Happy Birthday, Jesus!!

I always love the view out our dining room window! I took this photo the week before Christmas and all the snow was melted by Christmas Eve, but it was too pretty not to post.
Snow dingleberries! Otto (and now Sophie, too) loves the snow!! Matt's trained him to go to his bed and eat the snow off his furry little paws after he comes in. So much better than finding little puddles of cold water all over the floors.

J, Schmabbers, and Banana have really enjoyed participating in our Parish's fledgling children's choir this year. Banana, especially, is totally comfortable performing in front of everyone. She's completely lacking in self-consciousness, lucky girl! She insisted on having her own sheet of music and proudly held it upside-down in front of her as she sang. Schmabbers, on the other hand, gets a little silly and nervous, but loves being up there every week. She's even hitting the right notes more consistently! J had his hair cut two weeks ago, so he no longer looks like a hippie. ;) It was a traumatic, but neccessary trip to the barber shop. His hair is so thin and fine I didn't want to be the first one to layer it because any mistakes will definitely show! Now that it's been done, I can do the maintainance cuts to keep the slightly longer, shaggy look he likes.

The children's music was a wonderful addition to a beautiful Christmas Eve Mass. I just love taking the time to worship our Lord before starting the Christmas Day celebrations. The hymns and carols and the reminder of who it's really all about. I can't even imagine how pointless life would be without personally knowning the One who made us, and loves us, and who even rejoices over us with gladness, singing joyfully because of us (Zephaniah). Sadly though, our world is full of people who have been beaten down by hurts and disappointments. People who are feeling rejected and lonely; who live every day without knowning how passionately they are loved by the One who created them. I think most of us have struggled with the dispair, the anger, the cynicism, the feeling of hopelessness that comes from life and the people we care about letting us down. We've all covered our pain and desperation with laughter, drugs, alcohol, relationships, obsessive ambition. We've run hard and hidden well the pain we were drowning in. No one would have ever known what was really going on behind our well-constructed masks. And all the while, we had a Father who loves us unconditionally and whose arms ached to hold us and soothe our hurts ways. A Father who loves us so much He sent his Son to walk among us and show us His love, and ultimately to offer Himself as the required sacrifice for our rebellion. All so that we would be free to run into His arms and find the very things we so futily search for down here. Christmas is a reminder for me to renew my committment to pray for the hurting, confused, and lost people in our world. I was one once, and without the prayers of some very dear people in my life, I would still be one. But I covered it well, and no one would have known, so I pray.....perhaps for you.


As much as I love my fancy-dancy camera, I've been consistently disappointed with nearly every photo taken in low lighting. After two Christmases in a row without a single good picture taken on Christmas Day, I found a forum online in which several other owners of this model have grumbled about the same issue. At least I know it's not a user error! Ironically enough, Matt's cheapo little camera takes beautiful indoor photos, but of course we didn't think to use it until after the day's festivities were over. Sigh....maybe next year we'll have some photos of the kids that aren't orange or blurred or dark. We surprised the kids this year(BIG understatement!!) by getting them a Wii. (Maximum cool points with that one!!) We've all had a blast challenging each other to Guitar Hero, racing, boxing, and Dance, Dance. What a great investment! We were sure that K would feel let-down by a major family gift rather than a big personal gift this year, but she's shocked us by sneaking down to play by herself whenever she can. She's never had a use for video games, and now we can't keep her off it! The kids are looking forward to boxing with their Grandmas!