Glory to God in the Highest...

And peace to his people on Earth!

Wow...we are tired...even Roxy.

We had a great Christmas. Daniel and William woke early Christmas morning...not because of excitement, but just because they always do! Philip woke up around 6:30, and we all headed down the stairs...well, I fell down the stairs. Chris caught it on video, but I don't think I'll share!

The boys had a great time seeing what Santa brought.

The big gift was a new swingset. Santa left a letter explaining that he didn't have the room in his sleigh for it put together, so he left it for Daddy to do. I don't think the boys were too excited about this gift since it wasn't ready to play on yet.

The hits were lots of Legos for Philip...

camo hats from Susan and Rob...

capes made by Mom (okay, they weren't hits at first, to my dismay, but they have worn them a lot since Christmas!)...

puzzles, Play-Doh, toothbrushes, gloves, books, fire trucks, games, and so much more!!

On Christmas day, we had lunch with Aunt Elizabeth, GranGran, and PopPop. GranGran fixed steaks, and asparagus. Chris made his twice baked potatoes. Delicious!

After lunch, we all headed outside for our annual snowball fight. The boys had a blast targeting Aunt Elizabeth and me!

While the little guys napped, Chris began putting the swingset together. PawPaw and PopPop helped!

Little did we know, it would take two and a half days. Chris spent his whole vacation on this project. He did a great job and the boys love it! We had Will and Patrick over to play on it yesterday and everyone had a blast!

On Sunday, we headed to Pensacola for a McGough family get together.

Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, and my crew met up with Ona, Bobby, Bob, Tina, and Big Mama for corn and crab chowder. Philip and Daniel had a blast running around Ona and Bobby's backyard with their dog, Honey.

Even William sat on a blanket and giggled at his brothers and the pup!

Yesterday ended the vacation. We were sad to see Chris go back to work, but I think getting back to the routine was good for us all. We stayed home all day. Will and Patrick played here for a couple of hours and then Philip went to their house for an hour that afternoon. Needless to say, he was exhausted by the days end!

Twas the Night Before Christmas....

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring...especially not Philip!!

I'll get to that later. We have had a great couple of days. Yesterday, Will and Patrick came over and played with the boys. We made sugar cookies and played around inside for awhile. When they ventured outside, Frederick and Ben joined us. Philip, Daniel, and William (who sat on a blanket and watched) had a ball playing with their neighbors. It pays to live in a boy-dominated neighborhood!!

After dinner and bed for the little ones, I made an apple cake with caramel icing for Christmas Eve with the in-laws. Not only was it delicious, it turned out perfectly!! Very exciting for me!!

Christmas Eve morning was busy. Susan, Rob, and Elizabeth joined us for breakfast. I made a coffee cake, grits, and sausage. We had a great time visiting.

I think the boys really wore Aunt Elizabeth out. She played hard with them!!

I left to run some last minute errands while Daniel napped. While I was out, Dottie called to report that they had no power. After some debate, we decided to move Christmas Eve dinner to our house. I quickly scrambled to get the fine china and silver out. Most silver wasn't polished, but I am thankful that my in-laws do not care!!

We dressed for church....

and left knowing that Trinity too would be without power. I managed to get the three boys across Dauphin Street by myself in the rain! Quite a fete! There was no nursery due to power outage, so I brought all three into the church with me. Chris had to usher, but thankfully I sat with Aunt Heather, Uncle Cameron, Dee, and Aunt Elizabeth, so I had a lot of help.

The service was absolutely beautiful. The candlelight filled the church (reminded me of MD's wedding many years ago)...along with lots of little children's voices! I was so happy to be sitting there in the dark surrounded by my children and my family. Philip and I talked before the service about how Isiah told the people of Isreal, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." We talked about the current darkness of the church and the light to be born that night. He commented on how Father Matthew's chasible had changed to white...for celebration! So neat!

