Sing your heart out Connor...

 

Connor's Sunday school class sang at our church's Christmas concert Sunday afternoon. They walked up the aisle ringing bells, sang 3 songs, and were so cute. We had punch and cookies afterwards. He was so proud, as were we!

We've had the flu around here last night and today. I actually am the only who has not caught it yet (even Matt, Kristin, and mom have it - along with quite a few others at our daycare). I've been cleaning up puke and dirty explosive diapers the past few days, I've done about 10 loads of laundry, and I've gotten lots of clingy snuggles. Hopefully we're all better tomorrow and it skips me.

Visitor at the Ginskey house...and goodies

Friday night Connor noticed a package outside our front door and noticed right away it was addressed to "Connor, Jacob, and Nolan Ginskey". They opened it and found that Santa had sent them a visitor to help keep an eye on them. Connor named him Elfa, and everynight this little elf magically flies back to Santa to update him on the Ginskey family and then reappears the next morning in a new hiding place. The boys have had a blast looking for him every morning - though Connor says he's too easy to find (might have to work on that one...). The first night I saw Connor put his hands on Jacob's shoulders and say to him, " Jacob, don't jump on the couch, Elfa is watching!". HA! It's the cutest thing and I know we'll have fun with it throughout the years. After Christmas Elfa flies back to the North Pole and comes back to visit us next year, etc... (I just have to rememeber to hide it in a good place, but make sure I remember where!) Check it out....Elf on the Shelf.(Thanks to Tanja for the great idea)

Saturday Mom, Kristin, and I did some baking and made lots of yummy goodies. We've done this a few years now and hopefully this continues to be a tradition. The one downfall of this is that we end up eating way too much of it! The guys and the kids all hung out too. It was a fun day and I love that we do this. Next Saturday we're getting together with some of the ladies from my mom's side to make Kolaches. My grandma (both grandmas actually) used to make them all of the time. Hopefully this is a new tradition also.

Saturday night Matt and I met my good friend Shelly and her boyfriend Ryan at Buca's. We finally got to meet this great guy and I am so excited and happy for them.

Note to self............

Last night we went shopping for our Toys for Tots angels. I always try to get three boy angels close to the ages of our boys. I knew Matt was at a supper in the cities tonight, he has basketball practice tomorrow night, we're busy this weekend, and the gifts are due on Tuesday. I had visions of a nice family outing, picking out the presents that we're going to donate, and enjoying and taking in every minute of it. Not what happened! Isn't it hard when things don't go like you had envisioned or planned? Note to self....don't take little boys shopping during the Christmas season when it's late and they haven't eaten...for other kids they don't know. Enough said....
Oh well, it's the thought that counts right?!

Little Holiday Jingle

Someone sent me this link. I love it! It always puts me in a good mood and into the Christmas spirit! Jingle Bells!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk6N5wgNZg0

I put some Christmas music at the bottom of the play list, so if you'd like click on them-enjoy! (can you tell I like the song "What Child is This? I think I have about 6 versions!)

We were fortunate to get to watch Kelsey on Saturday night while Matt and Kristin went to the Little Theatre production. The boys were in heaven and wanted to take turns holding her or sitting by her. They are in love with her. I swear the only time Jacob has listened to us when we've asked him to be quiet was when we told him Kelsey was sleeping, he shushed right up (it doesn't even work in church!). I promise the photo shoot only took about 5 minutes and Matt or I never let her out of our hands - Matt and Kristin will probably see this post and not let us watch Kelsey again! ;) j/k... She didn't make a peep. She was such a good baby, she always is. They are definitely blessed.

Connor: "Mommy, what do you think you would do if you played the Nothing game?"
Me: "Ummm...probably nothing!"
Connor: "Yeah, when Hilary, Thomas, and I don't want to do anything, we play the nothing game where we do nothing, just run around and play."

