I'll let most of these photos speak for themselves, adding captions instead of a big narrative. There's been all of Fall, Thanksgiving, Advent, and here it is Christmas time already, almost ready to ring in the new year!
Paul bought *surprise, surprise* CANDY with his tooth fairy money.
Satsuma and a pond cypress for the backyard!
After school playground, and Jack did the monkey bars!
Real mermaids at the Aquarium
Jack practicing being a lector at Mass
Baby's 1st Baby-ccino
What Mom saw:
What I saw:
Mom was in for Grandparents' Day at St. Andrew, and then she took the big two back to TX with her for Thanksgiving...
(obligatory snapping turtle photo op)
(s'mores on the deck with Pappy)
... leaving us with this guy!
until we, too, were GTT for Jack's obligatory snapping turtle photo op. And he was nervous we'd forget the fixins for the pie.
Thanksgiving Day facetime with Charleston
Black Friday done right:
Stitching and crocheting
Little-piggying
Advent!
Hanging stockings on the 5th for St. Nick
St. Nicholas brought hefty slippers this year.
My first shot at making Weckmänner; they did not taste great.
Immaculate Conception Mass with Paul's school & St. Andrew's extensive nativity!
Last of the Gerbera daisy before a frost (or so I thought then ... there was, in fact, no frost, rather more 70ºs, and now there are 4 buds before an actual frost we're getting tomorrow).
Baby knows what he likes. And Baby likes Sister's accessories.
Precious diy-pop-out Nativity book
Out for dinner for Our Lady of Guadalupe on the 12th! Jack's showing us the doll that came with and sat on the table, too, ha.
Got the tree, decorated it, and turned lights on for St. Lucy's on the 13th.
Santa visits! Paul asked for "a ship, please", but specifically meant a toy Titanic, and Ada told him, "I'll like whatever you bring me", but really hoped for a baby bed. Jack, uh, well...
Mother-daughter morning out! And she wore her tutu 😍
A Saturday morning across the river
The Roosevelt
Mom and Dad got snow! No luck staying til Christmas, though.
Natchitoches Christmas lights on the Cane River en route to TX
Christmas Eve at Christ the Redeemer
Santa's cookies
Boxing Day Bowling
Back home for Pressies, Round 2
Coffee date with my faves, thanks to uncle Pete
and a happy New Year!
We end the year tomorrow with Mass, and we'll start the year off right, as well, with Mass on Monday. Paul has a few days left at home before school resumes, and if we can muster the energy to get out of the house in 20º (!!), we'll have some adventure fun; otherwise, we're in for a few cozy days of movies and games ... which doesn't sound all too bad, really.
We pray for the health and well-being of all of our loved ones in the New Year, and send special prayers to those we love who are expecting a new child or mourning this year.
