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Thursday, December 27, 2012

He's 2!!

Just before Christmas, my baby boy turned 2 years old!  I can't believe it!  


Birth

1 year


2 years ("Chandler Smile")


2 years (real smile)


This past year has been full of ups and downs with him, but he is back on track developmentally and thriving!!  He was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy and is on a dairy-free diet, which can be frustrating, but the changes that we have seen in him make the effort worth it!

Bub doesn't like having a lot of attention placed on him.  Last year, he seemed to melt down before our eyes during gift opening time.  So we have small family affairs.  Even though his parties are small, I still want to decorate and have the party atmosphere for him to separate his birthday from Christmas.  His birthday is only 3 days before Christmas, so doing as my parents did and not decorating for the Holiday until after his birthday is not as feasible... so this is how I am giving him his day for now.  

I gave him six options for a birthday party theme and let him pick which one he wanted.  He chose Mickey Mouse!  I was so excited for this theme as I figured I could DIY most of it!

For the banner, I hung a yellow table cloth and hot glued a felt Mickey silhouette to it.  I used two different sized oatmeal containers to trace circles onto black felt and free-hand drew a "2" onto red felt.  Super easy.  Super simple.  




We wanted to keep as much as possible dairy-free when it came to the food options.  I wanted him to pretty much be able to eat anything that was offered.  It IS his party, after all!  :)  Going with the Mickey Mouse theme, we served hot dogs & mini corn dogs to allude to the "Hot Dog" song on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  To expand on that, we also had a chili bar.  There was cheese and sour cream on this bar, but that was all the dairy at the party.  :)  For dessert, we had marshmallow pops dipped in dairy-free chocolate that I found at Trader Joes (semi-sweet chocolate chips) and had my mom ship to me.  (Thanks Mom!!!)  I should note that if you are highly allergic to dairy, these "MAY CONTAIN DAIRY" because they are packaged in a plant that packages milk chocolate chips.  Bub is able to handle things that are produced in facilities that handle dairy, so this was not a concern for us.  




I also made mini-cupcakes using almond milk and vegan butter with cake mix.  To darken the frosting, I used Wilton black icing dye in classic chocolate frosting.  For ears, Mini Oreos.  




I kept to the yellow, red, and black scheme for the table and added balloons because Bub LOVES them.  And to make it easy, I hung licensed Mickey hanging decor found at Party City from the lamp over the dining table.  




Everything was super easy.  Frosting the cupcakes probably took the most time!  FYI, one box of cake mix makes a bit more than 50 mini cupcakes... I stopped at 50 and threw away the rest of the batter.  :)  There were WAY more than enough for 10 of us.  :)

Bub approved!!  He did much better this year than last!  He was still slightly overwhelmed with 9 sets of eyes being on him, but he didn't hide this year!  Progress!!!  Maybe next year he can have friends over!  

Happy birthday, Bub!!


Until next time!

~Monica

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!


The day has arrived. The day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and spend time loving on family. We started the festivities with the traditional Christmas Eve pajamas. Missy wanted to make sure the monkey face was showing for the camera and Bub (fighting a fever) had no clue what she was up to, but it made for a great picture showcasing their very different personalities!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a great time with family and friends and I hope you are able to reflect and celebrate the reason for the season.


Until next time!

~Monica

Friday, December 21, 2012

'Twas a Week Before Christmas....

... And all through house, not a creature was stirring ... Except for a crab.

Flounder the Third did it again! This feisty little thing loves to give me a scare and remind me how attached to these little guys I've become. Seriously, I never, in a million years, thought I'd become so attached to hermit crabs! But I am.

Sebastian came to live with us last February and he is so easy!   Clean, docile, friendly.  Then we got Flounder to keep Sebastian company.  The first Flounder.  He had something icky from the pet store and only lasted a few days.  Flounder 2 also had something wrong with him and didn't even last 48 hours!  Luckily, the petstore has a return policy on live animals that don't last more than 2 weeks.  Third time's a charm, right?  

Flounder the Third has been with us for awhile now.  He is feisty!  He is messy.  He is sneaky.  And he gets himself into trouble!  I have found him hanging from the lid of the crabitat... unable to get himself down.   A few months ago, I came out to find his shell stuck to the sticky side of Velcro holding the climbing wall on the top of the crabitat and he was not in it!!  I frantically tore the lid off the tank and started looking for him.  I found him huddled up against Sebastian for warmth.  The poor guy!  Naked hermit crabs look weird, by the way!  I ran to my computer and looked up a solution.   Apparently, I had 6 hours to get him to go back into a shell.  His life was at stake!! 

