Hanukkah!

We think it is important to share different cultures with our children. In our Winter Holidays unit, we talk about Ramadan, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Chinese New Year. As these holidays pass on the calendar, we try to reflect on the celebration. Hanukkah has been a very easy holiday for us to integrate into our December fete. We eat some traditional foods, read stories and light the menorah.

 Kyrie was very excited to light the candles on the menorah this year!

 Degen just wanted to blow the candles out (guess he'll be ready for his birthday this year)! This is his little face after I told him 'no' for the umpteenth time

The glow from the menorah lights of the whole room and makes it feel cozy & warm, which is just what the holidays should feel like!

This is a pan-ful of delicious latkes! They were hot & golden brown, served with the traditional applesauce & sour cream! Yum!

Visions of Sugarplums

One of the best things about Christmas is the food! There are so many delicious things to eat this time of year, and lots of those things are sugary in nature, which pleases my sweet teeth just fine!

We've got a little pile on the countertop for fudge, cupcakes, iced cookies and whatever else happens to come out of the grocery bag, the oven or the package left on the front porch.

I made my first batch of "real" lemon bars this past week- I even hand-squeezed the lemons. They are wonderfully delicious! I told Darren that I would buy lemons just to make those lemon bars!

The kiddos love treats as much as Momma, and it is hard for me not to indulge them. Here are some pictures of the kids with some super-cute, decorated treats (which I did not make)!

The Cutest Christmas Ornaments Ever!

Here is our beautiful Christmas tree! (Please note the fence surrounding the tree.)

This is Degen's Christmas ornament for 2010. I try to make at least one ornament with the kids every year. Of course, it is his little hand turned into Rudolph. I think this turned out just darling!

 This is Kyrie's ornament 2010. Darren cut the sticks for us and I worked the hot glue while she placed all the 'branches' and decorations. She did a great job!

 Ah, our tree is such a sight, but do you see an unusual ornament upon our Tannenbaum?

 Let me get a little closer.. can you see it now?

 How 'bout a little closer? Ah, there it is! What a fuzzy ornament in the middle of our tree!

 Well, looky-there! We have a little Franklin in the tree! Guess that fence is just another decoration, eh?

 I think his adventurous sister, Ella, taught him how to jump the fence and climb the tree! They seem to like the very middle of the tree best!

 They are the cutest Christmas ornaments ever!

Oh No, Degen Richard!

 Today we took family photos, and I am thankful that we got some very nice ones. However, it was not without some difficulty thanks to one Degen Richard Aurelius Coble who after about 10 minutes of photos began to whine and wail, "nigh[t]-nigh[t]!" This was around 9 a.m. so you can imagine our surprise & dismay as he disintegrated before our eyes. We managed to use a little trickery and then some sneaky camera shots, but in the end we left with only one photo of Degen with his sister (shown below). I am so thankful that we did the family shots first.



Coble Family 2010

 Kyrie Belle Alyce, Age 4 1/2

 Degen Richard Aurelius, almost 2 years

Craft-y

Here are photos of Kyrie at the library's "Holiday Happiness" event. It is an all-day event with music, Santa visits, a toy train display and lots of crafts. This is our third year attending, and though we couldn't stay for very long Kyrie was able to complete several of the crafts. Her favorite was the Kwanzaa mkeka, which is a woven mat (not pictured). Kyrie & I worked as a team to weave the green, black, red & yellow paper. When we got home, I laminated the mat so that Kyrie could use it at mealtime. The crafts pictured are a lacing gingerbread boy and a penguin paper mosaic. She also completed a glitter star, a mitten, Rudolph puppet and a Star of David. I wish that I could have gotten more photos of the cute crafts, but my hands were full helping Kyrie.

Super-Duper Cuddly

It is wonderful having kittens in the house again! And these two kitties are some of the best we have ever had: quiet, cuddly and not too mischievious! The kids are having lots of fun with cats who don't mind being held (in all sorts of ways) and chased. Of course, Darren & I are enjoying the sleepy kittens who just want to snuggle at the end of the day. The older cats are becoming more tolerant of the little invaders, though not everyone is entirely convinced. We are having so much fun with these frolicking felines that I told Darren we should get kittens EVERY Christmas! Here are some too-cute photos of our darling duo:

Pretty Ella Rose

So sleepy... so cuddly!

Who could resist these little faces?

Darren with Franklin

Cuddle-time with Ella



Brutus & Ella warming up... to each other