandma MADE mittens for EVERYONE (grown-ups and kids alike) from Ishkabibble's (spelling???) famous old sweaters. What a clever idea! Passing down her mother's things by remaking them into items that other generations can use is brilliant and such a fond way to remember Irene.

Maddie loving on Miss Margaret, who's wondering what on the Earth happened to naptime today!

Mommy's sweet little angel.Really, who cares if she is still drinking out of a bottle at 15 months!?!? She won't take it to college.

Margaret LOVING Grandma's present to "the boys" this year. There are FOUR helicopters in the air now!

"Look!"

Caroline (8), Maddie (12), Ellie (9), Margaret (15 m.), David (15), Andrew (3), and Grandma.

Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus! What delight on Andrew's face!

What better way to celebrate than with rum cake (and Grand Ann in the background)?

Chillin' with Daddy on Christmas afternoon.

Gentlemen, let the wrestling begin!

Caroline counting Daddy down.

Feeding the ducks after the crowd was gone.

A very hopeful (and lonely) Molly.

Sunset on Christmas Day, 2011.

Ode to Dear Daisy - to be written

Adventures of Advent

We have just begun what I believe will be a special few years of Christmas in our family. Our
children are such impressionable ages. It is precious to teach them what it is all about.

At more than 3.5, Andrew comprehends the concept of gifts and takes receiving/opening them quite seriously. Naturally, we had to focus a lot of gift-giving. Rather than constantly ask him what he wanted for Christmas, we also tried to spend time getting him to think about what he wanted to give other people for Christmas. We got some interesting responses!

What was quite special was seeing his exploding interest in all things Advent. We lit an Advent wreath Sunday nights and went through readings from my childhood's Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC. Copied in the ‘80’s, the print is fading, but I love them and will eventually re-type them if need be. Andrew patiently listened each week. Our daily exercises with the Advent Book and the Advent Calendar were BIG hits. Our book has ornately painted doors on each page. Behind each door is a few sentences describing the weeks surrounding Christ’s birth. Within days, Andrew was reading the pages to me. It was a glorious way to end each jam-packed day of the Advent Season. In the Children’s Sermon on January 1, our church's youngest disciples were asked if they knew what “Emmanual” means. Andrew blurted out, “God with us!”, taken directly from Day 5 of our book. Did I care that he didn’t raise his hand?!? It was priceless…and I was laughing out loud in my pew:)

Our magnetic Advent Calendar allows the children to open a door daily to retrieve a character, animal or star used to create their own scene on the magnetic back-drop. I was impressed with Andrew’s patience in opening only one each day. Margaret (15 months this season), didn’t have a clue what any of it is all about, but she was overly anxious to be involved with anything
and everything that grabbed Andrew’s attention. So the nativity scenes sprinkled around the house were all a big hit, particularly the plastic ones. Evidently, they tasted better than the olive wood Lalu and Robert gave us for our wedding!

It was like Christmas Day was already upon us when I got out the Fischer Price Nativity Sets that Kate and Anne gave the kids last year. Andrew couldn’t WAIT to open the boxes. And when he did, he asked if he could take them to his room. I suggested that we put some in the family room for everyone to play with but that some could go to his room. The next 20 minutes was filled with the silence that only a parent of young children can fear rather than appreciate! He immediately took every single piece to his room just two at a time (all 3 boxes worth!). He had tried to transport many at once but would drop them, so settled for umpteen trips with just one
piece in each hand. When I went to check on the status after, all of the palm trees were perfectly lined up in a row and he was working on another scene. It was all very sweet, until he opened his mouth, “Okay, it ALL has to stay in MY room. It can’t go to Margaret’s room. It’s all stays in MY room, okay??” Now he wants “play Baby Jesus” everyday, which is very sweet. Thankfully, he assigns me the role of Mary, which I can handle having previously performed twice in live nativities (only never with my OWN live baby!), and he assumes the character of Jesus.

We ventured out to the Living Nativity near Waynesboro one cold Sunday evening after work and waited in line until the “Bethlehem Village”opened. There is literally a village set up where one can see all about the way people made things in Bethlehem in Jesus’ time. The scene is complete with real camels and donkeys plus a reenactment every half hour. Thankfully, the “multitude of heavenly hosts” sang “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, which Andrew adopted as his favorite Christmas song this year. I melted every time we’d be driving in the car and he would start belting out, “Glory to the newborn King!”. Yes, indeed. Glory, glory, glory!

So serious at the Christmas Parade on the Downtown Mall.

Daisy-do

As I type, Daisy is not doing well. She turned 15 on April 10. I will have to find and post Andrew's happy birthday to her. THAT was a birthday song to hear! You know what? Here it is. No time better than the present to just get it done.

She has gone through bouts of bowel and back leg issues, but she has always bounced back. This week, though, she seems to be getting worse in all areas, and has turned down food for the first time. She is a special, special dog and we have always hoped not to have to make any decisions. Sadly, that may be what we need to do. I have never looked forward to the end, much as I may complain about 8 dirty paws, or walking 4 dependents alone, or touching everyone's poop or vomit any given day, but that's what a mother does, isn't it? And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Michael reminded me tonight of the first time I kept Daisy. He and I were just dating and he was out of town for some reason. The first story I told him was of how she growled me into a corner at my rental. Daisy???? Oh, how hysterical that is now. She must have known already that she would need to fight for his affection going forward. Funny...from my point of view, Daisy has never needed to fight. She's been his best friend of sorts since the day he graduated from VT. I am just a newer version of best friend...certainly not a replacement. Afterall, sweet Dais has never given Michael a hard time....only companionship, a hiking partner, and sweet kisses.