More Miscellaneous Stuff Not to Forget

I don't know what to call this little post about everything and nothing, but I just had a few pictures of some other stuff that I didn't want to forget this month.

I took Jessica and Emma for a fun girls' night out on the town to see The Nutcracker ballet for Jessica's birthday.  We didn't take any pictures, but we did get this picture of us together with the Sugarplum Fairy.  Doesn't Emma look just like Clara holding her nutcracker? 

A picture of some of the artwork the kids added to our decorations this year. I like to keep the little piece in the middle from Evan on display because it made me happy that he included his sister in his family picture. 

Some Christmas ornaments Evan made at school.  

The boys enjoyed their Christmas doughnuts.

And why did I let them eat them AFTER their baths?  

Eddie hates that I take pictures of people eating.  I'm not sure that applies to the kids though.  

Cheesing after a bite of snowman.

Mattie Claire ~ 6 Months

Dear Mattie,

Well, here we are.  Somehow we made it through a half a year without you here with us.  I admit that sometimes I don't really know how I did it.  The clock just keeps ticking despite my best efforts sometimes to stop it.  It doesn't seem fair sometimes to keep going without you.  We also celebrated your first Christmas as a part of our family.  Christmas should have been a lot different.  While we managed to make great memories with your brothers, it wasn't the same.  You should have been in our family pictures wearing a cute matching Christmas outfit.  You should have been sitting on Santa's lap looking so pretty and "stealing the show" everywhere we went.  You should have received your first Christmas gifts.  Well, you did get a few "gifts" this year.  You got a couple of special ornaments for the Christmas tree and a stocking of your own.  I would have loved to have bought you some fun girl Christmas toys too though.  Throughout this month, I kept thinking about how Jesus' mother, Mary, must have felt after witnessing the miracle of her son's birth and life and then having to watch him suffer and die for the world.  Losing you gives me a whole new perspective on the loss and heartache Mary must have felt when she watched her precious son die.  I would never have wanted to watch you suffer, but I would have given my own life if it meant you could have had the chance to live.  I still love you with all my heart.  I know that is never going to change.  I am sad that I feel like I can barely remember how you felt in my arms.  I knew that would be the hardest part of this.  I just didn't get enough time with you.  I continue to pray for peace in my heart over this whole situation and for the strength that I need each day.

If you were with us on Christmas, you may look like either of your girl cousins who were also six months old their first Christmases:

Mommy with cousin Cate in 2011

Big brother Brody and cousin Cate for their first Christmas. 

Sweet Emma's first Christmas in 2004. 

If you were here this month, here are some of the cute outfits you may have worn:

One of the first dresses Mommy purchased for you after Christmas last year.  Mommy definitely wanted you to have this smocked nativity dress. 

A cute Carter's Christmas outfit.  

A pretty red dress for church. 

And a pretty red smocked Christmas dress to match your brothers' red Christmas outfits. 

A fun and festive Christmas outfit. 

Your special Christmas gifts:

Your sweet little stocking with an angel on it.

And a special angel ornament for you. 

Some of your Christmas presents may have included:

Your first tea set. 

Your first cuddly baby doll. 

And although I am a little ashamed to admit it, I am sure I couldn't resist buying you some princess toys like this little princess castle.  

Although I am sure none of these gifts compared to a Christmas spent in heaven, I hope you enjoyed watching over your family this Christmas.  We love you, little angel!

Love,
Mommy

Evan's School Christmas Celebration

I am not very "PC" around here and don't call Evan's school party a "Holiday Party" or any other more PC term.  For us, it is a Christmas celebration.  For me, it is just my instinctual greeting this time of year to say "Merry Christmas."  It is what I have always said and will continue to do so.  I don't even think about it before blurting it out.  I don't say it to offend.  I say it to spread the joy that I am feeling during this season of the year.  Evan sent us home a special invitation to his class party, and I knew I just had to go this year.  I missed several of his classroom parties and festivities last year.  I arrived a little late due to coming from work, but my sweet boy's face lit up when he saw me, and that made it all worth it.  They enjoyed their treats, he showed me some of the crafts he had made, and played a little game of pin the nose on the snowman.  They were all wearing their pajamas on the last day of school so he enjoyed getting to wear his Christmas pajamas all day.

Their treats for the party.  

My boy ate most of his healthier treats and really could have cared less about the cupcakes.  I had to encourage him to eat the chocolate one he asked for. 

He showed me his little gingerbread house.

His little friend, Taylor, was being silly showing off her green nose and mustache.

He refuses to take off his coat most of the day. 

Playing pin the nose on the snowman.

All of the kids pretty much got the nose in the right spot.  I'm not sure if this was because they could actually see through their mask or because the snowman was just the perfect height for them.

Evan helping Taylor on her turn.

This picture was from a couple of weeks earlier when the school PTA invited us all to a little concert to hear some songs the kids were learning in music.  They actually didn't perform any Christmas songs, and the concert was a little disappointing for all although we enjoyed watching Evan perform.  

We like to take care of our teachers for Christmas.  Evan's class just did individual gifts so we did a handy gift card to our beloved Target and made this yummy smelling homemade sugar scrub (so so easy, ya'll!).  I added a little handmade printable tag and painted the teacher's monogram on the jar for a special touch.  

A sweet smelling concoction consisting primarily of sugar, brown sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla.  

A Preschool Christmas Celebration

On the last week of school before Christmas break, Brody's preschool put on a little Christmas concert for all the parents and families and then his class had a little party for the parents to attend.  We loved getting to share these special days with our little guy.  He seems to have a good case of stage fright like most of the kids in his class, but I was proud that he was doing his best to be brave and not cry on stage as all the kids around him were crying.  I was determined that I would try to not let him see me to see if that would help keep him from getting sad, but he was looking around so sadly at all the faces in the crowd like he was just searching for that one familiar face so I finally gave in and let him see me.  He immediately perked up with a little smile for me, but then he just couldn't stand being on that stage another minute and started off towards me.  I met him and went to sit with him on the stage so that he would stay and "perform."  He didn't sing, but he definitely knew the songs and motions and even smiled a little.  After the kids performed, they all joined their families in the audience for a family sing-a-long.  He loved that, and when some of the older kids started going back onto the stage to sing, he and his big brother went too.  He loved having his big brother with him.

A little unsure about all the unfamiliar faces. 

But he was okay once Mommy joined him. 

Sitting patiently while the older kids performed. 

He loved ringing his bells for Jingle Bells. 

Looking quite handsome and grown up. 

Singing with Mommy. 

And wrestling with big brother in the pew. 

So happy to stand with big brother on stage. 

And posing in front of the big Christmas tree on stage. 

And one with Mommy.

Listening to the Christmas story told by his teacher. 

With the little characters. 

Singing some more cute songs they've learned this year. 

Decorating and eating Christmas cookies. 

Brody's friend Miles watches closely.

Adding sprinkles.

Mommy helping Brody's little friend, Sierra, with her cookies.

A plate full of goodies.  He really wasn't very interested in eating his cookies though. 

Posing with the little stocking he made.  His even had a choo choo train picture on it. 

Brody and his friend, Sierra, pose for a picture. I think these two stick together a lot at school.  Young love maybe?

Sierra had her mouth full of cookie.

And one last performance with his teacher.

We contributed money towards the class gift, but Mommy wanted to give Brody's teachers a little something special from him so she made these little "monogrammed" candy jars.  She just wrote on the jars with a silver paint pen and filled them with festive colored chocolate candies.  

Some cute paper bags and printed tags completed these cute gifts.