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