As I got the boys back in the car, I told them how well behaved they were. In all honesty, for their respective ages, they were great!!

Back to the house for dinner. It took awhile to get the meal together, so the big boys changed into their pajamas...camoflauge this year...Christmas ones were too pricey! William went on to bed.

The meal was great...crown pork roast, asparagus rolls, stuffing, and homemade rolls. Unfortunately, Philip simply gave out at the table!! Couldn't keep those eyes open.

Daniel enjoyed the attention and then placed cookies and milk out for Santa before heading off to bed too.

After cleaning dishes, Chris and I had more cooking to do...one more almond tart for breakfast and twice baked potatoes for Christmas day lunch! Then off to bed to wait for Santa!

Prepare Now...prepare now

Things have been busy at the Gill house. Remarkably, the older boys have been well behaved and getting along so well recently. It is so nice when they play well together and simply enjoy each other's company.


Here they are before dinner one night. Philip is reading to Daniel...we've read this book so many times that Philip has the entire thing memorized!


Chris broke out with the Christmas music Thanksgiving Day. I've even caught him listening to Christmas tunes on the ipod while jogging. Makes me giggle....


I haven't been able to get too into it this year. Instead, I have really enjoyed listening to "Sing With Joy"...the Christ Church Cathedral Choristers (Nashville, TN). This music accompanies our Sunday School curriculum...the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

I've intended to write a post on COGS. I have put 50 hours of training into this curriculum this summer...I have 25 more to go before I am a catechesist certified to teach 3-6 year olds. A lot of time to teach Sunday School! So worth it though...I loved training and have loved teaching this year.

Philip is such a natural in the atrium. He's able to sit still and listen and seems to always know what it is he wants to work on. He loves the tracing packets. He's traced all the elements of the altar and has moved on to the words straight from the Bible in the Annunciation to Mary and the Birth of Jesus.


What I love about this program is the children's autonomy in the atrium. They get to choose their work and they work alone. A thing I learned in training that I have remembered and loved is that we can not make children fall in love with God. It is our job to introduce them and then give them the appropriate environment to develop their relationship. So true...

I love that Philip is learning and love that he's sharing that knowledge with Daniel. The other day I sat at my sewing machine while the boys played outside in the sandbox. The sandbox is right next to the window by my machine. The boys were playing and talking. Daniel asked Philip, "What is God?" Philip answered that "God is everything." He paused, thinking, and I think he was going to say more, but Daniel, in his two year old manner, got distracted and said, "Ooh, look Pullup. Dada left out his ladder." Oh well...it was sweet to hear Philip begin to share with Daniel.


So back to singing...our program has fabulous advent songs. The lyrics to my favorites are...


Prepare Now - Prepare now, prepare now a way for the Lord. Prepare now, prepare now a way for the Lord. Make ready, make ready a path for the Lord. A straight path, a clear path a way for the Lord.


Come Lord Jesus - (goes with Prophecy of Names) Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, come and be born in our hearts. Come oh Prince of Peace, come oh Prince of Peace, come oh Prince of Peace, come and be born in our hearts. Come Emmanuel, come Emmanuel, come Emmanuel, come and be born in our hearts. Come Almighty God, come Almighty God, come Almighty God, come and be born in our hearts. Wonderful counselor, wonderful counselor, wonderful counselor, come and be born in our hearts.


Light One Candle - (goes with Advent wreath) Light one candle for hope. One bright candle for hope. He brings hope to every heart, he comes, he comes. Repeat with peace, then joy, and then love.


There are so many others....so many good Advent songs. I've enjoyed these songs this Advent. They have helped me and the boys prepare for Christ's coming. Guess I'll move on to Christmas music later this week...when the radio stations quit playing it!!



In other news...we have been preparing. I have permanently moved into the kitchen!! We have made peppermint marshmallows, at least a half a dozen almond tarts, white chocolate peanut butter bites, and more. We have delivered to our teachers, our librarian, our priest, our Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, babysitters, and neighbors. I love creating gifts in the kitchen and the boys seem to enjoy it too!


