Sunday, December 18, 2011

Church Play and Party


After Mass today we had a Christmas party at Church which included a short play put on by the catechism classes. The preschool kids were cast as angels, so Katie Seamus and Helena along with Drew were dressed as Angels. They did not have a speaking role, but they walked around, sang along, and took a bow at the end of the performance. Clay had a speaking role as a shopkeeper. After the play we had a pizza lunch, although I think they ate more cookies, cupcakes and candy then anything else. After the lunch the kids all got together and sang their best to see if they could get Saint Nicholas to visit. They sang their best, and Saint Nicholas brought all the kids a present! Yesterday Mary's dad and I went shopping for Christmas dinner while Mary and the kids helped Grandma, Aunt Becca and Aunt Christi make cookies. This year Mary told me all of them were very helpful, although by the time I got there only Helena was still busy painting her cookies. She was sampling as she went and looked like she was wearing war paint on her face (obviously she takes decorating very seriously). I can't believe we are already a week from Christmas! The kids get more excited each day! Mary and I work through Thursday, so the countdown is down to four days...


Triplet's acting debut


Saint Nicholas and Katie


Saint Nicholas and Helena


Saint Nicholas and Seamus

Preschool Party -Time



On Thursday the trio had their Preschool Christmas Party. I took half the day off work so I could go the the festivities with Grandma and Grandpa Huddas and Drew. After all the kids had lunch, we got to go into the classroom where the kids made Christmas cards. Helena made it for me, while Katie and Seamus made theirs for Santa. The kids had a blast showing me around school. They showed me where they put their back packs, did calendar time, they showed me the projects they had hanging up, and I even got to see the "Happy Helper Bell." They then went into the back to make "Reindeer Food" then preformed a concert for the visitors. After the concert we all had some cookies and punch while they got presents from their teachers, Miss Sallie and Miss Jaimie. The kids then gave their presents to their teachers, and we packed up all their stuff including presents they made for Mary and I that we decided to open at home when Mary got home from work.

Katie making a Christmas card at preschool


Helena making a Christmas card at preschool


Seamus making a Christmas card at preschool


Seamus making "Reindeer Food"


Helena making "Reindeer Food"


Katie making "Reindeer Food"


Class Concert


Opening presents from the teachers


Gift for Miss Sallie


Gift for Miss Jaimie

It was a really fun day, I don't know who was more excited about all of us being at the party, the kids or me. The present they made for us was an ornament of them wearing a reindeer suit, We put those on the Christmas tree. Unfortunately the tree fell that evening, and many of our ornaments broke , including some of our Baby's First Christmas ones (One of Katie and Helena's and both of Seamus') on Friday we bought a studier stand and cut a bit off the tree. It is sturdy now, although just a bit crooked.

Oh Christmas Tree


Last Saturday Mary, the kids and I met up with Grandpa and Grandma Huddas, Uncle John, Aunt Becca, Clay,Drew, Aunt Christi and Uncle Wayne to hack down this years Christmas tree. This year we let Katie pick out our tree, and she picked out what seemed to be a nice, but wide, tree. After Seamus helped me cut it down, we noticed that the trunk was somewhat crooked, but figured it would work just fine.


The Kids and I cutting down the tree


Murphy family Christmas tree

After we all selected and chopped down our tree, we proceeded to complete the yearly tradition of returning to Aunt Becca and Uncle John's to have a pizza lunch, then squeeze their monstrosity of a tree into their living room. After their tree was wedged into place, Grandpa and Grandma drove our tree back to the house and we put up and decorated our tree. Every year the kids do more and more, and were actual participants in decorating the tree. I had to tell Helena not to put three ornaments on the same branch a couple of times, but they had a ball hanging the ornaments with their names on it. All three of them are very excited about Santa and Christmas this year. Every year is more and more amazing, they all wrote their first "Letters" to Santa this year, and came up with the idea to put them by the fireplace on their own so he could come and pick the up. On Thursday they have their first ever school Christmas party. Since Mary went on the field trip, I am lucky enough to be taking a half day at work to go to their party.


