Quotes to Bring a Smile to Your Day

Children really do say (and think) the most interesting things. Here are some recent ones, from ours:

PETER: Mom, can I count up the dollars in my piggy bank? I really want to buy _____ a Christmas present. Note: On holy days, the priest gives him a couple bucks for being an altar boy. So, he has a bit of money in his piggy bank. I know he had been wanting to buy a Lego set, for himself.



GEORGE: (Looking intently at Margie, and speaking with great passion to her) Margie, I always wanted a sister with green eyes!! And, did you always want a brother with blue eyes? Note: Margie's eyes have a bit of green in them, now, like mine.



MARGIE: St. Nicholas can be at the North Pole, and in heaven. Whenever he wants, probably on Christmas Day, he brings toys to the children in heaven. When I am in heaven, I won't be allergic to cats. I will have a pet cat, in heaven.

Christmas Play

Hi! On Sunday, we had the catechism Christmas Play and pizza party. I must first say that I always knew my aunt and uncle (the previous coordinators for many years) did a ton of work. But, boy, it sure is a lot more than I even imagined! So, hats off to them.

Margie, George, and Peter were the only children in the play, and I was so impressed with them. We did a simple play, where each person comes out as someone from the Nativity Scene, and says two rhyming lines. The children really took charge with this whole thing. They chose who did what part. Each designed their own props and costume accessories. And, they even had their own ideas about how to set up the stage, do the curtains, and lights. (And we let them do it the way they wanted.) Show Time was not a disappointment. No one froze up. All of them had their lines memorized, and said them, perfectly. Fred and Thomas were "extras", because we needed a third wise man, and a baby Jesus. Fred stole the show, when he decided he was tired, and laid down, on the stage, while Peter and George were saying the Wise Men's lines. He wouldn't get up, either, so he got pulled off from behind the curtain. I don't have a snap shot of that, but, Jim got it on video! Baba and Grandpa, Uncle Mike, and a lot of cousins were there to see it all.

The children also learned 4 Christmas carols, that they sang in front of everyone. Their singing teacher (my brother, George) really has them singing. I never heard them sing so well, before this year. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it right. He must have a real knack with kids. They're even singing around the house.

Here is a picture of the older three with Uncle George and St. Nicholas.
And here are some of us with the Giving Tree (donations for children):
And here are Fred and Clay (they are both three, can you tell?) playing where they weren't supposed to be, while everyone else was boxing up the donations.

Cousins are Great

Cousin Megan was in town for her work, and wanted to visit us. Nicholas picked her up from her hotel, downtown, and brought her over. The kids were so funny. They bombarded her with important questions, like, "What is your favorite railroad?" She was all stumped. They were guessing it was P&LE, but, she flubbed around and came up with "Percy". She and Margie bonded because they both only have brothers. And, they both have "Babas". She played with the kids, and they had a grand time. George (my brother) swung by, too, after his meeting. It was great seeing her, and we all enjoyed the visit.

Fred Story

Last week, one morning, I was in the family room with George and Thomas. I heard Fred in Thomas's room, then I noticed him go in the living room. I didn't think much about it, other than I hoped he wasn't doing anything bad. Suddenly, he appeared at my side, and was adamantly trying to tell me something. It sounded like, "Some bad guys came and took our green one!" He was so serious, and it seemed urgent. I asked him to show me, and he led me to the living room window, and repeated the same thing, in his three year old manner, "Some bad guys took our green one!" I was trying to figure out what he meant. Our recycling bin? Our garbage can? Finally, I realized he meant our green van. Jim had arranged for the transmission guys to come tow it. I explained to Fred that Daddy said it was O.K., and those guys were going to fix it. (I am not sure he believed me.) The funny part of all this, to me, is that Fred must have watched the whole thing, first from Thomas's window, then at the living room window. And he didn't alert me that someone was taking the van, until they were gone! (He must have been so scared, when he saw them drive away with our van. At that point, he did come, right away... )

Here is a photo of him in his Thomas pajamas and papuchi. And that is his Peep, on the step.

Thanksgiving Weekend

We went to Laura's for Thanksgiving. It was her and Mark's first time, ever, cooking a turkey. And, it came out absolutely perfect. They did a bang-up job, as usual, being hosts. We didn't leave until late. The only bad thing that happened was somehow our van's interior light got left on. We didn't go anywhere on Friday. Then on Saturday, we were leaving for Dorothy's party, and the battery was dead. We charged it up, but the computer wouldn't reset itself, no matter what we did. (It would just stall, after starting up.) ~~~I am not so sure about Dodge Engineering...~~~ We didn't get it going until Sunday at lunchtime. So, that was a horrible disappointment to Dorothy and all our kids, that we missed her birthday party.

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving.

Laura and Mark and the bird:


The kids. If you notice Margie doesn't have her glasses on, that is because George broke them. They were horsing around, and Margie somehow ended up under all the couch pillows.
And, since Marisa was not visible in the first one, here she is. Believe it or not, I am not responsible for teaching her how to make that face!

What We All Need is Brotherly Love

Freddie loves Thomas, as you can see. Thomas loves Freddie, too. But, at this time, he just wanted to play.... The last picture is from Nicholas's birthday. The children really wanted to see him (they all made him cards). So, he graciously stopped by, after work, so they could wish him a happy birthday.