December 2013 in Photos

The weather was nice some days in December which is hard to believe because we've had a pretty rough January and February. 

E had her Christmas program at her preschool and it was super cute. I wish the camera we had took better video. We went through a small camera crisis this month and I think we tried out 3 different cameras before settling on one. 

Friends at the Christmas program

Soaking up so Vitamin D.

Crisis in the little red car. I guess two kids aren't supposed to ride in them at one time. 

Tasting the air... 

Watering the tree

We survived Christmas Liturgy!

And even managed to keep the bows in our hair

All set for Christmas morning

Uncle Kev giving E's scooter a try

Taking pictures with three under four is... interesting

We had fun unwrapping

Hellllllllo!

Uncle Kev provides hours of endless entertainment

Christmas dinner table is ready

Not to be to Grinchy here but I thought we got a bad deal on our tree and then went I went to put the lights on, the color strands did not work. Small tree + white lights = Kibbe Family Charlie Brown tree... It grew on us though

Whipped cream with your fruit salad anyone? 

We love looking at pictures on cell phones 

M was received into the Church

Obligatory family pic

With M's godparents

Phew... Three sacraments in one day is tiring when you are only 7 weeks old!

7 Quick Takes - Happy Lent

Oh Common Core… you complicate my L-I-F-E… hence my absence. I have been distracted by schooling decision discernment… whatever

--- 1 ---

This is how you train for a half marathon when you have 3 kids under 4

Sunday I had this grand idea of walking 6 miles with the girls like this because Papa had to make a work trip right during my prime running hour - aka nap time. I thought I would be able to walk peacefully once all three cherubs fell asleep - because it was their nap time you know. Well they had other plans. And I only made it 3 miles with the 12 lb (?) 4 month old attached to my person and strolling the 30 lb stroller with 60 lbs of children occupying the stroller. It was a workout but if they had just fallen asleep like I intended them too I would have really accomplished something. 

--- 2 ---

You only brought me 2 clean outfits?

R had an EPIC Monday in which she blew through not one, but two diapers in the span of 2.5 minutes.  I think before this craziness all went down I had changed her because of some excessive spit up action. So needless to say, finding an outfit was a problem-o when only Mama packed two outfits (I usually only have one). Fortunately for little Miss M I had a long sleeve 0-3 month onesie that we squeezed the official 4-month-old into and she was one her way wrapped up in a blanket for the rest of the morning!

Point of the story, ALWAYS keep a 'hidden' stash of clothes, wipes, and diapers in the van that are untouchable unless of extreme emergencies. Surviving motherhood secret

--- 3 ---

Just singing in the ice pellets…

What a glorious feeling… I'm happy again. Apparently winter is winning the war of seasons. We cannot get out of this winter-weather-rut. The girls were intrigued by the ice pellets falling from the sky so we just had to experience them for ourselves.

--- 4 ---

Another snow day????

Said ice pellets supposedly accumulated enough overnight to cancel school yet another day this week. I think there has been one single week since the start of this year that the kids have 1. attended school 5 days that week and/or 2. not had a 2-hr delay. 

Snow days call for… Doing homework

R got in on the kite homework action. And it was so windy and chilly and rainy and gross today I forgot to snap a pic of the girls and their masterpieces. Grrrrrrrrr…..

--- 5 ---

Oh warm weather where art thou?  {I have now posted this question in my #5 spot for the past 3 weeks… This is getting old}

E is so desperate to get outside again she has taken to swimming inside and it usually looks something like this...

R is just along for the ride. 

--- 6 ---

Stylin' with the pink hat...

R takes to the hats and boas when the girls dress up and E is more into the shoes and dresses… Probably because R has not figured out how to take her normal clothes off which she deems a prerequisite for putting on dress up… 

--- 7 ---

This is the outfit my baby came home from the hospital in four months ago… 

Ahhhhhh… she is getting so big so fast. 

Happy First Friday of Lent which holds a special place in my heart because 9 years ago (not to the calendar day, but to the liturgical calendar day) I first set my eyes on and met Lee. Never in 100 million years if you had asked me 9 years ago would I marry him… See what the Holy Spirit can do? 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

                               

Five Favs - Marti Gras Through the Years

Just a trip down memory lane because I mandate recurring event pictures like this. 

1. 2010

Kicking things off...

