December

We began December with Miriam's birthday date with Daddy - they went to Caruso's. It's jarring sometimes to see how old she is already. Nine! She's such a bright, creative, nurturing daughter, sister, and friend. She loves to read, make up her own stories and comic books, use funny voices to entertain us, and will keep an eye on Simon if Mommy asks without complaining. And really so adventurous...loves to try new foods and ride all the biggest rides at the fair or a water park! She often writes at the top of the grocery list, "Have a great day, Mom! I love you! Love, Miriam". We're so blessed to have her in our family.

In December, we also continued doing fun activities with the two year old boys.

Speaking of two year old boys...we just didn't know how much FUN they could be! Girls and boys are just different we've been told so many times. But living with a boy around has truly brought to light how different they are! Simon is so physical! Jumping and running, making every engine noise, stopping to check out how things work or examine the wheel of a toy turning.

AND THE FURNITURE MOVING! Whether we're at home or out running errands, he's lining up chairs! This is probably more of an "inherited from Tim's genetics" than a boy thing...but it's really something!

Felicity and Catherine will be Aunt Ande's flower girls at her wedding in June 2019 so we got to go dress shopping! Catherine LOVED the whole experience. Felicity is a little shy of being in the spotlight and took a bit to warm up. But Felicity is ever the girly-girl and definitely loved getting fancy!

Grandpa's birthday is in December so we celebrated with mayonnaise cake at Wednesday night rosary. The boys were ALL about those candles!

Then it was time to get into the Christmas spirit! It was just everywhere! The school program was adorable, as usual. And it was fun having kids in three of the performances.

At home, we made Christmas cookies and did Christmas crafts.

Even at the grocery, the friendly staff dressed up in Christmas costumes!

Mommy's favorite gift of the season was probably these hand painted peg dolls of our family from her dear, very talented friend Becca. 

Just five days before Christmas, we got in an accident on our way to school. It was a Thursday morning, so Tim was at his Holy Hour at the chapel and Sarah took the girls to school. Someone didn't stop at an intersection and...

the van was totaled. Felicity was the only one really paying attention enough to see the accident and was probably the most frightened. For months afterward she was a backseat driver, carefully watching the other cars, giving warnings about their driving, keeping Mommy back from all of them. No one was hurt in the wreck, thank goodness! The police came quickly to help, Tim was able to come get the girls off to school even before the tow truck arrived, and Tim's parents have a minivan we were able to borrow until we could get everything sorted out with the insurance companies. It was not what we would have chosen, but truly everything was arranged so quickly and well that God must have a plan in all that mess.

Then it was right back into Christmas with parties and gift giving!

Christmas Eve with Nana and Papa

Wellman Family at Gary and Nancy's

Felicity and her Journey Girl in new matching outfits

Christmas Day we spend as a family at home. Waking up to gifts from Santa and a pile of warm Monkey Bread!

A letter from Santa promising a day at the water park in Windsor, Canada!

 An afternoon of nothing to do but play with our children!

Sweet Baby Jesus - the perfect beer for the day!

Which is exactly our favorite way to spend our time!

Most wonderful time of the year

A Christmas Haiku

Wellman Christmas Eve

Vivian got a pogo stick

Bouncy, blurry bliss

Eating and eating, celebrating Elijah's first birthday, opening gifts, and a Christmas Eve Mass that was overflowing...

Christmas had officially arrived!

The girls woke up groggy after all the fun of Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's. Sleepy enough that they let us take a few pictures before attacking the stockings.

The girls moved all the gifts from under the tree in the office to neatly sorted stacks around the fireplace. This year Miriam used her good behavior "money" from school to purchase each family member a gift. She was so, so excited to give these gifts. She protected them fiercely from Simon - no peaking and no destroying the wrapping she had carefully done in the classroom! Christmas morning when she gave her gifts and watched as we opened them, her Mom and Dad enjoyed watching this new side of Miriam. This older Miriam grasped the real joy of giving. Getting presents is fun, of course. But the giving - the Santa Claus generosity, the Son born as one of us to save us - she was coming into that understanding this Christmas. A new kind of delight was born in her.

Now, more fully alert, they opened their gifts with glee. It seemed they were just as excited to see what each other received as they were to open their own packages.

Tim made Sarah these unique copper bracelets! Pretty impressive!

After everything was revealed, the girls gathered their loot and arranged it. They spent an hour or so comparing and examining.

Simon cuddled with his parents - always his favorite gift.

Tim's parents came for lunch, the girls finally got dressed, and we spent the rest of the day playing! Tim and Simon took long naps in the afternoon. Mommy read and had a glass of wine. The girls watched a movie. Pure relaxation on a White Christmas.

It was about as perfect as a Christmas could be.