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Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
"All which we behold is full of blessings"
Wordsworth poem describe Christmas morning best. Everywhere we looked were blessings overflowing.
The kids have learned to savor the moment and unwrap slowly their three gifts under the tree (like the Savior received 3 gifts from the wise men)
Trevor finally got his trench coat to wear over his suit. Check out the smile....
and the dapper young men sporting a new tie from the Whitings
While I love a well dressed man, I also adore the little kid that also comes out with the new toys. Spidey on PS3 from Uncle Pete was a hit.
Brendan took his time as well --only because he couldn't figure out how to get the knots undone...
but he succeeded-- and for Bond he would unravel a pile of bothersome knots
Brendan has grown so much his ankles and wrists have been showing so, of course, he also got a new coat.
Natalie was in music heaven with her four new disks. (The boys were dying when they had to endure Rhianna, Taylor Swift, Hillary Duff & the Twilight soundtrack)
Baby Moore put on a brave face when she thought she didn't get the new coat she wanted (you'd think I have no creativity getting them all the same things --but they all wanted new black trench coats)
But Jennifer came through and saved the day and mailed me the coat priority mail (the company wouldn't send it here to an FPO. Miraculously, despite the anthrax scare we had at the post office, the coat arrived on Christmas Eve!) It was warm in the house but they sported their new garb proudly.
Steve's twin Pete, visiting from LA, enlivened the festivities
and played Santa's helper
he had everyone laughing
especially with his gangster poses and his ChinFi sweatshirt (the China stitching on the back had the A looking like an FI. We joked and wondered since everything is made in China, if you actually buy something in China, that is made there, does it just say "Made Here"?)
Pete's friend Ray, an producer in Hollywood, also cracked us up...
can see why even with this blurry Home Alone pose
I made cinnamon rolls and danishes for breakfast and with all that sugar and the candy from the stockings everyone gorged themselves on, I often wonder the sanity of preparing a huge Christmas meal but tradition holds, and I spent 5 hours in the kitchen cooking.
The kids have learned to savor the moment and unwrap slowly their three gifts under the tree (like the Savior received 3 gifts from the wise men)
Trevor finally got his trench coat to wear over his suit. Check out the smile....
and the dapper young men sporting a new tie from the Whitings
While I love a well dressed man, I also adore the little kid that also comes out with the new toys. Spidey on PS3 from Uncle Pete was a hit.
Brendan took his time as well --only because he couldn't figure out how to get the knots undone...
but he succeeded-- and for Bond he would unravel a pile of bothersome knots
Brendan has grown so much his ankles and wrists have been showing so, of course, he also got a new coat.
Natalie was in music heaven with her four new disks. (The boys were dying when they had to endure Rhianna, Taylor Swift, Hillary Duff & the Twilight soundtrack)
Baby Moore put on a brave face when she thought she didn't get the new coat she wanted (you'd think I have no creativity getting them all the same things --but they all wanted new black trench coats)
But Jennifer came through and saved the day and mailed me the coat priority mail (the company wouldn't send it here to an FPO. Miraculously, despite the anthrax scare we had at the post office, the coat arrived on Christmas Eve!) It was warm in the house but they sported their new garb proudly.
Steve's twin Pete, visiting from LA, enlivened the festivities
and played Santa's helper
he had everyone laughing
especially with his gangster poses and his ChinFi sweatshirt (the China stitching on the back had the A looking like an FI. We joked and wondered since everything is made in China, if you actually buy something in China, that is made there, does it just say "Made Here"?)
Pete's friend Ray, an producer in Hollywood, also cracked us up...
can see why even with this blurry Home Alone pose
I made cinnamon rolls and danishes for breakfast and with all that sugar and the candy from the stockings everyone gorged themselves on, I often wonder the sanity of preparing a huge Christmas meal but tradition holds, and I spent 5 hours in the kitchen cooking.
They made a pretty good dent in the honey spiral ham and Eiffel tower of rolls and colossal pile of potatoes & pies--- despite not being ravished.
