First Reconciliation

The girls had their first reconciliation this past weekend.  It was pretty small and 2 students weren't able to make it so it was even less.  

The lighting of their candles after the said their Hail Mary's for penance.

Fr. Jim and Fr. Patrick and their teacher, Mrs. Haw

Their classmates.

 

New year

BYE BYE 2020!!  You have not been good!  To start off the new year....WE DID NOTHING! No New Years eve party or anything.  Just like we have done the last 9 months of social distancing, masks and nothing being opened. 

2021 is already looking better!  I started the new year out with getting my first Covid-19 immunization.  The first start of freedom! My arm was sore, as in tender like a bruise, but nothing else to report.  I felt good and go back in 4 weeks to get my second shot and then I am good to go!  :)

Like I said, no side effects! HAHA!

We have enjoyed our Christmas presents and this day it was painting on their canvases they recieved.  

Ella gave this painting to her art teacher, she wants to be an art teacher when she grows up.  At least this day she did. 

This day they were digging for dinosaur bones! 

And how about a snow man marshmallow hot chocolate topper when you come in from making a snowman!  

When I say 2021 is already starting off better than 2020....The Cleveland Browns made it to the playoffs.  Although I personally don't care, Joey did!  Here is Eli sporting his orange hair to cheer them on with his dad.  Don't worry....they lost and won't be going to the Super Bowl.

Another round of snow, so more snowman making.

And after that the kids helped shovel our driveway, which led me into telling them about how my brothers and I shoveled others driveway to buy our first Nintendo.  Then they decided they wanted to do that.  I did NOT feel like going around shoveling snow but decided we had nothing else to do.  We shoveled our elderly neighbors driveway for our good deed for the day and then went to others and asked if they wanted their driveways shoveled for $10.  The kids made a total of $70 and 2 bags of candy!!!  Eli did the sidewalks and he did great!  What a workout and great money earning activity for them!  They are getting closer to the Nintendo switch they want! 

And the girls are still swimming, although we have not been able to do any swim meets this year.

Covid has changed the swimming the season. 

And Eli is now saying FRUIT snacks instead of saying SNOOT snacks! A little more of my baby growing up! :(

Christmas and Covid

Christmas looked different this year.  We could not stay at my parents or really spend any time with them due to Corona virus.  We did still travel to Ohio and our sister in laws mother offered us to stay at her house while she is in Florida and it worked out perfectly!  It was very nice of her to let us stay there and we are very appreciative!  Here are the girls after Christmas with the Shultz family.  

We did go to my parents house, but we it was quite a bit different.  We were in the garage and 6 feet away and wore masks.  We stayed for a few hours and visited.  The kids opened their Christmas gifts in Iowa before we came because my mom had asked me to do the shopping for her because they were not going out.  So I did.  We facetimed on Christmas day so they could watch them open the presents.  It was not the same, not even close.  While we were in the garage I had gotten in the attic and got some of the boxes down that I had up there with my old toys in it.  Turns out there was a bunch of crap not worth saving in most of them.  That was Christmas at my parents.  

In my boxes I found this picture of my dad at work in front of his bucket truck

And some old clothes that I used for doll clothes....so I had Eli put them on!  HAHAHA!  

I had some other stuff like my cabbage patch kid, walkmand, pound puppies but most of it was not worth keeping but it did bring back memories for me and I'm sure my mom is glad the boxes are out of her house!

After a few days in Northwest Ohio we headed to Columbus to see my brothers.  Randy and Val had already had corona virus so we stayed with them because they were "safe" and we wouldn't take it to them.  The kids loved their cats!!!  

We went to the shoe to get some pictures.

We were able to spend some time with Alexis while we were there too.  It had been a whole year since the kids had seen her and I'm not sure she grew!  She is still little!  In fact, Eli has passed her in height now.  We all enjoyed seeing her and spending time playing with her.

The kids did so good traveling and packing up and unpacking and wearing masks and not hugging and staying away and more traveling and sleeping in new spaces and all of it.  I am so proud of how the kids handled this years challenges.  It made it all a little easier when they do so good!

Christmas 2020

Christmas has been pretty magical with kids and this year wasn't any different.  We did our traditions and enjoyed the season.  