 I boiled the shells, set up an isolation chamber, gingerly picked him up and put him inside all while successfully convincing him NOT to pinch me.  This was the first time I had held him without him being able to hide in his shell.  He normally flashes an open claw telling us to put him down.  A few hours later he was back in a shell.  The little stinker tried on every shell before deciding his old shell was the way to go.

Now fast forward to a few days ago.  I looked in on the crabs and screamed... in my head, of course... don't want to terrify the kids!   They have had enough death in recent months.  I texted the hubs: FLOUNDER IS DEAD!!!  Outside of their coconut hut was an empty shell.  Across the crabitat was Flounder. Upside down.  White.  Slightly shriveled.  My heart was racing and I was filled with dread and confusion.  Why was I reacting this way for a crab?!?!  The crazy little guy had hopped out of his shell, bathed in his bathtub and his drinking water (as per his usual routine) and had eaten food before ... I don't know... deciding to take a nap?!  I have no idea what he was thinking!  I told the Hubs that he would have to take him out because I couldn't look at him.  I couldn't bear to reach in and pick him up and dispose of him.

About an hour later, I decided that I needed to check on Sebastian to see how he was doing.  Then I saw the slightest movement from Flounder!!  WHAT?!  I quickly grabbed the mister and sprayed him.  Yup!!  He definitely moved!!  At that wonderful moment, the Hubs' key entered the lock.  I shouted for him to come over so that he could help me rescue the crab!

I went into action.  Again, I was boiling shells and setting up an isolation chamber, while Hubs gingerly grabbed the guy with his man hands.  :)

Before closing him up in the chamber, I sprayed him down and he seemed to like it and began moving more and more.   WAY more than 6 hours later, he was in a shell and more active!!

He made it!!  He survived the day!!  And as a thank you, he sat in my hand and came out to say "hi." :) So I got this "glamour shot"... His first picture in my hand!




I felt bad for Sebastian so I took a picture of him too! :) He is always happy to be held. Such a sweet thing.




I can't imagine how I will react when something bad happens to Sebastian!! :/ What about Donner?! Nope... Not even gonna think about it.


Have you ever gotten super attached to an unconventional pet?!


Until next time,

~Monica

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Holiday Extravaganza

The past few weeks have been BUSY!  We had Missy's "Holiday Extravaganza" at gymnastics... kinda of like a recital, I guess... the parents got to come down to the gym floor with them and see what they could do.  It was so cute and she was so proud of herself!  As she was jumping and flying down the trampoline, she would look at me and shout, "WOOK MOM!! I DOING IT!! I DOING IT!!"  She even learned a new skill that the next level up does!


This is the beloved Ms. Jennifer.

At the end of the Extravaganza, Santa came out and Missy had her first encounter of the season with him. :) 



She was so sweet and asked only for a pencil.  And when she got one (it just happened to be included in the gift bags) she was SO excited and ran back over to him and said, "Tank you VEWY MUCH for my pencil!!  It my FAVORITE pencil in da whole world!!"  This reaction caught the "Santa" off guard and he let out a normal laugh and broke from character a little! :)

Later that night for advent, we went and saw Santa after church.  Poor Bub.  He was not having it.  He didn't actually cry... but he held back those tears with all his might!  He did manage to ask for an iPad though.  Ha ha!!  Priorities!




They also had the chance to meet Mrs. Claus and she and Missy danced and twirled while waiting for Santa to finish his time with the children in front of them.



Missy, again, was thrilled!  I think we have a believer!  Bub... not so much.  :)


I'd love to hear your Santa stories!!


Until next time!

~Monica

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I've Been Nominated!!





My friend in both real life and the bloggy world, Renee at Blissful Days Ahead has nominated me for the very prestigious (not really... but I can pretend, right?!) Liebster Award!!


So here is how it works… bloggers award other bloggers who they deem as “up and coming” and have less than 200 followers. It’s a nice way to help other bloggers increase their visibility and it’s kinda like a “get to know you.” If you receive a Liebster you must tell 11 things about yourself, answer 11 questions asked by the nominating blogger, and nominate 11 new bloggers. Then you ask those bloggers 11 questions that they will answer. {Don’t forget to tell the new bloggers you have nominated them!}


11 Things About Me:

1. I'm rather neurotic... I think I hide this fact quite well... but to know me is to know that I'm crazy... :) Oh well... I can't help it!

