Happy New Year...almost

This time of year makes for busy, busy but fun kind of busy.  Boy, we've had some great weather.  Kids have been able to enjoy some outside time, but right now they are pretty obsessed with learning how to play pool that , its not as important.  Really am seeing how neat it is to watch them concentrate, plan and especially Joey be calm to play a game. Its actually a really great thing to teach them, as far as accuracy and skill.  I can remember my dad playing with us.  He loved the game so much, so when I play, it sure gives me a warm feeling. 

So we've also been dancing around with this wii game the kids got.  As you can see below, Tony even likes it.  Let me tell you, the exercise involved in it.  I'm glad for it.  If i can just keep it up, of course for the kids...totally!  hahahaha! 

Dad has taken Katelyn out a few times driving, she's starting to get more confident.  I think we have made it through chicken pox, Rosie's are healing right now.  I am glad its done!  Pretty good, 9 out of 9.  A few of the kids had light cases so their is a chance they could get it again, but hoping it was enough. 

I've been doing some reading with my hooked on phonics with Mikey.  He's doing very well and he is very excited, which is 1/2 the battle.  So I'm thrilled. I told him I'd love to read a bit with him each day.  He wants to do more than one set each day, but I tell him no, we have to let our brains soak in what we learned that day, and then we can do more tomorrow.  But I'm glad he's excited. 

Anyway, took the kids to the mall today, mostly to just walk around.  A few of the kids had some money that godparents/sponsors had sent them for birthdays and christmas, but my frugal kids pinched their pennies. hehe.  I did have to rebuy shoes for Katelyn and Joe.  Those two are the hardest sizes and the hardest on their shoes!  But I did find a sale at Payless, so I was glad for that.  I think Katelyn's feet finally may have stopped growing at a whopping size 12  Womans.  Boy, I'm thankful, because that's the largest size Payless carries!  haha.  Joe has entered men's shoe sizes. 

Anyhow, planning our annual kids New Years, and invited the Brodman family over for the evening, so I'll have pic's coming up soon.  So tomorrow evening will be very nice for us.  Really looking forward to it and I know the kids are!  I found sparkling cranberry juice this year. hehe!

Tony Dancing

this is a wii game where you hold the remote and dance and Tony loves it. haha

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Christmas Morning--Crazy! at OneTrueMedia.com

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mikey's prayer/song at OneTrueMedia.com

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Kids Choir at OneTrueMedia.com

Highschool choir, Katelyn has only been in for 2 weeks, Joe for just a few days before. This is at a retirement home kids went caroling to, by the house.

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Bits of the Christmas Program at OneTrueMedia.com

Some of the Christmas Program

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Christmas Preparations

Well, went to make candy tonight and my themometer is broke, I hope we don't get a storm so I can run to the store in the morning. 

We had a relax day, did some cleanup, watched a movie and really kind of taking it however we feel like it. 

I have some last minute errands but that has to wait until Friday, and I have to think of a meatless dinner for  Christmas Eve.  Steve is leaning towards eggs.  That probably would be the easiest for clean up purposes, but I still want it to be nice.  I like spinich and eggs with feta cheese so maybe I'll make his egg and potato for a breakfast burrito and I'll have my spinach and eggs.  Maybe some sort of something to go with it.  I'll have to brainstorm on that. 

Well the kids are counting the days.  Tony's pox marks are almost gone.  So all is good in our household for the moment. hahahaha! 

Santa visit --check
Program--check
Schools out --check

We're getting closer....hehe!

Christmas Program

Kids had their program, it was much different than what we are used to but the singing was lovely.  The High school choir did all the singing while the little kids came on stage for a poem here and there. 

Christmas at our house

 So thinking of the very many traditions our family has for Christmas, it really makes this time very exciting.  So we start with the first day of Advent and each child picks out of a hat, a name of their advent angel, and htey sneek around doing thier chores and leaving them notes.  On Christmas Eve they will purchase them a gift at the dollar store to open after dinner. 

We begin the tradition of lighting the advent wreath at dinner, with the prayers and the song "O Come Emmanuel"  Tony sings along too!

I begin decorating ever so slowly.  The greenary comes out, like the green garland around the house, and the nativity scene.  I do put all the statues in, because it gives the children time to reflect what we are preparing for.  For the little ones we act out the story, moving the pieces all around and if little ones touch it, I don't mind, I want them to know baby Jesus.  The basket with hay comes out, empty and the kids know on Christmas morning baby Jesus will be there.  We hang ribbons and stockings, and decorate the outside of the house. 

On the 3rd Sunday of Advent out comes the tree.  We decorate it.  Katelyn is in charge of the angel and always has been.  The kids receive a yearly ornament from the tree and I tape a picture of them on the back so looking through the ornaments each year is such a joy.  We hang lights, bulbs, ornaments, silver garland and silver beads. 

Candy making begins.  Kix candy, fudge, peanut brittle, and cookies.  Outfits are organized, and their program is coming up. 

Usually Christmas Eve we have a nice nap and decent Meatless meal, and go drive to look at lights before midnight Mass.  Christmas day we get up and the kids find baby Jesus in the manger, and he is covered with a blankie Evelyn made a few years ago.  We usually have a nice breakfast, play and take a well deserved nap!  So just a few of the things we do. 

