I sure do love these people!
Month: December 2010
Christmas 2010
Today is the day after Christmas. We got home really late last night; driving through snow on the way home was really neat for us southern folk. The roads weren’t nearly as bad as we anticipated, and I was thankful for that! Church was cancelled today because of the snow and icy roads, so we stayed home and have been recuperating from our travels and all the Christmas excitement.
I took down one tree this morning with the help of the kids. I am the type that wants all the decorations down the day after Christmas. Josh thinks it is funny, but he usually goes right along. I start switching into “New Year” mode. We started to let the kids know that new years are really neat, in that you can have sort of a fresh start. It’s a time to evaluate what you have done well, set new goals, and try to figure out those areas that could use a little work. I subtitled our NEW YEAR talk with “Back to the Basics.” (For some reason we are still not mastering flushing the potty EVERY time, turning off lights, etc.) Josh led us using a list I put on our chalkboard in the school room. Ruby, Molly and Mack sat there listening. OH, but let me back up just a smidge. At the start I said something like, “Mama and Daddy use this time of year to evaluate our lives, to see what is working and what is not working and try to do better…..For example, Daddy has decided that he will no longer be leaving his pile of clothes next to the bed each evening. He wants to be a help and put things where they go.” Josh was giving me a look since he hadn’t actually said anything like that, but the greatest response was from the kids. They all just giggled and giggled and then burst into huge laughter. They, too, knew that what I was saying was not happening. Not now, not next year and maybe not ever. And that is ok. It is my joy to serve my husband. Big grin.
We talked about family relationship goals, home/chore goals and then personal goals. I will have to take a picture of the chalk board so we can post it here and refer to it later when things aren’t going so well. But I just wanted to share this one story that happened after our conversation about sharing and being kind to one another.
Mack was sucking on a ring pop, Molly was begging for just one lick….”Please, Mack, oh please let me have just one lick.” He shakes his head no several times and after much of her pleading. Then, he says very matter-of-factly, “No, Molly. God says share our toys NOT our food.”
Josh agrees very much with that statement. He doesn’t let me steal anything off of his plate. Ever. Food is serious business to these two Dorminy boys.
Before the New Year does get here, let me go ahead and share some pictures from our time down in Albany. The kids enjoyed everything about Christmas this year, and I think we bought some fun gifts that each of them will enjoy. Gran and PawPaw were extremely generous to each of us, as usual. Mack’s favorite gift was from them….a rifle that makes a lot of noise when it is shot and a great cowboy hat. However, his Toy Story 3 pajamas from Gran might be right up there with the rifle, considering we could hardly get him out of them even after he had worn them for almost 36 hours.
We had a special surprise visit from Santa….but the kids knew it was PawPaw and Gran pretending. They each had their turn trying on some part of the outfit.
The kids sleep out in the pool house with us. They love their set up. We did things a little different this year since we were not at home. The kids got up, opened up their stocking and then we ate breakfast. Josh and I snuck their gifts out into the pool house where the tree and the rest of the wrapped gifts were. The kids were very patient waiting to see what they got! It was a really fun time.
I could take you back seven Christmases ago and let you see Josh with this expression as he was putting something together for the kids each Christmas. His dad was tickled to see Josh working on this doll house since he himself had plenty of years of Christmas Eve projects. (though never a doll house…just to clarify)
First thing Christmas morning
You have no idea how long Ruby waited to have these truffles. She says it was worth the wait.
The ring pop—this is serious business.
Molly’s stuff—baby dolls are her favorite!
Mack–anything Toy Story 3 or guns
Ruby–dollhouse and books!
GG and Gran
PawPaw…when he wasn’t playing Santa, he was cooking!
Molly loves this big baby doll that Gran and PawPaw gave her.
Mack loved his camo Bible. He wanted to read the Christmas story from it. Later that day he opened it and kept saying, “Mom, look, look. It says right here, ‘Be kind to one a other other.'”
And here is what we drove home to:
And so I won’t forget to post these sweet pictures, let me do it now. The kids were home one morning and Ruby read the story of Jesus’ birth while the other two acted it out. It was a sweet time…and a bit interesting at times.
It’s Christmas Eve!
I am in south GA, and I just thought I would post a little something. As usual, we are eating well and enjoying time with the family.
Josh and I were able to go to a quiet lunch yesterday while Gran and PawPaw took the kids to a movie. We met them afterwards at Target for a little Christmas shopping. The kids drew names with each other and then roamed around trying to find something they thought the person would like. I partnered with Mack to try and find something for Molly. That was hilarious. He could hardly pull himself away from the boy stuff. He kept finding things he thought he would love, but had a harder time being interested in anything Molly might want. I guess that is to be expected from a 3 year old boy who is also the baby of our family…a bit rotten, but we are working on it!!
PawPaw and Josh took the kids to the lights at Chehaw. They came back really hyper…I am not sure what happened, but it took them quite a while to settle back down. After watching a little GRINCH everyone was ready for bed.
Gran is hanging in there with all the craziness. She was such a trooper through the whole movie and Target fun. She and I were able to talk while the kids were at the lights, and I enjoyed that very much. She continues to be so patient with each kid and their individual requests.
Just this morning I was reflecting on how God revealed to us Jesus in the form of a baby and how God has used His powerful Word to continue to make Himself known to all people…how He made the Savior known to Mary, to Joseph, to the shepherds, to wise men, to Simeon and Anna in the temple, and many, many more.
I am so thankful that in very personal ways the Lord makes Himself known to me. And I hope this Christmas you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and friend.
