New Toys

The Easy Bake Oven

Uncle Ken and Aunt Connie got Sarah and Samantha an Easy Bake Oven. Only 45 minutes and you too can have 1 cookie and 1 mini cake. It was a lot of fun. Plus, they looked adorable.

Andrew's Train Table

This was a group effort. Uncle Tighe and Auntie Kathy gave Andrew a Train table for Christmas. Grandma Caccamise gave him the rolling drawers for underneath storage. Grandmommy and Granddaddy gave him trains and tracks. He absolutely loves his new train table and trains.

Abby's New Camera

What a hit! She has taken over 100 photos in 1 hour. Too funny!

Christmas #3 - The Grandparents

We were finally well enough to have our Christmas with Chris' parents, Uncle, and brother's family. We went down to his parents' house to enjoy some yummy food and open presents.

Andrew and the Gingerbread House

It was just too quiet. I found Andrew sitting on the island picking and eating candy from the gingerbread house.

Christmas Eve & Morning

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We really enjoyed a nice morning with the kids. Santa did a great job delivering lot of goodies. Chris did have to go to work, shortly after noon. We cancelled all visitors, just to be safe, but at least everyone is feeling better. I still have cough, but I think everyone else's stomach bug is gone (knock on wood). Somehow, Samantha is still well(knock on wood again). We hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas and that Santa came through on the wishes.

Secret Santa??

Either Abby has gotten into the spirit of giving at Christmas, or she is concerned about there being no presents under the tree. She decided to do some gift wrapping while I took a nap the other day when I was sick. She wrapped a diaper for Andrew.

She also wrapped my ID badge for work. I can't wait to find out what are all the other mystery gifts under the tree. Notice the quality notebook paper wrapping paper.

'Tis the Season to be...SICK

Wow! I don't even know where to begin.
Last Monday- Chris has a sore throat which lasts about a week.
Thursday- Abby has a fever and throws up
Friday- Abby throws up in the morning, Sarah throws up at night and has a fever. I begin to feel miserable around midnight.
Saturday- Abby is fine, Sarah is still sick, Andrew has pink eye (x 2) and I am going down hill fast...sore throat, fever. We cancel Christmas with Chris' family. In the middle of the night I find Sarah with a busted, bloody bottom lip. She doesn't know what happened. We are all tired and confused.
Sunday-Sarah wakes up with a busted fat lower lip and a scabbed/bruised upper lip. She doesn't know what or how it happened?! Chris finds a bloody mouth print on the bathroom sink. I think we've got a sleepwalker on our hands. At this point, I am still feeling awful with a sore throat, but no fever. Sarah, who looks like an abuse victim, is still a little under the weather.
Monday-I still have a sore throat, so I stay home. Everyone else seems well enough to go to school.

Do you notice who is missing in on all this sick action? SUPER SAMANTHA...stay tuned to see if she escapes a sick filled Christmas just like she did during Christmas '04 when she avoided an awful stomach virus.

Uncle Tighe & Auntie Kathy Christmas in York, PA

Cousin Alyssa and Cousin Alaina

Andrew & Sarah enjoying a Santa Cookie.

Abby and Samantha


Is it me, or is the Nutcracker

getting shorter every year!

The Dining Room before dinner.

We had an absolutely fantastic time this year at Uncle Tighe & Auntie Kathy's Annual Christmas Weekend. As usual, I think we each gained about 10 pounds after consuming enormous amounts of delicious food. It was so nice to relax and enjoy each other's company. Santa stopped by to see who was being Naughty and Nice. Uncle Ken and Daddy made the Naughty List again this year!

Here Comes Santa!!! *Sorry the lighting is bad.

(Notice the bouncing!)

Abby got to spend time with "My Fwend Oliver (the Cat)" She even brought him a Cat Christmas stocking.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Uncle Tighe and Auntie Kathy! We can't wait until Next Year!!

The other Reindeer...Auntie Kathy!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

The kids enjoyed decorating the tree. Andrew really thought he was a big help. We'll fix the garland after they go to bed.

The Gingerbread House

The girls decorated a gingerbread house this evening while waiting to decorate the tree. The girls got really creative with their decorations. They made a chimney out of a Tootsie Roll. They also made a stack of firewood on the side of the house using 2 Tootsie Roll Midgets (That left over Halloween candy came in handy). Andrew kept putting his finger in the icing and eating the candy. Little brothers.


Andrew eating the decorations.

In Search of the Perfect Christmas Tree

We took our annual trip to Triadelphia Lake View Farm: http://www.tlvtreefarm.com/ in search of the Perfect Christmas Tree. For those of you local folks, you know it was in the high 20's, low 30's today with pretty good wind gusts. Oh yeah, and we had our first snow last night. Not exactly Christmas Tree searching weather. Well, Chris is off on Sundays, so away we went. We bundled everyone up. Poor Andrew, if you look closely, you'll see his purple boots. I could lie and say it was in support of the Ravens for today's Ravens Redskins game (his Redskins jersey was on under his jacket). The truth is this, his feet are so big that he is wearing a pair of boots that were meant for Abby. It was a matter of Warmth vs. Pride.

So, back to the search for the tree. It was freezing cold, but after about 30 minutes we found a Frasier Fur that suited us. While Chris put the tree on top of the van, we had a little visit with Santa.

Abby's Dance Classes

Abby is taking a ballet/tap combo class this year. She will, also, be in the recital in June. Today was parent visitation for Abby's class. Her teacher assured all of the parents that the girls are VERY good when we are not in the room. No one seemed to have on their listening ears for Ms. Tiffany.

Our Singing Samantha

Samantha had her school Holiday Chorus Concert on Wednesday night. She did a fabulous job. The children sang different holiday songs from around the world. I just wish they would have let the parents put the bow ties and cummerbunds on their children.

Our Beautiful Ballerina

Sarah is taking 2 dance classes this year. First, is Lyrical Dance, which is somewhat of a freestyle ballet type class. The other class is a 1 hour Ballet Intensive Class, which is a more serious class that focuses on form. On Monday, parents were allowed to visit the classes. Wow! Was I ever impressed with Sarah's ability. I can't wait until the Recital in June.

Uh Oh!

"Mommy, I think we have a little problem!" Samantha's words from the other room. "I think Andrew got into some lotion."

That would be Desitin. Nice! Can't take your eyes off that one for a second!

Thanksgiving, Part 2

My Dad, Grandma, sister Kelly and her 2 kids Alex and Josh, sister Maria and friend Jeremy came to Thanksgiving dinner. It was a very nice dinner with all the usual Thanksgiving type food. My friend Debbie and her 2 children came over for dessert. Now, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without one of my children being sick. Andrew had some stomach bug that night and the next day. :-( Poor Guy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sarah making Cranberries (Samantha made the Pecan Pie and Hot Apple Pie Dip...I just forgot to snap a picture).

Abby placing napkins on the table.

Andrew enjoys the food.

Joshua eating his Thanksgiving feast!