games before naps

There's my big girl! 
Lucy has been joining Anna Kate and me for games before naps most days. As Lucy approaches her third birthday (!), we're working hard to keep her afternoon nap, which she still really needs to get through the late afternoon! So, we've been playing "Go Fish," Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Matching Bears, and Operation, which is a little challenging for both girls. (Operation has changed since I was little, too, by the way!) So, Anna Kate gets three buzzes before she has to pass the turn to someone else! 

Lucy concentrates so much! Her tongues is out and moving, right along with her little fingers, trying to work those tweezers.
She basically ignores the buzzing; although, I don't possibly understand how she can ignore it. Can you see his nose lit up in the picture? She just works and works until she tires of the attempt, or until she succeeds. 
There's that little tongue.

Vacuums, dessert and beads

Thanks, Aunt Hillery, for our Princess vacuum. The girls really like it!
Samantha has the funniest habit after dinner. Daddy loves it! Samantha comes running to Daddy, who is at the table, for a bite of dessert. Then after taking the bite she runs off to play some more. She always returns for more bites!
She enjoys her new vacuum, too!
And beads! She discovered the girls' dress up beads and has fallen in love with them. She can usually put them on and take them off (mostly) by herself.
So pretty! (and what a mess - she also likes dumping out every basket, bag, container she can get her hands on!)

December

We arrived back in Albany on December 30, and we had to be in Boston on January 1 for our annual Boston Winter Conference. It was so worth it to be there! Of course, we spent lots of time with our friends, the Bettses, who live in Ithaca. Here is a picture from lunch one day. We didn't usually venture outside for meals; the hotel is connected to a big mall, so we can eat in the food court. But one day we went out to try a new-to-us burrito place (mmm . . . ). Here we are city-living-style in the very small but good restaurant. 

David's younger sister, Hannah, got married December 28 in Omaha. It was so much fun to be together for Christmas and her wedding. Our girls did surprisingly well on the 3000-mile roundtrip car trip. Here's Samantha, at the reception, who claimed the back area as the place of her own party. She was amazingly cute, if I do say so - twirling, dancing, running . . .


Aunt Emilie and Anna Kate, who was one of the flower girls, watching dancing!
There is my most handsome husband and Samantha. I was sure that we would get a picture of our family of five, but, as you can imagine, caring for the three wee ones in the midst of the festivities was about all we could do. Oh well.
Here's Christmas- an action shot with so many Sheehan relatives!
oops. this one is out of order! But, this is the beautiful bride. 









To break up the drive on the way to Omaha, we stopped at my mom's new house in Indiana. We figured it was really important for us to be as well rested as possible when we arrived in Omaha on Christmas Eve. We had a very restful time in Indiana, and had a little Christmas early. (My mom has most of those pics, though.)
And, of course, we celebrated Anna Kate's FIFTH birthday on December 19, before we left town. I can't believe that she is FIVE! Late morning and throughout the day we got lots of snow. So, there was no birthday date with Daddy, which was a big disappointment. (they re-scheduled.) Here's some pics.

what samantha is up to

The one thing the girls never seem to tire of is cooking! Since Samantha is in to everything, Anna Kate has moved her cooktop to her bed!
Even Samantha has great fun putting things in to the pot, stirring! and putting the lid on!
She has decided she really likes this rocking chair. I thought it was an affinity for the chair, but, in fact, we now find her climbed onto just about anything, including the ottoman in the living room. 
Here she is showing off her moves . . .

Anna Kate sings again!

Anna Kate is learning two songs for her school's Christmas play and some lines! Hopefully, we'll be able to video and upload that, but, for now, here she is singing to me at the bar in the kitchen!

thanksgiving, and a bit more

Every year, we spend the weekend before Thanksgiving at the Camp of the Woods in Speculator, NY, with all the Campus Crusade for Christ staff in the Northeast. This year was our third year, and even we, being relatively new, can see the growth in the region, not the least of which happens to be through offspring. Lots and lots of little people! The Camp is fantastic. It was so life-giving to be with old, good friends. Of course, among our girls' favorite people were the Betts boys! Those same boys we camped with this summer. Here is Jack, Anna Kate, and Lucy . . . sorry, Josiah, Titus and Samantha didn't make it in!

After a great weekend, we headed home on Tuesday. Laundry! Grocery shopping - yes, I bought my turkey on the day before Thanksgiving, and it was okay! :) And Gramma Maggy arrived on Wednesday! Yea!
We were thankful! I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and I'm trying to instill this in my children. So it was on all morning, followed by the National Dog Show. Good, holiday TV. Accompanied by pumpkin and cranberry scones. Mmmm . . . Even Daddy watched.

Thanksgiving Day, November 27, also was cousin Decker's 16th birthday! Oh my! I was 16 when he was born - the day after Thanksgiving that year. We had to talk to him and his mother - travelling from Phoenix to CA for a great birthday celebration! Here's Lucy talking to him . . . Samantha wanted to talk to Decker, but since she either eats the phone or pushes buttons and inevitably hangs up, we wouldn't let her. (Oh yeah, and that's our great, new fireplace insert behind her. Not only do we have continual fires now that it is cold, but there is a fan that uses the heat to actually heat our home! Brilliant! Thanks, Dave!!!)"Holiday Lunch"
Finally, Thanksgiving dinner! This picture does not tell the true story: My mom did lots of the prep, but here she's taking the picture. I learned how to make stuffing and stuff a turkey this year! And, when it was time to "finish up" to get to the table, the girls had to watch Daddy carve the turkey. Good thing we have that handy bar! It's just as I imagined, when I kept asking for that bar (without the broken collarbone, of course!). You can, by the way, also see the valences our friend Myra helped me make for the kitchen and our new kitchen blinds (cellular - insulating!!!). There's a new pantry curtain which coordinates, too, and I'm totally inspired to get the office done, but my sewing machine is getting fixed (drat!) . . .

Daddy did an expert job carving that turkey.

The girls waited patiently.

Of course, we had pie! The girls helped make the whipped cream; they love licking the beaters (when we're finished). Then, I looked over and saw Lucy take the newly licked clean beater and scoop out another beater full of whipped cream!
Anna Kate had to try it too!

We tried the wishbone, but it wouldn't break. It's still drying on our windowsill. I think we'll still try to break it, just for fun.

a ladybug, an elephant, and cinderella

Every year, we have a "party" in the living room, helping hand out candy in our costumes. But, this year, Anna Kate planned to trick-or-treat. So, there we were, time to head out for some trick-or-treating. When the girls realized they had to go to the doors and say, "trick-or-treat" and "thank you," the plan changed. No thanks, we'll stay home, maybe next year. We had a great time!

My little ladybug ~ oh my! she was Q-ute! My elephant, posing for a picture.

And, Cinderella. Anna Kate had a party at school, which she went back for in the afternoon.

Thanks, Aunt Heather, for presents! We love the books, and everyone loves Samantha's new safari truck.

Earlier in the week (on the day it was supposed to snow!), we decorated fall cookies - pumpkins and leaves. It was SO fun! (Thanks, Aunt Hillery for our matching dresses! You know how we love to match!)