Christmas Morning

We experienced our first year of "very early wake-up" on Christmas morning.

5:15 a.m.  

It was still dark out.  Matt and I were startled awake by shrills from upstairs.

Matt's response was "they need to back back to bed for a while."  While, remembering back to the many years my brother and I woke my parents before daylight, I responded with, "it's Christmas, they are excited, let's let them open presents!"

The beauties and I outranked Daddy, and the gift opening was on!

 Farrah was very excited about her giraffe socks.

 Jocelyn of course sporting penguins.

 Silvie in her cheetahs.

 Chloe smiling in her giraffes.

 Silvie took so much time and caution opening each of her gifts.  She savored ever moment.  Studying, admiring and loving her presents.

 Santa brought each of the Beauties new ice skates!  The triplets cannot wait to skate like their big sissy. 

 Farrah with her Farrah Fawcett barbie.

 The Kaya doll....oh how badly she wanted this doll. 

 Chloe and Silvie showing off the gifts they picked out for each other.

 Chloe and Farrah showing off their gifts for each other.

 Chloe wanting to pose with Jocey, she wasn't in the the camera...

Daddy's holiday tie...it sings Jingle Bells.

The Beauties picked it out for him at the Dollar Store.  Priceless.

After the gifts were open...somehow, Daddy talked them into going back to bed before we headed out to Grammy and Poppy's.  They actually slept for almost 2 hours.  I was amazed...and thankful for the nap.

Ready for Santa

 Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, the beauties were stirring, but thank goodness...no mouse.

 Sweet so longs to their elf-friend Crystal.  Knowing she will be heading back to the Northpole with Santa, until we are graced with her presence this time next year.  Proud of their cookies and pictures and trinkets...left under the tree for the guy with the beard.

 They have been mostly nice.  Trying hard not to be naughty...

 The stockings hung on the mantle with care.

Dear Santa,

Please take care of Crystal, 

she has been a good friend.

We cannot wait for her return next year

until then...

The End

Uh-Oh...Mommy has the camera again

The countdown to Christmas is on.

Our precious little beauties are prepped and ready.

Of course we have to sneak in the holiday card photo shoot.

I have said it before...and I will say it again...

Photo-shoots are always full of entertainment at our house.  There is always one stick in the mud camera shy beauty in the group.  Most often, it's miss Jocelyn.  However, today...It was miss Farrah.  She was less than thrilled about taking a group photo.  She wanted to be in the picture alone with the singing hallmark snowman.  I, as you guessed, wanted a picture of my four girls sans singing hallmark snowman.

Here is the series of events.

 I was able to get in two good photos before "the meltdown."

 As we see here...Farrah begins crawling away from her sisters.  She is coming to get the singing hallmark snowman.  Which is on the table behind me.

 And...Farrah is out of the shot, at my feet.  I use the "you're going to be sad when Mommy takes a really good picture to share with everyone and you're not in it" tactic.  It of course does not work.  She makes it clear that she could care less.

 Here we have full blown tantrum in the side view of the photo.  Complete with kicking.  Oh yes, I said kicking.  I now pull out the "Santa is watching you" tactic.  Yep, you guessed it.  She does not care if Santa is watching.  She is NOT getting in that photo.

 Chloe with the "Mommy is getting flustered, I better smile look" 

Jocelyn telling Farrah (with her eyes) to get into the picture so Mommy doesn't cry.  

I will also point out...Jocelyn is IN the picture!

 Silvie swoops in to Farrah's rescue.  What does she bring?  The singing hallmark snowman.

She consoles her for several minutes.  Giving kisses and love.  Trying to convince her to just "suck it up sister."

 Silvie is over that.  She wants her picture taken.  She's not afraid to ham it up for Mommy's camera!

 Neither is Jocelyn.  Ham it up Baby Girl!

 Chloe-girl making sure she takes part in the pretty posing contest.

 Oh my sweet Farrah.  Had to share this one,  even crying and mid tantrum, you are beautiful.

One day, you will thank Mommy for capturing this...one day when you have children, and they will not pose for your "silly" photo-shoots.

Oh Jocelyn...Mommy loves it when you smile!

Sometimes you see Triple

 Sometimes is really always in our house.

Three x Three.

Cheesing it up for the camera.

Side note...big sis...would not have her photo taken in her robe.  Weird, because lately any other time she is streaking naked through the house.  We have to bribe her to get dressed.

Go figure.

Our Tree

As far back as I can remember, decorating the tree has always been one of my most favorite things about Christmas.  To me it symbolizes family, togetherness and celebration of the beginning of a wonderful time of the year.  

When I was a child, and through my early adult years, we ALWAYS decorated the tree as a family.

