Happy New Year

After being reminded ever-so-gently that the blog had not been updated since November 11, I have set a goal to update it at least once a week in the New Year.
Since the Holidays are over, there is only one more set of pajamas to be made, everyone is going back to school and life is setting back into our regular routine, I don't have an excuse not to write.

It has been a lovely winter so far.
We haven't had any snow here, much to chagrin of the children, but it is starting to get colder.
 
Sam got to celebrate his birthday in style by getting sprung from school and hanging out at the Udvar-Hazy Center for the day.  He even had a docent to himself to show him around the WWII airplanes for half an hour.  It simply doesn't get any better than that in Sam's book.  :)

Nate had this Christmas Concert at school, which was a hoot.  His school is in a small church and many of the children have all of their families living locally, so any gathering at school in past years has been uncomfortably crowded.  This year the school split up the programs, which made the crowds much more manageable and the concert more enjoyable for all.
As usual, Nate was rockin' his bow tie and his St Anthony of Padua medal.

Benjamin, unfortunately, has received the brunt of the winter germs to date.  He had 2 ear infections, pneumonia and developed a allergy to penicillin.
He got away with a lot once he was feeling better.  Because who doesn't love eating their graham crackers naked at the kitchen counter?

There was a good week or so where all he wanted was to be held.  I obliged as much as possible because it was clear he felt miserable.  Since he was in no shape to leave the house, we spent much of our time sewing up gift bags using scrap fabric to use at Christmas.

Caroline was able to do a small concert at school with her flute for the second graders, which she enjoyed.  In true vacation style, her flute has only been pulled out a couple of times over break.
She and her friends did give us a 30 minute concert on New Year's Eve.  It is fun to see how much the kids have grown and learned in the past year.

 And here are my Umbrella Friends.  Always there.
I am so very grateful.

Happy New Year.
Life is wonderful.
:)