Finally Nabbed those Hunting Photos

My house is feeling cleaner . . . it's been piled up all over the place with projects not completed. But, with a few days spent mostly at home, we're catching up! One project on the to-do list: get the pics (since October? off of Buck's phone). Here are the hunting and target practice pics as promised :)

Christmas Concert and Cookies

Let me just tell you how excited the boys were to discover that, although they missed the main Christmas performance over hunting weekend, they were being invited on stage at church THIS Sunday morning to sing and snap before the crowd :) We were still chatting with Glory and the K's (first time we've seen them since their arrival home, because they arrived home with terrible respiratory illnesses) after the service ended and the next one was set to begin--I saw the kids lining up for a repeat performance and asked our boys if they would like to stay and sing again. "No?!" they said in the tone of, "Don't you know us at all? Are you crazy?" Ha! So funny :) They have no fear of the stage, but if they don't have to be up there . . . :) To help you spot them--B is in the beige/brown striped sweater yawning, and G is in the blue plaid behind the stand with the wooden boards on it (also yawning). They may have just been sleepy, but the pictures make it look like they were busting out those lyrics! ;)


Later, after finding a Barbie movie (we've mysteriously never seen) on TV, the kids convinced me it was time to start Christmas cookie baking . . . we started ;) There will be more today when B and G$ return from last minute shopping. Whew! There are so many gifts to select and wrap this time of year! I spent 5 hours on this project last night with my traditional It's a Wonderful Life viewing whilst wrapping. Last year I think, Buck just bought me the movie on DVD because it was getting too complicated to figure out what night it was on TV and then planning my wrapping around that schedule. Last night, for the first time in YEARS, he arrived home early enough from work to not only help a bit with the wrapping, but to see Clarence get his wings. I tell you what, we were both a mess :) He's not much of a crier, but that movie gets the tears rolling!



Once again the pictures have appeared in reverse order . . . so start with the smashing candy canes and work your way up. I've never attempted striped-shortbread before, but the girls did this start to finish on their own (with a few inputs from me when they had questions). Super cute little cookies!

Karate Christmas Party, Trains, and a Dog in Bethlehem

Amidst our running hither and yon, we stopped at our karate club's annual Christmas party (this is our first year, we skipped last year I guess :) We were a bit late due to the crazy traffic everywhere else, but we got our packages mailed (yes!!!) and we got that sibling/dad shopping 98% complete. Upon arrival, we were handed small plates to partake in the snacks . . . I found G$'s wreath of sweets with a carrot center quite amusing :)



He played a game or two, but as the party transitioned to pics with Santa (and no, he was not dressed as a ninja nor holding a ninja sword as the boys had  hoped :) we decided to see if Gab could find one more gift to complete her list. It just so happens, that nearby the local model train society (club?) invites visitors to enjoy viewing their hobby for free!



Our boys were stoked! About halfway through, G says, "You do not know how much I am enjoying this. This is AWESOME!"


We also paused for a pic with the *back* of the Santaland set--we're a little old for the big guy, but frosty pics are still fun at any age! :)

And, though I do not have pictures, the finale of our evening was a drive through Bethlehem . . . a special event put on every so many years by our church. We planned to arrive early and avoid the hour plus we waited the first year we tried, and cut our wait time in half. It was fun for the kids to recognize friends in other vehicles, as actors in the shops lining the parking lot, and even a favorite Sunday School teacher handing out candy canes from car to car :) 

We did declare Chauncey, who came with us, as part of the census, but they said he didn't count--he didn't get a candy cane either, but I still think he was happy to ride along! The live sheep made me a little nervous, but he didn't even notice ;)

Christmas is Coming

And so the days are filled with gift gathering, personalizing, and wrapping . . . never again do I want to go to Target or the craft store two Saturdays before Christmas--but I did this because my husband's belated created wishlist would not ship until January, so similar items must be sought nearby (and with coupons expiring . . .).

I'm not has handy as my sis in her sign making, but I can cut out rub-on letters and make names with the best of them! The kids will be thrilled about these karate belt holders for Christmas (no we didn't build them, but I was amazed at how easily we could have once they arrived!) The hardest part was trying to remember where I stashed all their belts, lol! I really had to search (they were in three different spots :)

Another of my favorite things to do--shop for our little mountain-state nieces! Yes, it's a lot of pink--but that was the primary color-scheme available ;) I can't wait to see pics of them in their pretty little duds!

Today was also an opportunity for the kids to wrap up their gift shopping for each other and their sister's upcoming birthday. I really do enjoy seeing them thoughtfully give each other gifts, looking forward to the delight with which they will be opened--I sincerely hope that giving to others will bring them joy throughout their lives and that they never develop stingy hearts or tight purse strings. No signs of that so far :) Just look at these happy wrappers!

The Blessing of Food

My neighbor doesn't have this blog address, however, I will give her a shout out anyway! What a blessing to come home (she has the door code) to a homemade meal--ready to pop in the oven--that I didn't have to prepare! I cannot even remember all the places we went on that day, but at least 5 over the border come instantly to mind . . . and then karate that night! Sometimes, food is a ministry, and that is an amazing gift that God gave us!

Heads or Tails?

Hey, it's my blog--I'll post what I want! :) Our poor dog has a baboon butt . . . like those monkeys at the zoo that you just feel embarrassed for when you see them . . . His stitches will be in for another 11 days, and his pain meds are from here on "as needed." Not sure how he's going to speak up when his bum hurts, but the receptionist assured me, "Oh . . . you'll know." I'll post the other end too, it's his better side anyway :)