Are bangs only for girls?
Oh, this was so funny! Tonight in the car we were just talking as a family, which usually ends up being kind of chaotic, a bit dramatic, someone may get their feelings hurt, and there is usually laughter. Tonight was no exception…..I have no idea what we were talking about that made Molly say,
“DADDY, why did you have orange hair when you were little? AND BANGS?!??! Only girls are supposed to have bangs.”
Josh denied that he had bangs, but I explained to him that he indeed did have bangs.
I thought pictures would be appropriate.
What do you think? Bangs or No bangs?
Clearly, he had bangs.
I mean, not that there is anything wrong with Josh in bangs….in 1981.
UPDATE: Ruby woke up and came downstairs this morning, found the pictures above lying on my desk and said, “So Daddy did have bangs.”
Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
I heart the Koester Family
I have about 10 minutes to do this post, assuming there are no interruptions from the kiddos. (5 hours later….seriously)
We went to Tennessee last Wednesday through Friday morning to visit our friends, Mary & John and Ben and Katherine. They moved last May, and we have missed them so much! As I think back on the time we did live so close, I am amazed that we got the things done that we needed to get done with all the time we carved out for play dates and such.
Here is Mary in true Mary-form:
This is Molly and Mack under electric blankets after a quick run in the snow. Mack was digging in to the first of many, many hershey kisses.
Ruby and Katherine after the snow…Ruby wants to know what is on tv, as usual.
“YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!!!”
Sweet little friends
Molly helped in the kitchen a lot. Mrs. Mary is so kind and patient.
The biggest cardinals were in their backyard…this picture does not do this bird justice. They were all HUGE.
This is Ben pulling Mack on his sleeping back on the hardwood floors. Fun game!
More of Molly the helper
Next on the agenda was gingerbread houses….you’d think we were there all week with all that Mrs. Mary packed in for us. It was a fun time! See which house you think the 11 year old did and which one the two 6 year old girls and 5 year old girl did…….
Click to enlarge and check out the details…these kids were creative.
Moving on to sugar cookies!
Her sweet sister, Kathy, and Kathy’s husband stopped by with their two girls to ice the cookies. That was fun, too!
The kids with their creative cookies
Mack chose not to be in this picture. He probably had a tummy ache from all the icing he ate while he was supposed to be decorating. All of his cookies were kind of rough looking and half-eaten at this point, so I really can’t blame him for not being a part of this picture.
It was so fun to see the Koester family again and to get to see where they live now! We love them and hope we can see them again soon…..maybe in warmer temperatures.
Last carpool of the year
Well, this afternoon I sat in the last carpool line of the year! The girls are now officially on their Christmas break, which means I am, too. Yipeee!
They each had Christmas parties and brought home cute little gifts and lots of chocolate.
Mack and I roamed Wal-Mart today. He talked to me the entire time. It cracks me up.
I went into a “young” store. I mean, it was kind of obvious that a thirty-something shouldn’t be shopping there. I held a shirt up to me and asked Mack what he thought. His response was, “That is another girls shirt.” Translation: You are too old to wear that cute shirt, Mom.
Even a three year old knows.
I also accidentally bought the wrong contraption for my i-pod connection for the car, and I told Mack we were going to have to go back into Wal-Mart. He said, “I think I will just stay in the car and wait on you.” I told him he couldn’t do that, so then he started “scolding” me and saying, “I saw that you got the wrong thing. I knew it was the wrong one.”
Oh my goodness.
It gets worse. I told him since it was so cold I would hold him (and his 43 pound self). He still complained that he was “soooo cold,” so I said, “I will run and we’ll get in there faster.” I started running. He said, “You could run a little faster.”
That boy.
We are going to have fun, fun, fun…..more pictures and posts to come….maybe.
Luke 2
7. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the the inn.
I love these old pictures (though the quality is NOT GOOD) when Ruby and Molly were acting out being Mary and having baby Jesus. Ruby even had a large portion of the Luke passage memorized, and she was adorable saying it! This was three years ago….
I’m pretty sure this little man was napping during our “play,” but here’s a picture of him on his first Christmas:
The weekend
We had a good weekend…enjoyed a date of shopping and eating and roaming Barnes and Noble, went to Michaels on Saturday in an effort to exert some creativity in my gift-giving this year, found six cute bowls to use at our Sunday lunch, which went so great! We had three families over to eat, and I wish I had taken some pictures of everyone. There were 10 kids here and eight adults.
I also put out some of my nativity sets that I just love….one from Armenia, one from Indonesia, one from Hobby Lobby and one from Family Bookstore. 🙂 I have a few more in the attic, but I don’t have any more tables to put them on!
IT’S FRIDAY!
Well, yay! We made it through another week, and I do believe the cloud of germs has lifted from the Dorminy home, and I do pray that they stay away…far away.
We had an eventful breakfast:
And Molly decided she wanted to be an ELF:
I suppose this is just her way of getting into the Christmas spirit!
And speaking of getting into the Christmas spirit, let me share the book I read the other day…..
If you are just looking for a book to challenge your “American Dream” perspective based on the Bible, then go get this book. If you aren’t interested in that, then stay far away from this book. While I loved reading it, I did feel a bit like I had been punched in the gut….yet I could not put it down.
Now, go enjoy your weekend.
Happy 57th Birthday!!!
Happy Birthday to my Daddy! (Is it gift enough that we aren’t renting the bus for you to drive us around in this year?)
I love you and hope you have a very nice day!