Port Discovery

On Saturday we went to Port Discovery in Baltimore. It was the perfect day for our first visit there. What else can you do when it is 20 some degrees outside? We got in free thanks to the generous museum membership we got for Christmas! We are on a mission to visit as many children museums and science museums and zoos as we can in the next year!

The only real hitch in our plan was the arrival time. I had it my mind that the museum opened at 9 so we got there at 9 only to find out it opened at 10! We spent an hour at McDonald's. The kids didn't complain at all; maybe because a cashier gave them each a toy.

Port Discovery is a great place for little kids. Here is Lydia putting air in a tire.
She was afraid to crawl through the drain in the mystery house but Wesley liked it.
Of course their favorite thing was the huge climbing structure.
Their second favorite was the water play area. Wesley loved this lock.
They both had fun cleaning the windows. I think we should try this at home.
I got an excellent tip from a mom of one of Wesley's classmates - I took an extra shirt for them to wear in the water play. It is a good thing; Wesley soaked his t-shirt.
Do you like the way Lydia wears her head band?
Josiah tried standing on the surfboard.
Can you see the bubble?
The kids also liked the cute little diner. They liked taking our orders and bringing us food. Lydia "washed" the dishes before we left.
Expedition Adventure was Chris' favorite part. Wesley liked pulling himself on the ropes. The kids also liked seeing the skeletons "in" the mummies.
This large rabbit and little pug were out on their walks.
We were there for 2 1/2 hours and got to do everything but the painting room. Wesley and Lydia could have played for hours on the climbing structure. We would have stayed longer but I was so hungry that all I could think about was lunch. We walked two blocks and ate at P.F. Chang's. Lydia ate almost an entire order of calamari. Lunch was great.

I am sure that we will make at least one more trip to Port Discovery this year.

Our Little Inch Worm

Josiah recently started belly crawling. Yesterday he couldn't get enough traction to crawl on the hardwood floors but today he can do it. Wesley has been encouraging him to crawl this weekend but he might regret that once Josiah starts getting into all of his stuff.

Christmas at Our House

We started our Christmas celebration by attending the Christmas Eve service at our church. After dinner we had a birthday cake for Jesus. Wesley and Lydia blew out the candles.
Once the kids were in bed we put out the presents. Before opening the presents on Christmas morning, we read about Jesus' birth in Luke 2.
Wesley helped Josiah open his presents.
Chris enjoyed all the homemade soups two weeks ago, but he didn't like the mess I made with our blender so he gave me an immersion blender. I hope I don't make a huge mess on the stove with it.
We enjoyed having my parents here for Christmas.
Wesley really likes this knight costume and has been wearing it a lot.
While we were opening gifts, Chris spotted a fox walking down our sidewalk! The fox took off when we opened the door to get a picture of him.
We gave my mom some jewelry.
And she gave Lydia some jewelry.
Opening gifts made Josiah tired and he had to take a nap after opening only two.
Chris had to refer to the owner's manual every time Wesley wanted to transform Bumble Bee.
Wesley and Lydia both liked his science kit.
I am glad that I don't have to work in the kitchen with a baby strapped to my back.
The kids liked cutting out "cakie" sugar cookies and decorating them.
Josiah practiced prop sitting!
All the kids got in on the dress-up action! Josiah will have lots of embarrassing photos taken of him over the years thanks to his older sister.
Lydia wasn't really interested in this Ariel bridal costume that she got last year until she saw The Sound of Music last week. Now she is very interested in being a bride and getting married.

Wesley loves his Rush Hour Jr game and he is really good at it.
We had a very blessed Christmas indeed.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Preschool Style

Last week was Lydia's preschool's Christmas program.

Because Lydia is so cute in her Rudolph nose and so excited to see Chris and me...


Happy Birthday Baby Jesus


We Wish You a Merry Chirstmas

Everyone Wants to See the Baby

Wesley and Lydia have been enjoying playing with our Nativity set. Some days all the princesses and dinosaurs come to see Baby Jesus.
Some days all the Little People come to see Baby Jesus.
Of course, it isn't all sweetness between Wesley and Lydia. But, I try to savor every bit of sweetness that there is. Thankfully, there is more sweetness than not. Here Wesley is reading one of our Children's Bibles to Lydia.
Yes, Lydia wears these footed princess pajamas a lot. She actually has two of the exact same pair.

Christmas Cantata

Wesley and his schoolmates worked really hard and memorized Luke 2:1-14 and a few Christmas Carols. (All these videos are for the grandparents.)
Luke 2:1-7


Luke 2:8-12

Away in the Manger

Luke 2:13-14

Silent Night

We Feasted on Appetizers

On Saturday, our neighbors hosted a potluck Christmas Party. Here is the menu:

Appetizers
Marinated Cheese
Bacon Onion Tartlets
Endive w/Roasted Red Pepper
Eggplant Marinara Flatbread
Gorgonzola Parmesan Twists
Beef & Mushroom Crostini
Pancetta Crisps w/Goat Cheese & Pear
Thyme Marmalade Chicken Skewers

Bar
Marinated Olives
Mixed Nuts
Champagne
Beer
Wine

Desserts
Peppermint Ganache Cake
Coconut Bon Bons

Chocolate Dipped Apricots

Kids
Slow-Cooker Macaroni & Cheese
Sliced Fruit
Juice & Water

When I showed Chris the menu, his first question was, "What are you making?" I made Eggplant Marinara Flatbread and Gorgonzola Parmesan Twists. They were both very yummy and I am sure I will be making them again.

Here is a picture of the eggplant marinara flatbeard.

Everything was so good! I can't believe how much I ate. I always eat more when I am "grazing". Dessert was awesome also. As were those chocolate dipped dried apricots. I am sure I ate more of those than anyone else did.

We woke Lydia up from a nap to go the party. Chris held her and Josiah for a little bit.

Lydia soon found her party groove.

The kids played "Tape the Christmas Ball on the Tree." They all liked the game. Lydia and Elena didn't peak and they missed the tree.

Everyone had such a good time at the party.

We left the party after 9:30 which made for a very late night for our family. Wesley had a choir performance (just for the parents) at 8:00 AM the next morning. Of course, Lydia was awake by 7:00 but we had to drag Wesley out of bed.