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)