rose*art: December

Getting ready to say the rosary

The last month to another year, December was busy crazy, but also a wonderful time. Cyprian finally learned his abc's, he has been able to write his alphabet for awhile but did not necessarily know each letter. We have started working on phonics. Clement has been building his vocabulary repertoire. It really became apparent when we went to Wisconsin how much he started talking. Too, he picked up a lot from being around all his little cousins. This year we actually were ready for advent. We set up the wreath with the right color of candles. My parents sent us a children's Advent Calendar book, and we did the office of readings, and of course we sang O'come O'come Emmanuel. The boys really liked lighting the candles. Not sure it is such a good idea to have little ones with matches, but Franz wanted to let them.

Our rosary candle.

We got two pieces of candy!

This month there was St. Nicholas day, where the boys put out their shoes. Cyprian also sweetly put out Franz and mine boots. Each boy got two pieces of candy. The best part is that it was recycled from Halloween. They were ecstatic. I also have a really cool Feast day Cookbook, so I made Letter Blanket cookies for breakfast on the Feast of St. Nicholas. The cookbook has a neat little history on traditions associated with the feast day and saint which we also read to the boys.

Letter Blanket Cookies!

Enjoying our cookies for breakfast.

We played outside a lot this month as in the last few, because the weather was great, not to hot and not to cold. I had been nesting and doing a lot of cleaning and organizing. All cupboards and closets in our house have been cleaned. I even started washing the doors and trim. Yup, I have had it bad with feeling the need to get things ready. Maybe I should say good because it has gotten me to clean things I never do and organize anything I can get my hands on.

Tree decorating time.

We got reindeer antlers!

Santa! Cyprian is happy Clement was crying

A real reindeer.

Want a snow ball Pepp

We had an excursion to the mall. Yes, I know crazy but we go to the mall maybe once a year. We went though because they had an hour of ages 6-adult ballet performers, performing pieces from the nutcracker. The boys loved watching the dancing and antics. We ended up going to some sports stores where Franz had gift cards to use. After that we went to Whole foods and they happened to have real reindeer and Santa. So we ended our long day with going out to eat at Olive Garden.

Wiping the hood of Daddy's car.

A Texas snowman, somethings here are not bigger..

We got snow before Christmas and on Christmas day it was glorious and cold! We went to mass on Christmas Eve. Franz decided to leave the gate open while we were gone. At the very end of mass it was a great lightening and thunder storm. We got home around 2 a.m. We put the boys to bed then put out all the presents and went to bed ourselves. At around 8 a.m. I get a call on my cell phone, wondering who it was, the person informed me that our dog was nosing around their garbage. Pepper apparently got scared when the storm hit while were at mass and decided to take off. She was over a mile away. The people had her in their garage and were toweling her off. She didn't want to go with Franz. When Franz and she got back I went out to the garage and had to drag her out of the van. I stayed with her for awhile and wrapped her in a blanket. We left Pepper in the garage with the door open, and she stayed in all day, finally coming out later to play in the falling snow.

Cyprian cutting our Whole Wheat Christmas cookies

Clement cutting out cookies.

Decorated and ready to eat!

Christmas tree, advent wreath, Christmas cookies, and story time

We hadn't planned on having anyone really over for Christmas, but one thing led to another and we ended up with a nice little group of 5 adults and 2 kids besides us. We had a later lunch and everyone stayed till evening. It really was a beautiful and enjoyable Christmas. The kids had lots of fun playing and eating to many sweets. The adults ate lots, talked, and drank merrily. The snow falling was the perfect touch, reminding me of home and family Christmas's past.

This is my stocking

Baby Kleins present

Look what we got in our stockings

Opening the new train set.

Presents!

Clement with the book he got from his godparents.

Marker crayons from some friends.

Our Christmas tree lit up.

Franz and his new stash of wine

Snowing on Christmas day in Dallas Texas!

Having fun on Christmas day.

Christmas feast!

Our next plan was to leave a few days after Christmas for Wisconsin. Our neighbor girl who has watched the boys for us and took care of the animals for us while we visited Wisconsin in the summer, agreed to take care of them again while we were away. We ended up leaving the evening of the 26th and driving through the night and arriving for lunch at the farm. We had hoped by coming a little earlier than planned we would get to see some family that could not stay later in the month, but some people are frustrating and we were disappointed.

