Snow!

We have enjoyed three different snow events over the past week.  The first was on Christmas Eve, the second the day following Christmas, and the third this past Saturday (just a few flurries).  Though it hasn't amounted to more than a few inches of snow total, the weather has been cold so we've been fortunate to have the white stuff stick around to play in and enjoy the looks of.  This is especially nice since last winter we didn't really get any snow except a random few inches just before Halloween.  Some pictures from the fun in the snow:

All bundled up, though Hannah lacks adequate snow pants or boots.  What we bought for her last year went unused and fits Sophie this year.

Snowman bench, with snowball poised and ready to be thrown.

The snow fort that Grandma and the girls worked very hard on, with Charles' assistance in the second half.

Snow fort picnic

Playing School

Yesterday I finally got around to helping the girls get their classroom calendar set up.  They received several items for "playing school" for Christmas, and this was one of them.

We put velcro pieces on the dates so that they can easily be moved from month to month.  Then we hung it on the little corkboard they have in the playroom.  Eventually Charles wants to install a larger bulletin/cork board for them to display their art work.

Sophie was playing the student here (notice it was a jammy day).  She was pinning up the correct day of the week.  Hannah was the teacher with her stamp set, which was another Christmas gift for playing school.  In between stamps, Hannah was instructing Sophie what to do.

The chalkboard that we painted on Christmas day had to cure for three days, and today was the day they finally got to use it.  They were excited to discover that Charles had left them a message on the board.  It quickly got plenty of use, as you can see from the smudges left behind.

The Day After

On the day after Christmas, we mostly relaxed, enjoyed new toys, and cleaned up a little of the "Christmas mess."  I baked bread (a special treat for a weekday), and when Hannah got up and found me mixing the dough she asked, yet again, "Why do you always make homemade bread?"  The poor girl was raised on the store-bought variety, and that's what she still prefers.  She has learned to enjoy my applesauce, though, so I'm holding out hope for a conversion.

We also remembered that at this time last year we were in Disney World!

At 10am, however, we enjoyed a special treat.  Fluffy, Hannah's giraffe that she purchased from the book fair last month, was supposed to give a Christmas concert at 10 o'clock on Christmas morning.  Since the girls ended up going to the cabin with Grandma and Grandpa for part of Christmas day, the concert was postponed.

It consisted of songs from both their school Christmas concert and the church Christmas program that the girls were in the other week.  Some songs we were allowed to sing along with, others we were not, and some involved instruments for the entire family.  Here is the program, entitled "Winter Hope":

Later in the day, I found this play scene in the library, complete with long and short socks serving as stockings for the various play things.

At 3:30pm, I challenged the girls to a round of Just Dance.  We've had this game for the Wii for several years but had never even opened it.  I figured it would be a good way for us all to get a little exercise, and I was right.  It was more of a workout than I thought it would be, and we had a blast doing it!  Sophie got frustrated that she always came in second or last, but overall we had a good time.  I see more dancing in our future!

For dinner, I made a crock pot rotisserie chicken, which I had made once before.  It turns out so delicious, succulent, and flavorful.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Christmas at Home

It was exciting to celebrate our first real Christmas at home this year.  Two years ago we had just moved into this house on December 22nd.  Charles put up the Christmas tree, but we didn't decorate it. (Though the girls made their own ornaments out of paper for the tree, which was better than an decorations we could have added.)

Last year we traveled to Florida for Christmas, which was a very different experience that the usual Christmas.  My sister bought us all day passes to Disney World and we had a grand time on the day after Christmas, which is very busy at Disney, in case you were wondering!

So, finally this year, we got to have a traditional Christmas at home.  The girls snuggled on the sofa together while waiting for Dad to get up.

Sophie carefully inspected the plate of cookies that was left for Santa.  She was ecstatic to find a note left behind by the big man himself.

We opened stockings and also went ahead and opened our gifts under the tree since breakfast wasn't ready yet.  Hannah and Sophie had stockings overflowing with goodies from Santa.  Charles received some socks and underwear and was surprised with a professional photograph of his girls that he didn't know about.  Randa got books and pictures created by Hannah and Sophie and got some new oven mitts to replace hers that were badly worn.  The girls got books, flannel nightgowns made by mom, shrinky dink charm bracelets, and items to help them play school.

Sophie's new nightstand and scarf that matches her fleece pajamas

Opening boxes with new nightgowns

Homemade monkey bread for Christmas morning breakfast -- Sophie helped to roll the balls of dough

New flannel nightgowns made by mom

Mom and Dad each got a can of chalkboard paint from Santa.  Later in the day the girls helped paint part of a wall in the playroom.

Sisters hugging and looking at new calendars together

Later in the evening Grandma and Grandpa joined us for homemade chili and cornbread.  Before heading home Grandma read two Christmas stories to the girls.

We enjoyed our Christmas at home and are looking forward to many more to come.

