"We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19

Sunday, December 31, 2023

December

 A few other December activities....

Samuel started a new sport - wrestling!!!  Shawn was a high school wrestler and has wanted the boys to get into it for years - he finally talked me into it - and now Shawn is helping coach too!  So far Shawn and Sam are both loving it - I'm not sure yet how I feel about it - he came home from the first meet with a bloody fat lip!
Henry earned his next rank in scouting - Second Class

Sam got top chess player in his grade for the semester.
Grace, Samuel and I volunteered at a Christmas Tree Lot benefitting Calvary Children's home.

Grace sang in the choir at the school nativity play.

Fun times at school Christmas parties
New Christmas jammies!!
This guy got his driving permit over Christmas break!!!!!
The annual gingerbread decorating 

I didn't get pictures of Sam and Henry's before they starting eating off of them!!

The annual cookie baking day -we made 7 types plus pizelles this year


A full day's work
Playing games by the fireside
Our Christmas gift to the kids this year was a day at Lake Lanier Snow Days and lights.  We had so much fun snow tubing, ice skating, throwing snowballs, and seeing the lights at night.













For New Year's Eve we had the Trovato family over.  They brought with them their new year's tradition of making homemade sushi.  It was quite the production  but all very fun,  and absolutely delicious.  We spent the whole night hanging out eating, drinking and visiting until well after midnight!


Lilly made tuna tartare - mmm!



Monday, December 25, 2023

Merry Christmas

We spent this Christmas in our own home and at own parish and it was lovely!  We went to midnight mass and we all agreed it was so beautiful that we want to try to make that the new tradition, now that the kids are old enough to make it through.  Grace and Henry even alter served!  Shawn served in the Knights honor guard as well.  Prior to mass we enjoyed our usual Christmas Eve feast of cheese soup, ham, biscuits, and Christmas cookies.  On Christmas morning, Sam honored our wish not to come down before 7am :-) and then all bets were off and we spent the morning opening gifts.  We then enjoyed cranberry coffee cake and even some homemade cinnamon rolls from the Trovatos.  It was a lazy wonderful rest of the day in our PJ's and we ended it with standing rib roast dinner.  Merry Christmas indeed!!  May we always cherish the beautiful gift of time together as a family at Christmas and recognize the very greatest gift of all - God's son sent down to us as a baby - meek and humble - just as we should be - Thank you God!!!
Grace set the beautiful table for us this year

midnight mass

Grace made us all personalized mugs with the Cricut.
Plenty of new BT gear, since we have a high schooler in the house..
And Chiefs gear for these guys
Awesome gifts from Grandma
Lots of great books from Mindy and Andy's families

Dragon Masters book series
Massager he asked for

Nintendo Switch!!
Nike Blazers she asked for



Beautiful drawings by Nicholas
Handmade rack for Grace to hang her sports medals - make by Henry and Sam (with Dad's help)
Very thoughtful handmade gifts by Sam for his brothers
Love our gift from Samuel!
Great shirt from Aunt Kelly and Uncle Todd! Perfect for his new lawn business.
Warning sign from Santa!!!