Christmas at the Coles

Christmas at the Coles passed with lots of presents and fun. We started with a waffle breakfast, pretty much the one we have every Saturday where the girls help dad make waffles and sausage. They we had our family worship time, which we do after every meal together at home, remembering that Christ is center of ALL.

Of course present opening time followed. We love seeing our kids enjoying their gifts, the ones we gave and the wonderful presents from family. Matthew got his bigger bike, here the girls are in the princess costumes that uncle Andrew sent, they are perfect.

We had to have a break from present opening at one point, so we went for a family walk. After watching some of the Sound of Music DVD, which we bought for Lily (the girl loves musicals), while Mark cooked a roast and garlic mashed potatoes, we went to our friends house for dinner. Three familes were there and we had turkey, ham and roast... no veggies here! It was as wonderful time.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all our friends and family. To anyone wondering where the Cole Christmas card is this year.... well, ummm... I never got around to it! I may do and New Years card.... but then again....

They could only be sisters

Tired after a Christmas party last Saturday I couldn't resist taking this picture.

Christmas is coming!

Look who is hiding behind the presents. Last night I wrapped all the kids gifts and let them join the gifts from relatives under the tree. My girls decided to play house behind them. In order that they actually get to enjoy their presents we let them pick and open a gift a night until Christmas. We have found that doing this means some stuff that could get upstaged and forgotten on Christmas day can be fully enjoyed for at least one night. On Christmas Eve we let them open their stockings. What fun!

The Nutcracker

This year Mark took Lily to the Nutcracker Ballet. They had a nice lunch together and bought a Nutcracker doll and even got to go on stage afterwards and to meet the cast. She loves the Ballet and the music. Next year Laura will get to go also.

Fun in a Hammock

Our good friends the Fryes gave us a hammock on Thanksgiving. We have been having so much fun on it!
The kids and I have been lounging out on it after school. We pretend that we are on a ship and have to fight off various baddies, Lily of course is the ship cat who eats the rats. And I thought hammocks were for relaxation :)

Some recent pics of us in our back yard.

Me and my youngest

I have the same shot taken 2 years ago with Lily and Laura in these outfits, now it is Annie's turn.

Civil War Reenactment

We went to a Civil War Reenactment this weekend near by our house. It was fun seeing the folks in costume in their camps. The girls made friends with some 'locals'.

I didn't get to see much of the 'war' as Laura didn't like the sound of the guns!

Houston Children's museum

We met with our good friends for a fun day in Houston at the Children's museum.

Annie is crawling and pulling up.

Flower Girls

Lily and Laura made flowers today.

GCC Fall Family Reformation Festival

We had our GCC Fall Family Reformation Festival on Saturday here at my house. It was the best day. There were tons of people over, Pastor Ted was dressed as a priest and acted as the town crier for the day. Most people came in costume, so homemade, some store bought. It was a beautiful day of wholesome family fun with food and activities and games. To top it off the kids learned about Martin Luther and the begining of the Protestant Reformation.

Here are some of the people at one of the booths having a picnic before the festival got started. It was a beautiful dry and sunny day. Perfect. 

There were 18 booths/activities around a 'town center' which was a stage where different familes sang throughout the day. It was truly magical. 

Lily and some friends at the Ladies Tea Room booth. Ginger cookies were served with some hot drink with a background of soothing Olde Music. 

One activity was horse roping (this is not a real horse :). I made up passport sheets with all the booths on it so that the kids would make it to all the booths. They got a star for going to a booth or doing an activity and then a prize for a completed passport sheet. It worked really well. 

This is Laura and one of her friends Erika (I love how homeschool kids mix with kids of all ages). My booth was one with a tent for costumes, where the kids could dress up and then I had 2 backdrops where they could get their photo taken, one was the purple one with a wicker chair and flowers that you see here, the other was more masculine, you see below. I took tons of photos that day and have ordered the photos online at Yorkphoto.com.

Matthew at the photobooth. 

SOme of the kids performed a play about Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses on the Wittenburg door. It was awesome. Mark's deck was transformed into a stage and all the people gathered around to watch. 

That is Matthew in costume on the stage as the Emperor! 

We had sack races for the kids. 

Then the dads had a sack race. Not too many injuries :)