Dots and more dots

So I've not been avoiding my blog, but the kids have chicken pox.  This whole thing started about a week before Thanksgiving.  First Carolyn had them but we didn't know, she didn't know.  They were only on her back and she said her back was itchy, but we chalked it to winter skin dryness.  Well once they were scabbed over, one of her sisters was zipping up her dress and saw them, they thought they were pimples and they didn't tell us.  So then over Thankgiving, Evelyn and Madelyn broke out, but they were so sporatic, a few on their head, a few on their belly, a few on their back--you know I just thought, weird, maybe a rash.  They weren't sick to speak of, and well so there's another mark for clueless Mommy.  Well then Joe, and well by now I have figured it out.  (lightbulb moment)  Joe had them everywhere and was sick, very sick.  Jaclyn had a few days of very sick but no spots but did notice a few blisters on her lips.  So I'm up in the air on her.  Katelyn got a few on her face, most on her belly and she was sick.  Then Mikey had a few on his face and tummy but didn't get sick and Tony has them everywhere.  He is fussy fussy boy.  Just now got him to sleep.  Poor baby, so that leaves the only one yet is Rosie, no sign....guess its a wait and see type of thing! 

Mikey can read!

Mikey was reading words today and didn't even realize he was doing it, he sounded out bat and I said, "You're reading?"  he says, "No I can't read"  I told him, yes you can you just did it.  haha.  So then I wrote some words out and walked him through it.  He read cat, hat, can, bat, dog, mom and dad!  Woo Hoo.  He then says before dinner, "Can we read some more tomorrow?"  So excited for my little man.  hehe

December Outings

We took a day to go to Bass Pro Shops and a quick stop in to see Santa

St. Nichoas

Children around the world know and love St. Nicholas—for he brings gifts and treats in December. He is known by different names—and even looks different from place to place. But, it is the same St. Nicholas who delights with small surprises and good things to eat. Nicholas gave in secret, alert to others' needs, and expecting nothing for himself in return. It is this selfless generosity which seeks only the good of the other that made Nicholas' gifts the gifts of a saint.

In the West the saint's image changed between the eleventh and twelfth centuries from a rather severe figure to the compassionate children's friend. There his main virtue came to be seen as generosity to children—rooted in the stories of rescuing the desperate maidens with gold for their dowries and of saving three children or schoolboys from an evil fate. Nuns in France began leaving treats on St. Nicholas Eve, December 5th, for the small children of poor families. St. Nicholas' gifts were usually good things to eat: apples, oranges, nuts, and eventually cookies and sweets. The custom quickly spread across Europe and St. Nicholas Feast Day, December 6th, was celebrated by both rich and poor. St. Nicholas' example still inspires acts of charity and generosity.




Today is the feast of St. Nicholas.  The kids put out thier shoes and they got a few little gifts in honor of the good works St. Nicholas did during his life.  The children got gold coins (chocolate of course) to symbolize the gold coins St. Nicholas gave for the dowry for one of the stories of him helping a poor families daughters to marry.  They got an orange to symbolize the gifts he would give to the children often oranges and fruits.  And they also got a few little things like gloves, crayons and coloring books, of course for the older girls threw in some make up....haha.  No symbol in that, but thought the girls would like it.  hehe.  On Sunday at church we had a visit of St. Nicholas for the children.

Evelyn's project

So Evelyn did a project on the circus maximus, which I found out was different from the collesium, so we needed to make it long, rectangular with rounded ends.  My friend Mary printed the audience for us, and her daughter did a lot of the art work and popcicle sticks for the piers.  And her other friend Eryn did the statues and they did a few horses.  All three girls worked great on it and they got a A+.  Good job Evelyn, Eyrn and Philomena!  Next time I'll remember to take a pic before you go home. 

And she is.....POTTY TRAINED!

, for Rosie.  She is potty trained.  She was quite the challenge.  She had been going pee in the toilet consistent for the last 7 months but I could not get her to go poo.  Once we got her going pee all day, I put her in underwear and that turned out to be a nightmare.  She did not get going poo.  We tried everything, and nothing worked and the mess was yuck-o.  So I back tracked, put her back in diapers full time and started over, focusing on poo not pee.  Still took her for pee but really focused on poo, figured I could get pee back since she did that well.  And it worked.  Its been one week no diapers even at night.  She is telling us now.  She says the whole sentence, I gotta go to the toilet!"  yeah, for Rosie.  Yeah, for Mommy!  Yeah for my diaper bill!  Yeah!  Yeah!  Yeah! 

oh, no, snow!

First snow of the season, and well I ran to Walmart, a bit slippery on the way, so I had to be careful but then we left, and it was horrible.  I could not keep the van straight, I was literally sideways.  I could get no traction at all from the back tires.  A cop helped me get squared away finally, but it was a tough ride home.  I was glad to get all snug in my house.  The back tires were just not snow ready!  I'm glad I have experience driving on snow, icy roads, it sure paid off on what to do today! 

Steve and the kids shoveled it took almost 2 hours!  haha.  And now we see we need some boots for a few of the kids, wet feet came in, but hot chocolate was waiting.