I need a Silent Night

My friend posted this song on her blog and thought I would do the same.  I think every mother relates to this song, Dads too!  Having a little quiet time has been rare around our house lately, especially since it's been snowing and stuck inside most of the time.  Amy Grant sings exactly how I feel right now.  Maybe I can get a silent night when we arrive in CA on Saturday .... what a minute, how is that going to happen with 15+ people in one house!

http://www.last.fm/music/Amy+Grant/_/I+Need+a+Silent+Night

Celebrating the Holiday Season

Today the Christmas Holiday was definitely celebrated.  We started off with Andy's famous crepes for breakfast.  Yum!  Then, we got ready to go to the Nutcracker Ballet.  I have always wanted to go so Annika made sure I got my wish this year.  The Ballet was her Birthday gift to me.  We had such a great time.  Annika was ecstatic.  She of course loved the ballerina in pink.  We then came home and made treats for the church Christmas Party.  At the party, kids reenacted the nativity story, we ate good food, and the kids got to see Santa (I think that was their 8th time to see him this year.  I believe a record.)  As we walked out of the party, it was snowing.  This was Gavin's first snow experience.  He didn't know what to think when Andy put the snow up to his mouth, but he didn't complain.  The snow was just starting to stick so we made a few snowballs in the front yard and threw them at the trees. Then, up to bed to read some Christmas stories.  Kids are asleep now and I am laying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, feeling the warmth of the fire.  Can't wait to see how much snow will stick by the morning!

Let's say Thanks

If you go to www.letssaythanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq.  You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.  How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one?!  It's FREE and only takes a second.   It's a wonderful way to say thank you no matter if you are for or against the war.  These men and women are sacrificing so much and they need to know we are behind them.

Pretzel Christmas Tree

If you know Annika, you would know she LOVES pretzels.  When we were at Leavenworth last Friday, they decorated a tree outside a pastry shop with pretzels.  Annika LOVED it.  Hmmm... this gives me an idea.  Why decorate a tree with ornaments that break and pay a lot of money for?  Why not decorate with food -- you can do theme trees!  Of course, a chocolate tree would be Andy's choice -- dark chocolate.  Gavin's would be bottles of milk.  Mine would be cookies -- oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, etc.  What would yours be?

Annika is a reindeer celebrity

Saturday we attended "Sundaes with Santa" at the YMCA.  Annika had a lot of fun -- making ornaments, eating ice cream, and seeing Santa.  Here is a picture of her in the Auburn Reporter newspaper enjoying the day -- what a fun surprise!  And, I have to add, this isn't her Sundae.  It's Daddy's.  No way would I let her have that much sugar!  Oh, and don't you love those antlers?!  She wore them all day saying she is Santa's reindeer and would prance around. Too cute!

Fw: Greetings from Leavenworth

Brrrr! Its chilly! But we are having fun anyway between the gingerbread, chocolate, nutcrackers, and bratwursts!

Gavin Toothbrush Movie

Just a typical evening at our house!