2015

We started this year with babies, and we're ending it with toddlers. What a sweet life. Here is a quick recap of our year, photo-style.

January:

February:

March:

April:

May:

June:

July:

August:

September:

October:

November:

December:

Christmas Photo Dump

Dressed in their Christmas finery (princess watch included) before heading out for Christmas Eve Mass. I'm happy to report that, because of some Christmas miracle, Natalie and Max contributed very little to the dull roar of children's voices heard throughout Children's Mass. It was really a beautiful Mass, and I'm in the camp that believes all the chatter from the kids makes it even more beautiful. We sat toward the front, so we really got to see what was going on. I hope to always remember holding Natalie during this Christmas Eve Mass and listening to her little voice sing the Christmas hymns in my ear.  

We rounded out our Christmas celebrations with lots of family time and lots of fun gifts. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Advent Wreath

This was our first year with an Advent wreath, and the kids really loved it. We lit it and prayed around it before supper every night, and then they got to blow the candles out after we were done eating. This is an old video (only three candles are lit), but I figured I'd better get it posted before Advent is over!

Balance Bike

Mary let Natalie borrow her balance bike earlier this year. It is an alternative to a bike with training wheels. The idea is that kids learn to balance first, and then they won't need training wheels. The balance bike doesn't have pedals. They push off of the ground with their feet, and then pick their feet up to glide while they balance.

In all honesty I thought we would probably end up also getting a bike with training wheels because learning to ride a bike couldn't possibly be this easy. Natalie just walked the bike around for the first few months we had it, but then something clicked. She figured it out. Now she usually chooses to ride her bike on our walks, and I have to speed walk to keep up with her.

Here is a quick video of her gliding onto the road off of the slight ramp of our driveway. Not the best video, but you get the idea.



Santa knows that she has the balancing down, and she has asked for a pink bike with a doll seat on the back for Christmas, so we'll see what happens.

Pretend Snow

Last year at this time we were playing in the snow. Today it was 55 degrees, but it was "pretend snowing" in our house.

Christmas Baking (part two)

Weather Change

More than thirty years of teaching first grade has my mom convinced that kids act up right before the weather changes, and after last week, I'm a believer as well. The end of last week was unseasonably warm and pretty rough around our house. I know they're toddlers, and I know that tantrums are par for the course, but wow. Wow, wow, wow. Now that we're on the other side of the weather change, it feels like we're back to normal, and normal has never felt so good.

Rain Dance

Cart Parade

We were some of the only people in the store, we only needed a bag of chips, and I guess I was feeling especially patient because I gave in to the request for two little carts. 

Groovin'

We dance a lot around here. Christmas music and country music are the usual, but lately the singing fish has been making a few appearances as well.

Christmas Baking (part one)

Natalie and I used to bake all the time, but since Max has wanted to be involved, we have substantially slowed our baking streak down because he mixes much more forcefully than his sister, and I don't really love cleaning batter off of the kitchen walls. I do, however, have big plans for Christmas baked goods because, well, it's Christmas. Max actually let me help him stir today, so our walls stayed batter-free, and we all three had a fun time baking and eating Christmas tree brownies.

Raking Team

Back Outside!

We've been able to play outside again these past few days now that the ice has melted, and I'm not sure who is happiest. Cabin fever is real, especially when you're a toddler, but most especially when you're the one in charge of two cooped-up toddlers.

Mary

"Sometimes I pretend that Max is Jesus."

Natalie has been a Nativity lover for years. Books, songs, toys, you name it - if it's about the Nativity, she's sold. Her interest in the story is usually sweet, sometimes funny when she makes comments like the one above, and actually pretty inspiring. She knows there is something special about that story.