Amusing...

Meghan: I'm going to go and see what the men are doing.

The men were Derek and Evan.  They were playing with Evan's new LEGOs.

The Microwave and Meghan

At nine o'clock in the morning, I heard some beeping sounds coming from the kitchen when I was upstairs.  Knowing that Meghan was recently allowed to help Derek use the microwave, I inquired about the beeping and who was using it.  (Derek wasn't even home.)  Meghan explained to me that they wanted pizza for lunch, so she was warming it.

I first explained that it was not lunch time, and then made sure she understood she needed permission (and further instruction) to use the microwave.

The kicker: When I came downstairs, she told me she found out that tin foil should not go in the microwave.  She told me how it sparked, but didn't explode.  Nor did it burn down the house.

December

This has been a rather unusual weather month for southeastern Pennsylvania.  We have actually had several snowfalls of several inches that LASTED!  Yesterday it was 60°; today it was closer to 70°.  Amazing.

Esther has proven that she likes Christmas decorations.  The bottom half of the tree is no longer decorated.  We decorated it with Esther-friendly ornaments at the bottom.  However, she still takes them off.  THEN she proceeds to break them or at the very least to take them apart. 

We have electric candles in our windows.  Except the two windows in Esther's room are candleless.  The dining room's windows also are dark at night.  Only one person is to blame...

Last week, Esther did the cutest thing in the world when we were setting out the lights in the windows.  She tried to blow it out!  Repeatedly.  

We are officially enjoying our family's time together for Christmas break!  Unfortunately, I have been dizzy for a few days.  But gift wrapping is completed sitting down, so it's okay.  (Cinnamon rolls may not happen for Christmas morning though...)

We are eager to go to northeastern Pennsylvania later this year to celebrate Christmas with our families.  Grandma J. also celebrates her 91st birthday on Christmas Eve!  We are so grateful to have Grandma and Grandpa.  They are truly incredible people.

Snow Play

After a very long ride home from church*, we had a quick lunch and went outside to play in the snow.

I had just purchased some snow pants for Meghan.  Evan's are a bit much too short, we learned.  Esther could pretty much stand OR lie down in her pants and coat...sitting up (bending at the waist) was too hard!

I bought boots for Meghan and Evan and mittens for Esther and Evan and had them all tucked away for Christmas.  Today was definitely a day to use them though!

* It took us just shy of 2 hours to get home from church.  YES. TWO HOURS.  We grew up driving in snow, so it is not that we are scared or anything.  That was not the problem.  (As for the multiple cars we followed...we can't say they are familiar with snow driving.  The worst was getting behind cars on hills where momentum going up the hill is absolutely necessary.) 

 Before we even left Delaware, we didn't make it up a hill.  (Many others didn't make it up that hill either.)  Derek had to push us...and as we didn't want to lose momentum, he climbed into the van while it was still moving.  Even in Maryland the roads were not treated though a bit plowed.  (These were all major roads.)  About half a mile shy of the Pennsylvania border, a line of vehicles were stopped.  We eventually learned that a tractor trailer was stopped at the bottom of the hill where the state line is.  (Derek also removed the ice from the wipers while we were stopped here.)  So...we turned around and went to take a road (without hills) to lead us for the highway near our home.  Even the  four lane highway was not treated, though the the off ramp was.  From there, we took our exit and then the "long" way home.  We made it home safely.

When we left church in Delaware, there may have a been an inch of snow.  When we finally made it to our house, there was about three inches of snow.  It is typically a 40 minute drive to church.  

In ten years of living in this general area and attending this church, we have never had a ride home from church like this.  I hope we never will again! 

After climbing into a moving vehicle, maybe Derek is now ready to change careers and become a stuntman.

Thankful...

This year we had a quiet Thanksgiving at home.  Just the five of us.  Together.

I was less than excited to make a nice meal for basically just Derek and me to eat.  I thought Esther may enjoy it, too, but anticipated only complaints from Meghan and Evan.

Earlier this month, I roasted a chicken.  It was the first time that Meghan and Evan eagerly ate roasted chicken.  (I believe ketchup may have been used...)  It provided me hope for Thanksgiving Day.


Today I was absolutely thrilled when Evan proclaimed, "I like to try new food!"  And Meghan told me that dinner was "the best."

Even if ketchup was used again.
Happy Thanksgiving!

~~~ ♥~~~

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Fall Family Photos 2013

On a beautiful and unseasonably warm November Saturday, we went to the park.  We were there for two hours...and here are some of the results of our time there!  

Click any image to make it larger.

What's your favorite family shot?  Meghan?  Evan?  Esther?  

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Esther really has knack for trouble.

Yesterday she climbed on a narrow window sill.

Today she painted herself with markers.
 She used two colors.

 She colored her lips almost perfectly with RED.

With highlights in green.  

She was rather proud...