Merry Christmas!

I wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone for checkin in from time to time on my little blog. I have loved the comments, feedback and encouragement you have given. I have also enjoyed posting pictures & keeping a record of all the goings-on in our family. We will be going to church Christmas Eve and then for a little drive to look at Christmas lights & maybe even a pit-stop at Dunkin Donuts in our jammies (a tradition started last year). Christmas morning we will be enjoying cinnamon buns & hot chocolate, opening presents, and then we'll be packing up & heading to my parents home on Grand Island (near Niagara Falls). We are really looking forward to spending time with my family. They have had alot of snow lately so we'll be packing alot of sweaters!
So the 5 of us at the Happy Roth home wish you a very merry Christmas...filled with lots and lots of sweet memories and joy inexpressible!

All I Want For Christmas...

...is my 2 front teeth, my 2 front teeth, my 2 front teeth! Madison has lost 5 teeth so far, one of her front teeth just this morning at breakfast and more coming out soon! Bill noticed the tooth was turned sideways & said, "mommy pull that thing out." I pulled out 2/5 and Madison did the other 3 on her own. Our little girl is growing up!!! Have a great weekend everyone!

Christmas Challenge

My challenge to you..."Don't just settle for how you thought about Christmas before." Here's a great video about Christmas...check it out after pushing pause on my green playlist player. I'm off to start math with Madison...borrowing...what fun!!

The Christmas Guy

As we were watching TV the other day Santa appeared on a commercial and Matthew says, "Look mom, the Christmas guy!" I'm not sure if it is a good or bad thing that my son did not know Santa at first glance...at least he knew he had to do something with Christmas. Me & the kids have enjoyed watching all the classic Christmas shows and even some new ones like The Meiser's Christmas that was on this past Saturday night with every one's favorite heat and snow meisers. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without those shows being on every night! I do however feel I need to balance the onslaught of meaningless Christmas fluff with the real meaning of Christmas for my children. Christmas Fluff says Christmas is about giving, about peace, about Santa, about gifts & cookies & trees & reindeer. Though those things are all nice, Christmas is about the gift of God's own Son, sent to this Earth as a helpless baby, yet fully God, sinless & perfect. Sent for one reason...to die for sinners like me...so that we can be free! What a reason to rejoice this Christmas! We are reading through the Christmas story in the gospel of Luke for Madison's school. It has been really good to be reminded of why we are so busy shopping, decorating & baking. Listen to what Mary says after she realizes she is going to give birth to the Savior of the world, her personal Savior.
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation." (Luke 1:46-50)
There is no Christmas fluff in there...only gospel truth...truth that permeates the heart & soul and changes us forever.

The Christmas Tree

Last Week we went to Linvilla Orchards to cut down our tree. I wanted a big fat tree to fill up the room with the big bay window...and that's what we got. The tree looked a lot smaller out in the field with the other trees but when we got it into the house we realized that bigger is not always better. It looks like a big bush has taken over the room. We barely had enough ornaments to fill it & it still looks a bit bare. That's ok because we created some great memories cutting it down. They took us on a hay ride into the field and the kids loved it. They ran from tree to tree..."how bout this one!?" Bill cut it down & we all cheered. We brought it home and had some hot cocoa and decorated it. I had to rearrange some...one branch just Matthew's height on the bottom had 10 ornaments on it. So now that the tree is up and almost all the gifts bought (you gotta love free shipping on Amazon.com) we are ready!! Now we (ok I) have to wrap the gifts, make the cookies, and send the Christmas cards out. I am actually enjoying all the Christmas preparation. I especially love buying gifts and creating our Christmas cards...now that the kids are a little older & I have no diapers to change...it's actually fun now! Enjoy the pictures & I hope you like my songs...maybe I can figure out how to put some Christmas songs up!

Christmas Play

Madison and Adrienne performed in the COMPASS Christmas Play Saturday night. COMPASS is the Co-Op they attend for homeschooled kids at our church. Every Thursday they are in a classroom setting for 2 hours with about 20 other homeschooled kids their age. We are so grateful that they have this opportunity to enjoy participating in something like this. Adrienne represented the stars in the sky and danced to the Wise Guys song. Madison was a Cute Camel and danced to the song "Rejoice". The play was about the journey of the 3 wise men to find the child King laying in a manger. It was really cute. Here are 2 videos of each of the girls, Madison is all the way on the right & Adrienne is 4th or 5th from the left...I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!!!

***Don't forget to pause my Playlist music before you play the videos!

Major Monti

Congrats to my brother Jonathan for his promotion to Major in the US Army. Does this mean even we have to salute you little brother? We are very proud of him for how he serves our country. He also authored his first case study in the JAAPA (Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants). Here is a picture of the article. If you want to read more click Here. Way to go Major! Can't wait to see you this Christmas!

Like Father Like Son

I just had to share these pictures of Hip-Hop holding Matthew during the start of a Sixers game a few weeks ago. Matthew ran out onto the court to give Hip-Hop a hug. Hip-Hop acted quite surprised and then carried Matthew who gave high-fives to a few players and then balanced Matthew on his hand for a good 10 seconds. He made his momma proud, hamming it up just like his daddy!