I'm blaming Renee'...

...for any weight gain this season (I figure I need someone to blame).

Look people I think Renee' may have a plan to get us all addicted to Hershey Kisses.

The past couple of years around Christmas time she has posted about many different types of Kisses out there. I am usually pretty good with just the plain or the almond kind...I'm just a simple girl, no need for caramel, truffle and cherry centers. But...

The other day I was in Wal-Mart (that is another story), as I walked through the Christmas center I noticed a box which was marked CANDY CANE KISSES. (Hummmm, that rung a bell about Renee's posts and Kisses.) The problem: the box was under two other boxes, so I did what most candy crazed people would do and began to move the top boxes.

You see, I know I said I am a simple girl but I am a fool when it comes to chocolate and mint!

I got the boxes moved and there is tape all over the top, now what? Never fear, I try to pull the tape off and it's not working too well so a man standing in line next to me says....

are you ready for this....

"I have a box knife (yep, a BOX KNIFE) here in my pocket, would you like me to get that for you?" (kind of freaked me out, I don't know many people who carry box knives in their pockets going to Wal-Mart but I guess some people do)....I digress.

So I grab several bags, OK four bags of these wonderful treats Renee' has talked about and bring them home. I have to admit I thought they would have been chocolate with mint but I assume it is white chocolate (which I have never even tried...is that un-American?). They definitely grew on me with small yummy pieces of real candy cane inside.....so delish!

...if you don't believe me go get some and if the box is taped shut ask if there is anyone with a box knife.

What are you waiting for go.....

6th annual cookie decorating party

Get ready...

Get set...

DECORATE!!!

the aftermath...
just a few sprinkles here...
and a few more there...
I'm sure their parents' won't mind....RIGHT?!?!?!?

This is what we have been doing all afternoon. Each of the girls had a few friends and of course my two nieces over to decorate sugar cookies. We look forward to this event each year and it is always such fun!

my naked tree

This is all that is left of Christmas in the Narretto household this morning, a naked, bare tree, oh what a sad sight to see. You would never know that Christmas day was just a few days ago and the living room was filled with boxes, wrapping paper and lots of giggling kiddos... but once it is over, it is time to move on and clean it up. The girls all went home with Aunt Stephanie and Maddy last night so I figured it would be a great time to pack all of our goodies away until next year.

naked and...

bare.

Ragan's day

The day went something like this...

Since I did not have chocolate chips for Ragan's requested chocolate chip pancakes we decided to go to the doughnut shop and have breakfast...

Then we went to Chuck E Cheese for a while...

Not only was yesterday Ragan's birthday but my sister also had her youngest on Ragan's first birthday so the two of them get to share their special day. We stopped by my mom and dad's house to bring Emily her gift and sing Happy Birthday to her. My mom couldn't find any candles so they used toothpicks, which the kids though was so funny but didn't work too well, but didn't stop Emily from "blowing" them out.

Next, we ended up back at home for Ragan's cake and presents...

Meghan and Emily weren't there the entire time b/c they went out to eat with their dad for Em's birthday. my gang...

Steph and Madison were here too....Uncle John and Riley were at games.

what a great big sister...(she even let him help blow out the candles)

_________________________________

Ragan is 10!

As I held you, my sweet little newborn daughter ten years ago I never would have imagine that ten years could or would, for that matter, pass so quickly. Ragan you have grown into such a beautiful girl...you are helpful, loving and very smart. Determined to accomplish anything you want along with your soft heart for your brother (and your sisters most of the time :) ), you are very responsible and many times I wonder what I would do without you, you keep me in order and help me remember things I forget (gee not me). I love you sweetie and I hope that your day is everything you want it to be. I love you.

Christ's Bell

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph.. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1).. I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14).I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

I got this in a email from a friend, it did not have an author name but someone too a long time to put this together.

Christmas day continued...

After we opened presents at home Christmas morning we hung out and checked over all of the gifts. We went to John's mom's house for a little while and then headed to my parents for the rest of the day. My girls, along with Meghan and Emily, all got bikes so needless to say we had a lot of bikes around, lol. We also had our friends, John and Stephanie come over as usual for holidays that afternoon with their kiddos, William loves Riley (I think it is nice to have another guy around, haha) and the girls and Madison go off to play girl stuff with Maddy.

Ragan on her new bike...

Catherine on her new bike...

Brooke opening her gifts...

Meghan and Emily...

Ragan and Maddy...

