In Memory...

God's purpose for our lives is so powerful that when I am reminded of that I am often left speechless, on my knees, and pleading for His grace.

The little girl that you will read about within the link to a blog which I will post at the end of my entry, is Norah. Norah is the daughter of Josh & Abby, a couple which we are friends with through our dear friends Jake & Trista. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to hold Norah in my arms, to cuddle with her by a fire place as she slept, and to be witness to the great love Josh & Abby have for her. As I remember Norah, I remember her as a sweet little girl that lived up to her name, Norah Pearl. A gentle presence that was filled with grace and femininity.

My friend Trista explained Norah's sudden and unexpected passing so eloquently as she shared some of the heart wrenching moments that Josh & Abby experienced. Norah was not alone when it happened, she was not under the care of doctors and nurses poking and prodding at her, she was in her Daddy's arms in her home, what a comforting moment of peace in such a tragic cirumstance.

I cannot fathom living through something like this. I can only imagine the great sorrow they must feel. I cannot pretend to understand God's purpose, although I am certain there is one greater than we can comprehend right now. My only peace is that Norah is in heaven right now experiencing a love and comfort greater than she has ever felt, and that must be incredible because she certainly was loved tremendously here on earth.

Please keep Josh & Abby in your thoughts and prayers.

Here is the link to their friend's sight. What a blessing to know such a talented photographer to capture such beautiful photographs of this angel.

A Visit from the Virgin Mary

Kids were downstairs playing, I was straightening up. Kendall came up and asked for her rain poncho, ok, must be playing that it is raining or something. A few minutes later she comes upstairs and says, 'Look Mommy, I am Mary, and here is Baby Jesus.'

I have been reading the Christmas Story to them and reenacting it with their little Fisher-Price Little People Manger...low and behold, she is starting to understand it.

She even got the poncho on upside down and buttoned so that it resembled Mary's cloak...and who knew Jesus was a redhead and preferred to be swaddled in pink.

Yeah Christmas is officially around the corner...Boo, I still have to much to do! Right around the 20th of each December, every year, I get into this sort of, I have a million things to get done loony kind of state. Each year, I say, next year will be different, through the year, when I see something that would be great for someone for a Christmas gift, I am just going to get it then and there, so that I can enjoy the season, make spectacular cut out Christmas cookies, and not go out in the madness that is the Christmas Rush, and every December 20th, for the last 10 years or so, it is the same. So next year will be different, there it is out for everyone to see.

One of the fun things we have gotten ourselves into this holiday season has been seeing Santa arrive into town on the train. I have pictures of the pre-train festivities, it was bitter cold, it was so cold that my camera refused to work when pointed in the direction of Santa, which was also the direction the wind was coming. I couldn't blame it, I was so cold, Kendall was so cold, so cold in fact, she did not want to wait in line which was partially outside to sit on Santa's lap. Of course E was ecstatic at the sight of the train coming down the track, once he got a clearer view of who was on the train, the portarideluomophobia set in, (I have self-diagnosed him with this phobia, which is fear of people in costumes, which he will grow out of so help me...). He did not look up from my shoulder once, until I assured him that Santa was in the building, nowhere in sight.

Doing whatever it takes to see Santa come to town!

We also went to Bob White's Christmas Tree Farm to cut down a Christmas Tree. This is the place I wanted to go and get pumpkins, but we weren't for certain where it was, and so we settled for another farm. This place was very efficient, and very festive. Types of trees were clearly mapped out, the saw worked great, well so Andy says, they had Christmas music blaring over some speakers, and there was ample choices of trees. The kids loved it. They weaved in and out of the trees playing some sort of tag, you can't find me, nanny nanny boo boo game, which had them giggling and preoccupied so Andy and I could decide on a suitable tree. Andy wanted a smaller tree this time, but somehow, it needed to be shortened on its arrival home. Kendall named the tree Frosty, and by the time the kids and I got back up to the van, it was nicely wrapped and waiting for us to take it home.

Kendall assisting Daddy towards the perfect tree!

Andy's Pick

Watching our strong and determined Daddy bravely cut down our tree!