GiGi from Steve's office, a fun petite Italian gal from Naples, also came over and we had a pleasant afternoon playing games and talking. And at the end of the day, as I looked over the teetering stack of dirty plates and glasses
and bags of shredded wrap and discarded ribbon, but also the Christmas cards from friends and family tacked to the walls and the content expressions of all around me --I felt bouyant. I gathered in the moment and held it to me & understood what Luke was trying to express about Mary's feelings when she looked upon her new child and all the shepherds about and the mess of the stable and yet marveled:
"And Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." Pondering at the end of the day brought enlightment to my heart and all I beheld was blessings....
and bags of shredded wrap and discarded ribbon, but also the Christmas cards from friends and family tacked to the walls and the content expressions of all around me --I felt bouyant. I gathered in the moment and held it to me & understood what Luke was trying to express about Mary's feelings when she looked upon her new child and all the shepherds about and the mess of the stable and yet marveled:
"And Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." Pondering at the end of the day brought enlightment to my heart and all I beheld was blessings.... Thursday, December 18, 2008
9 things we love about the countdown to Christmas
1) Setting up the nativity scene. The kids always crowd the wise men and animals smack in front of the Christ child, and I always pull them back in a respectful manner. But after living here in Rome, where there is no personal space on the bus or subway, I realize the kids have it right and I have it wrong. Everyone, including the animals, would have crowded around the miraculous infant in excitement. We do our annual Presepe or nativity walk around Rome and look at all the different life size scenes to get into the Christmas spirit.
2) The kid's cute ornaments. Nothing tugs the heartstrings more than the hand print and glitter creations of cherubic 4 yr olds.
2) The kid's cute ornaments. Nothing tugs the heartstrings more than the hand print and glitter creations of cherubic 4 yr olds.
3) Decorating the tree: Everyone is the right age to put the breakable ornaments on the tree and actually leave them there. They each have their favorite ornaments and enjoy hanging and relating the memory that goes with them
4) Decorating gingerbread:
The worse they look, the better they taste we've decided. We play Hansel and Gretel and chow down on them and get nice and fattened up for the witch and Christmas day. (In Italy they have a witch named La Befana who bring treats Jan 6th)
5) Reading nightly Christmas stories: This really sets the tone for the month when everyone tells a tender story of sacrifice or miracles. Brendan keeps us laughing with his versions of the stories.
6) Untangled lights: Now matter how carefully we pack them, they always end up in knots....but my boy scouts are good at getting them right again and stringing them up. These twinkling little lights all around the house chase away the dark grey days of winter, and quicken the pace and excitement for the upcoming holiday.
7) Carols and Concerts: it takes a high school band to usher in the music of the season and put a smile (or plastered smile) on your face. This year a genuine smile as Trevor carried the concert with his stunning clarinet solo, and even music snob Steve had to admit his boy excelled in his performance.
8) Angels: We love the handcrafted ones but especially admire the real ones who perform little acts of kindness during this season... I've been enjoying the dishwasher miraculously being emptied in the morning when I wake up.
9) Red and green in nature: Foliage really helps remind of the life and birth of our Savior
4) Decorating gingerbread:
The worse they look, the better they taste we've decided. We play Hansel and Gretel and chow down on them and get nice and fattened up for the witch and Christmas day. (In Italy they have a witch named La Befana who bring treats Jan 6th)
5) Reading nightly Christmas stories: This really sets the tone for the month when everyone tells a tender story of sacrifice or miracles. Brendan keeps us laughing with his versions of the stories.
6) Untangled lights: Now matter how carefully we pack them, they always end up in knots....but my boy scouts are good at getting them right again and stringing them up. These twinkling little lights all around the house chase away the dark grey days of winter, and quicken the pace and excitement for the upcoming holiday.
7) Carols and Concerts: it takes a high school band to usher in the music of the season and put a smile (or plastered smile) on your face. This year a genuine smile as Trevor carried the concert with his stunning clarinet solo, and even music snob Steve had to admit his boy excelled in his performance.
8) Angels: We love the handcrafted ones but especially admire the real ones who perform little acts of kindness during this season... I've been enjoying the dishwasher miraculously being emptied in the morning when I wake up.
9) Red and green in nature: Foliage really helps remind of the life and birth of our Savior
Only 7 more days and counting!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Dan the Man
This adorable boy, Li'l Dan'l, in the brown corduroy jacket
grew up to be a young man and donned a letterman's jacket as an All-State linebacker
and grew some more to be a handsome man and wore a leather biker's jacket
and met a pretty girl and put on a tuxedo jacket
and is currently building their home and still doesn't need a straight jacket --- yet!
grew up to be a young man and donned a letterman's jacket as an All-State linebacker
and grew some more to be a handsome man and wore a leather biker's jacket
and met a pretty girl and put on a tuxedo jacket
and is currently building their home and still doesn't need a straight jacket --- yet! Happy Birthday Dan! We are all so impressed with your many talents building your home. We love you. Many happy trails and new jackets!
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