William and Riley...

christmas morning at home

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve morning the kids finally woke up around 10am (woo hoo)! I quickly got them all to bathed and then they began to help wrap gifts for the next day for their cousins, Daddy, etc. They really like to wrap presents and they wanted their job to be well done, they are so funny. After our wrapping session we decorated cookies for Santa which I had made a couple of days prior. Here are some pictures of them decorating and boy they look so serious about their work. William had more fun eating the icing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After our cookies were done we got dressed and went to John's grandmother's house to spend time with his dad's side of his family. The kids love going to visit and always have a great time, I wish we saw them more often. William really got into the unwrapping and gift thing this year,not that he didn't last year but I think now that he is getting older he knows that the gift is for him to unwrap and keep :) The girls and little man were bombarded with lots of goodies from the family. The girls have been having a great time playing on the Wii Paw Paw John gave them.

merry christmas 2009

Santa will write you child back

Moms and Dads,

I know that most of your have taken your little ones out to take a picture with Santa, but have they got a letter from him? It only takes minutes and there is nothing sent to your email address. You simply fill out a form letter with your child's name, age and where they live along with 3 items they want for Christmas...press send...wait a few seconds and your letter will appear from Santa right before your eyes. Keep your speakers on and you may even hear Santa talking to his elves or reindeer. We have done this the past 4 years and the girls look forward to it each time. The site is:

emailsanta.com

gingerbread houses

Every year a week or so before Christmas we go to MiMi's house and decorate gingerbread houses. This year William even participated in all of the fun and wanted very little help from us. Even though his favorite part was licking frosting off of the knife (not a sharp one) and eating the goodies, he did manage to get a few small candies onto his gingerbread house. These are a few pictures of the kids decorating their houses and the final products (I think little man had his eaten before it was complete, lol)

A visit with Santa

Saturday after we got home from our trip our local Families Helping Families group held a breakfast with Santa for families who have children with special needs. I was unsure how William would feel about the jolly fellow b/c in years past he has not been too fond of him and he is not too sure of characters dressed up, but he seemed to like him (smart kid). W would not sit on Santa's lap (he did smile for his picture while Ragan held him though) but he was absolutely interested in him and even walked up to him on his own to show him his slinky Santa gave him.

Disney Day 6

By the last day I think we all were so ready to get home to see William we only stayed until noon and started our 9 1/2 hour drive back home. We let the girls decide where they wanted to go and the decision was Magic Kingdom, no surprise. The lines were not long and we were able to ride quite a few rides before leaving. We got to my parents house late that night and woke William to bring him home....he was so happy to see all of us and we were ecstatic being back with him.

Disney Day 5

WOW! Day 5 ... time flies when you're havin' fun! 8Am wasn't early enough to get up the first few days (haha) so we got up earlier this day so that we would be able to get dressed, eat breakfast and be a Magic Kingdom before it opened. Mission accomplished! MK has acute opening ceremony each morning, all of the characters come in on the train and do a little performance with lots of singing and dancing, they throw confetti everywhere and then announce that the park is now oped...then off course a crazy crowd of mamas, daddys and a bunch of little ones runt through the gate as fast as they can to try and be the first ones at their favorite ride. Yep, we were one of those crazy people rushing to get to a ride first.
Dumbo was our first stop b/c the last day we had visited this park the line was entirely too long. We only stood in this line for maybe 5 min. which was a warm welcome to the hour long line we faced the day before. This is where I learned a little something about myself....I AM NOT A GOOD RIDE RIDER! As Ragan and Brooke got into their Dumbo seat and C and I climbed into ours, I was happy sitting where I remember sitting as a child....then the harmless ride began...C insisted Dumbo had to be as high as he could fly...let me say, I wish Dumbo never learned to fly, this is the part of the story where the mommy is at the mercy of her child. As I begged, pleated and cried to my second born child to take her hand off of the up control, she laughed uncontrollable and insisted it had to be high. I couldn't ruin her childhood memory by making her keep ole' Dumbo no the ground but oh how I wished she would have. I have never been so happy to be on ground after my Dumbo the flying elephant experience. And no, don't even ask....I did not ride roller coasters or the tower of terror.
R and C also went on a roller coaster with their Daddy wile my faithful little Brooke stood by my side as we waved them on. We also enjoyed seeing Mickey and Minnie's house.
For dinner we went to the Contemporary to eat at Chef Mickey's which was super fun for the girls. After dinner we went to Downtown Disney to do some shopping. The girls were missing their brother so much by now they did not even want to go to the parks the next morning before we left.

Disney Day 4

Hollywood Studios was fun, the girls (as well as mine and John's) favorite ride, hands down was Toy story. Brooke did not like 3-D shows but this ride was one that she couldn't get enough of.

We had dinner reservations at Planet Hollywood so after we ate dinner we returned to Hollywood Studios to see the most beautiful Christmas lights we have ever seen....it even snowed a little too.