It took 2 nights to decorate. Kendall waited for me to arrive home from work last weekend to assist me in the decorating of the tree, and since I am an anal Christmas decorator, I moved everything around once it was done. Terrible, I know, it gets worse. The kids even have a small fake tree downstairs in their play area that is decorated with ornaments from when I was little and the ornaments they get each Christmas, which I let them decorate and then once they went down for their naps redecorated and pretended that that was how it was when they went down, 2 hour earlier. Yeah, I am like that. I don't care. I LOVE holiday decorating, and I love my decorations, many of them are hand me downs, or bazaar collected but fit into my criteria of vintage looking, I have actually passed on offered decorations bc they weren't my style, who has a Christmas decorating style? Me, that's who. And it costs me nothing more than a new string of lights every couple of years, a fresh tree each year, and a few bargain finds, awesome. Here is what I am looking for though, a good set of lights with the large colored bulbs, circa 60-70's. I had them in my room at WWC, they were found in this cubby/attic off of my room, and I loved them, and I still do, I am looking for a good set, with no frayed wires, yes I have to include that, with a large percentage of the bulbs working, bc I refuse to pay top dollar for a replacement. I have no idea where I would put them, but just the same, they would be fabulous.

So Santa sighting? Check. Decorating done? Check.

This past week we were able to spend time with Molly & Brynn. I went to watch them and spend the day with them while my aunt went to New York City with my other aunts, yeah, who got the bad end of that deal? No, but really, I have been to NYC way too many times at Christmas, and Kendall & Ethan LOVE playing with Molly & Brynn, so someone else can have a turn.

You would think 4 kids, all day long, raining a majority of the day, not being able to work a DVD player might send me over the edge. But actually it was pretty smooth. There were melt downs, and I won't mention any names, just my favorite melt down. (insert blubbery sob sounds) "When Kendall and Molly dance with me, and we hold hands, I do not get to hold Kendall's hand that has the pretty ring on it, and that is just not the fairest of them all." Just another convincing example that little girls interested in Disney Princesses cannot just stop at one or two things, it becomes a lifestyle.

We played princesses of course, because every girl has a tub of princess dress ups, did you not know? Kendall asked within the first half hour, "Brynnie, where is your box of Princess dresses." And like she was asking something as normal as where the bathroom was, Brynnie replied, "Oh in my room, let's go." So as I cleaned up behind them, because order is a must when 4 kids are involved, they went to become princesses. When I arrived upstairs, they were attempting to put Ethan in a Cinderella dress, which he wore dutifully, until they lost interest. and he then came running up to me, pulling and tugging, telling me, "Off, Off."

We had 2 different baking expeditions that day. One involved reindeer cookies, and the other sugar, in requested shapes. I forgot my cookie cutters, so half way there, I am like, 'oh man, but Amy will have some.' Who doesn't have cookie cutters? Well if she has them, they are hidden quite well, because all I found were 2. A crooked snowman and a clover. Not very festive. So I decided to cut shapes upon request, and the girls decorated while Ethan fascinated over Sammy the dog licking up the dropped sprinkles, there was that many. This intense sugar high induced another non-sensical melt down, again, no name mentioning... "But I want my name to begin with K, not B, can't it just be a K?' (blubbering sob sounds again) We were cutting out the letters our names start with and singing the alphabet. But she did have no problem scarfing that B down when it was all said and done.

We also did reindeer cookies. I showed the 4 of them how to do it, Molly was excited because it was. 'just like a show', and then let them have at it, with them each having their own pile of ingredients and bag of icing. Kendall, Brynn, & Ethan required assistance. But Molly, what a pastry chef, too bad her Mom only has 2 well actually 1 1/2 cookie cutters. She asked for no help and decorated a slew of beautiful reindeer.



Later in the day we went to get Aidan at the bus stop, it had stopped raining, Sammy needed to get out, and so did they. So we walked, and sang Jingle Bells, and tattle taled.


Kendall and Ethan had so much fun with their cousins, as usual, and they cannot wait to see them again.

