Snow Day #2

Sunday was a snow day at home as well, starting out with us celebrating our family's first of 4 Christmases that are to come in the next week by doing our little stocking ceremony. After that, it was back outdoors for the gang and holiday baking for me. They stayed out a good part of the day, shoveling out the driveway and some neighbors' driveways too and making an awesome 3-entrance tunnel for the kids to play in. More hot chocolate, another fire, popcorn and tv, what's not to like?

See Nate behind the snow pile? Below, he wanted to shovel like Dad, so he cleared a bit of snow off the back porch for us.

Snow Day #1

Saturday is usually an early morning and busy day for us, but the big storm came and brought at least 18 inches of snow and we enjoyed a nice day at home instead. We had a lazy morning with pancakes for breakfast, a day-long fire, playing in the snow, hot chocolate and Christmas charades (see Baby Jesus laying on the "donkey" with his gold coin, frankincense and myrrh (room spray and candle). It was fun to see how creative we could all be when put to the test, although I'm not sure the kids were nearly as impressed with our creativity as we were with ourselves :o) !

Cowboy Christmas

We attended a "Cowboy Christmas" out in the country near Hagerstown right before the storm hit last weekend. They had a petting zoo/live nativity, horse & pony rides, wagon ride with a shoot-out (see Collette who got volunteered by Peter to be a gun-totin' gal). Then we had dinner there and a show which the kids enjoyed.

Josh & Ashley Rooney

Christmas Activities

This year's Gingerbread object was a tree

Dave & Nate working on a Christmas craft

Sabrina's work of art

Reading stories by the glow of the tree

Flip Gals Luncheon - December edition

After us agreeing that we have mostly exhausted our repertoire of filipino recipes in last month's luncheon, we decided to go festive and do a red and green theme for December's get together at Angel's house. We had all kinds of spinach and red and green peppers and even a red tuna salad and green leche flan! Next month we're going on a field trip to a filpino restaurant and letting someone else do the cooking!

"Tis the Season!

We got our tree up this weekend and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! The kids love having their own little trees!

The day after...

After surviving BLACK FRIDAY at Wal-Mart at 5:00 a.m. with all the other crazies, we went to Gaver's Tree Farm down the road to cut down our Christmas tree and met the Smiths there.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at our home this year included the grandparents Brions, Woosters, and friends the Rooneys and Rob with a brief appearance by the Tejeda family. It was a relaxed enough day for Dave & I to get up and take a walk on Thanskgiving morning! As most Thanksgivings go, it was day 1 1/2 days of prep for a meal that was done in 20 minutes, but we were all full and happy!
Cesar & Shirley brought Dave this YANKEES Christmas door decoration as a joke. I think the wind must have swept away, because it seems to have disappeared from our door and has been replaced with a more tasteful display. Hmm. I'm stumped.

CAREER DAY AT Deer Crossing

About a month ago, Nate informed us that he wants to be a Ninja when he grows up. "Ok, sure" I replied, knowing that this future occupation would soon pass, just like being a fireman, policeman etc. have fallen by the wayside. However, when "career day" rolled around at school, he would consider no other costume than the Ninja costume (which mom bought for 75% off after halloween). "

I also bought him a camo/military get-up, since being an "army guy" was also under consideration for a time (the whole weaponry aspect is very appealing to him, you know). Realizing he was totally serious about being a Ninja for career day at school that morning, we tried talking him into something, well, less halloweeny. "Ninja's get trained by the military, Nate, why don't you be an army guy instead?" we asked. "I can't carry any weapons to school...plus.....I ALREADY KNOW how to be a Ninja. I don't need to be trained by the military."

And with that, our son went to class and joined the ranks of budding scientists, doctors and other REAL LIFE careers. His sister, like many other girls her age, opted for the teacher with her glasses, badge and clipboard which were much less attention-getting than Mr. Ninja. That's our girl, and that's our boy!

7 kid sleepover and a huge sandwich

We had 7 kids for sleepover last weekend when our friends Ryan & Traci brought their 3, (Rachel, Taylor and Drew) and then we invited Karissa & Luke to come home with us after having lunch together on Saturday since we would be seeing their parents (Mike & Denita) again the next day.

Mike & Denita hosted lunch for us all to get together to see Ryan & Traci (below), we all know each other from college or marriage to college friends. We didn't quite get through one of those huge sandwiches from subway shown above!

2009 Haiti Photobook

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Mozambique Photobook - it only took me 1.5 yrs to complete, but it's DONE.

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Flip Gals Luncheon

6 of us got together at ouy house today for a Filipina Gals Luncheon. We enjoyed traditional dishes like lumpia (egg rolls), pancit, kari kari, stuffed bangus, cassava cake, ube pudding, etc. It was a beautifully warm fall day for lunch on the porch and to catch up with friends. Gigi, Angel, Eunice, Caryn, Cheryl (Cheryl & I met in the "Philippines while missionaries in 1992)

Cheryl's friend Joan joined us too

Eunice showing off her stuffed milkfish (bangus) - whole fish garnished with kale and everything! We were impressed - so what if her mom made it for her!

Warm Fall Day

This has been the nicest fall with some really warm days! On Sunday, it was too beautiful to stay inside so we headed to the beach for some sand digging and fishing and relaxing.