2. 2011

Can you believe this is little E? Neither can I!!!!

3. 2012

R was born on the eve of the Marti Gras party this year. I had high hopes to get there because the food is amazing but bebe had other plans. Which was fine... I guess : )  

4. 2013

Hey, I just noticed Lee is wearing the same shirt he did last year... Maybe he should revisit other purple or green shirts. Oh and so most definitely pregnant in this picture.

5. 2014

This year's par-tay was a blast. The girls were as well behaved as they'll get when there's a whole bunch of 'strangers' around. The King Cake was AWESOME. Lee should take notes because E got the baby in her cake this year. Well technically the piece that was intended for her had the baby but she wanted a piece with green sprinkles, please. "Next week we'll bring the baby" because who's not up for another Marti Gras party AND another baby... next week? Next YEAR Lee and E are on the hook for the cake and we have the King-Cake-baby to prove it.

Wisdom of Chesterton: Forgiveness and Lent

"These are the things which might conceivably and truly make men forgive their enemies. We can only turn hate to love by understanding what are the things that men have loved; nor is it necessary to ask men to hate their loves in order to love one another."     
~ G.K. Chesterton

Today is Cheesefare Sunday or Forgiveness Sunday - aka the start of Lent is tomorrow (in the Eastern Catholic Church). Lent is the time before Pascha/Easter in which gives people the focused time to fast and pray - just as Christ did. He gave us the perfect example of fasting and praying so we must do the same. Here's a run down as to how our family observes Lent. 

1. Food. A few dietary changes on the way...

2. Prayer. My single favorite part of Lent is The Prayer of St. Ephraim. 

O Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power and idle chatter

Instead, bestow on my your servant the spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love

Yes Oh Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters for your are Blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen

3. Praying. Something new we are going to try is praying the Rosary in the car on the way to school. Just a decade a day so reasonable but setting the standard L-O-W. 

4. Presanctified Liturgy. Ahhhhhh…. Lee and I first put our eyes on each other at a Presanctified Liturgy back in 2005. I love love love this church service so much. Last year we made it to a total of 2 PLs because I was in my first trimester and R was just not a pleasant church goer. Presanctified Liturgy is one of the oldest codified Christian services (did I get that right, Papa). If you have never been to one find your local Eastern Catholic Church and go go go. 

5. Stations of the Cross. Last year we had to come up with a Lenten activity that the girls could go to and make it through. Stations of the Cross kicks off with a Fish Fry before which is excellent for R because she goes to Stations with a full tummy. I can trust E to sit in the back pew and pray through MOST of Stations without too much back and forth. R and I hung out in the back which will probably be much of the same this year except M will be joining us. E has been talking about Stations and Fish Fries since last year so I know she is looking forward to it. 

6. Saint Mail calendar. Have you heard of Saint Mail? It is a pretty neat idea for teaching young kids about saints. Each month your family receives package that includes a letter from and an activity for a saint. We got our starter box in the mail which included a handy-dandy Lent calendar. So I know E is going to love to check those days off the calendar. 

E and R colored their booklets about how to become a saint. They don't know it yet but the March saint package is waiting for them. I'm going to do a review of that package and I'll post the giveaway details so that you can win a one month Saint Mail package for your family!

Linking up with:

and 

Monica at Equipping Catholic Families

Equipping Catholic Families on Facebook

Chris at Campfires and Cleats

Campfires and Cleats on Facebook

Tina at Truly Rich Mom

Truly Rich Mom on Facebook

Tracy at A Slice of Smith Life  

A Slice of Smith Life on Facebook

Lisa at Home to 4 Kiddos

Home to 4 Kiddos on Facebook

Giving Gymnastics a Go

It is that time of year to start thinking about what spring activity E wants to do. She has been given the option of gymnastics or soccer. The Y in The Mount lets you do a trial class so that's what we did this morning.

I did not have my expectations set too high - or at least I did not think they were. There were six girls in the class and two teachers. E has fun warming up and doing the different stations. 

Then all the kids got to take turns bouncing on the trampoline which was a big hit. 

Overall I thought the class was a bit disorganized for there being two teachers there. But then I was thinking about how 3 yr old soccer looks and it is super disorganized. Any how, I was not overly impressed and now I am kind of hoping that E will choose soccer or swimming over gymnastics but we shall see…