Today we went to visit Grammie Fink for Christmas and her birthday, something we do each year. The kids were much more behaved then I thought they would. And later when we got home, I got them into bed and ran out to conquer some of Santa's list since where I needed to shop was open until midnight, I know, I know, a machine I tell you.

So this past weekend Andy's college friend, the last from a tight group of guys, married. Todd was the stereotypical self-proclaimed bachelor until he met his love, Mandi.(Que Barry Manilow song, I know, it is stuck in my head every time we talk about her, it is Todd's ring tone for when she calls as well.) Todd lived with his parents until just this past weekend, and the amount of girls he 'dated,' was record worthy. Finally he has settled, and he deserves her as much as she deserves him. We are so grateful for this wonderful lady, as we wondered if this day would ever come.

If you are not familiar with Andy's closest friends from college, here is the basics, well of course from my point of view, this is my blog. There is Kyle, who is pretty much the tie that binds, over the years he has kept the circle intact and has kept communication even as 3 of them each are 2 hours away from each other, and the other is in Washington. Kyle is funny, well at least 75% of the time, if you ask me. Sometimes his humor reminds me of a 9 year old boy, like this weekend, when he kept repeating, "awkward," in this voice that drove me nuts, and once he finds out it drives you nuts, it happens over and over and over again. On occasion, like this weekend, I have been known to yell at 9 year old Kyle and want to put him in time out, but then he will say something absolutely ridiculous and you forget what you were going to say in the first place. Kyle has a very patient wife, Kristi, and 2 children, Mia & Micah. My adoration of toddler boys just grew this weekend while playing with Micah. Oh how I love being a Mommy to a boy, you have to have one to know. Micah is very similar to Ethan, and is just a cute, solid, food shoving in mouth, monster.

Then there is Josh. How do I explain Josh? Chris Farley comes to mind quite often, well without the crazy drug taking and all. I really think he should get out of the apple sales and become a comedian. He can make you laugh all of the time. The things he does are just hysterical. His face is one of those faces you can just read and know that he is making the most hysterical commentary of a situation at hand in his head. But beyond being just plain silly, Josh is kind and genuine, the makings of a good friend, I'd say. Josh lives in Washington state with his wife Emily and their two girls Hailey and Violet.

Then there is Todd. Todd just fits into this group of fools. Todd is typically always game for whatever, and I know that he is the perfect audience for Josh and Kyle since he pretty much laughs at whatever they do. Todd, although one of the oldest, has taken on the little brother role of the group, ( I mean this kid can whine and be difficult until you give in or body slam him, like no other, )and it was fittingly so that all of them supported him on his wedding day.

Then there is my dear lover Andy. Andy is just bossy, and so he probably made them be his friends. Really though. Andy is outspoken, a loyal friend, and really good at soccer, and these boys played soccer, so why not have the best player on the team be one of your best friends, it can only help, right?

So the wedding weekend begins Friday Morning, when we arrive we go to the place to pick up the tuxes, this is what happened:

Josh modeling the awesomely fitting tuxes.

None of them were correct, just a little stressful right? To add to this the lady was that sickly sweet calm calling the boys, "Mr. Andy," or "Mr. Miller." I mean really lady, just get the right sizes and call it in. I realize that we are in Montoursville and things really aren't up to speed there, but given the option of having tuxes not fit would leave these gentleman walking down the aisle in jeans and a tee shirt, and I think they would be fine with that. Just get it done.

So then by the time this fiasco is over it is time to get ready for the rehearsal. Rehearsal goes fine. There were some comments from the hen house, which I got to be vocal about, but that is expected, I mean we have been in or gone to a trazillion weddings. (My Definition of a Hen in this context, one of the soccer boys wives, because when we are together we cluck, cluck, cluck away loudly at each other and at the boys)

Oh I guess I should mention that we did not bring Kendall and Ethan, technically they were not invited, I guess in a pinch they could have come, but when the invite arrived with just Mr. & Mrs. Fink on it, I was more than willing to comply. So my parents came up and watched them at our house. Lovely.

I love my kids, but there is nothing more tension inducing then children away from home attending wedding festivities. Everything has to be planned precisely so that they behave and do not go into fits of rage in a public setting. Nearly impossible.(you can refer to previous blog entries when we have had to do this)

Kyle, with Micah, proving my point.

