Christmas Week

Our Happy Birthday Jesus Cake

My family has had a wonderful Christmas week! The fun all started Thursday when our neighbours came over to give us kids their presents since they had to leave the next day for California. The kids had a blast! The main highlight for the boys was two remote controlled tractors. I tried to get a picture of their faces when Mr. Fields brought the tractors in but they jumped up so fast that my camera did not have time to focus! Verity's favorite toy was probably the cooking set. She received her own apron, mitts and a cupcake recipe box which she has been begging for days to use. Liberty's favorite present was a baby doll (of course!) that had a little bunk bed which held her baby doll and Verity's baby doll. (Verity claimed the top bunk!)

The Boys and Their Tractors

Cheese! 

Mikaela Looking at a Puzzle 

Me Playing Boggle

Liberty and Her Baby Doll

Verity Opening Her Present

Mikaela, Gabby and my favorite presents were the board games. I am not sure what my favorite one is yet. We also got some REALLY fun card games! (I forgot the names of them) I think our family's favorite games are card games. Mikaela is best at Speed and I am still undefeated (since May of this year) at E.R.S. By the way, does anybody know what E.R.S stands for? I have heard many people call it Egyptian Rat Slap but the only part that makes sense is the "Slap". I would love to find out what it really stands for or if it is really Egyptian Rat Slap!

Friday we put our bed room rearranging plans into action. Our plan was for Mikaela, Gabby and I to share our bedroom, Nathan and Justice to have Mom and Dads upstairs room and Verity and Liberty to have the homeschool room. (Mom and Dad moved downstairs into the unfinished master bedroom.) I was surprised to see how well things turned out! The most exciting thing about us older girls' new bed room is that all the 900's (Dewy decimal number for history books) shelfs got moved into our room! Along with the history books we moved the 600's and 700's (Home economics and crafts) into our room as well! Ahh!! A book worms ultimate vacation!
The boys are likewise as excited about their room. We turned their cubby hole into a reading nook with Nathan's licence plate collection along the top of the wall and a globe along with several wooden airplanes and a helicopter Dad made hanging from the ceiling. One main point for the boys room was that they got the TV. (We do not have "TV" just a DVD/movie player) But what really was disappointing was that the boys got the 200 disc CD player! I am sure the boys will enjoy it when they get it set up. Us girls will just have to ask them to turn it up loud enough for us to hear!

Boys Cubby-Hole

We just got Verity and Liberty's room set up. It still needs some working on but it is showing progress already. Their main highlight is probably the bunk bed. Verity is thrilled to be able to sleep on a bunk now! They also have all their dolls and and things all in their own room which makes Verity very excited.
We are hoping that this will help eliminate people cleaning up other people's messes now that it should be very easy to tell whose mess is whose by which room it is in. Justice is sooo cute! Even though he has his own room with his stuff in it, he comes into Mikaela, Gabby and my room and plays with his stuff on our floor! Right now he has his magnetic construction game on our bedroom floor. :) Thankfully instead of getting mad I think of how special it is to have our little brother wanting to be with us.
Oh! Guess what?! It snowed this week for the first time this year!! It was such a pretty sight. I only wish my camera could take pictures of the snow falling. The snow did not stay on the ground but it did pile up a little on the trampoline. I think that it is supposed to snow New Years Day. Maybe it will stay on the ground.

Snow on the Rim of the Trampoline

Close up

Christmas Eve my family went to my Grandmas for the "Festa Dei Sette Pesci". I only ate artichokes for dinner but I filled up on Greek olives, cheese and crackers, cookies and other stuff off the trays before dinner. Justice and Liberty played "peek-a-boo" in a card board box that Gabby cut out for them. Mom and us girls helped make dinner while Dad and Nathan sat around and watched a movie. :)

The Kids House Box

Even Cute Little Kids Fight!

Verity With G-ma and Artichokes

Christmas Eve Dinner

Cutting Artichokes 

Saturday we had our family "Present Day". We ate chili and drank eggnog, and apple cider. Later we had cake and ice cream but I drank to much eggnog so I skipped dessert. We all gave each other our gifts and then played games. All of us kids and Mom got Dad a new Bible with a case. It smells good! (Because it is made out of leather!) It would take me forever to go through all of our presents so I guess I will just tell you mine. Mikaela made me a blue scarf (blue of course!) with tassels on it. It is sooo warm! Gabby gave me some nail and toenail stickers, candy, and some adhesive tape. (For my stamp collection) Mom and Dad bought me a book called "Bruchko and The Motilone Miracle" which is the sequel to a missionary story called "Bruchko". I have already finished the book! They also bought me a plate that says, "Having you as a daughter makes every day a celebration". (Thank you Mom and Dad!)

Mom and Dad in Their "Merry Christmas" Hats

My Present  From Mom and Dad (The book they got me is on my lap)

Mikaela Admiring Her Picture 

Praying Before Our Chili Dinner

 I have added plenty of pictures (I took over 1000 pictures in just one week!) because I took so many! I may have to have another tab on my blog for pictures!
Last of all I would like to thank God for all the blessings He has blessed us with this week.
1. For giving us all the strength to rearrange our house.
2. Blessing us with snow
3. Keeping us safe in this icy weather
4. Giving me a wonderful family!

I hope you have a blessed day and a Jesus-filled New Year!

Love,
Evangela