2. I'm fiercly protective over those that I love. This includes my pets... :) Don't hurt them... not even the crabs!

3. I have Gephyrophobia. It's bad. I've had it as long as I can remember but it has gotten better... I can now drive over small bridges!

4. I love Vietnamese food! Its my favorite and my comfort. My best friend's mom is THE BEST Vietnamese cook ever!! I also love sushi and other Japanese foods. And Thai... LOVE Thai. I could eat Asian Food every day and be okay!

5. I am indecisive.

6. The Hubs and I met, started dating, got engaged, and were married all in about 1 years time.

7. I have neurocardiogenic syncope... a pretty bad case of it... but I am able, for the most part, to monitor without medication.

8. I have a passion for DIY... but I'm just learning how to do it. Thank goodness for Pinterest!!

9. Missy, in all her sassiness, strong-willed-ness, goofiness, is a carbon copy of myself. I have no one else to blame.

10. In high school I was a "jock", a "nerd", and homecoming queen.  Such an odd combination.  Now... I don't think I'm any of those.  :)

11. My 3rd grade teacher told me that I was the biggest worry-wart that she had ever met. It shocked me! But I still can't stop worrying incessantly about E V E R Y T H I N G!!



The Questions Asked of Me:

1. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is the outlet. My brain never shuts off! It just goes and goes and goes. Blogging helps me get my thoughts out of my head.

2. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

ooh... hard one! I guess I like my neuroses. They make me me. I am scheduled and a stickler for certain things... but I'm also almost loyal to a fault.

3. If you could have a super power what would it be?

To be able to put all the toys away with the wiggle of my nose like Samantha in Bewitched or with the snap of a finger like Mary Poppins. (The toy clutter DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!)

4. What state do you live in?

I live in Georgia but am originally from California.

5. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Lots of memories involving my sister... we did a lot of crazy stuff... and were pretty much inseparable.

6. What is your biggest fear?

Other than bridges over water? ;) I have a fear of not leaving a legacy behind.

7. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be?

I would love to go back to Prague. Or visit Norway... or Italy... or Vietnam... or Japan... or... France... or... lets just say I want to see more of the world.

8. What is your favorite color?

Yellow, teal/turquoise, white, green... I love color...

9. What is your favorite food?

Asian: Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai

10. Do you do anything crafty? Tell us about it.

I really want to learn to sew on a sewing machine. But things I already know how to do: cross-stitch (haven't done it in years), scrapbook, paint, crafty things in general, jewelry making, cooking (thats kinda crafty, right?)

11. Name the top 5 things on your bucket list.

uh... Travel to more places, learn to speak a language fluently, own a home, stay in one place with the family for more than 5 years, go on a cruise (but NOT one that goes near the Bermuda Triangle... too scared) ... I can't think of other things... I'm not an adrenaline junkie... I kinda run from those things... so traveling... and learning new things are on my bucket list...



My Nominees(Some of them I'm not sure how "up and coming" they are or if they have "already arrived"... but oh well):

Keepin Up With the Smiths

Fruitful Living

Figuring Out How the Pieces Fit

The HeART

Silly Incantations

Tickles & Tots

Tidbits from the Queen of Chaos

Reporting for Duty: Mommyhood

A Small Snippet

Adventures in the Fort

Teach Pray Love



My Questions to Them:

1. When did you start blogging?

2. What do you love about blogging?

3. What is one of your quirks?

4. Favorite coffee/tea?

5. When you get a few moments for yourself, what do you do?

6. Where do you live?

7. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

8. You has had a big influence in your life?

9. Favorite book?

10. Are you a crafty person? If so, what do you like to do?

11. What is your favorite part about this holiday season?


When you have completed your questions make sure to put a link on my Facebook page or comment back here! I would love to read your answers!

Until Next Time,

~Monica

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Another "Glorious" Moment


Have you ever had one of those moments when you just have to breathe and count to 10?  I had a moment today when I had to keep counting.  Counting to 10 was just not enough of a breather.  

