Emma says...

"Hey Mommy, do you know what is the best thing I like? Tomatoes and ice cream."

At lunch one day, Will was dropping food on the floor. Emma's comment: "He thinks it's hilarious."

Emma and I were sitting together reading books when her stomach growled loudly.

Emma: What was that noise?

Mommy: I think it was your belly.

Emma: No, I think it was your belly!

While walking downstairs to have breakfast:

"What special things do we have today?"

Snapshots of Christmas

Our Christmas, mostly summed up in photos.

Martin and I both battled nasty colds.

Our Nativity scene. Usually missing Baby Jesus for any number of reasons. Favorites include Emma putting him in a diaper, blowing raspberries on his belly, and Will just carrying him around.

Gifts wrapped!

Some favorite ornaments...

Both kids love pressing the button so the Star Wars theme plays on the Millennium Falcon.

The Ravens, play-off bound again.

A Charleston, SC basket from last year's vacation.

Martin's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Grandpa's train around the tree.

 First stop Christmas morning, surprise balloons in Emma's room. We had fun playing together before heading downstairs.

Stockings (how many hundred hours of cross-stitching...)

Will learned to go down stairs!

Listening to the Star Wars ornament.

Posing

Will was a wrapping paper tearing pro this year.

"A new Jesus Bible!"

"vrrrrrrooooom"

 Listening to the Christmas story on the new Jesus Storybook Bible audiobook.

Special gift...

New trains!

Will's car ramp

We are so thankful for all the family we got to see this weekend...hope we didn't get any of you sick too! A wonderful Christmas!

So Sweet

The other day, Will fell asleep just a few minutes before we made it home. Since it was time for lunch, I figured that he would wake up when I took him out of the carseat and brought him inside. Will continued to sleep like a champ, even with me rubbing his back and trying to wake him.

I stuck him on the couch so I could get started on Emma's lunch, and was sure that he would wake up any minute. While I was in the kitchen Emma went over to the couch, crawled up next to him, and proceeded to snuggle with him - still sound asleep!

He didn't budge as she hugged, kissed, and then started pulling up his eyelids...so I gave up! Nap time!

Cutting down the tree

Last weekend we went back to Hickman's Christmas Tree farm to get our tree. We went with Grandma and used her van to bring the tree home. It certainly wasn't going to fit in the back of our Accord!

Our tree!

Watching Daddy get to work with the saw.

Since the tree was a little crooked at the bottom, we cut it up about a foot or so, but a branch made it difficult to go straight through!

Emma got to help Daddy saw through the last bit.

 Beautiful berries!

Heading back to the car with our tree!

We got it tied down tight,

and posed for a photo. Thanks for being our photographer, Grandma!

Book List

Its been several months since I did a little recap of the books I've read, so I'll try to be brief.

Fiction favorites:

The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy - A fun little book, the story of Pride and Prejudice from the viewpoint of Mr. Darcy.

Unnatural Death - Another Lord Peter Wimsey novel, this one was my favorite so far!

Jane Eyre - I can't believe I had never read this great classic. I loved it. Long, but a really wonderful story.

Thorn In My Heart - The first novel in a series of historical fiction set in late 1700s Scotland. Its a retelling of the Biblical account of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel.

NonFiction Favorites:

Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard - A fascinating book that Martin and I read aloud to each other. There was an unusually large number of people born deaf in the early years of Martha's Vineyard settlement. No one considered these deaf handicapped, rather, everyone learned sign language as a result of communicating with the deaf in their community.

Pour Your Heart into It - The 1999 story of Starbucks by Howard Schultz. Really interesting stuff about coffee and business. I'm looking forward to reading the new book Onward sometime next year.

Miniatures and Morals - The Christian novels of Jane Austin. Leithart analyzes each of Austin's novels, pulling out the Christian implications of her writing. His opening remarks about "real men read Austin" are superb ("The mere fact that her novels give men an opportunity to see romance through the eyes of an uncommonly perceptive woman should be enough to recommend them.")

Honey for a child's heart - A fantastic book about the importance of books and reading to children. The second half of the book is an extensive annotated book list broken down by age, starting with picture books.

The Money Saving Mom's Budget - This book is released in January, I was given an advance copy to review. Lots of great stuff, not only about managing your money well, but also managing your time, cutting clutter (both physical and mental), and being content with what you have. I'm giving away a copy on Thrifty Living (ends 12/9).

My newest coffee buddy

Remember when this munchkin came begging for a taste of coffee?

Just the other day Will started begging for a taste of his own.

Can you handle that big mug? Of course.

He kept "drinking" after his little taste was gone. Then walked over to me and climbed up in my lap to drink some more.

Love it!