Worms!

 Yesterday, I told the girls to go play outside while I got ready to leave for our dinner date with Daddy, Caylyn, and Chad.  Fifteen minutes before it was time to leave, Aliah showed up covered in mud and with no less than 42 worms in her hands. 

 Needless to say, a quick shower was in order before our dinner date!

Nothing Sweeter

There's nothing sweeter than good friends.

Friends who have been telling you for years how much they love you.  Then just when you need it they put that love into action.

Friends who mean it when they tell you they know what you are going through.  Whether it be countless hours of passing time watching the chemo line drip, caring for your loved one's bedsores, or watching them leave this earth.  They know the depths of the trenches you are in and hold your hand to lead you through it.

They know how to comfort your children while their hearts break.  Treating them tenderly just like one of their own grandchildren.

Rose and Kenny, we are so grateful for you. 

Thank you for spending celebrating your  "anniversary" with us.

May you have many, many more.

Anticipation

Perhaps Grandma Susan's passing is best summed up by this message received we from a wise dear friend:

"Dear Ones,

I have a heavy heart as I read of your Mom's going home. 

I know that she stayed with you as long as she physically could.

Once-upon-a-time she waited with anticipation for each of you to come into her life.

Thanks to the promises of our dear Lord, I know she once again is waiting with anticipation for each of you to join her again."

Isaiah 40:18-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Bible Quiz

Do you know the bursting-with-pride feeling a parent gets when their child accomplishes a first?  When they take their first step, or say "I love you" for the first time.  Dare I say that's how I felt when Aliah participated in her first Awana Bible Quiz today. 

She was overwhelmed with excitement.  This was only enhanced by the fact that she was spending the day with some of her favorite people, like her big-sister-wanna-be Abby (not to mention her "boy" friend Liam).

And just when we thought it was time to let out a sigh of relief because the quizzing was over, to our great surprise Aliah volunteered to be in a tie-breaker for her team.  This entailed her sitting up on stage in front of hundreds of people and compete in a sudden-death-buzz-in-game-show-style competition.  I was flabbergasted!  My little girl, who only a couple years ago couldn't stand up in front of her class and read a report without me whispering every sentence to her, could have the tenacity to do this.

I am quite positive when she had the entire audiences attention, I heard several people whispering about the "cute girl in glasses and pigtails."  Here she is with her buzzer in hand, poised to answer the question:

The day resulted in a fourth place finish, but more importantly a very confident little girl.

The whole crew representing Wellsville Baptist Church.  Nicely done clubbers!

Insta-Snow!

We are tired of being cooped up with winter germs.  Aliah just read her second chapter book for the day.  Annabelle has maxed out on levels of Angrybirds.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.   I had everyone's curiosity piqued when the girls found this waiting for them:

 

I played "Let It Snow" as a hint.  The girls thought I got a giant snow-cone machine.  Violet was getting the hot-fudge (?) out of the cabinet, ready to dive in and fill her pie-hole.  I highly disappointed her when I told her that the surprise was something you couldn't eat. 

Then I filled each of their hands with some powder, a very small amount of very fine powder. 

 Add some water, and presto:  INSTA-SNOW!

What the Haighs Have Been Up To

 This is what we did over our break from school:

Had breakfast at the diner with Uncle Troy:

 Replaced a light in the spare bedroom:

 Started to learn to type

 Picked our noses:

 Celebrated Aunt Caylyn's birthday at an all you can eat Italian buffet:

 Mommy spent a lot of time with Aunt Caylyn:

and started learning to play the piano:

It's a Feista!

Our Spanish tutor Senorita Maria invited the girls and some of her other students over for a fiesta.  Violeta and Senorita Maria both dressed up for the occasion.  Maria spoiled everyone with a movie (E.T., which by the way is such a great movie I don't know why I haven't watched it in the past 26 years), treats, games and prizes.

We played Spanish bingo.  The rule was that the Punkettes (and Mommy) had to speak Spanish while their new Spanish-speaking friends had to speak English.  I loved the fact that the Punkettes got a chance to try out their second language with some new friends and we can't wait to play with them again.

Plaza Lights

Since Daddy got some much-needed time off from his "second job," we were able to spend some time together as a family over Christmas break.  Thank you Uncle Troy for taking care of Grandma so we could get away for some fun.  

We took the girls on a surprise family date, starting with a burger joint. 

 This lead to silly Punkettes sticking french fries in various facial orifices:

We teased the girls with clues about our big surprise, telling them that involved something equestrian.  They thought we were going to a petting zoo.  But in the end, it was a trip to the plaza to see the plaza lights on a private horse-drawn carriage. 

Mommy and Aliah shared a hot-chocolate.

Daddy, Violet and Annabelle shared another hot chocolate.

Guess who had more than their share of sweet liquid warmth?

Canine Cookies

In order to keep our pooches spoiled for Christmas, we made these treats for our family dogs (with something sweet for the owner). 

Click here for the recipe from Allrecipes
(I might note that these need to be kept in the freezer for freshness if the aren't all eaten within a couple of days.)

A Very Haigh Christmas

We counted our blessings as we celebrated Christmas with the Haigh side of the family.  The girls were thrilled with their matching American Girl outfits that Grandma gave them. 

More time with our sweet niece Charlotte.  Baby's first Christmas is always extra special.

A bird's eye view of the Haigh festivities by our amazing photographer, Deidra:

Tracking Santa Claus with Uncle Troy.

A very Merry Christmas!  More celebrations to come with the Spicer side of the family.