A few hours before the moment, we received a package from my parents with a birthday gift for me, some goodies for the kids, and some art supplies I had left at their house by mistake.  Missy was SUPER excited!  Her voice kept getting higher and higher and culminated in shrieking and jumping onto the dining table for this little Strawberry Shortcake On-the-Go Activity Pack.  In this box was also 2 tubes of glitter and 2 bottles of glitter glue.  Can you see where this is going?!

Fast forward to quiet time.  Glorious quiet time.  

I'm scouring Pinterest in peace.  The Hubs and Bub are sleeping and Missy is coloring with her new activity pack.  I decide to look in on her to find crayon all over her dresser and mirror.  Of course, she chooses the blue crayon.  Did you know that blue is the hardest color to remove from walls and furniture?  I have had more luck removing black crayon off of flat builder's grade paint with a Magic Eraser than I have had with blue crayon.  I am out of Magic Erasers and have to get more, but baby wipes were not budging the crayon from the dresser.  Anyway, I scooped up the Activity Pack and informed her that after the marker incident the other week and this crayon incident, she was loosing the privilege to color in her room for awhile.  She apologized and went back to her bed to play quietly.

Nearly a half hour later I hear the bathroom faucet turn on.  And off.  And on again.  And off again.  Then she comes running out to excitedly tell me that she washed her ears.  I off-handedly say, "Oh cool."  Because really... washing her ears?!  Then I look at her.  And I see it.  

There, on her left cheek, is a small smattering of pink and blue glitter.  My eyes must have bugged because she immediately fell silent.  I got up and headed towards her room and she did not follow.  I walked in to find a sight dreaded by every janitor that works in an elementary school.  




She had snuck out of her room and grabbed the glitter and snuck back into her room and opened them!




 In her own words, she wanted to "make her dress sparkly like a princess.  And her pajamas.  And her face."  



Thank goodness the bottles of glitter glue were sealed!!  Those did not go all over her bed and carpet.  But that doesn't mean she didn't try.  Oh she tried!  The lids were off.  

This behavior is so out of character for her!  I counted to 60... not really... but I definitely stayed in her room and took a few many deep breaths before going back to the living room where I found her standing with her fingers in her ears (her scared/nervous stance).  I told her that she lost glitter privileges for awhile and that she knew she wasn't to be playing with glitter without me being right with her.  She, again, apologized for messing up her room and for spilling the glitter.  But then asked if I could put the blue glitter and the pink glitter back into their tubes so that she could use it later!  HAHA!!  Uh... no.  She got to watch me vacuum it all up.  

Good news: my new Dyson vacuums up glitter AMAZINGLY!!  


Until next time,

~Monica

Thursday, December 6, 2012

A Long Road

I missed Day 4 & 5 of the Advent Tree.  We did them, and I can give you the details in a few short sentences.  We had a movie night with chocolate milk and popcorn and the kiddos got another fun ornament to hang on their tree. :)  We watched the VeggieTale movie about Saint Nicholas.  I'm still unsure how we are going to handle the Santa thing in our home.  I know there is a lot of magic in believing for the kids, but I'm still not sure.  I do know that we want to focus the holiday on Jesus, but there is something to say about Saint Nicholas and what he did and why he did it.  I have a feeling that we need to decide sooner rather than later as Missy is 3 years old.  I asked her on Day 1 what Christmas was all about and she said, "It's when Baby Jesus comes and brings me presents." For now, we'll go with that. :)

For the sake of full disclosure, I feel that I must share with you how hard the past few days have been.  If you are just joining me, you can read my initial post about The Accident here.  The holidays are drawing closer and it is becoming harder to plan knowing that a big part of my life will not physically be here with us. This time last year, Diana and I were planning the activities and projects we wanted to do with the kids.  We crammed as much as we could into the 4 days they were with us.  I can't help but think about the fact that this Christmas was supposed to be at their house.  When we bought the kiddos their Christmas pajamas this year and I tried with all my might to find matching girl/boy fleece footed pajamas that were also masculine and feminine, I could only think of how cute it would have been to get all 4 of the kids together in fleece footed pajamas... and that maybe this year we could have finally gotten all four kids not only looking at the camera, but also smiling.  I can't help but think about Sam's 4th birthday and Bub's 2nd birthday could have been celebrated together this year.

