Harmony Park

On Saturday, the kids and I dropped Frank off for play practice and went to Harmony Park.

I got plenty of exercise going back and forth between the kids pushing them on the swings. It was chilly so we didn't stay long, but we had fun.

Marie-Anne

Every year Ethel M Chocolate Factory decorates their cactus garden in thousands of Christmas lights. Last night we took the kids.

They got to pose with the Green M&M.

Then we did the tour and got our free piece of yummy chocolate.

We also walked the trails and admired the lights.

Before we left we passed out a lot of flyers inviting people to our Christmas Play. The kids had a great time passing out lots of flyers. Most people even thanked them, but one lady was rude to Sabrina. She had the poor kid in tears! I didn't overhear what was said, but Sabrina said the lady told her she didn't want the flyer and to go away. It took a while to calm her down and get her to pass out a few more flyers because I didn't want that to be her last one.

Marie-Anne

Look before you throw

Last night Alex had Mr. Cow in his loft bed. He got tired of having the cat up there and threw him to the floor, or that was his plan. However, he didn't look where he was dropping the cat. Sabrina was directly below and the surprised cat landed on the surprised girl's face. His claws barely missed her eye. Then chaos erupted. Sabrina started screaming then met me halfway with a bloody face. The cat streaked past me to the refuge under my bed. Alex was right behind her saying, "I'm sorry," over and over. While I doctored Sabrina, Frank took Alex aside to find out what happened.

She has several smaller scratches that didn't show up in the picture and this morning I noticed a cut on her shoulder that was completely overlooked.

Marie-Anne

Chuck E Cheese- Just Papa and kids

Dancing with Chuck E is always fun.

I think their favorite part was jumping the wall to come home. They walked to Chuck E Cheese and since we live right behind it why walk the long way? Papa hoisted the kids onto the wall and Mommie helped lower them into our back yard. Then Papa jumped the wall too. It was a great adventure.

Marie-Anne

Expensive cereal

This is why Frank usually doesn't do the grocery shopping! Thankfully he got another kind.
(Frank went after Covetous Friday and this was a leftover tag.)

Marie-Anne

Christmas Play- A Christmas Carol

Frank is in this year's Christmas play. It is A Christmas Carol with a Christian twist to it.  He is Ebenezer Scrooge. Yes, my husband makes Scrooge look good.

Sunday night was the first showing of the play, seven people responded to the altar call. The play will be this Saturday and next Saturday as well.

Marie-Anne

Christmas Decor

We had fun putting up the Christmas Tree.

 

The Legend of the Paper Angel:

Once upon a time ago, a long, long time ago, when Alex was just a little tyke his family didn't have a tree topper. So his crafty father made one. Many years passed and the paper angel became part of the family's traditions, so much so that when a star was placed on the tree there was a protest. Thus the paper angel continues to be part of our family tradition.

I still wonder why kids decorate in bunches and leave a whole side of the tree undecorated. It's one of life's great mysteries, I guess.

The kids enjoy counting down the days until Christmas.

As I said in another post, we are trying to keep Christ the focus of our Christmas. Some of the ways we do that are our:

Little People Nativity set that is only out for December,

our growing collection of Christian Christmas books,

Nativity decorations- I want more...

our felt nativity, watching Christian Christmas movies, and of course reading the Biblical account of Christ's birth.

Marie-Anne

Game Night

I picked up the Old McDonald Pop 'N Match game on clearance at Big Lots. I'm glad I did Sabrina loves this game- I've lost count of how many times I've played it with her.

The Old McDonald Pop 'N Match game is a very simple matching game. A dice is in a pop container, like Trouble, the dice has pictures of each animal and a -1. If you get -1 you have to put one animal back. The object of the game is to be the first to complete your game card. As I said, simple, but fun.

Marie-Anne

Advent of Service

I am actively searching for ways to keep Christ as the central focus of our family's Christmas. One idea that I really liked, (and wish I'd heard of sooner) was an Advent of Service. We don't celebrate Advent, but I really like the idea of doing a service a day for the month of December as a way of giving to Jesus.

So far we bought toys from Dollar Tree for their toy drive, invited our neighbors to the Christmas Play, gave to the Salvation Army, gave a Christmas book to each student in my class, baked cookies for the people at the play, gave food to a charity Frank's work participates in...

Some things we plan on are;  praying for our neighbors, giving toys to a needy family we know, buying stocking stuffers for the kids at church, giving candy with a Gospel message to the kids from our old neighborhood...

I only heard of this idea about a week ago. It has been hit and miss for us because I don't have it all planned and haven't budgeted for these things. I am still gathering ideas. I want this to be something we can all participate in and not just giving money, giving our time as well.

I'd love to hear your ideas. What other ways do you keep Christ in Christmas?

Marie-Anne

Outreach fun

The kids and I joined Frank on an outreach. After we knocked on doors to invite people to church, we took a break at the apartment's play ground.

Marie-Anne

First night in our new home

Marie-Anne

Mini Grand Prix

We used the b-day money the kids got from Aunt Vivian and Uncle Robin to take them to the Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix. The kids were thrilled!!!

They had so much fun- I lost count of the number of times we rode the roller coaster, went down the giant slide, rode the planes, or drove the go karts. Thank you, Aunt Vivian and Uncle Robin!

Marie-Anne

Alex's 9th B-day

Wow- my boy is growing so fast. It's hard to believe he's almost double digits. Alex is a delightful boy who keeps us on our toes. He is sweet and generous super smart and 100% boy. We are so blessed to be his parents.

He didn't get as many gifts this year, although some cost more. He was perfectly okay with that.

I got both of these big sets on clearance for 50% off- SCORE!

Do you think Alex was happy with his gifts?

Marie-Anne

We bought a house!

Everyone got to help with the painting before we moved in. All walls were the same before we did some painting.

Sabrina was helping to paint one wall in the living room. Don't EVER walk out of the room while a five year old is painting a wall, not even to just grab something. YES, of course, she decided to help paint a wall we weren't going to paint. Thankfully the curtain covers that spot.

The kids got to choose the color of their rooms for the first time ever. They were super excited. Alex even got to help paint his blue room.

Sabrina's pink room really is that bright. Her room makes the hall glow and it hurts your eyes at night with the overhead light on. Later we may add wainscoting. She loves it.

I love how my laundry closet turned out. It is a softer sage than it looks in the picture.

Marie-Anne

Wayne and Audrey's Visit- Goodbye at the airport

We had a great visit. A few tears were shed and my kids immediately wanted to make plans to fly to Florida.

Marie-Anne

Wayne and Audrey's Visit- Kids' b-day Party

For the past three years we have had a joint party for the kids that is also a fundraiser for Operation Christmas Child. Like last year only one guest showed up, (besides their grandpa and cousin), but the kids were too excited to notice.

We had a super hero theme this year.

The highlight was destroying the piñata.

The kids had a great time. We did get some stuff for Operation Christmas Child, but we missed the drop off deadline because of our move- we'll save the stuff for next year.

I'm not sure what to think about people who skipped the party after saying they would come. That hurts, but the kids didn't notice and we had cake for days.

Marie-Anne

Wayne and Audrey's Visit- Pump It Up

During Wayne and Audrey's visit we went to Pump It Up. Of course we all had a good time.

 And of course I took a bunch of blurry pictures.

Marie-Anne

Playing catch up

I haven't blogged in about a month. We had so much going on that the blog was a low priority.

Marie-Anne