The day after

Merry Christmas, friends!  I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of our Savior yesterday!  Well, in reality I hope you celebrate Jesus every day!  This has truly been a remarkable year for me, watching my girls grow in their love for Jesus, and being able to express it.  I'll catch you up on the last week of events, since we have been so busy!

Last Sunday we had our Christmas celebration service at church.  This year Grace sang with me in the choir, which was such an awesome experience for me.  I love to worship, and it was just really neat to worship with her.  Elissa and Kaitlin also participated in the service, singing with their Sunday School classes in one of the songs.  It was the first time all four of us have been on stage together, and I certainly won't forget it!

Christmas Eve was also wonderful.  Grace and I both served, but in different capacities.  I sang, she handed out magnets.  During the first two services, we sat together, which was nice.  For those of you who have tweens and teenagers, you know this does not happen often, and I cherished it!  My parents were here celebrating with us, so they were in service with Aaron, Elissa, and Kaitlin.  After the service, Elissa remarked to me that she felt "tingly" the whole service, because God was filling her heart with joy.  I love how she is so focused on God!  I wish we all could be like that - to remember to sit and get tingly when God fills our heart with joy, and then take notice!

Yesterday was, of course, the day of destruction.  All presents were unwrapped at a slightly slower pace this year, and I actually know who got what from whom this time!  All the girls were pleased with their loot, and they managed to get along all day, which was new.  Usually they are so cranky they fall apart in the afternoon, but this year they didn't.  Maybe it's because they are getting older?  We had our yummy Christmas dinner at my sister's - the traditional ham, and sides, plus Aaron made two fantastic desserts that we all enjoyed.

Today, the day after, Grandma and Papa went home (wah!)  Aaron and the girls took them to the airport while I served at church, and I am sad to see them go, as I am always.  On the plus side, though, Aaron's parents get here tomorrow, and the girls are pretty excited about that!

Since I didn't get any pictures of yesterday, I'll leave you with one more cooking photo - this is Grandma cooking nelesniki with the girls.  I'm not in this photo - I was working on repairing the sprinkler system with my dad at the time.  I think the cooking would have been more fun!

A Day Full of Tradition

Today was pierogi making day.  There is nothing better than my grandmother's fresh, homemade pierogi.  It has been a family tradition to make pierogi for Christmas since my mother was a child (and maybe before that, who knows?!?!), and when I was old enough to reach the kitchen counter, I was taught how to make it.  I have been cooking pierogi since then, and usually with some family member -  mom, grandmother, sister, cousins, or aunts.  Today, Kaitlin and Elissa learned how to make it.  They did such a great job!  I can't wait to taste what they helped to create on Christmas Eve!

First you knead the dough...

Keep kneading!

Then you cut out the dough circles....

Then you fill the circle with potatoes and cheese....

Be sure to pinch it tight before cooking!

The best part is making it with Grandma!

Christmas Preparations

There is lots of Christmas preparation going on at our house.  First, there's the cooking.  As I am writing this, Grandma is making Snowball cookies with the girls.  Her mother made them with her, with me, and now my mother and I make them with my girls.  It's so much fun to pass down family traditions!  Tomorrow is pierogi day, which will be lots of fun.  I have been flexing my muscles to prepare them for the strenuous dough kneading! 

Then there's the wrapping.  Oh, the wrapping!  Last week our tree was looking a little lean, but not anymore!  Presents are spilling out from under the tree and all over the living room floor.  The girls spontaneously decided to purchase/make gifts for one another, which was so sweet.  I love watching them and seeing them be so sweet to each other without being asked! 

Finally, there's the heart preparation.  The girls have been asking lots of questions this year about the logistics of the birth of Jesus.  I can see their minds working and thinking about the miraculous birth of our Savior.  They are so passionate, and I love it! 

Now, I know the chance of snow is extrememly unlikely, but could we al least drop the temperature a bit so it feels wintry?

Cookies Galore!

It's been a cookie kind of day.  The girls and I made lots of Christmas cookies:  Chocolate Toffee, Sugar Cookies, Simple Goodies, Triple Threat Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies, and Muddy Buddies.  Yum!  The best part, of course, was making them with the girls.  We just have a few more kinds to make, but that will have to wait until next weekend!

Cool Kids

I have really cool kids, and when I say cool I mean generous, loving, giving, children. Today they donated their hair to charity, with joyful and happy hearts.  They have been growing it for a long time, and were begging to go to the salon today and have it chopped off.  I am such a proud mommy right now!

Before the cut

After the cut.  Look at those smiles!

The busiest time of my life

I'm pretty sure this has been the busiest couple of weeks of my life.  Okay, not really.  That a bit of what we writing teachers call hyperbole!  In truth, however, it has been really busy.  Aaron spent most of last week in New York, so I was "single momming" it last week.  Note to all my single mom friends: you amaze me!  Grace is in a show this weekend (check out my Facebook post, and don't miss it), so it's been a mad rush around here to get her everywhere she needs to be and still get homework done, etc. 

I realized on Sunday at 6am when I was working on a project for school that I may need to reprioritize a bit!  To be efffective in everything I do, I need to give my self a break every once in a while!  It's just like sleep - if you don't get enough, you start to forget things, don't do well in the most basic tasks, etc.  So.....yesterday, the workaholic in me was screaming for attention, but I managed to supress her!  Instead, I took the night off and spent time with Elissa and Kaitlin.  It was wonderful!  We watched a movie, then did our Bible study together.  It was a peaceful, wonderful time with my girls.  None of us was distracted by the worries of the world, but we were all focused on the individual message that God had for us.  It was easy but important work.  I was growing my kids, and God was growing all of us together.  Workaholic, be gone!  I predict many more "girls nights in" in our future!

Clowning Around

Halloween is over, and fall is in full swing.  I absolutely love this time of year!  Crisp breezes, changing colors, and yummy kitchen smells surround me.  Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and I have already begun shopping and crafting for Christmas!  Since those photos are secret, here's some to hold you over!