Funnies

Pippin while looking at a picture of someone:  "He's got freckled faced pumps." (pimples)

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Later on I had the privilege to bring a deer Aragorn just got up to the butcher.  But when we went to take it out of the car we realized there was no tag for the deer.  Long story short after many phone calls, Frodo back at home found the missing tag.  *phew* And the much relieved butcher says, "There's a better chance of getting away with beating a child in front of an elementary school then not having a tag for a deer!"
*chuckle*

Out of the Mouths of Babes

There was a arguement that broke out between Poppy and Bilbo over some new toy (mind you this was a plastic tree).  I told Poppy she was going to have to share her new toys.  5 minutes later she came to me with the toy and said, "Here, Mommy, take it, I can't share."
*suppressed laughter from mom*

[my solution was "Well, since you can't share, then you give it to Bilbo and let him play with it by himself."]
*chuckle*

Christmas Martyrs

Our Lord came for one purpose.... to die.  To die to save us from our sins.... to die to re-open the Gates of Heaven. To die so that we can have Eternal Life.  So we, too, are here to die.  To die that we might have Eternal Life.  How willing are we to die for Christ as He died for us?

December 26th -  St. Stephen the first martyr - the reminder that we are called to willingly suffer for Christ, even if it means the shedding of our own blood.

December 27th - St. John the Evangelist the white martyr - a reminder that we are called to go out and preach (by our example) Christ crucified no matter how disliked and dishonored we may be, this is an interior martyrdom of spirit.

December 28th - The Holy Innocents - those first innocent children who died to save Our Lord - they are a reminder to us to protect innocent life, to accept life, to see every life as precious.

Surgery Prayers

St. Peregrine, pray for us!

Please pray for my father-in-law, Don, who is having surgery tomorrow (Dec 28th) to remove a tumor at the head of the pancreas. 

Christmas Pageant and Dinner

Eowyn was our Narrator... of course.... ever loving bookworm that she is.

Poppy was an angel.... go ahead and laugh!

Marigold was Cousin Shepherdess' lambie.

Pippin as King "Horrid" with his Cousin Scribe and Cousin Drummer Boy

Cousin Drummer Boy

The Annunciation.  Angel Gabriel played by a cousin and Galadriel plays Mary.

The Visitation.  Rosie playing St. Elizabeth.

Cousin plays Baby Jesus

The Nativity

The Angelic Poppy decided she needed to kiss Baby Jesus and lie down in the manger with him.

King Herod's palace.

Woops.... one of the Kings forgot his gift...so he had to race back and get the gold.

"Never put your back to the people" part was forgotten.... haha

At the stable.

Eleanor was also a Shepherdess

The End.

After the pageant we had a lovely dinner.  TWENTY courses was what I counted but there may have been more.

Everything was set up absolutely beautifully.... including the annual Christmas poppers.

The Christmas Cracker-Poppers things contained a crown...

.... toy and a riddle.  Just a little family funsie.

There is always one or two in the bunch who seems to be the one to put as many crowns on as possible. Usually one of mine. This time it was two... Merry and... Pippin.  Who else?

Merry entertaining Marigold with his little gadget toy.

I wahn sum....

Ewwww.... spicy.

Sparkling Apple Juice (just in case anyone was getting upset)

Grandpa and Marigold

The big boys

The toddlers

The cookies!

The babies

Guess what happened next? :D 

The Queen in her palace.

The jesters doing... whatever it is they do.

Pippin in a drunken sugar stupor.

Best Auntie always has some fun project.  This time it was a castle to set up and color.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Day Gift Giving

 Wow.... thank you to the person who so generously gave us this beautiful Nativity. It's huge! I think the biggest one is almost 3 feet tall!

Sam and Aragorn whipped up a little manger to house the Holy Family and their visitors.

 We had an extra Christmas stocking in the pile so we gave this one to Baby Jesus. The children drew pictures for Him.  The idea was to place our special sacrifices in there but I guess those just remained in our hearts.... but that's alright, I know He finds them.

Aragorn gave this to me.  It's an oval frame/reliquary with SIX relics.  In my heart I really only had this inner desire for 1 and God brought me six.  Never underestimate in what generous ways God will bless you when you just ask.  It's believed to be from the 1700's and contains the Holy Relics of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Francis de Sales, St. Francis Xavier, St. Anthony Abbot, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Nicholas of Bari.  Too precious.  I fluctuated between a desire to jump up and down and squeal and remain speechless.   Aragorn wouldn't answer where he got it so my guess is Craigslist where all good and interesting things come from.... Wow. 

 Then there were the fun stocking stuffers.  Aragorn picked out some pocket knives for the big boys and some interesting to bizarre flashlights.

 I picked out some awesome flexi hair clips for the girls.  They seem to be practically indestructible.
And I had Masses said for everyone individually... except in the cards I made to put in the stockings I had put 2011.... when it's 2012. Typical coming from the one who doesn't usually get the year right until February or March.
 

 My stocking was filled with great little gifts including a $5 (do I smell chocolate?) and a handcarved wooden spoon from Frodo!

 Anyone who knows Pippin will find this shirt, I couldn't resist, hilarious.   Fitting.

 I am posting our ever-growing Nativity Set in 3 sections. 

 It's my little Christmas funsie.

 Baby Marigold's first Christmas. Grandma (my mom) kept up with the tradition of giving every child a Christmas stocking. My grandma had made them for me and my sisters back in the day and I still have very fond memories of those stockings.

Marigold tried using those razor sharp teeth of hers to open up some gifts (mostly hand-me-down toys) the kids put in her stocking.

 Why it is cute when a baby sticks out her tongue?

Ok..... this was entirely not planned.  Galadriel took this one with the generour cooperation of Frodo.