In all of this, I feel a gaping hole.  I feel an emptiness that I have never felt before.  My partner in life (besides Hubs) is gone.  She isn't on vacation or busy... She is physically gone.  A new normal has not yet been found.  I keep hanging in there.  Getting through each day, taking it moment by moment and holding onto the memories that have been made and the memories being made, because those memories may be the last.

Life has new meaning.  I try to savor each moment and not take anything for granted.  I am reading Hope for the Weary Mom, by Brooke McGlothlin and Stacey Thacker, with two of my dear friends.  It's our own little book club via group text message!  :)  It's so much fun and the conversation has been so great.  The current chapter was definitely hard to read though.  It is all about dealing with and overcoming loss.  One point that I took from it is that I am not following God because of what he can do for me... I am following God because of what he has already done for me.  I need to keep my faith and trust in Him to get me through.  Brooke says near the end of the chapter, "But healing can't be forced.  It simply takes time.  And as with everything else in life, true healing comes as God leads us toward it, peeling back layer after layer of raw hurt, and breathing new life into our wounds."  I am definitely on the road to healing, and I know it is going to be a long road full of good days and bad.  


Until next time,

~Monica

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

24 Days of Christmas: Day 3



Have you ever been to a preschool gymnastics class?  Its pretty hilarious!  To see them springing on the trampoline and swinging on the bars and teetering on the beam... trying with all their might and fighting every urge to run around like little banshees.  I love it.  Missy has been taking gymnastics for a year and a half now and the thing that impresses me the most is not the maturity that she has gained, not the skills she has learned, not the dedication she gives to something at 3 years old by practicing at home as much as she can... the thing that impresses me the most is the patience of her coach.  

I have my degree in teaching... teaching elementary school.  However, I know that I do not possess the patience that it requires to teach the younger children.  I'd much rather have a classroom of thirty-four 6th graders than a class of twenty kindergartners.  Preschool? I don't think so.  Preschool Gymnastics?! A place where they can run around without desks and chairs for them to sit in? A place where older children and teenagers are tumbling? No way!!!  And there are only at the most 6 other preschoolers in her class!!  Yup!  "Miss Jennifer" has the patience of a saint!

She works with one child on a back bridge while simultaneously reminding another to stay in a certain position.  She helps one child with a spider hang on the uneven parallel bars while also reminding the other children to stay on their carpet squares.  She manages 3 jumping children on the trampoline while making sure the others are seated on the side of the trampoline and not falling off! She walks them, in a single file line, through the gym while the competitive girls are practicing their routines and skills all over and keeps them all safe and in line.  She cannot leave the child she is working with because that child is normally not in a position where they can do it on their own.  Could you imagine if she were to help a child get into a position hanging upside down on the bars and then walk away to redirect another?  She would have upset parents on her hand.  In the year and a half that I have watched Missy do gymnastics, I have not seen lose her patience once!! I can't recall her ever even raising her voice!  She has definitely not put my child at risk.  She calmly redirects the kids and they listen.  

She has definitely taught me a lot.  She has three children of her own, two of which I have met.  They are respectful and get along very well with my own children despite the rather large age gap.  I even believe that Missy has a huge crush on her son.  :)  Watching her reminds me of how I want to discipline and correct my own two little ones: with calm redirection rather than the impatient demands that I can lash out with in frustration.  Patience is not a strong suite of mine.  

Due to gymnastics, we decided on something very easy for Day 3 of Advent.  In the cone for day 3, they found a little ornament for each of them to put on their tree.  


Princess Aurora for Missy and Lightning McQueen for Bub.  Simple.  Short.  Sweet.  The longest part of the whole thing was them deciding on the perfect spot on their little tree to put their ornament!  



Each was moved around a handful of times before it was JUST RIGHT.  :)  My little perfectionists!  I think their little tree is turning out great!  Suites them perfectly!! Bright.  Colorful.  Whimsical.  Perfect.  



Until next time!

~Monica


Monday, December 3, 2012

24 Days of Christmas: Day 2


We have a lot of birthdays in the month of December.  Not only are there quite a few family birthdays, but also there are quite a few of Bub's little friends that have birthdays around this time.  Since I knew there was going to be a birthday party on this day, I planned for something that I knew wasn't going to be as time consuming for the kiddos to do for Day 2 of the Advent Tree: popsicle stick snowflake ornaments for their tree.

