ABC song

Miss Emily and Miss Retta's rendition of the ABC song.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

IT SNOWED!!! Burrr..it is cold. Wind Chill, -13 degrees yesterday.

Oh My..Oh My... Amy, Jim and Emily arrive tomorrow from Vancouver. I cry every time I think about seeing them come off that airplane. Can't wait.

We are celebrating our Christmas on the 26th, to accomodate everyones work schedules and such. Anna will be coming on the 24th, Carla arrives from New York on the 25th, and Shirah arrives from Seattle the night of the 25th.

I am trying to do a mad dash to get everything done, but unfortunately I am moving at a snail pace. We have all been so sick. What started as a "minor cold" turned into a full fledged flu with all the snarly symptoms rolled into one HUGE package. We are doing the best we can. I lost my Christmas spirit in a tissue somewhere, but found it again today and am busy as an elf.

I will not be making another entry until after the New Year. I will be sure to post pictures of all the great secret projects we did and celebrations we enjoyed. I have CRANIUM warming up on the coffee table.

Play of the Year Award

What a play!! Encore! Encore!

It was absolutely beautiful! The kids did such a fabulous job. The stage was so nicely done, and the lighting and costumes looked so great on stage. Everyone remembered their lines and did great. They projected their voices well and sang in wonderful harmony.

Unfortuanately the pictures did not turn out to well. We were to far back in the auditorium and the lighting on the stage interfered with the flash.

The amazing thing was sitting thru all the rehearsals the last 4 months, and wondering how this production would ever turn out. The kids habitually forgot their lines, talked to each other, wouldn't follow directions, wouldn't project their voices, ect..  It was as if magic dust was sprinkled on them the day of the play. We all sat there saying...Wow they were paying attention!.

Musa said to me after the play....Mom you were right, I really loved doing this.

 

Three Wee Kings--This Sunday

 

 

YOU ARE ALL INVITED

Secrets

 

It is SOOOO hard to keep secrets. I haven't been making as many journal entries because everything we are doing is a SECRET. We have lots of handmade projects going on but because the whole family reads this journal I can't talk about any of them. But I can say this...they are all fabulous, heartfelt and sooo cool. I know everyone will be thrilled.

After Christams I promise to make more regular entries and share all the fun.

 

 

Spy Games and Machines

 

 

We have had unusually warm days. It is hard to believe it is December. Usually by now it is quite cold, but we have been staying in the mid 60's and even 70's. It has allowed for extended outdoor play for the kids which is great.

 

 

 

Musa has been spending time exploring the woods on our property.  He is fascinated with spy's and secret police. He wanted to see if I could find him in the woods. After he saw the picture he realized that he shouldn't wear a bright yellow shirt. We laughed that he could learn from Retta's camouflaged grasshoppers. We had a great laugh.

He is fascinated with the way our two new Christmas Deer move.  He wants to try to make his own machine like the one that moves the deer. Aha, a new project to start the NewYear.  

Camouflauge and The Leg of Dinosaur

Retta was playing in her on going archaeology dig and came running in the house with a excited look on her face and her eyes big and sparkling. *Mama, come quick. You will never believe it. I just found camouflaged grasshopper fossils. Archaeologists call them Hoppers. Hurry.*  I quickly put on my shoes and ran out to the site to share in the delight of her discovery. She kept pointing to the puddle saying, *See Mama*  I bent down as close as I could and didn't see anything. I told her I didn't see anything and she said, * Look closer mama.* I tried again, and told her I was sorry but I just couldn't see them. She stood up and said, *Mama, you can't see them because they are camouflauged !!*  So once again the wisdom of the child prevails.

She went on to show me the leg of a dinosaur. She explained it was the * upper part of the leg that hooks into the hip.*