My mom handing ornaments to my brother and me to hang.  My Dad always sat smiling, telling us to spread them out, not to hang them all in one place.  After we were finished hanging the ornaments, my Mom would put the final touch on...the tinsel.  She has always loved that silver tinsel.  When I moved out, my mom carefully selected the ornaments that I had collected over the years and gave them to me to take, to begin my "own" tree.

It remains one of my most cherished parts of Christmas.

When Matt and I moved in together, I remember how excited I was to get "our" first tree together.  We went out and cut one down at a local tree farm.  It was so much fun.  Snowy and freezing, but worth it.

When Chloe celebrated her first Christmas, we bundled her up and took her to the tree farm.  I have photos of her snuggled in the baby bjorn, in her snow suit, complete with rosey cheeks and a grin from ear to ear, riding along out into the field looking for our perfect tree.

It makes me smile and admittedly tear up to watch my girls decorate "our" tree.  Just as my parents taught me, I am teaching them.  Carefully handing the ornaments to them and watching as they carefully select the perfect branch for each one.  They get so excited to unwrap the precious treasures and remember where each one came from.  When they made them, or who gave it to them.  They each have their favorites.  They even comment on how old some of them are.

Chloe has become the "star placer" it is her very special job every year.  Her Daddy lifts her to the top and she places it atop.  She has become quite a pro in her 7 years.

I sit and think about what Christmas means to me...everything can be summed up in "our" tree.  Joy, beauty, sparkle, memories-past, memories-present, memories-future, and most of all, the love of family.

Making Mommy Smile...as usual

Silvie was proudly serving pizza pies to Matt and I.  Always careful to watch when we were "finished" so she could bring us a new one.

We love afternoons at the children's museum.  

As the girls get older, I am in awe watching them interact and play with each other and with other children.  They are so intelligent and good mannered.  Always willing to share and help other children and each other.  

 Jocelyn loves the market.  She would spend the entire time there if her sisters didn't want to explore other rooms.  She shops and plays with the cash register.  When it's time to move on she always helps everyone else put their items back on the shelves.

 Farrah and Silvie making pizza.

 Jocelyn still at the cash register...

 Chloe's favorite room...arts and crafts of course.  She loves to create things.  She is always drawing or cutting up something.  The model activity they had on demo was "make an owl out of a toilet paper roll." Ummm, can you say perfect fit for Chloe?  Owls and crafts...yes please.

 After the museum, we decided that we would take a visit to Santa land in the mall.

The beauties were very excited to talk to him...they had what they wanted to ask for all planned out.

Chloe: new ice skates, american girl doll, friendship bracelet "stuff", and the vincent van gogh barbie

Jocelyn:  ice skates, swimming ariel, cinderella and her horse

Farrah:  ice skates, swimming ariel, "the farrah fawcett" barbie 

Silvie:  ice skates, swimming ariel, belle and the beast doll set and something in cheetah print

When we arrive to the line...everyone was still excited.

When it was our turn, Chloe and Silvie were a-okay with talking to the big guy, Farrah a little more reserved, and poor Jocelyn, would not even make eye contact.  Scared out of her wits.  Matt had to get her to sit on his lap, so I could snap a photo.

...Memories...

Oh what wonderful memories.

How do you explain Heaven to little girls?
I have found myself struggling with this question over and over the last few days.
Matt's Grandmother passed away on Sunday.  May she be at rest, in peace and not be in pain anymore.
Her services were today.  Chloe took it very hard.  She cried a lot, and kind of clung to me most of the day.  The triplets were mostly curious.  Obviously not understanding what was going on, yet wanting so much to understand.  We visited Papa Terry's grave.  Matt's father passed away 21 years ago, but we speak of him often.  Matt enjoys telling the beauties stories about Papa Terry.  The beauties always have lots to ask him about what he was like.  We also talk about Great Papa Paul a lot.  My Grandfather passed on Christmas Eve 8 years ago.  We visit his grave every Christmas Eve.  
The last few days they have had quite the array of questions about death.  Where Heaven is?  What does God look like?  Why do people die?  Will you die?  Will we die?  Where do you go?  How do you get there?  Is it pretty in Heaven?  Can we play there?  Is God nice?  Is Heaven cold? 
I just look at them and smile, and answer the only way I can,  "I don't know, sweetie."
Because that is the truth,  I just don't know.

What I do know... death reminds me to take each day I am given, and live it the best I can.  
Love and cherish the ones close to my heart. 
I take comfort in the innocence of my children, because they are the ones that can teach me what living life really means.  
The small insignificant details that we cannot control, they do not matter.  Not what we look like.  Not how much money we had in the bank.  Not how clean our house was.  
In the end all that matters is that we gave life all we had.  Gave all the love in our heart.  
Lived life, everyday, to the fullest.  Taking time to enjoy the sweet pleasures we are surrounded with.
Not regretting anything we did.
Again...learning the significance of life...through my children.
Being a Mom is breathtaking.