Snow Day

So we were snowed in this weekend. We missed going to my families or their Christmas celebration but we thoroughly enjoyed the snow. (it was the first of the year for us) Claire has been looking forward to getting out and making a snowman with daddy and since he was off this week it all worked out wonderfully.

Nick was the wildcard. We weren't sure how we would take to the snow and cold. Turns out he liked it. Well, he liked it for what he could do in it. Since he's so little they don't sell gloves with fingers so he basically had some thick socks over his hands AND he looked like that kid from that 'Christmas Story' movie who couldn't put his arms down.

SO that meant that he couldn't pick anything up and if he fell over he couldn't get back up. But with the right amount of help he was a great worker.

They both were.

Even daddy had some fun in the snow. ;)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

P.S.
Sorry for these awful pictures, my camera was absconded by my 3 yr old and is now in hiding... who knows if you will ever see my kids without major pixilation. Thank you iphone.

Christmas Anthem

I needed a little reminder today of why I am wrapping presents till I am out of tape, cleaning my house like my mother-in-law is moving in and baking for an army.
I needed to remember that I am not only celebrating the child-like sense of wonder and blind faith that the holidays bring. But also the arrival of a Savior. A triumphal entry and a humble beginning to the greatest story to ever unfold (and that is still unfolding). So hallelujah! Christ has come, "Unto you a Child is born, Unto you a Savior is given". (Isaiah 9:6)

I found just the pick me up and reminder in Landon Smith and The Real Matt Jones' song;

Christmas Anthem

(Amazon has it for free download HERE)(It's like God knew I needed to dance like crazy to welcome in this holiday season to my home)

Hallelujah - Hallelujah
Is the jubilant refrain
God is sending us a Savior
Peace on Earth - Good will to men

Let us also sing the praises of our God so full of love
Who on Christmas sent a Savior - sent a Savior from above

Hallelujah - Hallelujah
Is the jubilant refrain
God is sending us a Savior
Peace on Earth - Good will to men

Adventures in Gingerbread

This year we are doing all the quintessential Christmas activities. We have already made ornaments, decorated the tree, baked cookies (yet to be decorated) and bought presents for everyone on our lists. That just leaves the gingerbread house... I never really made one as a kid, I mean unless graham crackers iced onto a milk carton and covered over in random cereal and a sweet assortment of candies counts.
So this was a new experience for me too. We got the kit (thank you Grandma and Grandpa Bill) and I read the directions (only 9 steps for two houses, how hard could it be), Things started out fine,

Then they got interesting,

then they got better. Claire was much better at the decorating than I thought she would be.

And even Nick got in on the action.

The houses were shaping up just great. Than I turned my back. I should have learned by now that every mothering story that has that line in it never turns out like a fairy tale.
When I returned, Nick had green icing IN his ear, and his house looked like some kind of massacre had occurred on the front lawn, and a bomb had blown the right side of the house apart. Claire was covered in icing as well, armpits to belly button (thankfully we had by then taken off her white shirt).
I think we did a pretty good job. I'm counting it a success in parenting. Possibly a one time success.

Family Dinner

         What's for Dinner?

Apples
Broccoli Dippers
Parmasean and Garlic Dip
Chicken Breast
    (with onion, parsley, salt and pepper)


We like the Broccoli Dippers becaause A: the kids are able to help make them (well Claire at least) which increases the chance they will eat them and B: They are made for finger-food dipping! Something toddlers all over can't resist.

Tonight we discussed weather Santa likes bunnies. (We made sugar cookies today and we made some that are shaped like bunnies, Claire thinks perhaps Santa doesn't like bunnies because they aren't really 'Christmas-y' so perhaps she should eat them, since Santa the bunny hater  obviously will not want them.)

We hope your family dinner was a good time tonight.

Salt Dough Ornaments

We made ornaments for on our tree, ones that weren't collectible, ones that weren't very breakable, ones that if they didn't last to see next year we didn't really care. We made them out of salt dough. (recipe here)  We mixed them up, rolled them flat and cut them out.

 The recipe said you could speed the hardening process by 'baking' them at 200 degrees for about 20 min. Ours 'baked' for about 2 1/2 hours, then sat out all night and were still not really hard the whole way through the next day... I wonder what we did wrong?

 

Regardless of their soft middles we painted them the next day... 

ok - Nick ate one. (pre-paint) I didn't think he'd like it.

He ate the whole thing.

A Tree Was in Brooklyn

 

This past week has revolved around the tree. Decorating our own with glitter paint and buttons.

 

This past week also brought with it the first snow of the season. Putting me in the Christmas mood finally. Claire got really excited by the snow out her window. She was very excited to find out that it was not only outside her bedroom window but also it was outside the living room window. With the first snow came 'the birds'- hundreds of them. It was kinda crazy and then as fast as they came they moved on. I hope they are in warmer climates by now.