I've talked to Connor about the real reason we celebrate Christmas, and I know he talks about it in school and Sunday school, but sometimes I feel the focus is so much on Santa and presents (not that it's a bad thing, and so much fun...but...). We got this cool set of mini books that come in a bigger book that talks about the Nativity from YaYa, and each night we read the book that corresponds with the date. We then hang it on the little Christmas tree in their room. I decided on the way to pick the boys up that I was going to just ask Connor about it. We got in to the car and it was so strange he starts singing a song that went something like "Jesus is the Reason....." and I couldn't believe it. It was like he read my mind. I was so excited...
Me: "Wow Connor, that's an awesome song. I was going to ask you about that. There are so many fun things that we do to get ready for Christmas, but do you know what we're really celebrating on Christmas?"
Connor: In an annoyed tone,"Yes mom, I know that Christmas is really about Jesus' birthday and the rest of the stuff just comes with Christmas, and is fun."
(Like, dah, why would you even ask me that?!)
It made me feel better. ;)

We're really into looking at Christmas lights right now, the boys love it (and I do too of course!). When we first started we would say, "Look out Jacob's window, out Connor's window, etc..."
Now, we don't have to say a word, Jacob's back there yelling, "Kismis lights out my window or Kismis lights out Connor's window."

Yesterday, mom was going to go to my great aunt's Christmas party at the nursing home and she asked Connor if he wanted to come. At first, he said no, but when we were about to leave their house, he changed his mind and went with her. My mom said that on the way home, he said to her, "Grandma, I'm really glad I decided to go with you!". He handed out cookies to the ladies and sang with the carolers.

More Hometown Holiday Weekend

So the boys and I met mom for another Hometown Holiday Weekend outing last night. We went to the the Village of Yesteryear for Christmas in the Village. We saw Santa, walked along the luminary lit paths, saw an old school house (Connor kept asking grandma if it was a school or a house then?), decorated cookies, sang Christmas carols (the boys rang the bells - my camera battery died on me though), and Mrs. Claus even sprinkled us with SSB (Santa's Secret Blend) so that we'll be good boys and girls (we had her do a lot on Nolan our monster!) The fun and Christmas spirit definitely kept us warm from the cold weather.
This year is the first time I've taken advantage so much of what the Hometown Holiday Weekend has to offer. What a cool thing - and we have to miss a ton of the other activities due to other plans this weekend - cocoa with Santa, horse-drawn sleigh ride, Santa stopping by in his Big Red Bi-Plane, the Elks children's Christmas party.

Mom and I also went to the Stars Come Out for the Holidays production at the Little Theatre. Our daycare provider was the artistic director. It was exactly what I needed to get me even more into the holiday spirit. Wow, there are some amazingly talented people! My eyes even watered up quite a few times.

Tree Lighting Collage

Here is a collage of pictures from last night's tree lighting downtown.

Hometown Holiday Weekend

The boys and I met mom downtown last night for the Lighting of Central Park, the beginning of the Hometown Holiday Weekend. It was very cold, but the boys enjoyed it. It started with a parade of vehicles from businesses in town decorated for Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, they handed out hot apple cider and cookies, and the carolers sang. We had a perfect parking spot right by the park, so when Connor said he was really really cold (with tears in his eyes) we just got in the van, turned on the heat, and watched them turn on the lights through the windows. For those of you who think I'm a bad mom for having the boys out in the cold, they had their snowpants, boots, jackets, hats, and mittens on! They were bundled up. I should have done the same though, my toes were cold!

The last picture of the boys in the pj's in front of the tree, was my lame attempt of getting a good christmas picture. Connor's exhausted, Jacob's being silly, and Nolan wants to see what Jacob's doing so he can do the same thing. We'll try again some other time.

Dancing Elves - Happy Holidays (not nearly as funny as last year's snowball fight!)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

More alligator please....

Jacob came up to me this morning and asked me for what sounded like "alligator".
"Alligator?", I asked him.
"Yes, alligator pease", he said.
I racked my brain trying to think of what alligator is and asked him to show me.
He took me into the kitchen, opened up the fridge, and pointed to the Gatorade!
"You want some gatorade?"
"Yes, alligator!", as he smiles.

Connor was playing with something on the floor and the two little ones came over to play with them. I told them to leave it alone because it was Connor's.
Connor says to me, "Just leave them be mom, so they don't crab about it. It's no big deal!".

The boys and I went to Madagascar 2 Escape to Africa. This was Nolan's first movie. Thank goodness we were the only ones in the theater! We made it about half way through with everyone sitting down, eating our popcorn, and then Jacob and Nolan started walking around. For the last part of the movie however, something caught their attention and they came back and sat by Connor and me. It was a cute movie.