In Which We Have Trouble Being Sympathetic

My husband is laughing at us. He's working from home today and he's afraid of us.

Why is he afraid?

Because we are merciless.

We were going to go on vacation, but we all started getting sick so we changed our plans.

So we are sitting home; each with his or her own box of tissues.

I thought I would do a mid-year assessment of schoolwork before we sat down to watch a Harry Potter movie.

Not a good time to do a mid-year assessment, I know. But there it is.

I asked Bryna where she was in her Teaching Textbooks math.

"Um...I don't remember right now."

And, all at once, we started teasing her for making her nose sound more stuffed up and her throat sound more scratchy.

My husband said he doesn't want to work from home anymore. He says we're too brutal.

Merry Christmas All!

The girls couldn't resist making fun of models in their new clothes. 

They're pretending that their hair is blowing back by the 'fans' behind the camera.

(Ignore the curtains in the background. I'm redecorating and haven't gotten around to changing those.)

Jillian couldn't wait to dive into one of her new books.

Her characteristic blue highlighter. :-)

An architect never outgrows blocks. :-) 

These are Jared's new ones of the Capitol Building which he went to see in November with his dad.

Christmas Eve

Some photos of last night...

We did a little decorating...

And we ate some popcorn...

Poor Lacey Bear, she isn't getting any.

Mom? They're not giving me any.

How 'bout a nice belly rub?

Well, alright...

But I really need popcorn.

Yum. (No dogs were starved in the making of this blog post.)

Our tradition of getting new pj's every year...this year's theme was plaid. :-)

No, I don't always have a theme. I just thought it would be so cute.

And then we waited... (to be continued)

12 Years of Bryna

This girl has always been a joy to us.

With friend Kylie

Jared, Bryna, Emily, Veronica, Kylie, and Riley

God told me 12 years ago that she would be a joy to me in my old age. She has been a joy every day of her life. Happy, happy birthday to our little sweet pea.

My Girl is Home!

Yay! Yay! Yay!

She's exhausted, worn out, tormented by cafeteria food nightmares, and hoping to recover from adrenal fatigue while home on Christmas break! But she's home! :-)

(I think she missed the dog more than the rest of us. :-)

Our Family's Favorite Christmas Music

We love Christmas music. And we tend to get rid of the CDs we don't love. But there are some we look for and put on first when the season comes back around. These are the ones that always survive the purges and get replaced immediately in the event of loss:


The Birth of Jesus John Michael Talbot - The first piece on this literally opens the Christmas season for me.

Rescue Got this years ago from Timberdoodle catalog.

All I Really Want for Christmas - Steven Curtis Chapman

The Music of Christmas also by Steven. Love the haircut, Steven ;-)

The Holly and the Ivy - John Rutter. Ah, beautiful.

What Child is This? Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus

Veni Emmanuel A Classical Academic Press CD - love it!

Gregorian Advent & Christmas Busto Arsizio Choral Ensemble (sorry, no picture)

Music of Christmas This is all instrumental using guitar, psaltery, flute, hammer, dulcimer and cello. There are really cheap copies here if you like this sort of music.

Joy  Avalon (Love "Light a Candle" :-)

Bittersweet and Briers  This CD is from Conner Prairie. We used to live near Conner Prairie in Indiana. Such fun times we had there! We love this CD because it's simple and folksy. It feels like Grandma and Uncle Joe and the old neighbor down the street gathered around with dulcimers and fiddles to fill your home with old-fashioned Christmas music.

God With Us LOVE the opening song done by Anointed - Joy to the World! My kids have tended to outgrow this one as they've gotten older, but I still love to wiggle my tail to it. :-)

Kiernan shared a story that one year when I was out Christmas shopping, Walt and little tiny Jared (he was probably 3 or so and thrilled to be helping), and Jillian (who was grumpy about having to help) were out shoveling the ton of snow that was being dumped on us, and Kiernan put this CD on and danced gently around the living room as her little sister fell asleep in her arms.

I love the one by CeCe Winans - All Is Well Tonight. It brings tears to my eyes. "My heart is open. I'm all filled up. I can't ask for more. I have enough." I realize that all is not well for everyone right now though.

(Kiernan grew up listening to Twila Paris and I'm convinced that Twila taught her how to sing, but we really hate the song she sings on this CD - a loud, rock-styled Silent Night just doesn't get votes in this house.)

And I've always loved Windham Hill CD's  when I want some peace and quiet. It's great to wrap presents to on Christmas eve with your husband. :-)

Of course, Noel  Josh Groban

and, although we don't have the whole CD (we just bought a few of the selections on MP3 download), I have to mention these:

Mediaeval Baebes The Holly & the Ivy

In Dulce Jubilo

and The Coventry Carol  Love the breathiness.



Hayley Westenra's Winter Magic Except we deleted "River" from our iTunes. Bad choice, Hayley. :-/

(To my children - I apologize for forever ruining your enjoyment of "Christmas Morning" - it just doesn't sound like "listen to the joyful sounds of *morning*" to me!! :-) I know. I'm so crass.)


And the perfect finish: James Taylor's At Christmas  (Except "River"! Again with the "River"! What is it with that song? Let's forever drop that one, shall we?)

Oh, and this little lovely:-) The Nativity Story Love the mix of Eastern and Western sounds on this one.

There are so many memories woven into all of these songs for our family.

What music feeds your Christmas spirit each year?