 

And to top off the week we went and got our Christmas tree. It grew in Vermont, then it came to Brooklyn and from there we brought it home to our house. Yes, this years tree is organic (who knew they existed?) It is the one Claire picked, it is slightly larger than we expected to get but... Who can say no to a girl who has 'fallen in love' with a tree? 

We have only pulled the tree over once, nothing was broken, ornament or person.

 The picture is just of the top 2/3, below that it isn't decorated...

The Perfect Day

This morning Claire crawled into our bed at 7:30 and cuddled down in between Jim and I. She rolled over to face me and 'whispered'

"It's a perfect day mommy". 

What she meant was that the sun was up, she was awake and I needed to make the best of it. (she's good for me like that) Did I mention that my perfect day started at 7:30, the latest I have been allowed to wake up in about - well - 18 months.   :)

And it was a perfect day. 

Jim was home on his day off, grocery shopping so there were goodies in the house, getting our Christmas tree, decorating our Christmas tree, first flurries of the season, delicious dinner with in-laws and kids to bed without even a moment of fussing.
Claire was right, today was a perfect day and I feel so very blessed to have been able to share it with her.

Gallery

So one time I went to see a panopticon. It was in Pittsburgh at the museum of art. I viewed it twice actually. I really liked it. It was art, floor to ceiling of great art all collaged onto the walls of the gallery. Whoever came up with the idea was a genius. And since we celebrate genius in our house we are also going to have a bit of a gallery in our house; a panopticon of sorts. Right now we have emmassed two frames (which now DO hold some art from our "resident artists") I was going to take some pictures of them but Claire beat me to it so here is Claire introducing her great new frames:

(thanks GB, great find!)
additionally to all those garage salers our there that may read this. I am totally in the market for any frames that 'go' with these or are just ornate: sized 5x7 or larger (within reason larger). We will pay garage sale prices. Thanks for keeping your eyes out for us, we hope to fill the wall. The gallery will be open to the 'public' in January. Come on over.

Where is the Baby Jesus?

Yesterday we opened and set up the nativity. Here it is when I did it.
We read the first Christmas story. Claire was concerned that the cow was going to lick the baby Jesus. And also wondered where His cake was. "Since it is his birthday, right?"

Then the Nick tried his hand at making the Nativity come to life... Surprisingly it was an action story instead of a drama like I always assumed. Then the cow took out the baby Jesus (Claire was evidently on to something).

Then we played 'what's missing'. Where Claire or mommy takes something; in this case a person or animal from the nativity and the other person has to guess 'what's missing'.
Claire was really good at the making things disappear part:

So good in fact that now Baby Jesus is now missing. I hope he's under the couch and the cow did- not in fact- "lick his hairs off".
I encourage you to read through the story again and really imagine it. I am seeing it in a new light through these kids of mine and it's amazing how many things I never noticed or given much thought to. I hope to rediscover Christ this Christmas and I pray the same for all of you.

Jesus Shines

Jesus Shines night and day to show us the way.

"...And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was." Matthew 2:9b

Please continue to remember that Jesus goes before you, preparing the way and knows what there is to come. He will never take you down a road you couldn't handle.

Chicken

So recently I made a chicken. It was my first whole chicken. I was pretty excited and nervous about what we would find inside it. You know if they had taken out the guts or if I would have to do it. Thankfully it's parts were in a bag, which is now in my freezer since I'm not ready to tackle that new adventure but don't want to be wasteful.

Any suggestions about what to do with them would be appreciated as I have NO CLUE what you do with whatever parts are in this little bag...

Once we got over the inital fear of the bird (and it's innards) we really enjoyed it. Claire and I helped it do the chicken dance... yes our bird was shaking it's butt right before we stuffed it full of salt, pepper, and parsley.

Then we put that bird in the crockpot, covered it in salt, pepper, basil, parsley and butter. Yes Aunt Stasi- we did put butter in that bird's armpits because everyone who knows anything (ie anyone from our house) knows that butter belongs in your armpit.

Then we cooked that bird... for like 7 hours (2 on high and the rest on low). While it cooked we called some friends to help us eat the chicken.
They came and brought the pie. :)
We think we'll try doing a duck next! Any advice from those who have done that before?

Advent

This year I made my own Advent calendar. I made it out of a mini muffin tin and some magnetized scrapbook paper and stickers. I am quite fond of it. And the thing I am most fond of is the storage space it takes up, or lack of storage space; I can fit it into my pocket!

I can also use the tin for other things, baking muffins and cupcakes of course but also countdowns to vacations, birthdays and other holidays.
I even made some small magnets to put inside. Since the books I bought won't fit in the tiny cup, there will be a present magnet (sticker stuck to a business card magnet and cut out). A matching sticker will be on one gift wrapped book for the kids to open that day.
Can you tell I'm excited!?

I am hoping that doing advent this year will keep us focused on the true meaning of the holidays. Jesus' birth, God's sacrifice and our Hope.

Merry Christmas!