Our Mini-Vaca in Duluth

Christmas Tales

Christmas pics coming soon, but for now I wanted to talk about Mara AnnMarie's Baptism Day.  What a wonderful day we had.  Nona Donna & Great Grandma & Grandpa Joanne & Don celebrated with Heather, Sean, Godparents Auntie Katy, Auntie Bethanie and Uncle Josh. Auntie Whitney, Uncle Barry, Claire, Max, Brody, Maverick, GG, Aunt Sue, Aunt Julie, Great Grandma & Grandpa Camilla & Don, Papa and me were there watching with joy.  Her Baptism took place during Christmas Day Mass.  What a special blessing!  The music and the message were such a wonderful Christmas Gift!  We had warm cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit afterward.  Then we had Dumpling Soup for lunch at the farm and the kids opened their stocking gifts from Santa.

On the other side of that coin - the holidays can be so melancholy.  You plan and plan and shop for just the right thing and bake and cook up a storm.  Then in a flash, it is all over, and melancholy.  Papa and I are always so sad to see them all leave at the end of the day.  And yet we are tired and relieved, ready for a hot meal, a hot bath and a veg out on the couch with an old romance video.  Hope you are finding ways to deal with your own holiday melancholy.

We are heading out tomorrow for a mini-vacation - no kids in daycare the rest of the week!!  We are excited and yet will miss the little buggers by Saturday!  We are celebrating our family Christmas on Saturday!  More fun!

Merry Christmas 2012!

Our December Adventures

 Brody, Claire & Max are admiring the Christmas tree (all the time)!

 Mara & Maverick are sharing the playmat together!

 Claire loves to talk to them.

 Tickle the yummy belly!

 "and then you know what happened guys..."

 Max is loving on the babies - he has no concern for their personal bubble.

Claire & Max are entertaining.  Brody was having a very long nap that day!

Mara AnnMarie

Papa loves getting Mara to smile (and laugh)!

Mara enjoys looking in the mirrors on the playmat - she loves the new friend she sees in there!

OK, she really loves just about anything!  Especially if you're lookin' at her!  She looks just like her daddy, but shots like this look very much like mama!

Heather works from home sometimes, and Mara is a big help!  She is watching for errors!                                                                            

St Nicholas Day & a Visit from Papa

Our family celebrates St Nicholas Day, December 6, with little gifts in our shoes, the kids' shoes are all ready for him!  He brought them lots of books, some about Christmas!

Papa came to visit daycare one day.  Here he is with Max after nap, snuggling!

Then Maverick got in on the action!

Then Claire woke up and joined the fun!  Papa's doing good so far, right?

Then Mara woke up and he handled them both!  They like to be held!

Maverick wanted a new position - what a big boy sitting up!

Projects and Fun

Great Aunt Sue came one day to help with a project - handprints!

Claire & Brody are decorating trees.  Max is running around!

 Now they are stringing cheerios on pipe cleaners as candy canes!

Maverick & Mara are good buddies - just like Josh & Jesse at about this same age - many many years ago!  (they were crying too!)

Claire enjoying a moment with her babies, uninterrupted by boys!

Brody & Claire are helping Papa and Uncle Sean with farm work!

Thanksgiving Day

Max and Josh went for a tractor ride.  Max (and Claire) were shocked to learn that their daddy knew how to drive a tractor!  I think they were out there for an hour!

Omi and Claire watch daddy and Max from the window.  It was a good day!