Christmas and FiRE!

Hey ya'll!  Hope you had a wonderful Christmas day.  We've had a great week (busy!), and have totally been getting in the spirit.  We started with a choir field trip to Shiloh Health and Rehab on Monday:

Even the facility was beautiful!  Aren't the wreaths in those big windows pretty?  Yes, Mary Claire is the one in white.  I'd like to think she did it to stand out..but she had to go check her blood right before the field trip, and forgot to go back to put on her blue choir shirt!

Still sings just as well without it. ; )

The kids were drawn to their big gingerbread house!  I think I'll build one like this next year.  I'll add it to my To-Do List. ; )  (it was made from cardboard and foil, but covered in Nilla Wafers and candy)

Choir is huge this year!  Love these sweet singers.

And then on Monday afternoon, we had the kids' Christmas parties.  For Mary Claire's party, we spent some time thinking of our furry friends!  We made doggie treats, tied edges on fleece blankets for the animals, and crafted little Shrinky Dink bone (collar) ornaments.  It was fun, and great to focus on others-what Christmas is all about!  We had to bake the puppy treats at home Monday night, but then we took them all to donate them on Tuesday..we even had donations from the kids' families for the shelter-BiG bags of dog food, more snacks, toys, and blankets! : )  I wish the entire class could have all gone with us to donate everything.  I hope the kids know they are appreciated. : )


Wednesday we stayed home to clean, do laundry, and got ready for another busy day: Thursday!  We took a family trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for Ches' birthday.  We saw the new movie, Tin Tin, at the Imax in 3D!  It was a great movie..millions times better than Alvin and the Chipmunks Chipwrecked. ; )  Then we shopped at Babies R Us (still looking for a stroller/car seat!), had dinner...and picked up my new khaki linen swivel glider at Pottery Barn Kids!


I'd had a discount for 20% off anything IN the store..so I called to see if they had a rocker.  Long story..they did, but I couldn't use the discount on it..but it WAS 20% off since it was a floor model. : )  I bought it!  And then couldn't wait to get it. ; )  (and it's perfect!)

We saw Santa on Friday, and the kids each opened a gift early. ; )  Then we had Christmas Eve Mass together-love the church all decorated for Christmas!

Ethan opened a new Angry Birds game!  (Ches' and the kids' newest love!)

Fast forward to yesterday..I made a coconut cream pie, and needed to toast some coconut for the top (to make it prettier!).  I put it in a new cookie sheet, and put it under the broiler.  I got it too dark on the first try, so I kept the lighter brown bits, and trashed the rest.  Then, I tried again.  This time I set the timer for two minutes, and checked it at one minute (still white).  I started to eat some breakfast, and the next thing I knew...my oven was on FIRE!  I opened it up, and flames came out!  I guess the sweetened coconut had ignited?  (Is that possible?)  I started screaming for Ches to get in there (he was asleep!), and grabbed the fire extinguisher.  (I've never actually used one!)  I pulled the pin, aimed, and (wow!) put the fire out.

It was quite dramatic.  And then the smoke alarms went off, the kids were just sure fire trucks were coming, and then Ches came around. ; )  I had him take the burned coconut/pan out to the deck.  (It was so stinky and smokey!)  We opened the doors and windows, turned off the heat, and tried not to breathe in!


Then I had to google how to clean up after a fire in your oven (and how to clean up the fire extinguisher mess most of all!).  Come to find out..you can't use your self-clean oven feature.  You have to have the foam, and hand-scrub it.  I posted on Facebook that I needed oven cleaner..and a friend brought me some!  I know..Awesome! : )  She happened to be at Walgreen's right then (the ONLY place open!), and then brought it by since she lives pretty close.  What a blessing! : )


It totally threw off our plans for an on-time lunch, but we persevered.  After cleaning it up, we made some cinnamon toast (to absorb any odors and make it smell better!) and threw it away.  Then, on to our spiral-cut ham and sweet potato casserole! : )


Just thankful for good food, a working oven, friends (and Facebook?), joyful kids, and for babies.  Especially Jesus, the reason for our special season. 

I've never complained about a boring life.  Never will..ha!  We live quite an adventure here!


Hope your Christmas was especially merry.  Sending hugs and peace for a blessed new year.  : )