Merry Christmas Y'all!

We hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas! We are happily in our beds after a full day in our PJs! We've played, eaten and laughed our hearts out this day, thankful most of all for one another, and the gift we have in Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas!

Although this Christmas has been bittersweet, we have enjoyed our Advent tradition, and lazy days at home with sweet visits from friends and family. My brother got a chance to come and spend some time with us, and we really loved having him & Natasha here. Of course, the day after they arrived, we had a huge snow storm that left Frank stranded and unable to get home! Being snowed in required lots of hot chocolate and board games to cure our cabin fever :) Snow forts and snowballs were built and thrown!

The kids have really enjoyed "taking care" of Lucia, and she is doing wonderfully. She is already changing....it just goes by soo fast! Having Memaw here has been a blessing, and has really helped the transition from 4 to 5. Next week we will be on our own, and begin to work out our routine with 5.

Christmas day was laid back and fun. The kids all got just 3 presents from the parents, and some others from family, and it was just the right amount. Christmas is just so fun with all the kids! We love and miss you all, and may just come to sunny FL for Christmas next year! Looking forward to 2010! Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving Food

Our menu:

Pratt's Honey Ham
Sweet Rosemary Acorn Squash
Wild Rice & Sweet Corn Casserole
Flan
Chocolate Pie
Green Beans & Bacon
Mashed Potatoes
Martinelli's Sparkling Cider

For enquiring minds :) The flan was excellent, a very nice result for my first try! All of the leftovers have been eaten, and the kids loved all the dishes! A success!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since baby Lucia is coming any time now, we planned to pick out our Christmas tree Thanksgiving Day. It was a gorgeous day to visit the tree barn, just 2 miles from our home. Enjoy the pics, we miss everyone & hope you are all having a great holiday! There is so much to be thankful for!

Thanksgiving Fun with the Troutmans

We were so blessed to get to spend Thanksgiving with our best friends, the Troutman Family.
Lily & Sophia got along so well, and had lots of fun playing dress-up, Polly Pockets and collecting snails...you know girly stuff:) It was freezing and the trees are all dead, but that little Sage can make your heart melt when she offers you her tiny little hand while you're walking!

We had lots of fun in the park
Kids and adults alike!

We had a delicious feast, which really began in the morning with Lindsay's delicious palmiers, then she prepared a Havarti cheese appetizer and a Shrimp w/ Bacon appetizer...yum-O!

We were all a little stuffed before the Thanksgiving meal even began!

The night before Thanksgiving we got to go out, just the adults, for a fabulous evening with great conversation and good food

So Thankful for these friends! There are some friends that when they come into your life, change the course of your character for the better. These are those friends.

12 weeks 'till Christmas

I know! I can't believe it either! We have been actively trying to pare down the crazy of the holidays, and amp up the meaningful memories and traditions here at the Cardinale house. I love this post at SimpleMom.net, a great timetable to help get ready for Christmas. Some of our new traditions include:

• Advent Calender and devotions together every evening
• Making and bringing meals to a family once a week
• One heirloom-type gift for each child, & one "this is what I want" gift each child from mom & dad
• Local Christmas Tree farm, followed by hot chocolate, homemade cookies and a movie first week of December
• And this year we hope to find some more opportunities to minister to others. As the children get older, hopefully this will be easier!

What kinds of traditions does your family love?

Merry Christmas!

Before the opening of gifts....calm before the storm!
The boys with their new mp3 players, songs downloaded by dad!
Sophia's favorite gift was her princess tent/castle! She has vowed to sleep there tonight.
Baby Jude is scared of his neato remote control car, but loves his blocks and bath toys!

Frank is off reading his new book Into the Wild, and Sara and Grandma Laura are busy making Butterscotch Haystacks and a Tip Sirloin dinner. Merry Christmas to everyone, xoxo!