7QT: Christmas is ONE Week Away!

1)

I never posted these pics from St. Nicholas Day.  We didn't celebrate this holy day growing up, and I only learned about it once my oldest started Catholic school.  Since most of the time, St. Nick's Day falls on a school day, we just sort of left it to the teachers to celebrate it with the kids.  But when it falls on the weekend/I'm trying to be a better mom/I actually remember to do it, then we fill their stockings with a little sumpin sumpin.

Nerf Bash Balls into stockings do not fit.

Andrew and Eamon got knee pads for basketball...

Maggie got shoes for school (she had just celebrated her birthday with lots of gifts)...

and Alexander got a Transformer.

I think JP was sleeping in (the benefits of a pre-teen!) but he got the first book of the Fablehaven series.

2)

I hosted my book club's Christmas party and surprise sprinkle party for my friend, Laura, who is expecting her first girl after three boys.  I hear that's a good pattern ;)

3)

Maggie is going to finally have a real bedroom soon!  We had set her up in the hallway for a couple years until we could save up enough to do some construction.  

She has told people she was praying for "a wall" for her bedroom, and it was getting kind of pathetic that we hadn't done this yet.  Last night we cleared out her bedroomspace and the kids went nuts.

Gymnastics Party!

Dance Party!

4)

I lined them all up and snapped a photo and asked them each what they wanted for Christmas since it is ONLY ONE WEEK AWAY and how did that happen??

All I Want for Christmas is...

Maggie - new room (Perfect, since it's in process.)

Xander - calendar with chocolate inside (Yeah, we kinda skipped those this year and he's been missing it.)

Andrew - digital watch (To time his runs.)

Eamon - football cards (Because his huge binder full of them is never enough.)

JP - 3DSXL "but if it's too expensive, then a swiss army knife".  (Ummmm, he won't be getting either, because it wasn't even on my radar but maybe for his birthday in two months.)

Declan - ______________ (He seemed pretty happy with that basketball and pacifier, so I think I'm good.)

5)

While I was snapping pics upstairs, I remembered that I never showed you the ugly wall-papered bathroom we updated.  

Before:

After:

I would still like to find something to hide the pipes under the sink, but it's such a tiny space that nothing has worked yet.

6)

JP has been working really hard on his science project.  He researched and built popsicle stick bridges and then tested them for strength.  He wrote a 20 page paper and kept a daily journal and has really impressed us with taking the lead on this project.  He says he wants to be an architect when he grows up, so this was a good project for him.  We barely had to get involved, which made it even better!

7)

Our chapel at work just got decorated for Christmas, and it is GORGEOUS:

Have a wonderful last few days before Christmas better hurry up and shop and wrap and yet still manage to joyfully anticipate the Advent Season kind of weekend everybody!

Go see Kelly for more :)