White Christmas Eve

Snow on Christmas Eve... what a blessing!  I first saw reports on Facebook of snow in and around Harrisonburg.  It was a good hour until we started seeing flakes fall in Broadway.  I would say we got the better end of the deal up north since we ended up getting more snow than those folks down south in the 'burg.

The girls first went out in their new snowman pajamas.  Later in the day they bundled up more appropriately and built a snowman with Grandma.  Since Grandma has been in Florida the last few winters, it's a special treat for her to enjoy some snow before heading south for the winter.

When everyone came in all nice and chilled, we enjoyed some homemade hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.  This recipe was so rich that only Hannah could drink her entire cup and still want more.  It reminded me of the hot cocoa that they describe in the Polar Express, as liquid chocolate so rich and warm.

That evening we attended the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church for the first time.  It was a service of lessons and carols that involved the regular church choir, a "mass" choir of other individuals that don't usually sing, and organ.  It was a beautiful service that ended with Silent Night sung under candlelight, which is always a magical experience to remember the reason for the season.

Moyers Christmas

Saturday we celebrated our Christmas with the Moyers clan.  Jon and Kelly arrived late Friday night/early Saturday morning, so we let them sleep a little and enjoyed a leisurely morning.  As tradition dictates, we had a fire in the fireplace and opened stockings while enjoying the warmth.  Grandma is running out of room to hang all her stockings!

Of course we all enjoyed time snuggling with Baby Carter, who will soon be a baby no more.

After opening stockings we enjoyed a delicious meal of breakfast casserole, homemade cinnamon rolls, and fruit.

Over the course of the next several hours we opened gifts from under the tree, taking breaks as Carter needed to nap, eat, etc.  It was nice to spread the gift opening out over time so that we could enjoy and savor each moment.

Charles being silly with bows and socks

Hannah and Sophie opening gifts

Hannah and Sophie got gifts from the Keanes to enjoy and share together.  One was a puppet theater (top two photos) and the other was Disney comic books that Kelly has had since she was a girl (bottom right).  They include Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and many more.  The girls took them to church the next day and read them throughout the entire service.  Unfortunately, Sophie ripped the cover of one already, so Dad has put them away until they can better appreciate such a rare and vintage gift.

Our favorite little man opening his gifts.  See his cute Carter butt PJs?

More gift opening, plus my cool "Chef Randa's Kitchen" apron from Cafe Press

New bathrobes for the girls, in bright colors!

The girls' favorite gift was a toy cash register that they played with the rest of the afternoon

Later in the day we sat down for a traditional Christmas dinner of ham, baked macaroni and cheese, and creamed lima beans (plus green beans for the new boys in the family who don't appreciate our lima bean heritage).  For the last number of years Grandma has gotten us all Christmas poppers that have crowns and little trinkets inside.  We wear our crowns and trade our trinkets until all are happy with what they have.

As we sat down to eat, however, a friend of dad's stopped by with a surprise.  December is bear season in Virginia, and he got a nice 400-lb surprise for his wife for Christmas.  If you look closely at the face, you'll see this big boy was a fighter.

After standing in the cold to "admire" the bear for awhile, we returned inside to enjoy our Christmas meal.  All but two of us then piled in the van to go see the Singers Glen Christmas light show set to music, which is something we've been enjoying the last few years.  A dessert spread of pecan pie, peanut butter pie, Christmas cookies, and ice cream awaited us when we returned.  It was a day full of family, food, fun, and lots of love.

Catching Up

This post will be a hodge-podge of updates and photos.

The girls and I are off school until January 7th, yippee!  My last day was Wednesday and theirs was Thursday.  The girls decorated my homework board with a Christmas message on Wednesday morning.  They wanted to personalize the picture by labeling the gifts under the tree with my students' names.

Wednesday and Thursday the girls took 11 jars of pumpkin butter as gifts for all their teachers and bus drivers.  I was pleased with the Christmas-y look of the finished product.  Charles and the girls helped by picking out the holiday pattern for the fabric.

While they were at school Thursday, I went to the doctor for a check-up and flu shot and then came home to finish Christmas projects while I had time alone.  Thankfully, most was completed and wrapped before I had to go pick the girls up from school.

Earlier this week the girls were given some homemade Play-doh by our FCS teacher at school.  A babysitter had started making it for them last week, and she finished it and left it in my mailbox at school.  Since Charles never lets the girls play with Play-doh because of the mess and the smell, they've been enjoying a rare treat in making creations and rolling and shaping to their hearts' delight.  Thursday they had a show of their creations for me.

Sophie also enjoyed eating very large green grapes this week and sticking them in her cheeks while doing so.  She learned this little trick from her father.

Yesterday we wrapped gifts and baked various goodies for our Moyers Christmas today.  We're excited to see Kelly, Carter, and Jon and enjoy good food and time together.  One of the treats prepared yesterday was homemade cinnamon rolls, which we will eat with breakfast casserole after opening our stockings together.  More details on this celebration will surely follow.

And last but not least, I leave you with a photo of a cute little elf, sent to me by her 1st grade teacher: