Waving Good-bye to 2009!

With just 4 days left in 2009, the time has come to look back on the year that was. It was a year dominated by headlines, one that began with the inauguration of the first African-American President and ended in a massive run on robotic hamsters. In-between, there was swine flu, Jon minus Kate, and Balloon Boy. Here's to a more stable, positive 2010! (Double click to enjoy short video from you tube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyoGbd1iJIw

We are Blessed!

17 kids and counting at our annual Berberich Christmas last night!  Consider us "extra-blessed!"  Although it is a tight squeeze, I always lay in bed that night, exhausted with a smile on my face counting my blessings.  May the Spirit of Christmas live in your home forever!

Packing it in!

I can't decide which I like better: days like today, where we make one memory after the next, or days like earlier this week, where I was homebound with Emily who was sick, and we did nothing but hang out together.  So thankful to be able to have these kind of days!  We started the day out by meeting a friend at Bounce U and then went to sit on Santa's lap.  So, Ellie scored some "Santa points" by playing into him when he asked what she wanted for Christmas she said, "whatever you want to bring me."  I guess that's her statement after I told her I already told Santa no to the DS.  Oh well, it was a Kodak moment to say the least!  Tonight we made reindeer cookies for Ellie's kindergarten party.  Lots of fun!  They decorated every last one!  Then I cried when I found this sweet (so Erika!) note for Daddy, since he's been gone all week.  That's what Christmas is all about!  

(try to read the note, too cute!!!)

Ellie's To-Do List

She gets it honestly! I have lists all over the house, only to hope to sit donw at night to cross a few off the list. Emily and Ellie seem to do the same. I found this in Ellie's room taped to her wall in her room the other day. Little did I know she wanted to accomplish EVERYTHING off the list the next morning! A very determined child she is, as she woke up with the girls and dutifully completed her list and checked them off. I hate to say this, but out of my three girls, I am most suprised she was so motivated! She has discovered a whole new world out there since she is reading and writing- I love it! She's wants to keep a journal that I also do with my two older girls and we write back and forth to each other. She writes something and stands there while I write back. She could do this all day. Here is her To do list I found in her room. I couldn't resist taking a picture to document her new world!  (If you double click on the picture it will enlarge the list... maybe it's just me and having taught kindergarten, but i could read it!  Too cute, she even checked them off as she did them!)

Slideshow for my parents Christmas gift...ssshhh!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Batch

Yum!  Love this holiday recipe:

Holiday White Chocolate Mix

3 cups Cheerios

6 cups Rice Chex Cereal

2 cups small pretzels

1 jar dry roasted peanuts

1 poud M&M's

3 bags white chocolate morsals

Mix dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl,  melt white chocolate, mix all together.  Drop the mix on wax paper, let cool at room temp.  Break apart and enjoy! 

Tis the Season to be Busy!

                                       If we weren't in the Christmas Season yet (which we were!) then this weekend definitely did just that!  We truly packed it in! We started the weekend by going to Christ Church in Mason's Annual Christmas Concert.  We've gone the last several years to watch our neighbors (the whole family) participate in the play/concert.  It truly touches me every year and I leave the experience with a renewed focus on Jesus, the true gift of Christmas!

This is our neighbor, Rob. (He also took our family pictures this summer- did a fabulous job- studio692.com)

This is Daryl, he finished our basement, a great guy!

A beautiful concert

Our neighbor, Rob was also Joseph, they used a real baby!  It was so neat!

A great time had by all! 

If the Concert wasn't enough, we also had tickets to go see Annie, The Musical by the Lebanon High School!  The cast included first graders and up, football players and faculty, it was truly a community event!  It was so fun for the girls to pick out familiar faces in the play, besides the fact that they were singing the songs word for word, and I actually teared up when she sang, "Tomorrow!"  Totally took me back to my childhood!  We had awesome seats, third row!

The girls knew lots of orphans- "It's a Hard Knock Life!"

NBC Radio Station- "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile"

What a great cast!

To end our weekend, we had the opportunity to go see some Academy friends perform in The Nutcracker!  It was so beautiful, especially in the second row!  We weren't allowed to take pictures, but got some after the show- the girls loved the dancing, music and costumes!  After the snowflake dancing scene, Emily said, "That was so amazing, I can hardly clap!"

Erika's close friends, Christina and Alexa (twins) were dancers in the Act 1, at the Dancing Party.  They were fantastic!

Zoe and Ainsley, Emily and Ellie's friends, were adorable as they came out from under the lady with the BIG skirt and danced- sooo cute!!!

It was great to hear the girls talking on the way

This is one of those times I am glad I blogged this, because with this busy season, I would have never gotten around to writing these memories down by scrapbooking!  Yeah, it's done!  :)

Our First Snow!

It's amazing the emotions one goes through during the holidays- shopping: complete bliss throwing things in cart, then sweating at cash register sliding plastic only for Rob to pay for it because I'm not working.  Snow: complete bliss watching girls bundle up at 7:30 in morning to giggle in sheer delight with the falling snowflakes, then picking up snowboots, socks, mittens, and hats after to strategically place around house to dry.  The list goes on, but today, it was all about the snow! 
Although I feel I am still thawing out from Saturday night from the Lebanon Horse Parade, the girls wanted to play in the snow (actually, covering of snow on mulch and patio table), so needless to say, no pictures.  By the time Ellie made it out, pictures were in order along with chef Ellie cooking snow recipes! 
Ding-dong: Door opens
Me:  "Can I help you?"
Ellie: "I have some chicken parfait and salami for you to try, for just 6 dollars."
Me:  pay, of course, with a tip.
Ellie: walks around the house only to deliver more snow goodies time and time again.

"Chicken parfait snow"  made epecially by Ellie

Taste testing the first snow

                        Measuring the first snow (not so much)

Finding a new home

Yeah, it's Christmas time!  The magic of Christmas touches us no matter what our age!  At no other time of the year are traditions more important than at Christmastime.  A tradition is like a secret password that allows you into the club and tells you that you belong to something bigger than yourself.  Traditions bind people together as family, church, nation, or culture. 
I try to explain to my girls how God gave the gift of His Son, Jesus, to them.  We talk at night a lot about if they have opened their heart to Him.  At night tickling their faces, I pray that they please the Lord by opening the gift He has given to them.  The great thing is that they don't even have to wait to receive this gift until Christmas!  
Here's pictures of small memories in The Glover household-  the tree:
Did you know that the first person to use the evergreen tree was for the symbol of God?  Each point of the triangular-shaped tree represented a different Person of the Holy Trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Have you ever noticed that the boughs of your tree extend out like the arms of Jesus stretched upon the cross as He offered His life to anyone who would come to Him in faith?  Our tree points to Heaven! 
When we moved into our home, I think we fell in love with the two quiet streets and  our lot, and then the house plan.  We adore our home, but it seems a bit "tall" for what we're used to, so everything we have is a bit "small" for the house.  It's taken time, but this is the year for our Christmas tree!  Tall and skinny (just what I want to be!)  but I'll settle for the tree this year!  We were amazed that it puts together in three sections, unfolds, and is prelit!  No bad words from Rob this year lighting the tree and putting in each branch, it was beautiful! 
We put our "Granny" tree in the basement where it sparkles with years of memories, from Rob's childhood, to our first year of dating in 1989, to 2006, our last year with her, and still the latest 2009 ornaments I love to buy for the girls in honor of Granny.  When you look at our "Granny" tree, it tells a wonderful story through Hallmark ornaments.  I wanted to carry her tradition on, so I buy a Hallmark ornament that best reflects the girls' year and write on their box a special message to them that they will be able to take with them as they go their own ways to start their own trees. 

I will be the first to say that Christmas should be built around memories, and I think I get that from my mom.  There are so many things I remember from my childhood that I want to carry onto my children.  The picture shown below is one my mom made and decided to give to me to have in my home now- which is priceless.  She made it and it is one thing I remember from Christmas so dearly (and the statue of Santa praying by baby Jesus-  someday!  :).  I loved reading all the cards from friends we were blessed with throughout the years.

My sweet ornament that Rob's gramndma got for us the Christmas Sandy, Rob's mom passed away (and both my grandparents).  It is placed in the center of our tree as a daily reminder of pur grandparents'  love.

Another piece of Sandy (memories of Granny and her Winter Wonderland).  When Rob's Dad, Cork, moved into his condo, he downsized, which led him to picking some special things for us that he couldn't completely let go of, and wanted us to have.  (The girls specifically remember her chair covers!)

Snowglobes.  What else do I need to say?  They are the gift that just keeps giving!  We used to get them from Grandma Berberich, and then my mom began to carry the tradition.   Cork gave us lots of Sandy's that she had as well.  The girls faces are priceless as they twist the base and put the globe to their ear and talk about their memories.

Christmas... it brings out the child in all of us!!!

Handy the Elf

I know, I know, I fell for it.  The elf on the shelf.  Hallmark stores everywhere.  Ya gotta have one!  We fell to the pressure, and all I have to say is .... too cute!   If you don't know the story, it's basically it's a little stuffed elf that watches your kiddos and reports back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to let Santa know if they've been naughty or nice.  Our lil' Handy hides during the night for the girls to find him in the morning.  The great thing is that they are writing like crazy only to wait patiently for Handy to write back to them during the night.  Not sure if it's "cured" their bickering, but it sure has encouraged their writing!!!!  I have to include a sample writing of Emily and Ellie's letter to Handy- how fun!
(from ellie:)
Will you go to my koosons haws nekst yer?

(from Em:)
Dear Handy, Do you know are names?  If you know are name write them when you write us Glover girls.  Tonight you are going to see my Ant Katie.  I hope you rember her.  I called her and she is exsided to see you.  Do you write in carsiv?  I hope you don't because I can't read carsiv.  Handy were do you work?  Is you r reel name Handy or is that just a nick name?  Handy doesn't sond funny I was just wondring.  We are going to have a lot of fun.  How old are you?  Can you cont to 1000?  Do you know how old Athazar is?( That's Katie's elf) Do you think that I can take you to chrstmas eve at my Nana's house?  I will be home before santa comes to are house.  Are you having a good time?  Love, Emily  (P.S. My name is Emily)

CUTE!!!!  (Notice Handy the elf in the pictures, their new best friend for a month)

Big Tree Plantation

If you were to ask my girls, "What is the true meaning of Christmas?"  they would answer without thought, "Jesus' birthday."  But I know them better than that.  To my three, Christmas is really about opening presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree, and painting homemade Christmas ornaments. 

Sure, we read the Christmas story, attend Mass, and say over and over, "Jesus is the reason for the season!"  But there is much joy when we walk down the doll and Barbie aisles of Target.  If you could see into my children's hearts, you would understand that to them, Christmas is not only about the birth of Jesus- it's also about celebrating the birth of Jesus. 

Sometimes I feel like Jesus gets lost in the frenzy of the holiday season and I hope we are truly able to teach our girls the true meaning of Christmas.  In trying to see the innocense of the girls' excitement, I realized that I needto "come to the party and bring the kids!"  He is everywhere: in the lights, the songs, and the cards.  Sometimes we get caught up in all the trappings of Christmas only to discover that we need to join in the celebration- guilt-free! 

We will encounter the true meaning of Christmas, when we light the advent wreath, talk about the legend of the Christmas tree and how it represents a different Person of the Holy Trinity, talk about the legend of the candy cane, talk about why we place a star on top of our Christmas tree, and how angels are everywhere (especially our grandparents). 

My girls seem to hear better with their hands.  I can tell them something all day long, but if they get the chance to do something, then it is usually theirs for life.  Over the next few weeks, I hope to share with you our family traditions to help teach our girls the true meaning of Christmas. 

This past weekend, we packed up and headed just a couple miles down the road, and had fun watching my sister and her family pick out (and cut down!) their very own Christmas tree.  Of course I left my camera at my parents house for Thanksgiving, my cell phone is the best we have here at the Big Tree Plantation.  The girls were mesmorized with the "real" reindeer, sitting on Santa's lap in a dream treehouse, and drink the best hot chocolate ever as you were fascinated looking at the dream gingerbread house.  I can't wait to continue to make Christmas memories this year, as I will continue to gently prompt them to look beyond every song, every story, for the Best of All Stories.  Here we come, Christmas!!!!

A Penny from Grandma

A Penny From Grandma

I am like a penny, a very bright one.

Remember, my darling children,

I'll always turn up.

Whenver you find a penny anywhere

in the years to come,

you pick it up and say,

"There's Grandma!"

Here's a penny, take it.

It is the first of many.

In time you will have a thousand reminders

That I'm telling you how much

You are loved.

         (written by my cousin, Stephanie)

I find shiny pennies a lot.  Sometimes when I'm least expecting one, sometimes when I need it the most.  Last night Grandma wanted to make sure she knew she was with me.  This entry is one of those times when I am going to look back and be so thankful (oh!  I am thankful for shiny pennies!)  I wrote about this moment.  Three years ago, I lost my grandparents and mother-in-law in 6 weeks of each other.  It was the most trying time of our lives, we have never felt so much emptiness or loss.  The upcoming holidays are the hardest for me because Sandy turned her house into a Winter Wonderland and she made everything magical for the children.  Throughout this week, we have slowly pulled out some boxes and with Cork, my father-in-law moving into his first new place in 33 years, he has given me some special things of Sandy's.  Having some of her things in our house touches me very deeply, but it is also very painful to see and remember.  We also came across our box of snow globes which my grandparents were giving us each Christmas.  I am so thankful for the memories, but it's also times like this when it's hard to face reality without them. 

That's why Grandma leaves pennies (shiny pennies) for us to find.  Last night I decided I needed a bath to unwind, but something made me reach for the journal I worte in during the time when we were going through our losses.  It was so hard to read, but so good for me to smile and remember so many little things I had forgotten about during those very sad days. 

Later I had asked Emily to pull the towels out of the dryer.  She called me in and said, "Look at that shiny penny, Mom!"  It's so bright and it's right on top of the towels!  That is so weird!  It was just right there when I went to pick up the basket!"  I looked at the pureness of the towels with the shiny penny laying on them, and then I looked at Emily.  I knew Grandma was telling me to keep my head up and focus on my girls, and life was going to be hard sometimes, but just keep looking for those bright, shiny pennies. 

Thanks, Grandma.  I needed that one, especially. 

My family

I know, it's generic, but I am thankful for my family.  I am blessed and thank God everyday for my husband, my girls, our health, and our friends. 

I am also thankful for our first-ever family picture!  This is a picture of a picture  (:

Game Night

I'm thankful my girls are finally of age where we can all participate in game night!  For those of you that know Ellie, she's not the most passive, patient child (ha!), so trying to play games that she could not be included in made enjoying a game very difficult!  I have to say now with her age and competetiveness, she is quite the game-player!  (As long as she wins!) 

I think this might be a great year to get games as gifts for the girls this Christmas.  My mom always likes to go with a theme for the girls, and I think board games would make a great theme!  There are some great ones out there, Ellie is playing a strategy game called Blokus, which is an awesome game!  We also like Cadoo lots too.  But I would love to build up on some classic ones like Scrabble and Monopoly.  With all the technology out there, sometimes we forget the real fun can be a simple game of go fish!  Let the fun begin!

I'm Thankful for my Dad

I call myself pretty lucky.  As my girls are growing up, they want to hear stories of me growing up more and more often.  As I share these stories, I realize how different they are from what they are experiencing.  I wouldn't trade my childhood for a minute, and it makes me sad to think that my girls won't have the memories of riding horseback, spending night after night with cousins, combining the corn, baling hay, swinging on the barn rope, walking through the field to my cousins, playing Monopoly all night with my cousins.  Yes, my world revolved around my family and cousins.  I know my girls are growing up having fun with friends and neighbors, but it is very different.  There is a beginning and an end, and "how did my child do, did she mind her manners, clean up?  We'll have to do this more often..." type of thing.  Spontaneous at the Martin household was the word.  There were no playdates, just days....  days all day outside.  So many of my memories trickle back to my parents and their stability in my life.    My Dad... a man of little words.  But He didn't need to speak.  Love him!  With all my heart!  He has never stopped growing into something new... farmer, deacon, chaplin, nurse, director... and it's not over.   There are always forks in the road, we just have to have faith and choose.  I have Faith in my Dad.  And I know he will choose the right path, still to this day.  God has a plan for him and he has touched so many lives at Hospice in Middletown, maybe it's time he made an impact somewhere new.  Where?  I dunno, God has plans for him.  Big plans. 

Thankful for volunteers

Making up my mind and feeling good about it has always been bery hard for my.  Maybe part of it is the side of me that always wants to please everyone, or the part of me that puts everyone else first.  Whatever it is, I am definitely a wishy-washy kind-of person, which sometimes leads me to being taken advantage of.  I have been doing lots of slef-reflection lately, and I vow to all my friends and family to focus on what is important (YOU!) and to not worry about the little things.  Since I have worked the last two years, I feel like maybe I put off some of the things I take for granted in life (YOU) and I know that I am on borrowed time here on Earth. 
Right about now you are asking why are you thankful and why the calendar picture?!?!  Well, let me tell you, I can't say how hard it had been to leave The Academy and the staff and pull my firls away from an incredible educational experience, but for personal reasons, Rob and I decided I am a much better mom (and wife) staying home and I thank God everyday I can do that (this year). Transitioning from public to private was HUGE for my girls.  There is so much my girls miss about The Academy, but I have to say God (and Granny) was looking out for us when we decided to simplify life.  I have to say I have found my "happy place."  I am so happy being home.  I am blessed.  Some moms are better moms working, I am definitely a better mom (and wife) being home. 
The picture is a reflection of how we lucked out with Ellie's teacher in kindergarten.  She sent this schedule home for the volunteers- she actually had so many, we were only able to help out once a month.  Wow... I like that.  I am thankful that there are that many volunteers each month that want to help in the classroom in the public schools... I like it... I am thankful...

Thankful

So thankful living in a great town.  I love the downtown area in Lebanon, one of our favorite things to do is just go walk around.  Today, Ellie and I did just that.  It was a perfect morning, so crisp and cool, and great hanging out with my favorite little person.  She was a good sport and posed for me at a few favorite places.

Thankful

As I kissed my hubby good-bye tonight, hating sunday travel for him, I sighed a deep breath, and began our Sunday rituals: practice piano, finish homework, shower (wow 3 girls use lots of water with 3 showers!) and began our bedtime stories.  Emily is reading The Secret Garden to me (she seems to love books about hardships- Little House on the Prairie and Addy- American Girl are her favorites), and Erika is reading to Ellie, I am laying in bed and can't thank God enough for what an incredible life He has given me.  After hearing today's homily at Mass, I understand how important it is to live life to the fullest as we are all on borrowed time here on Earth; our true time is with God in Heaven.  Father talked about how important it is to be patient in today's world, that all good things come with time.  Wow, I needed to hear this.  Although I believe God has a plan for all of us, sometimes I feel like I should interfere just a bit and speed things up some.  Like with my Dad's job with Hospice, I want it to all work out for him RIGHT NOW.  And my friend's daughter with cancer, fix it NOW.  In thinking about life's day to day challenges, there is so much to be thankful for in the Here and Now.  Right now, in this tiny little moment.  So for the next 11 days, I look forward to posting the little things that I am thankful for. 

Babies, oh do I love them!  My sister had baby Landon last week and I can't tell you how precious he is, how beautiful Katie looked after delivering him, and how incredibly proud Brian was.  What more do you want?  Babies.  Love 'em.

What to do with all that candy...

So much candy... ever wonder what to do with it all? I found these great tips on Parenting.com website- some fun ideas...

In the kitchen:

1. Freeze it. Throughout the year, add it to milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream, and plain cookie dough. (For a quick milkshake, add mini Butterfinger or Snickers bars to ice cream or frozen yogurt and milk. Bonus: add a banana!)

2. Bake it into cakes. Try peanut butter cup cookies or brownies with fun-sized candy bars inside. Or just put on top of cakes and cupcakes, or stir into icing. (For great recipes see recipegoldmine.com/candybar)

3. Make it a (sort of) healthy snack. Fill celery stalks with cream cheese and top with Peanut M&M's.

4. DIY Trail Mix. Open bags of little candies like M&M's and make your own trail mix by adding pretzels, nuts and dried fruit.

Adults Only:

5. Pair it with wine. (starchefs.com)

6. Make homemade flavored vodka. Just drop it in a bottle and let it soak for awhile to make your own homemade, creative tasting alcohol.

7. Put chocolate into your coffee for a quick, easy mocha.

8. Keep some in your purse for when you need a sugar fix, or your kids need to be bribed.

Get crafty:

Make an advent calendar for November: Put candy in Dixie cups and cover with tissue. On the tissue, write numbers 1-30, and place the cups sideways on a large poster board to form a calendar. Let kids punch through the tissue to get their treats each day. (alphmom.com)

9. Use it as a learning tool. Let kids practice counting or do their math homework with little Reeses Cups or Hershey Kisses.

10. Turn it into a science experiment! (scientificblogging.com)

11. Save it for a gingerbread house.

12. Send to school for treasure box.

13. Take it to school's office, it will be gone in no time!

14. Donate to nursing homes, fire stations, women's shelter.

15. Send it overseas. (operationshoebox.com will gladly take donations)

16. Just eat it!