I can't believe we actually made it to one of these. We're usually sick around this time of year, but I guess we got it over with early (I'm not saying we won't get sick for Christmas). It was so nice. We haven't had one of those school days in a long time - Mass, a homeschool activity, then go out to eat. We used to do those all the time!
The kids dressed up as St. Michael, the Archangel / St. Francis / St. Cecelia, patron saint of musicians / St. Philomena. The girls noticed that during the Eucharistic prayer on Sunday, St. Philomena and St. Cecilia were mentioned for intercession. They thought that was really cool. I sure do like living out our faith in such a hands-on way with a God who is so interactive with all of us.
This week I'm trying to get my house clean this week while I don't neglect the kids' school... I'm not overly optimistic, but figure the effort is better than none.
The week before Dave took all the kids and a friend trick-or-treating. I was supposed to, but wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home to pass out candy (which is what I like about Halloween anyway). The kids were a pumpkin, St. Francis, a basket of laundry & a german girl. Our friend had just woken up out of bed.
Well, it doesn't look like I'll get a digital camera for Christmas. While we were shopping this weekend, I saw a George Forman that was a huge rectangle. It looked like I could actually make an entire dinner for us on it! It was $50 and mine is on it's last leg (my dad gave it to me several years ago and it has been USED alot since Dave says that "you can't fool me, I know grilling is cooking" and he's not about to do any of
that, so I use my George Forman ALOT.) I also accepted this as a Christmas gift, because I ordered pretty expensive tupperware and Mary Kay this month and didn't exactly tell my husband, yet. We'll find out how much he checks my blog now that he's started his own
Insurance Insider.
We had a perfect homeschool picture (in our heads, no digital camera) this Saturday night. Dave lit a fire, the kids were all in their new sleepers playing checkers on a rug checker set that my dad got them years ago in front of the fire -- while one of the kids practiced Christmas hymns for the upcomming homeschool Christmas pageant and the other one played with the hamsters...that room happened to be recently cleaned... it was just soooo sweet! Then Dave roasted marshmellows over the fire for the kids (even though he won't eat them - he doesn't like the taste!) What a wonderful dad! I pray to God that our children choose wisely and God grants them a wonderful marriage. It makes such a difference in good times and in bad.
A friend and I have been putting forth a great effort to get together since I was pregnant. Last week we finally got together. She'd been saving a surprise that she'd bought and saved for all the kids -- 2 gingerbread kits. We poured a cup of tea and went into the other room and let the kids have at it. They had fun and then the houses fell down.
This year we asked for family gifts. One gift for the whole family. Everyone did a wonderful job getting us what we asked for and instead of coming home with a truckful of stuff the kids may not use (and we don't have a place for), they all got wonderful gifts (that fit in our home) and they'll spend hours on. They got a tether ball set for the back yard, an air hockey table (we put it in the schoolroom -- I'm thinking that's a mistake, but the kids are excited!), a karaoke machine, a mini-trampolene (for one person at a time), an indoor horseshoe game (made of foam- YES!), a putting green (with a LOUD automatic ball spitter-outer-thingy)...and many more cool things. As usual the kids were thrilled...this year, I was particularly happy, too - especially when it came to finding a home for all the gifts!
Ds#3 asked for a toaster for Christmas -- and got one. We haven't had a toaster for over a year, now. With 6 people each wanting at least 2 pieces of toast per meal, a 2 or 4 slice toaster just wasn't cutting it. I can do 8 pieces in my George Forman (which I LOVE), so we didn't replace the toaster when it died (which overworked appliances in a big family do). Ds#3 isn't allowed to use the George Forman by himself, so he missed making toast. His grandma granted this particular wish and he's been making his own toast since... 
Christmas Morning...I just couldn't resist putting a picture of Dd#1 in her rag curlers. You know they're growing up when they're willing to wear curlers Christmas Eve. 
Christmas pants - I think everything for the kids (socks, toothpaste, razors, pencils) bought in the month of December should be wrapped and put under the tree. Dave thinks otherwise and the day before Christmas bought the boys red and green sleeper pants. They were so excited! Oh, well, they'll look cute opening their gifts...
Ever since Dd#2 got a digital camera/camcorder for her birthday last month, she's an expert on digital cameras. Here she is trying to show her great aunt how to use one. Our aunt really did need the help. She said she "hated to have a 10 year old have to teach ME how to delete pictures off my camera." Dd#2 was pretty proud of herself.
After our little Christmas Tree incident last year, we had to go Christmas Tree shopping. I told Dave that if he wanted a real tree (something I've never wanted) this would be the year to get it. Next year when I have a toddler crawling around, I'm not going to want to worry about pine needles dropping on the floor. He said he wasn't dying to have a real one this year, so we went to Hobby Lobby. They had 50% off all their trees.
I've always wanted a silver and blue Christmas tree, but Dave hasn't thought that seemed much like Christmas. This year, he let me have just what I wanted. So I bought silver and blue metalic wrap to go around the tree. I've been thrilled with our Christmas tree this year. We decorated it with blue glass balls we've had since our first year of marriage (that year I put blue balls & white from our wedding bouquet on the tree -- that was lovely, also) and a package of white and blue candy canes from the dollar store. We leave our tree up until Epiphany, January 6th, so I have a while to enjoy the tree, yet.
Did you know that if you are a healthy person who doesn't need the doctor often (I went 4 1/2 years ago?) that they drop you as a patient after 3 years? (I thought doctors strove for healthy people!) I'm all better, now, however. 
