Home for the Holidays

The last couple of days have felt like weeks considering how jam-packed they've been. We've been very busy shopping and wrapping and cooking and cleaning and then just enjoying the time spent with family.

This year we spent the holiday at home with family from all over joining us to celebrate. Yiayia flew in last week, Mimi and Stu arrived the day before Christmas Eve and Baba and Nana stopped in for Christmas day.
This year Christmas was so much fun because the girls were really anticipating it. And each day brought new excitements. Athena kept saying "I looove Christmas...it's my best holiday!" and I think Zoe enjoyed the candy canes most of all.

John Patrick was just happy to be a part of it all this year.
This is how we spent the holiday...
On Christmas Eve morning, we woke up to a house full of family. Unca Stu is always game for some coloring over breakfast

and then easily falls into the rhythm of the house by becoming a napping place following said breakfast.

While Yiayia cooked, Chris worked and Mimi and I did some last minute shopping, Stu took the girls to the playground. Then we came home and got ready for the Christmas service at church.
Zoe looked scrumptious in her red dress and pretty necklace but wasn't having any of my attempts at a photo session. And so began my annual futile attempt to get a few nice pictures of us all together.

Unca Stu jumped in to lighten the mood.

This would be a great shot if it wasn't for Bugs.

We replaced the plastic carrot for a candy cane and added an Athena and Daddy.

This is almost nice, except that my smile shows the strain of trying to keep three little ones from either crying, wiggling or smacking each other.

But this in one of my all-time faves.

After the service, we noticed that Athena got a hand delivered letter from Santa, which Mimi read to her, thanking her for her letter and saying how proud he was of her this year.

Then someone put the baby in the sink.

This year we had two Christmas trees, the "Mommy tree" which has matching silver and glass ornaments...

and the family tree which includes the handmade fun stuff decorated entirely by the girls.

After church we came home and had a wonderful French Canadian traditional meal of Ragout and Tortierre. Following dinner, everyone received new pajamas and opened one gift. This game was Athena's gift to Zoe, when she opened it she said "It's just what a wanted!!"
Then it was time to make cookies and prepare the treats for Santa. The girls decided he would like some chocolate milk, chocolate chip cookies, carrots for the raindeer

and a note to Santa reminding him of their hearts desires: a drumset and a kitty.

We posed for pictures so that Santa would know who left the goodies.
In the morning, the girls were amazed that the cookies were half eaten and the carrots too! And Santa had left notes for them! Zoe's note said that although Santa was not able to fulfill her wish of a real kitty this year maybe he could next year until then here is an almost real kitty to love which was attached to a FurReal cat that meows, purrs, blinks and wags his tail. She named her MeowMeow and she loves her very much.Athena's note said "Dear Athena. Here is your drumset. Rock on. Santa."
I was totally against getting a drumset, and I'm still not that thrilled about the noise, but everyone else loves it.
Santa did leave some great baking aprons for all of us in our stockings.
Chris shows off his Christmas jammies as he prepared the requisite plate of pork.

A couple of hours later and we had total destruction in our living room.
and happy happy little girls.
Athena enjoyed her new artset quite a bit.
Later that day, Baba and Nana came by with their wee pup.
And lots of gear for my boys, preparing them for college basketball season. (Go Cats!)
Yiayia showed off some of her Christmas presents.

Baba made the mince meat pie.

and Chris prepared the turkey.

We had an impromptu jam session and then ate dinner on my new dining room table that expands to seat eight comfortably (thanks Daddy, Yiayia and PopPop) with my beautiful Christmas linens and festive candles. Many new traditions are being born this year.
By the end of the day, everyone was worn, happy and warmed by the love of family. This truly is the most wonderful time of year. It was a lovely Christmas!

Santa Sighting #1

Following some Christmas carols with Athena's four year old class.And Zoe's three year old class.
Santa Claus came to the girls play school. Athena was one of the first kids up there to talk to him. Here she is discussing what she wants for Christmas (you guessed it, a drumset!).

He said he would work on in but to have a little gift for now.
And she walked away with a new book.

Zoe was totally terrified and she hung back sitting on my lap watching all the action. Finally, after much prodding she agreed to go up to see Santa with her big sister.

Athena gladly took her to go wait in the short line.
Look at Athena's arm around Zoe guiding her sister towards Santa.

And her reassuring hand on her neck.
Zoe didn't say a word.

But happily accepted a gift.

Beautiful Soul

If the eyes are the windows to the soul...

Flaunting Some Cuteness

Story Contest

Try to guess what is going on here.
The winner gets a DVD of the event...Thanks for playing!
The girls participated in their Sunday school's First Christmas pageant as donkeys in the manger, they sang "Away in the Manger" with hand gestures and then we came home and had some birthday cake for Mimi.

Christmas Program

Our little star sang in her school's Christmas program this week. Her class came running down the aisle dressed in red robes singing some version of a traditional Christmas song like tiny gospel singers.

It was really cute, they were all waving their arms in red robes and shouting, not singing, the lyrics. When they got up on the stage, Athena looked around and around for us and when she found us she would not stop waving and elbowing her friends to point out her family of four beaming at her from the fifth row.She had a rapt audience in the form of her sister Zoe who insisted on standing on a chair (so she could see everything) and applauded her every moment.

John Patrick didn't really know what was going on but he sure was cute rocking the Christmas sweater vest.

Underneath that red robe, the kids were asked to dress in their "Christmas best" and Athena looked pretty in a red dress, sparkly sweater and jingle bells bow. So, she allowed some posed photos by the fireplace.

Zoe also wanted to be festive too. And she brought her camera to take pictures of the event.

But the real highlight of the night was the new heels Daddy bought Athena. She's growing so fast she doesn't fit into any of her fancy shoes anymore, so a new purchase was necessary. These were the only pair she wanted, she asks to wear them everyday. Zoe loves the "hee haws" too (aka "high heels") and the moment Athena took them off, Zoe asked to borrow them, ah little sisters!

A Bath of One's Own

Being the middle child, it's rare when you get the bath all to yourself. Usually there's a bossy older sister in there with you, stealing your toys and taking up the best possible space. Or worse, a gross little brother who likes to gnaw on your leg and who could very possibly spit up chunks of spinach in the bath water.

So when the opportunity presents itself...enjoy. Linger until your fingers turn pruney, lay on your back and float, pretend to be a mermaid, sing songs to yourself and refuse, simply refuse, to get out...no matter how cold the water may be.

"Mamma!!"

John Patrick said "Mamma!"

He's been playing with the sound for a couple of days now and there have been one or two unverified attempts - "unverified" meaning only I heard it. And in our house it doesn't count as an actual first word unless it is witnessed by more than one person. (Chris still contests Zoe's first word as the only other person in the room was YiaYia and he says her hearing is suspect which should disqualify her as a witness.)

Today when we went to pick up John Patrick from the church nursery he said "Mamma" clear as day when the volunteer placed him in my arms. I heard it, Chris heard it and I even checked with two of the ladies in the room who said they heard it too. So "Mamma" it is. John Patrick's first official word.

I'm going to put a big bow on him and stick him under the tree this year. He is the best gift!

Christmas Countdown

Christmas is coming!
The countdown has begun...
Are YOU ready?

Guess who wants a drum set for Christmas? And, yes, she did fashion her toys and stacks of books into a makeshift drum set, then tried to get her siblings on guitar and vocals so they could "rock."

(P.S. Guess who is NOT getting a drum set for Christmas...before you all get any ideas...)