Our Legacy: "Oupsie!"

I loved hearing you say, "Oupsie, I'm not supposed to touch you!" Those little words rolled off your tongue this evening as you were sitting at our kitchen table before dinner tonight! You were talking to Red-Sparkles the Elf! We acquired him two years ago but he just spent the past two Christmas seasons watching you and reporting to Santa. This year, he's into everything------we've found him upside down in the playroom. He's taken your candy cane ornaments and more! But today, while you were napping in your bed this afternoon, he opened your lunch box from preschool and found the graham crackers that Mrs. Tracy had given you to finish your own gingerbread house at home. Not only did he find the graham crackers in your lunchbox but he found items in the pantry: icing, sprinkles, candy canes-----spreading them all on a piece of aluminum foil on our kitchen table! Silly elf! He even flew your heart basket of crayon rocks to the kitchen and drew a Christmas tree on your work space! Luckily, he didn't create a gingerbread house for you-------he left that task to you! I guess he knew you'd find pleasure in licking icing and candy off of your sweet little hands!
There must have been a magical spell cast upon our time in the kitchen as you created the perfect gingerbread house for even when crumbs and the rooftop fell to the floor, Mommy smiled and said, "That's okay! We'll get it later!" (I knew there was a reason for the extra mileage in my morning walk and my time spent watching you and your classmates eat lunch at preschool! Tomorrow, we'll take time out of our busy day to tidy up the kitchen------today, Red-Sparkles, would have really been in trouble with Mommy had I spent my time sweeping and mopping again!)

Red-Sparkles was busy preparing your edible house!

Sophia: Icing and Candy after Naptime

The perfect touch of sweetness-----especially those little hands!

Dazed: Content in Creating

One spectacular gingerbread house created by you------the first of many!

Maybe, I should go give that Elfy-elf a kiss for just a wonderful afternoon with you that was preceded by a wonderful morning routine with you dressing yourself and helping Mommy get you out the door for preschool this morning (It was a one day week since you were sick the rest of the days! Now, we're almost finished with your medicine so hopefully by Monday, you'll be 100%!!)! The magic of the afternoon continued with a forest that we planted outdoors in the soggy ground (twigs from the fallen branches) ---------Oh! Christmas tree! Oh! Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches!-------we sang your little song from your beloved Christmas song book and painted the trees green! You even painted a few acorn tops as ornaments! Dribbles of green paint outfitted your Pinkalicious dress as rain boots peeked out from underneath the gown------but smiles abounded!

Oh! Christmas Trees! Oh! Christmas Trees!

Adding ornaments too......always a thinker---and a tinker!

Our Christmas Tree Forrest


I always worry about unfinished projects like this sidewalk that must be aligned to our home and finished to meet our front door but this photograph will always justify why it's not important to have a perfect home-----as long as I have you---healthy and strong! Thriving! Learning! Enjoying life----------you'll always be the most important project in my life!

"Thoxa ton Theo" (Thanks to the Lord) we have all we need right here!

....and our time outside wouldn't be complete without Princess Girl!

Merry Christmas for our home! Reflected within each room, each heart---through the passage of this door, you'll find a touch of pink! Our lives are mesmerized by this little pink reflection below our wreath, Sophia. Our daughter. Our life. Together as a family, we celebrate the Christmas Season-----the birth of our Savior!

The magic of Christmas was wrapping me-------or maybe the beauty of springlike weather that promised to disappear with winter's presence so near! You asked for playtime at the park--------and we did just that before coming home to make dinner with Daddy and enjoy family time at our kitchen table (one of my favorite times with the two of you).

Last night at the dinner table, Daddy was explaining how he planned to fix the steeple of Cumberland Presbyterian Church. You listened intently and told Daddy what to try. As we came home from the park, I pointed out the steeple of the church and explained that it was indeed the one Daddy talked about fixing. You remembered the conversation from the night before and brought it up to Daddy. You asked him if he tried turning it like you showed him to fix it! So sweet! These are the moments that make Christmas more joyous, magical--------memorable!

P.S. You ate the rest of your gingerbread house tonight with a glass of milk prior to bedtime! You even asked to make more gingerbread houses after rereading Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett tonight! After voice, lunch, and a nap------we'll bake gingerbread babies instead! And illustrate gingerbread houses for them to play within..........

"Oupsie!" Mommy MUST go see where Red-Sparkles is........

I love you! Oh! One more favorite of the day......Mommy let you open one little Christmas gift that St. Nicholas dropped off on St. Nick's Day (December 6th)------a personalized journal with photographs of the two of us. It's author is YOU! Tonight, we dated the first page together and wrote your first story together. You inserted your own writing, pictures, and more. I look forward to your daily writings and illustrations within it-----each is perfect!!!