Christmas Eve 2007

From our family to yours: A very Merry Christmas with all the joys and blessings of the Incarnation!
Luke 2:10
But the angel said to them, " Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;




Psalm 98:6
With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.



Luke 2:15
When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

What Henry does when your back is turned

I have a bone to pick...

with the tooth fairy.

She keeps forgetting to put money under Gus's pillow after he lost one of his front teeth. I mean really, she needs to get her act together because I'm the one who has to cover for her. How many more times can I tell the poor child that December is a busy month for tooth fairy? He could care less that she has other obligations ( rumor has it that she keeps running out of spare change ), he just wants to make sure she does not forget him amidst all the hustle and bustle of the season.

Doesn't she know that he lost this particular tooth in a nasty exchange with a tether ball? It came out much sooner than expected. Maybe that's why she is so late.

If anyone knows her number, please have her call me because I have a few choice words.

Humpf.

"Fort"tuitous

The guys on the fort.




Girls not allowed!




The view from the fort.


My extra talented husband recently finished a project that our boys have been waiting patiently for: A fort. What inspired this major project? Well,
THIS BOOK of course. (Every family with boys should have at least one copy on their shelves.) My husband started this project a few months ago and worked on it faithfully and steadily when he found time in his very busy schedule. He would often enlist the help of a child so that they could be part of the building process. In addition, he could spend quality time with his kids while at the same time teaching practical skills such as: measuring, calculation, design, estimation, wood-working, drilling, hammering. Not only did my husband complete a wonderful imaginative play-structure for our highly energetic boys, but taught them the valuable lesson of working with your hands to create something of beauty.

What features does it have? Oh, only the best for my boys: at 300 square feet, this fort boasts a trap door, tiki torches, a ballista, a rope ladder (coming soon), tarp roof (also coming) and a view from about 8 feel above the ground.(perfect to spy on unsuspecting neighbors!) Chris jokingly says we should put a flat screen T.V. out there for the real men. What man would argue with that?

What a gift of lasting value for my boys. I imagine many future hours of boy play in the fort where my family will create lasting memories of childhood. (and my husband mentions that it's a great place for him to go when he's in trouble with me!!) What a labor of love from their dad. Thanks, Chris.

Freakiness

Gus: Mom, it's really freaky.

Me: What's freaky Gus.

Gus: What freaks me out is that it's Jesus's birthday, but we get the presents.

My heart.

Today is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor...a bleak and terrible event. But 50 years after that historic day, Chris and I stood at the altar of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in New Braunfels, Texas and made a vow to God and each other that we would love each other through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health until death parts us. What a beautiful day that was, and what a wonderful life we have had for the last 16 years. Chris, you have been my heart throughout all my days. You know when to make me laugh, how to make me cry, when to just listen and when to talk. Our children adore you and the precious time you carve out for each one. My life without you would have been sad and lonely...God knew that. I know how strong God's love is for each of us because of the love he put in my heart for you.

Happy Anniversary to my heart.

Bathroom Bandit

.... the culprit got away.

Hug, Hug. Kiss Kiss

I have my Apple back! I'll be posting pictures from the last few weeks very soon...as soon as I upload them.

My world is now complete.

Oh, the joy! Oh, happiness! My world is NOW complete! My town now has
one of these! I will never have a reason to leave again! Nick, Henry and I went to the grand opening this morning and discovered this fantastic cookie! Why would you ever eat an Oreo when you can have a Joe Joe? These cookies make that the trip to the gym worth it!

Brain Dead

I've been at a loss this past week without my computer. My well-loved Apple iBook computer power cord connector got stuck inside my computer and caused me to have to visit the Genius Bar at the Apple Store on Tuesday. The technicians there told me it would take at least 4-5 days to fix in store. So. OK. Living without my computer feels uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as having to use my old Dell dinosaur while having to pay $150 to have it fixed. The worst part is that I have my entire family calendar on my computer, color coded for each child's activities, work projects, home responsibilities and church holidays. It holds my entire "brain" so since I don't have my computer, you will essentially find me walking around "brain dead" wondering if I left a kid somewhere forgotten, or if I missed an important deadline.

So, dear readers, if I've forgotten to show up at a particular event this week, you'll know why. Oh, and if any of you know where I should be tonight, could you call and remind me? In the meantime, I'll just enjoy the free time!