Eli has been asking when it is going to Christmas every night, since before Halloween.  So to say he was excited was an understatement.  

Opening presents!

We opened presents and just enjoyed the day with just us.  Coloring on Eli's house he received from Santa.

Joey gave me dish gloves for Christmas.... 

Don't worry he gave me more than dishgloves...like new headphones and a fitbit!

Joey asked for a new pellet grill and that is what I got for him.  However, I could not get it in the house by myself so I had to leave it in my van.  I had asked him to put something in my van to take to Ohio, so when he opened the van he then saw his present.  

Eli and his new tablet he got from Santa.  Lucky boy!

He also received a Spiderman lego set. mine craft figurines and hot wheels track

Ella has been wanting a watch that you can play games and take pictures with and she finally got one from Santa.  She was very happy and this was her favorite present.

She also received a SKATEBOARD and some items for her new bunk bed like baskets to hang and clip lamp.

And Josie received a video camera and game that she can make her own way on her tablet.  These were her favorite presents!  She also got a clip lamp for her bunk bed and sticker by number book (like color by number but with stickers) and a rubber band bracelet making kit.

Enjoying their suckers!

Christmas shirt picture on Christmas day!

Joey put his new grill together and of course made us dinner.  I'm not sure our entire Christmas season didn't look more like this label, not just one dinner!!!

To start the Christmas festivities...

After school on Tuesday we had a Christmas tea party with the neighbor girl!

Here we are on Christmas eve,  going to dinner.  Our tradition is going to church, then to dinner and then we head to see Christmas lights.  And corona virus did NOT mess up those traditions this year.  Going out to eat was completely safe....we were the only family in the restaurant and our server wore a mask.  We had a wonderful Christmas eve and Christmas morning with our family.  We are blessed beyond belief!

8 is GREAT!

8 YEARS OLD!  They are 8!  How can that be?!

Kind, responsible and a little bit of sass, is how I would describe you 2

The girls were twinning and ready for their birthday at school.  When they woke up I had made this sign for them!  They liked it!

Dad also stuck around to wish his little sweeties happy birthday before he went to work!

I also had planned 8 is great doughnuts for breakfast!  They were super excited about doughnuts for breakfast!

Eli, of course, liked it too! :)

As per usual we didn't really celebrate their birthday and Josie was pretty disappointed!  She wanted to open some presents!!

The girls at 8, are starting to stay home by themselves for small amounts of time.  They play with the kids in the neighborhood almost everyday.  This is the first year they are able to get all snow stuff on by themselves (maybe a little help with boots)  They enjoy school, Ella's favorite subjects are art and math and Josie likes art and recess.  They are starting to get their talking back voice to mom and dad!  They do not like playing violin and they are still not quite into sports, but I hope that changes.  I can't wait to see what the next year brings!  We love you so much and are so proud of who you are! 

On the girls birthday, Joey bought himself a new truck.  Here is the new Chevy Silverado.  Happy Birthday girls....you get no presents but your dad gets a new truck! :)

Advent

Advent, preparing for the birth of Jesus.  We all prepare our own way...extra prayers, confession, etc.I had my own this year.

During advent is also the feast of St. Nick. and sure enough he came again this year.

Josie showing off her Christmas light bulb necklace that she received.

All 3 kids got a canvas painting with paints to paint.  

Here is Ella being silly showing hers off.

Eli loves arts and crafts, coloring and painting.  He was so proud of this! And this took every bit of strain for mom not to fix, judge or comment on his masterpiece.

And Josie's final 

This was a neat little craft and they did it over a few days letting the paint dry and work it on it more. I like that it filled time.

This year I decided I was going to try a wine advent calendar.  Its the triangle box and each ornament has a different bottle (glass or wine, not full bottle) of wine.  24 different kids of wine...a great way to try different wines and see what you like!  I also decided that since 2020 has pretty much sucked, I was going to enjoy my December evenings and I also bought a cheese advent calender and chocolate truffle advent calendar as well. So for 24 days I had this....I was PUMPED.  Except when I actually didn't feel like having any of it and realized I would have a make up day with 6 items.  I started to get stressed a little!  LOL!!  I did enjoy it for the most part, but did fall some days behind.  My waist has really suffered the consequences of my preparation for the birth of Jesus. 

Eli was upside down during this Christmas season!