Mia was the Flower Girl, and what a perfect Flower Girl she was and if anyone is wondering, and wanted my opinion, 3 1/2 and up is the best Flower Girl age.

There was 20 people in the wedding party, 22, if you count Mandi and Todd. That is huge. But typical for these guys. We all had huge wedding parties. It is as if the guys think that if some of their closest friends are sitting in the pew and not standing up next to them that the marriage is destined to fail, or that their friendships will just end. And I know, it is nice that they are so tight, but really it does make for a lot of rowdiness, and there was, if you were wondering.

Some of the boys, behaving.

The morning of the wedding there was a slight crisis when Mandi called Todd to say that she got charged for all the hotel rooms that were not used by the guests, because she had reserved them. All turned out just fine, the only reason I mention this is because as Todd is on the phone with the girl that he eventually made cry, he says, "Listen, I know people, and if you don't fix this, I am going to make this bad for your business, I mean real bad." As if he is the mayor of Williamsport. If you know Todd, this would crack you up even more.

On to the ceremony. Which I loved. I love Christmas weddings. Attention to my sisters, Kendall, any future daughters and granddaughters: this is a good idea, I can really make it all decorated fantastic. This wedding was just that, perfect decorating, subtle, but still, 'tis the season.

All was going well until this chick:

Passed out during the ceremony. I can write this because she doesn't read my blog, she doesn't even really know me. But as luck would have it, she was Andy's partner. I mean she went down. It was during a song was being sung, and the pianist even said afterwards, 'I was thinking the entire time, is this alright to be playing the piano with a girl passed out on the floor in front of it?' I mean how embarrassing, right?

Oh she recovered by the way, and walked down the aisle for the recessional and was later spotted on the dance floor, dancing, not passed out. But I just heard today she is in the hospital,
and that is terrible. But it still happened, I have to mention it, she walked with my husband for goodness sake, its noteworthy,I am terrible. Get Well wishes.

The reception was so nice in a lodge type setting, fireplaces and all. Josh made everyone laugh with his dance moves, and Kyle decided to dance a lot, even if that meant dancing with his wife, and a group of children, and Todd's 80 year old grandmother.


In typical fashion, the guys heard the wings were good from the bar on the other side, so they decided mid ceremony to get 3 plates of them and bring them over to chow on.

So it was a fun wedding weekend. Once again, I cannot believe Todd is married, but he is and he is getting a Christmas card addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Westphal this year.

Did I mention it was FREEZING? It was, but it was perfect for Mandi, who had the perfect reason to show off this wintry cape, enhancing the beautiful bride she was, while exiting the church to a candle lit path to her awaiting trolley.

There is no Mix Tape Monday this week, as you can see, I was a bit preoccupied.

Mix Tape Monday

Our Monday Mix DJ for this week is in honor of a very special guest in our home that came Thanksgiving morn', Freddie the Elf. Good old Freddie came to us for the first time last year, Aidan, Molly, and Brynn's elf, Magic, knew that Freddie was looking for a place to work over the holiday seasons so he recommended our home.

Freddie comes from the North Pole and you can read all about him in The Elf on the Shelf book. Every morning he is in a new hiding spot in our house and we all get to find him. At night, when we are all fast asleep he flies home with all the other elves and reports back to Santa if Kendall and Ethan and all the other children have been good or not that day. There are a few rules in regards to Freddie, which Kendall will review for us at another time. But so far he has been a warmly welcomed guest. Freddie will leave on Christmas Eve when Santa comes. He will jump on Santa's sleigh and head back to the North Pole until next year, but if we have been really great hosts, he leaves us a gift.

Here he is in today's hiding spot!

To honor Freddie's return to our casa, and to celebrate the commemorative event of opening the first door on the advent calendar, here is some Christmas cheer. Some songs that we get down to around the holidays. There was so many we love, it was so hard, but here are those that made the cut.

We realize that #11 is a bit strange, and pardon the name of the group, but their singing is so terrible it is funny, even Kendall and E laughed.