The first weekend of December, we went up to the mountains with our couples group for a little "retreat" and fun together sans kids. Our priest came for the first night which was a huge blessing.
Here we are having some fun drinks and playing an Italian wild west card game called Bang! It's hilarious and fun especially when you play with our priest.
The following morning was quiet and peaceful and Father led us all in morning prayer.
We played more of that card game and then Father said an in-home Mass for us before he had to head back home to hear confessions. What a servant's heart he has. It was so beautiful to listen to God's Word and be in his presence up in this beautiful home in the mountains. And Chris and I were blessed to be able to sing and play together again for our little private Mass.
More card playing, chatting, laughing, and food happened that day. We all went to the Vigil Mass that evening at a cute little parish in Breckenridge. After Mass there was more food and we went in the hot tub and sauna. And more card playing.
The last morning I woke up earlier than most and caught this beautiful sunrise and the glow on the snow-covered mountains. It was breath-taking.
I had some time to just read my Bible, sit with Jesus, and play guitar. It was just the kind of rest and relaxation needed.
We are so blessed by our incredible friends walking this walk with us. What a wonderful weekend.
Later that week, Kayla planned a "Grinch" party. We invited over another family in the neighborhood with three little girls and Kayla made a grinch-y chex mix and they watched the cartoon Grinch (the old one).
St. Nicholas Day was sweet and simple. The girls got some cute new Christmas/Advent books and a clementine and a few pieces of candy. But they were thrilled and we spent the day talking and reading about St. Nicholas and his generous life.
Just a little snapshot to show how much this kid adores his blankie now. He likes to lay it on my chest and then he gets on my lap and lays on my chest against his blankie. It's the sweetest.
This is just hilarious because it's Kolbe- in an alicorn suit- dancing.
Christmas goody making. Melted snowmen and Santa's reindeer. Well, really a bunch of Rudolphs.
Graham cracker houses.
My Christmas cactus bloomed wonderfully this year thanks to Chris' tender loving care.
I was able to renew my Marian consecration on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
This year was a tough one, but Mama Mary held my hand and continually brought me back to her Son. She is an amazing mom.
Kayla, Elise, and Ava worked hard on a graham cracker castle for their charter school Gingerbread House contest. No prize, but they had a great time and made a really neat creation.
Sophie got a memory game for her birthday so you can bet there's been a lot of games of that going down. I love the top picture of all the kids having their own little game one day.
But I also love getting to play with them. :)
A lovely Sunday afternoon hike with Uncle Nick. It was colder than we thought it would be though, so Kolbe lost it near the end of the trail.
Lots of fun and silliness as the kids and I danced and laughed and chased each other along the trail.
Kolbe began giving us some signs of readiness, so we let him try out potty training. He's actually doing pretty well considering we don't really push it at this point. If he says he has to go, we put him on and he generally goes.
Currently though he's a terror. He learned how to take his clothes and diaper off, so now he can try whenever he wants. His favorite new past time is taking all his clothes off and running around the house. Sometimes he makes it to the toilet when he has to go and sometimes he doesn't. So if you talk to me and I seem stressed or distracted, it may be because he made another potty training mess that day or that he's at the very moment you called running around the house naked, possibly about to have an accident. And it's constant. A full time job, so hopefully we make it to the next stage soon.
A few of Nick's friends from Cincinnati visited which was lovely. We had them over for a Sunday brunch after Mass and it was really great to hang out with them.
Kayla got a rubber band set (crafting) for Christmas and she forgot to put it up high in her closet one day...Kolbe's radar found it almost immediately and made a huge mess which took FOREVER to clean and organize. But it ended up being a fun family activity and a lot of time spent chatting and laughing during nap times while we organized the rubber bands back into colors.
Just before December's end, Elise lost another tooth. She gets so excited and proud when she pulls one out and it's just the cutest.
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