Friday morning we went to 8 a.m. mass at St. Peter's Middle Ridge, my parents parish and also where Franz and I wed. Msgr. Joseph Hirsch who co-concelebrated our wedding mass, was having a little get together in the Church basement after mass to say goodbye. For he was moving to Bolivia to be a missionary priest, which has I believe been a dear wish for him for sometime. So, it was neat to be able to see him before he left, because he would be gone the 1st of the New Year. I also got a special blessing for baby Klein. Afterwards the boys Beck and I went thrift shopping with my sister her husband and three little girls. Franz had to take our van (Mona) into the the mechanic. We had a few difficulties on the drive up, thankfully nothing terrible, but in the end still pricey to fix. We had to have a new radiaoter installed, we thank God did not have the van overheat even though our radioter had a hole in it. I was so happy because I got some awesome deals at the thrift stores. Cyprian got cool roller skates that adjust in size and are sturdy and stable enough that he can skate on them, Clement got a popcorn popper vacuum and pull back motorcycle. I also found snowpants to fit Clement, we had a pair already for Cyprian. Too, we got a couple christmas ornaments, and I got myself a beautiful knitted scarf. We now have the game of pictionary, and all I spent on everything was 4 dollars! You don't find that good a deal these days...

Franz oversaw the kids outside.

Exercise class with Aunt Renee.

Aunt Becky reading to the little ones.

Eating with the family at Hero's Bar and Grill

Thankfully we did see almost everyone. In fact we had a Korish family get together at restaurant called Hero's Bar and Grill in LaCrosse Friday night, even my Grandma Carla was able to join us, and gave presents to all the little ones. The next morning, Saturday we had another get together at my parents farm. There were gifts given, lots of food consumed, and kids played out side in the snow sledding and romping around. We left late afternoon after most everyone had taken off and headed on our way to Stevens Point, to stay with Franz's family for several days.

Helping Grandpa with the new mailbox

Watching little ones open presents

Cousins and their new presents

Uncle Jeff with little Teresa

Aunt Julie with Clement the rock star!

Sledding at the farm

Buck the dog on my parents farm

Clement telling cousin Hunter "NO"

Playing darts. "Watch out Becky is up"

Waiting to eat Lunch at Grandpa Klein

We arrived at Grandpa Kleins and had supper and unpacked. The boys were amazingly happy because they had napped almost the whole way there. Next day Sunday we went to mass at St. Peter's afterwards most of the kids who are around from Franz's family eat lunch at Grandpa's. Grandpa makes lunch every Sunday for all the family who happens to be there. After kids naps, we headed to Iverson Park for sledding. My first time down I took Clement and Tiana. Clement laughed gleefully while Tiana screamed. Remember, at this point I am quite pregnant so it was a full sled. The bumps were particularly uncomfortable. But I could not resist going down several more times. Later that night I sorely regretted it. After sledding we headed to Franz's sister's for pizza and hot chocolate. She has a wii, which had Cyprian completely absorbed. I even got into it and beat everybody. I guess I am just as competitive when pregnant as when I am not.

Ryann Franz's sister and Lucas his nephew

Cyprian and Tiana playing with Grandpa's nativity set

Grandpa blowing on his horn

Story time with Grandpa.

Monday the last day of 2012 I went grocery shopping with Grandpa. It also was the feast of Mary Mother of God. We planned on going to St. Stevens, Grandpa said they had mass at 6:30 p.m. Grandpa and I decided to walk the mile or so, it was freezing cold. I should've known better and put my leggings on underneath my pants. By the time we go to the Church my legs were numb. The best part was that the Church was totally dark, no mass. Thankfully Franz came shortly in the van with the boys. So we all rode over quickly to St. Cashmirs 7 p.m. mass.

We watched the movie Despicable Me over at the Klein family house, and had treats. Around 10 we were back over at Grandpa Kleins to put two very ornery boys to bed. We were going to watch the ball drop, and missed it because we had the wrong station on....Who really cares, not me. So ends 2012 for this Klein household.