Again, I used things I had on hand: craft sticks, pom poms, pipe cleaners, stickers, etc.  I just emptied the contents of this awesome craft bucket that was given to Missy for a birthday present onto the table, collected other little things in our craft arsenal, and let them pick and choose what they wanted to use to decorate their snowflakes!

I tend to keep little trinkets that I think can be used for art projects.  So when the Children's Librarian included little trinkets for an art project and my kids didn't use all of them, I held onto the rest.  When jewels fall off of tiaras (or tiaras get stepped on and crushed into a million pieces) I collect them and put them into the craft drawers.  Empty toilet paper rolls? Yup! I have a bag of those too!! You never know what a child might see them as and even just pretending they are pirates with a telescope can lead to loads of entertainment!

I did purchase some glitter the night before.  What is a homemade snowflake without glitter?!

In the end, they only used a few of the different things and glitter was the biggest hit!  The hubs and I each helped a child glue and stick and glitter-ize their snowflakes.

I apologize for the quality of the photos.  My camera was not cooperating and I ended up using just my phone... in a not-well-lit room.  Oh well... live and learn.  :)  

Missy, at first, took too long sprinkling the glitter on the first spoke and the glue began drying.  



She then tried pinching it and sprinkling it on, but she hated the mess that it made.  So... she dictated where each and every dot of glue went and which color went on which spoke.  She is such a detail oriented person. :)

Bub pointed out where things went and intently watched the glittering part.  He has never seen glitter in action from what I can recall... so this was new to him!






After they were done decorating and before the glue was completely dry, I hot-glued a ribbon loop to the back to hang them from.  I recommend waiting until the glue dries.  There is no other way around making a mess and/or getting hot glue all over your fingers.  I think that they turned out fabulous!



Each kiddo got to hang their own ornament on their tree. 



Bub simply shoved his onto the top of the craft cart... glitter side down. :/ And then exclaimed, "I did it!!" while throwing hands up in the air!  It was so cute how proud of himself he was!  Even if that meant I had to clean smeared glitter and glue off of my beloved table runner.  



Their tree now has their first ornaments on it!! They are so excited!



Here is a close-up of each:




I love how cheery they are! And they totally work with their garland!  


Until next time!

~Monica

Sunday, December 2, 2012

24 Days of Christmas: Day 1


This is the first year that we are doing an Advent Calendar.  I am super excited!  Rather than a traditional calendar, we are doing an "Advent Tree!" I found the idea on Pinterest, but here is a link to a tutorial.  I forgot to take pictures while I made all of the cones, but Cassie at "Hi Sugarplum" does a great job of explaining it! All of the ideas for the 24 days were either Pinterest pins or were my own.  Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest?  Well, I do.  Love it.

 It all began yesterday.  Right after breakfast, the kids were dressed and then went back to the table so that they could find the cone on the tree with the number 1 on it.  The little slip of paper said that they were going to be getting their very own Christmas tree and that they were going to make a garland for it!


 Then it was off to the living room for garland making fun!!  To make the garland, I used all materials I had on hand: some white beading cord and neon pony beads.


Missy has done quite a bit of beading in the past, so she went right to it!  Bub had a little more trouble but he tried.


Then things got interesting.  Have you ever seen a Jack Russell go into "puppy mode" and they get all crazy and start digging or running around and they can't seem to stop, but they look so happy and excited that you don't want to stop them?  (Donner did this when we tried to litter box train her... never again...) Well, that was Bub with the beads!  He started digging...


And dumping them....


And sitting in the tray....


And driving a car in them... immediately after we picked them back up... and complete with screeching sounds....


And throwing them... which sent Missy into a panic and scramble to pick them up....


And swimming in them....


While he was having the time of his life with the beads, Missy and I were busy beading and collecting beads that were being scattered.  After an hour or so.... the garland was strung and on their little tree!!  Both of them were so excited by this little tree and Missy cannot wait to put other things on it!  She wants to do all the activities today, but she will have to learn patience.  :)


Before going to bed, we read a story called The First Christmas Tree and Missy drew a picture of a Christmas tree.  She was so excited about the story because it was a "God story" and was even to hear only a few lines before determining that it was the story of baby Jesus from a different perspective.  She amazes me!  I would show you the picture of her Christmas tree... but Bub's scribbles got a little carried away and drifted onto her piece of paper and she responded by scribbling all over her paper.  Oh well.... kids will be kids! 



Until next time!

~Monica