The beginning of December started with our kitchen torn apart and us eating every meal downstairs on a picnic blanket, which was okay because we were very excited to get new floors and cabinets in our kitchen. Max and Anna and Charlie were pleased with the dietary changes that included things like granola bars, lunchables, and juice boxes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We tried to make our house festive for the holidays in the midst of the mess, but it was a little more like just a big mess. I have to say having no kitchen was kind of more of an inconvenience than I'd anticipated. I guess I didn't think through that one all the way before we were in the middle of the whole thing, and we all learned that Mom and her kitchen are very important to each other. It's okay though because we all got through it and one day I am going to cook in my new kitchen and also clean it. Here it is when it was almost done (just the floors left)
Other happenings in December included this fun Christmas party at Grandma and Grandpa Shepherds. Here's the nativity with Kellie and our little cousin baby Violet as Mary and baby Jesus. Max and Anna are shepherds and I wasn't there, but I think I heard that Charlie chose not to participate until the end when someone told him he could be a sheep. That is more of Charlie's thing.
Anna had a Christmas concert with her school choir which she has loved being part of. It has been such a good thing for her. She LOVES to sing loud and enthusiastically. I think the favorite song from that concert was "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch". She taught Max all the words, of course, and we heard it over one thousand times during the holiday season. 
And the unexpected part of December was that I was in the hospital for a week (including Max's birthday) and then home on bed rest for all of Christmas break. That was not in my plans for Christmas this year, but it turned out okay and I have really felt so much love through the help of family and neighbors. 
And last, here is Charlie when daddy let him take his Leapster to bed. He was pretty pleased with the situation. Charlie is going to be a big brother soon, so Taylor set up a big boy bed for him upstairs. He loves to pat it , and climb on and off of it, but he won't sleep in it. We're going to work some more on that later. 