Katie helping Mommy put up the lights


Helena hanging an ornament


Seamus hanging an ornament


Christmas tree


Mary with Helena, Katie and Seamus


Pat with Helena, Seamus and Katie

Thanksgiving and Saint Nicholas Day


Its been such a long time since we blogged we have had quite a bit happen.In the end of November we celebrated Thanksgiving. We First went to Aunt Kathy Soup and Uncle George's house for Thanksgiving. We got to celebrate and have some food with some of Mary's cousins we don't get to see very often. The kids also got to play with Grandma and Grandpa Huddas,Aunts and Uncles, Clay, Drew, and some of Mary's cousins' kids. After spending a few hours there, we then went to Grandma and Grandpa Murphy's house for Thanksgiving with the all the family on the Murphy side of the family.


Seamus playing the drum he made for Thanksgiving in Preschool


Katie playing the drum she made for Thanksgiving in Preschool


Helena playing the drum she made for Thanksgiving in Preschool


A Few weeks after Thanksgiving, we celebrated Saint Nicholas Day, and the kids got some presents, good thing the remembered to leave out their shoes...


Before Saint Nicholas


After

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Pittsburgh Trip and Soccer

This past week was a busy one for us. The kids had their last day of indoor soccer for the season and I finally remembered to bring a camera so we got a few photos.

Goalie Seamus


Goalie Helena


Katie's got a wicked right foot!

Pat and I also had our nights of parent teacher conferences. The kids came with me for the final session and spent some time in the daycare that our Student Council provided. We had quite an end to that evening when the fire alarms went off and we had to evacuate the building. Let's just say that me racing across the huge high school to get to the kids and then standing outside in 30 degree weather with no coats for a while was something I won't be forgetting any time soon. Seamus was the only one who seemed at all upset about it, he did think it was cool though when the fire trucks came!



Over the past weekend we drove down to Pittsburgh for a surprise birthday party. Happy Birthday again Maria! We stayed the night in a hotel, which the kids loved because that meant they got to go swimming in the pool. The party was a blast and we all got to spend some time with extended family that we don't get a chance to see often enough.

Kid's table at the party

Our trip ended with a great breakfast at Helenea and Ed's. Our Helena was over the moon with being able to actually go to the "other Helenea's" house! She had been talking about seeing her with Grandpa for a whole week before we went.

The Birthday Girl!

Today we took the kids to go see Barney's Birthday Bash at the Fox Theatre. Pat and I are not the biggest fans of the big purple dinosaur but the kids seemed to like it. We were even home in time for lunch, naps, and house cleaning in preparation for Thanksgiving next week. Only 2 days of work coming up, woo hoo!
Well it's time to give some baths... enjoy the photos!

Preschool Photos


We finally got the kids Preschool photos! They even had a surprise for us with a couple pictures they took of the 3 of them together.


Seamus is a handsome boy!


Katie looks beautiful!


Helena looks cute as always!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Halloween '11

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This year's Halloween should have been sponsored by the good people at Disney. The kids made four appearances dressed as Buzz Lightyear (Seamus), Woody (Helena), and Jessie (Katie). The first time we went out for Halloween was Friday for my work's Family Night Trunk or Treat. The kids had a good time playing in the gym with the other kids. There were two parachutes to play with which were a huge hit. The next day Katie, Seamus and Helena played their last outdoor soccer game until spring. After their game we went Trick or Treating in Downtown Romeo with Grandma and Grandpa Huddas, Aunt Becca, Uncle John, Clay and Drew. Sunday after "Church School' and Mass, we got the kids dressed up again for a Halloween party at church. By the time the actual day of Halloween we were overrun with candy already and Mary and I were Trick or Treated out. The same cannot be said for the kids. They were running to every house when we went Trick or Treated at Aunt Debbie and Uncle Pat's house with Kevin, Uncle Tim, Aunt Robin, and Conner. We weren't sure if we'd make it, because during dinner at Aunt Debbie's Seamus barfed. I don't know if it as a combination of a stuffy nose and the excitement of Halloween, but he was able to tough it out and had a great time going out with his sisters and cousins. All in all everyone had a great time this last week, especially the kids.


Katie as Jessie


Helena as Woody


Seamus as Buzz Lightyear


Trunk or Treating at work


Snack time at the last fall game for The Pumpkins


Trick or Treating in Romeo


Helena at Aunt Debbie's house


Katie and Seamus at Aunt Debbie's house