Sweet punkin's first Christmas

Samuel and Lucy were excited this was Lydia's first Christmas...and she brought us much joy!

Christmas Eve 2011

We made a quick trip to Grandma and Papa's farm for Christmas. Christmas eve and Christmas Day were spent with family and especially the cousins -

Singing "Go Tell it on the Mountain" on Christmas Eve
After baths - all clean and ready for Christmas
The cousins -
The cute crew
Grandma reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and "When Joy Came" the two books Uncle Casey and I read every Christmas eve growing up.

Quotes

Samuel got dressed to go to school the day of his Christmas party and pulled out some 'way too short' pants. To add to the outfit he put on the 'way too big' t-shirt he got from the running club at school. I was fine with him wearing the shirt but the pants were way too short. I asked him to go change into some longer pants and he replied

"But, Mama why do you care if people see my ankles?"

Merry Christmas!

Mommy Thoughts

The last few weeks have been a blur but as I look back there are pictures and thoughts stuck in my mind.

Standing in the back of church next to the window today holding Lydia. Our shadow hit the floor in the bright morning sun as the pastor prayed, as I drank in the warmth of the sun and the peacefulness of the moment.

Realizing I don't sing many lullabies to Lydia or certain songs because my voice isn't as strong, high or able to sing as it was pre-thyroidectomy/pre-cancer. Humming more, rocking more, savoring more in the still moments in the same purple recliner I held Samuel and Lucy in.

Gaining confidence as an ER nurse. I face tough circumstances throughout the day, literal life and death but the toughest thing by FAR is the having to leave my kiddos to go. I can handle any manner of craziness but I fall to pieces when one of my own says "Mommy, can't you stay home with me today?" "Mama, when do you get Christmas break?"

Last week for St. Nicholas Day we took cookies and cards to the nursing home. Samuel and Lucy gave hugs and asked the residents questions and talked to them. I sat with them and let some of the ladies hold Lydia - it was a joy to see my children bring others joy.

Each night we sing Christmas hymns - I have loved hearing my children sing songs and enjoy the music of the season - especially Go Tell it on the Mountain - we have our own version of the song with some clapping and singing - certainly joyful. And O come, O come Emmanual is a hit this year. Samuel is a reading machine and can follow along with anything. Lucy isn't so good remembering the first part but when the REJOICE! REJOICE! comes at the end - she sings at the top of her lungs - love the joy....wish I could bottle it up and save it but its so fleeting, so hard to grasp. I just have to savor the moment and soak it up.

Sunday afternoon naps are wonderful!

I'm a terrible gift giver. I'm not sure if I over think or don't think enough. I never can think of something to give those I love the most or need/should/want to get for. Hopefully the goat we're getting will be good (through World Vision NOT for our own yard) but the other stuff needs to work itself out really soon - one more week.

Merry Christmas!

May the gift of Christ bring you tidings of Comfort and Joy this Christmas!

With Love (and the hope of actual snail mail Christmas cards for you next year) - The Noonan's

Quotes

In a syrupy sweet voice that only an excited little girl can use, Lucy says "Mama, I just can't stand her!" What she means to say is "She's so cute I just can't stand it!" but it comes out "I just can't stand her!"

My little philosopher -

Samuel " What I want to know is how can you love with your heart. Your heart is just a pump that pumps blood through your body so how do you love with it? I mean, I really want to know this"

Samuel "I'm so glad to be a human! I think that alot and then I say in the back of my head - 'why are you saying that, why are you saying I'm glad to be human?' And then in my head I try to figure it out. I mean, I'm really glad I'm not that basket over there or the chair - I'm glad to be a human!"

Christmas Program

Lucy's Christmas program was last night. What a sweet evening to celebrate Christmas and see Lucy enjoy singing! She loved the stage. Is anyone surprised? And was super cute in her new nightgown. The song she has been singing around here to prepare was "O Come Let Us Adore Him" (complete with hand motions) and an arrangement of "Joy to the World" it turned out wonderfully. Here is my sweetie girl.

Angel

O Christmas Tree

Our tree has been up this week and the children worked on decorating throughout the week - they have been a joy to watch. A reminder of the preciousness of the little things that make times like this special.

