Dragon-Horse

Joy got a cute little rocking horse for Christmas, but it's a dragon.  We affectionately call him "Dragon-Horse."  Joy loves him.  I'm actually quite surprised with how well she's already picked up the rocking motion...it is so cute to watch her focus and rock, rock, rock on it.  Recently Dragon-Horse was in an action film - see his debut below:

...now that is a model train set...

A friend told me about a model train set on display not far from us at a small indoor shopping mall.  I took the kiddos there yesterday and WOW, all 3 of us really enjoyed ourselves!  Along with being absolutely enamored with the moving model trains and the miniature detailed set-up of houses, scenes, cars and people, we also stumbled across some really big fish and a wooden train set the kids could play with.  Joy wanted to be just like the big kids, and relished the train time as well. :-)

 

"Baby Jesus, We Love You!"

Sunday was the Children's Christmas Program at church.  Unlike last year, where Micah was mute as anything and wouldn't do a single hand motion, this year he was belting out the lyrics and moving his arms around with the big kids.  Fun, fun. :-)

Joy getting a power-nap on our way to church...

Argyle pattern was quite the selection for boys this year:

Song: Baby Jesus, We Love You

Song: Away in a Manger

 Joy trying to crawl in her too-cute Christmas dress from PaPa:

Church buddies!

Quick family photo at Papa and Mama's before Joy changed out of her dress :-)

Our ever moving Nativity

Last year Scotty and I got the kids a play nativity for Christmas (I was really the one who wanted it). :-)  Micah and Joy just love it!  Playing with it, telling the story, moving it around, etc.  Well, Micah has been getting pretty creative with the figurines lately... 

Yesterday Micah put the angel "in Heaven with God" (at the top of our stairs).  The thing is, I forgot he put it there, so when I flipped the light on to go upstairs later that night, I saw this mini shining angel "in Heaven" at the top.  Made me smile.

Today I found one of the Wise Men...in the top of a tree.  Ha!  Don't know what Micah was thinking about in regards to putting him there.

After cleaning up today and putting things in order, I have come up short 3 of the pieces - Baby Jesus, Joseph and a lamb.  When I see Mary in the stable with her palms open, it's like she's asking where her family has gone.  Sorry, Mary, I searched high and low (even under the couch) and they are nowhere to be found.  But I know they'll show up one of these days...

I just thought this was funny... :-)

Parade Participation :-)

Last Saturday the kiddos and I walked in a little local parade.  It was drizzly, but fun!  We were there to pass out fliers for our church's chili lunch directly after the parade.  Some youth from our Boys' and Girls' Club were there to help out (the 50-point incentive was quite a draw for my little GEMS). ;-)  Micah was a trooper and held the umbrella steadily while he walked faithfully beside Joy in the stroller.  And Joy, she was quite likely the youngest and most bundled participant. :-)  The chili afterwards was DELICIOUS, and warmed us up nicely.

This year's count: 49 bags!

Having 2 less oak trees in the front yard made for fewer leaf bags than last year, but still plenty of work (Scotty did most of it this year - bless his heart)!  Micah and I curbed all 49 for the city to haul away...

fun times :-)

Here are just some snapshots from the past couple months...

Micah LOVES playing in dirt.  Since we had our new landscaping put in and lawn resurrected, he hasn't been able to play in the yard the way he'd like to (digging).  Well, he found an area behind the garage which had plenty of dirt for him to be crazy in...the amount of dirt he managed to get all over his body, clothes and hair made it so that I had to fill up the bathtub twice with water to get him all cleaned up!

I accidentally handed Joy my water cup instead of hers yesterday while I was whisking around doing things...Micah caught the mistake, but not before Joy managed to pick it up and try to drink with it - she had fun!

Twin bears from Papa (Micah has had his for a while now, but there was another one up his sleeve for Joy)!

Micah has enjoyed watching his birthday gift from Uncle Brad and DeeDee - a flower pot, potting soil and flower seeds.  Something green has started to sprout!

Since Joy has started army crawling over the past month or so, she has found some fun little coves - such as under big brother's bed!

Daddy does a good job of encouraging Joy onto the next stage...not just crawling, but walking!

One night when I got home from Girls' Club, I found this "note" on the table.  I have since continued to hold the kids' Duplo's captive, and now have it on the window sill in the kitchen...

Another cove Joy has found - behind the couch!

Micah doing his schoolwork!  He's a great student...

Trying on Joy's winter gear - as you can tell from her face, she was getting ready to sass me for this one...

Like mother, like daughter (I have a picture of my dad holding me upside down when I was young and I loved it!  Joy has proven to be the same way). :-)

Micah was so desparate to play hide-n-seek that he "hid" Joy behind these objects...

Joy has learned how to stand herself up (but can't get herself back down again)!  Today I found her gazing outside.

Right around 8 months old, Joy cut her first 4 teeth in 3 weeks!  Now she enjoys using those pearly whites to chomp on new foods, and flash us smiles.