Family Christmas

We held our family Christmas on Saturday and it was even more fun than I anticipated! JD and Janel participated through Facetime and it was great to have them "there". Seeing the three grandkids together was so cool. This year they were all really excited about their presents and interacted well with each other. They're started to "talk" to each other which is so fun.

Today is Christmas Eve and Dan is working this morning. Later today we're headed over to John and Roberta's house (Gabe's parents) for dinner and White Elephant gift exchange. Then we'll come home to open our presents. After that we're going to watch "A Christmas Story" and play A Christmas Story Monopoly. Merry Christmas!

Dan and Zach - never too big to sit on dad's lap!

Skye enjoying the Christmas M&M cookies

Carl and JoAnne - "Papa and Gigi"

Ashley and Zach

Katie was so thrilled that Janel made Thunder a bear blanket!

Jessica - always happen to receive UofA gear

Dan with new Chargers gear

Katie and Grandma

JD and Janel opening gifts in Kansas

At some point the kids sneaked away into my bedroom for some fun

Thunder loves trucks!

Dan loves his Union soldier cap!

Adam does too!

Jessica stitched this for me

The big gifts: Thunder's tricycle

Skye's kitchen

Sunny's bike

Our neighbor Pat came over to watch the kids ride

Thunder, Gabe, Sunny, Katie, Papa, Gigi

Sorrow

I have started to write this post several times, only to realize I don't know what to say and give up. It's difficult to shake the sorrow of this past Friday. The shock fades, but the sorrow lingers. It's difficult to avoid wondering about the details. I have to try or I become slightly "obsessed". The thought of all those little First Graders is horrifying. The bravery of those women is, well, words fail me.

I can't begin to describe the depth of sorrow I feel. Not only for the victims' families, the survivors and their families, the town of Newtown, but for the shooter's family also. So much tragedy. So much sorrow.

There will come a day for recriminations, for social policy discussions, for hand-wringing over the state of mental health care in our country. Today is not that day. Tomorrow is not that day.

The only way I know to deal with the tragedies of life is through my faith in Christ. I do not understand why evil things happen to innocents. I can only pray for the victims. And renew my belief that God is in control. He is always with us. He was in the Sandy Hook school on Friday. He will be with the families and community in the days, months, years to come.

Please continue to pray for this community. Don't forget about them and the horrors they have endured.

"We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NET

The Final TUSAL for 2012

Wow! Where has the year gone? I can't believe it's time for the final TUSAL of 2012. I have enjoyed this stitch-a-long so much. Thank you, Daffycat, for hosting it! Here's my December TUSAL and some of the projects that contributed to it...

Brrr... Winter is Here

We are going to have winter later this week. The temps have dropped clear down to the upper 60s (although it's supposed to be 72 on Wednesday). I have put away the window fans until it warms up in February. I know I will have to wear socks later this week. I put a sweater on this morning because the high today is only going to be 69 degrees!

The weather forecaster is calling for a high of 59 (YIKES) one day next weekend. We turned the heater on last night before we went to bed and I actually heard it come on at 6 am this morning. Guess that means I'll have to turn it on again tonight.

In a few days our average high temperature will drop to 66 degrees. It will stay there until about the third week of January. Then it will begin the slow climb back up to the triple digits in April or May. Of course that's just the average high temperature. We could be below it or above it. I'm hoping for above it. I don't mind a few cold days. Especially this time of year it adds to the Christmas-y atmosphere. But if it stays cold for a week or more I will probably get grouchy.

You've been warned.

Our Visit With Santa

Ok. I want to end the suspense first off. We did not visit with Santa. From the moment Sunny got in my car all she said was "I don't want to sit on Santa's lap. I don't want to talk to Santa." We met my friend Joanna and her daughter Quinn at the play area and played first. We rode the merry-go-round.

Then we walked down to where Santa is temporarily residing. We oohed and aahed over the Christmas trees in the display. We slowly rounded the display to see other little kids on Santa's lap. Um, yeah. It did no good. She did not want to sit on Santa's lap.

Thunder was calm during all of this so I asked him "don't you want to sit on Santa's lap?" He stuck his thumb in his mouth and slowly shook his head "no".

So, we wrote a letter to Santa containing Christmas wishes, placed it in the big mailbox and took off to see the puppies.

As we were leaving the pet shop I hear "NOW I'm ready to sit on Santa's lap!" Maybe next time...

Thunder would not let go of my hand...

the merry-go-round goes a lot faster than it looks!

Writing a letter to Santa

In front of my main tree

Both kids love this nutcracker piece.

When you press the button it lights up and plays "The Nutcracker Suite".

Thunder likes to push the button over and over...

Surprise Party

Last night we attended the annual Surprise Party. I live in Surprise, AZ and they host this four-day event every year. It is so much fun, like living in a small town in the middle of a big city!

Dan, Gabe, Katie, Jessica, Adam, Sunny, Thunder in front of the town tree

Waiting her turn at the fishing booth

She caught a dolphin!

Tio Adam won a pink puppy for Sunny 

Sunny and Grammy on the Carousel

Tio Adam making Thunder laugh

Family Fun

We have had a lot of fun lately. Sunny and Thunder spent the night two times this past week. And of course, there was fun at Thanksgiving dinner yesterday:

Waiting for the animal pancakes to be served

Thunder got an "R" and a "Rascal"

Sunny got an "S", mickey mouse, and "Duke"

Katie does not want Thunder to suck his thumb...

Playing with the magnetic Nativity 

Helping Gramps change out the door knob

Sunny: "Thunder...

get that thumb out of your mouth!"

A visit to Grammy's has to include time in the rocking chair

Jessica, Sunny, Thunder, Katie, Dan, Me on Thanksgiving Day