Quotes

One day last week after I picked up Samuel from school we went to Publix to get some hot chocolate to drink that evening for snack. As we walked out into the cold afternoon and got into the van I said

Mama: "I think we should have hot chocolate now and not tonight"

Samuel: "You mean right now?"

Mama: "well, when we get home we can have some."

Samuel: "How about right now (singing) And like a good neighbor State Farm is there with some hot chocolate!

I guess he's seen a few too many State Farm commercials while watching football games with Daddy.

Cops Fun Run

This past Saturday was Samuel's first race. He's been excited about running and at school he has been beating his personal records for running around the track. So we ventured to the high school where he raced with all of the other first grade boys in the county in a run sponsored by the police department. Samuel had a great time and even kept running when his shoe fell off. I'm hoping he keeps up the running - he hopes I keep letting him run in his holey jeans - he says they make him run faster!

Ready to run!
And they're off. They made the starting line on the field and then around the track.
Samuel running with his shoe in hand.

Two turkeys

Samuel and Lucy each had to decorate a turkey to take to school this week...can you guess who's is who's?

Adventures of the moment

I've been home sick the past couple of days so I'm slower, not as apt to be trying to accomplish something (though there is plenty to do) and able to observe the adventures my children are having off in the yard or in some corner of the house.

On Friday I sat on the porch with Lydia while Jeremy read and wrote in his journal and the big kids played in the yard. I just had to laugh at my little story makers. I guess we were a part of a movie Samuel was making. He directed each of us on our parts to play - Daddy was running the camera and directing Lucy's character, Lucy was to do the sound effects for 3 minutes and then take over as the mean witch for 2 minutes "and not a moment more", I was to take over for the scary sound effects when Lucy had to be the witch, Samuel was the main soldier character - I'm not sure of the story line with this theatrical performance but it was comical to watch it all take place and for me to wonder what it will be like when he really does have a camera or mastery over his pen to make his wild imagination come to life on paper or on the screen. I joined in the creative process and made scary noises from the porch while the children performed their parts in the yard. Oh what fun imaginations can have with the blank canvas of a beautiful fall day and the full mind of a 6 year old hard at work.

So Saturday morning when they wanted to head outside and play I was eager to follow them and see what adventures were taking place....

Samuel was again a soldier -

And Lucy and her trusty sidekick, Lucky, entered a horse show where Lucky won first prize. She tried hard to get brother to be a Sheriff but Samuel said "I'm not in that time in history". Lucy used her lasso and loved on her horse and played and played.

Time with Daddy

I caught Lydia hanging out with Daddy Saturday morning listening to some Fernando Ortega. Daddy loves music and has passed on his love to all of his children - he's starting out early with this one...

Look what I got!

Do you want to see what I got? Come a little closer

Do you see 'em? Maybe a little bit closer...

How about now? Can you see them - they are my first two teeth! I got both of them on the bottom at the same time - WOW!

I love this growing up stuff it is so much fun!

Lydia's first two teeth have arrived. Here they are...the bottom two front teeth. They decided to come in at the same time and Lucy and Samuel are so excited for her they can't seem to keep their fingers out of her mouth because they want to feel them. She growing up and getting cuter everyday!

Cousins

This is Lydia (6 months), Cooper (2 weeks), Titus (3 months) and Mason (1 1/2 months)

Five Crazy kids!
Despite the circumstances, our time in Florida was good. The children had such a great time with all their cousins (Samuel and Lucy loved playing with Shay and Brielle). I was so glad to finally meet Mason and kiss those cheeks - and I realized how much I love 2 year old little boys - I could just put Wyatt in my pocket and take him home with me. They're a mess, they're TROUBLE, but they are so darn cute and full of energy and life...so are my three - I just love watching them grow.



This is Titus and Lydia - hillarious!

Fall leaves

We have spent the last couple of weeks enjoying the leaves and fall weather and time together. The children loved raking the leaves last week and jumping into the pile of leaves. They ran around with the rakes following behind catching a handful of leaves and then for a while I pretended to throw a ball to them and they would run down the hill and slide into the pile - so much fun!

Fun with a cousin

Aunt Kim and cousin Thomas came for a visit Sunday. The children had a great time and it was good to visit for a while - Thomas is growing up too fast!