International Festival: Spain

Lily Grace's school recently held an International Festival in grades K-5.  Each class was a different country.  After receiving a passport, we went to each room to have visit and learn about a different county.  LG's class was Spain.  
The kids worked really hard learning about Spain, creating presentations, decorations and activities for the night.  The kids were even assigned a station to work the night of the festival.  
The kids did a great job!  Lily Grace learned quite a lot about Spain.  She was a little less enthused about her assigned job: matador.  I have to say, she may not have been thrilled about her job but did it with a smile on her face and looked cute as a button doing it. 

LG and the bull- yes, he even ran through her cape during their demonstrations.  It was too cute!

When her shift was over, we toured the other country's (classrooms).  We even me the Pope in Italy.    

Backseat Drivers

Molly loves to ride. She often beats us to the back door if she suspects we are about to go somewhere in an effort to avoid being left behind.  Taking LG to school and picking her up are two of Molly's favorite things to do.  
Often times, I never know what I might see when I look back there.  
These two adore one another and they are absolutely adorable!

This dog will let Lily Grace do anything to her- even wear fashion glasses.

A Family "Mexi-casian" Day: 8 years

Friday, January 30th, marked our 8 year Family Day anniversary.  We don't exchange gifts on this day, but as always spend it just as we did in China.  We spend it together as a family and try to do something new.  China was quite the adventure to live up to but we have fun each year when this special day rolls around.  
This year when we approached Lily Grace about how she would like to spend the day, she requested, "tamales."  Yes, you just read that correctly.  Lily Grace is a little taken with her Spanish class this year and has really immersed herself in it.  Not sure why this year is any different but she can rattle off lots of spanish with a great accent and has even requested a trip to Mexico for this year's summer vacation to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Matt and I love it that she takes such an interest in what she is learning and in her Catholic faith.  (I'm sorry to report however, we will not be vacationing in Mexico but instead MT for a trip to Yellowstone.)  
With that said, they also watched a video in Spanish class about real homemade tamales and you guessed it!  She would like a fiesta celebration complete with tamales.  Have mercy!  Really??? Tamales!!  I love to cook and I think I'm pretty good at it but tamales, that's a whole other league.  
Nonetheless, with Matt laughing and encouraging the whole thing, I agreed.  Oh!  I should mention that a piñata was also requested to end the day.  Why not?
I have to tell you, we had a wonderful Family Day.  The whole fiesta thing has left us with a lot of memories and laughs.  Lily Grace stayed home from school, Matt took off work and I stressed but managed to put out some homemade (Please note I use the word homemade and certainly not authentic.  I think the recipe I found was a little loose and forgiving.) tamales.  
We ate, played games, hung out, read our old blog, shared memories and ended what we deemed "Mexi-casian" ( a combo of Mexican and Asian) Day with a piñata, lots of love and thanks to our Heavenly Father for our family.  
We are so very blessed.  Thanks be to God!

We had a festive and colorful dinner table

We even managed to find and light a candle for  Our Lady of Guadalupe at dinner

Yes, we used real corn husks which have to soak.  The husks are then filled with masa which we made and then topped with pork which I cooked all day for about 7 hours.

Once Gracie and I assembled our tamales we put them in the steamer basket for about 45 minutes.

And there you have them: Tamales

Gracie enjoyed swinging at the piñata after dinner.  Molly found the whole thing very exciting.

In an authentic celebration I'm guessing that Hershey Kisses and pink Tic- Tacs probably aren't among the traditional fillers.  HA!

LG and I also spent Family Day doing a little 80's throwback crafting.  Come on girls!  Who remembers these ribbon barrettes? Lily Grace is obsessed with making them now.

Cutest blessing

Family Day

Weekend Fun!

This past Friday, Lily Grace's good friend Emma came home with us after school.  
These two girls packed in an afternoon and evening of fun!
As soon as we got home they changed into their snow clothes and were out sledding and digging.  
Once back inside, the play continued along with a requested Taco dinner. Afterwards, we were off to the movies to see Paddington. The movie was really cute.  
Talk about excited!!!!  What a wonderful way to start the weekend! I'm pretty sure that Lily Grace would agree that all that excitement made for a great night's rest Friday night too.  

Lily Grace loves being out in the snow and loves the fact that we live where snow stays on the ground most of the winter (which feels as though it lasts most of the year).  I on the other hand am a southern girl through and through- I took these pictures from the window.  Her daddy was watching from another one.  ha! ha!

Apparently when you are eight, you don't feel the cold.

Gathering their snacks before the movie

This is how you enjoy...

...a snow day!

Daddy - Daughter Drawbot

Lily Grace loves doing projects with Matt.  They enjoy discussing angles, numbers, how things work and all things technology.  She loves to talk copper wire, conforms and taping machines with him and honestly, she can probably tell you better than I can what Matt does for a living.  ha! ha!
Leading up to Christmas, she saw a book filled with projects to do with your dad.  She added it to her wish list and was very happy to receive it from Santa.  
The first project LG selected for her and Matt to do was building a "Drawbot."  They spent last weekend gathering materials. This weekend they set out to tackle the project.  
As always when working together, there were some bumps along the way (and one on my island thanks to this project and the single digit temps outside forcing them to work indoors...) but by days end,  they had in fact built and tested the drawbot and above all, had done it together.  Both of them were all smiles and very proud.  

Supplies 

Not sure how Matt truly feels about this book. ha! ha!

Two peas in a pod

 Molly's work ethic! HA!

It works!

And there you have it!  Great job!

Christmas Day

We've enjoyed a wonderful, fun filled Christmas Day.  
We kicked things off with Christmas Eve mass and then a yummy dinner last night.  
This morning we woke Gracie at 7:00 and squeals of "Samantha" could be heard as soon as her feet hit the bottom of the stairs.  She was so excited to see the doll she's been wishing for.  We've all had a great time trying out all the exciting things Santa brought, playing games, opening gifts and hanging out in our P.J.'s all day.  
As always, the family time has been priceless.  Thank you God for loving us so much. You sent your son into this world to save us all.  We share in these blessings through your love and grace.  Thanks be to God!  Merry Christmas!

Lily Grace and our newest family member, Samantha

Thank you for my special bracelet Gracie and Daddy!

Very surprised to open up a gift from mama and daddy and find the Elsa costume she circled months ago in a catalog.  

It gets so cold in IN.  Daddy is always talking about cold feet so Lily and I were excited to surprise him with something he would never think to get for himself.  Enjoy your toasty toes daddy!

Molly kept busy with her own new toys.  

Blessed!  And yes, P.J.'s all day!!!!!!!  The best!

Getting into some new books

Picture speaks for itself

Yes, we have heard Let it Go several times compliments of LG.

We added a ping pong table to our play room and it has gotten a good workout today.  Matt and I get a little carried away.  

Bob Elf left us a four person Mancala game on Christmas Eve before he left.  We have really enjoyed playing.  Let me just say, LG is a fierce opponent and has skunked Matt and I more than one time.  

Worn out...these two took a break.  Yes, LG even managed to get that long dress inside that sleeping bag with her. Clearly, she's not going to Let it Go.  Ha!  

Look at these two cuties all ready for bed in their new matching American Girl Samantha pajamas.