We loved having Cameron and Heather in town last week and look forward to their return on Christmas Eve. Aunt Elizabeth will be here with us next week too! So exciting!!




I'll leave you with a picture of the boys in their Christmas outfits. I smocked 15 toy soldiers...lots of work...but I am happy I did it. Philip has happily worn his, but he did tell me this morning as I was putting them on him before church that he wanted to start wearing what Daddy wears to church. Well, maybe no more smocking for the boy, but we definitely won't be sporting a suit and tie!!


Can't wait to report back with Christmas news!

North Pole Stroll and Joyful Night

Right now I feel as if life is whizzing by....I can't remember when I last sat down...feeding a baby doesn't count!

We have had a good weekend. Friday night we went downtown for the North Pole Stroll. We started at the Battle House where we saw the big Christmas tree in the lobby. From there, we went to see Santa. Philip and William sat in his lap....Daniel wasn't so sure!

We wrote a letter to Santa at the Museum of Mobile.

There was snow blowing from balconies...homemade peppermint marshmallows (delicious...looking for a recipe to try!)...Whoville...snowflake ornaments to make...Christmas stories read by none other than Ms. Val...hot chocolate, cider, cookies...and more!

We had a great time and look forward to doing it again next year.

On Saturday, Chris put a fire in the fireplace at 8:00 am and we kept it going all day. I enjoyed a trip to the grocery store by myself and a haircut. I made a big pot of red beans and rice and we all settled in to watch the Crimson Tide that afternoon. GranGran and PopPop joined us for the game. What a game it was...can't wait until Pasadena!

Today was busy. Sunday school, church, and then home to finish costumes and cook for Joyful Night. Joyful Night is Trinity's annual Christmas play and dinner. It is always a good time, but this one was special...it was Philip and Daniel's first year to participate.

I was busy sewing the camel costume, so I did not make the boys' costumes. Philip went in a Turnipseed hand-me-down horse costume. Daniel wore his Big Al elephant costume from last Halloween.

GranGran, PopPop, Aunt ShuShu, Uncle Rob, Dee, and GrandAnne were all there to cheer on the boys. Philip was ready to go...followed the older boy's lead well. Daniel was hesitant and decided to watch in the pew with the rest of us. I couldn't see very well...couldn't get great pictures.

I was told afterwards that Philip was quite entertaining to watch. He apparently kept trying to take Ben's staff and poke the girls with it. Good thing his mother couldn't see!

Poor William...

he got a little rowdy in the church before the program began. I took him to the nursery so that I could enjoy the show. I fully intended to get him for the dinner but the reality was getting seats for the ten of us and then getting Philip and Daniel situated was too much. He stayed in the nursery the whole night. Feel bad about that!

Overall a great night...so good to be with so many family and friends during the holidays!

A busy week ahead....meetings, birthday party, Christmas parties. Lots of cooking...brownies for a Junior League meeting, lasagna for Advent dinner at church, something sweet for Ms. Val since we have our last library before Christmas. Oh yea, then there's the Christmas outfit for Philip that isn't completed...gotta finish so we can get a Christmas card picture. Will my cards go out before Valentine's Day??

There's the stress of the above and then as I write, I am looking at our half-dressed Christmas tree. I know it needs to be decorated, but neither Chris nor I have the energy tonight. I keep thinking about Advent...a time of preparation. I cringed in the atrium this morning when a child answered "Santa Claus coming" to my question of "what are we preparing for?"

So why do I think it's important to get the tree decorated, Christmas outfits finished, cards sent out? Creating memories for my children is important and that's why I try to do it all. But more importantly, I want them to truly understand the meaning of God's gift of Jesus at Christmas. My prayer this Advent is that I can prepare for Jesus' coming and not worry about the trivial things that get in the way!