All is calm... ha!

The week of Christmas brought rainy weather. Actually, its been raining quite a bit lately. And I don't mind it. Its not a cold rain and it makes beautiful waterfalls. We took a little drive through the mountains to look for the falls, but all my pictures/video were dumb. This picture was taken by someone who actually knows what they are doing. I found it when I looked at the online news headlines (side note: I've tried to read the news more so I can hold an intelligent conversation. I think this was the second time in 2010 that I actually did it.) Anyway, Pres. Obama stays in Kailua (about 15 minutes away from us) at Christmas time and in addition to photos with the troops, the photographer posted this picture. Pretty, huh? That's what I wanted my pictures to look like.

When it rains, the kids like to go out with their umbrellas. This is especially a favorite activity of Austin's. He calls, "Its raining! Its raining! Bumbella!" Everyone comes backed soaked, but at least not COLD and wet.

After a change of clothes, we decorated gingerbread cookies.

Well, some of us decorated. One person just ate candy...

... continually.

Not that he was the ONLY snitcher...

... but he never stopped.

The following day (Christmas Eve), Lucy and I organized the "nativity play." I was the director. Both of us shared the role of costume designer (which we could have skipped because their weren't a lot of participants who wanted to dress up). And Lucy cast the actors.

As you can see, it was a small cast so we got to play many parts.

George was Samuel the Lamanite (prophet on the American continent) and we threw socks at him when he told us that there would be a new star signaling Jesus's birth. This was a favorite scene. Lucy said there were some people that were righteous and didn't shoot arrows and I had to be one of them. (But I couldn't help throw a couple. :) Elise and I were inn-people and she had a great time answering all the bedroom doors (when Mary and Joseph knocked) with a "NO ROOM!" and slamming them shut. Other scenes that were well liked were the donkey rides, singing "Silent Night" in Hawaiian, and the shepherds playing catch with the stuffed sheep.

This is the camel carrying the two wisemen to see baby Jesus. Cinderella was the third wiseman and the only one who actually wanted to get off to see Him. The other two were happy to view from the camel (look at Austin's feet. What a nut!). Baby Jesus was tied (by Mary) to the crib with a bathrobe tie "in case someone wanted to get him" and my favorite gift was the "gold" (a plastic french fry tied with a red ribbon).

So... not exactly the calm, peaceful nativity re-enactment I was hoping for, but Mary especially enjoyed herself.

After the play, I thought it would be a great idea to have the kids decorate pineapples while George and I finished fixing dinner.

This was a bit hit with everyone!

Well, not quite everyone. This was the beginning of Austin's grumpy mood for the rest of the night. I remember laying in bed that night wondering outloud to George why Austin was such a crab. But as I'm posting these pictures, I'm sure the "sugar overload" for two straight days had something to do with it. Duh!

He WAS happy when Lucy helped him hang a few ornaments. But that cute smile didn't last long.

We wanted to have a nice candlelight dinner. The kids think its the coolest thing to eat by candlelight, but they were also extra hyper and the whole meal was slightly nuts. Spilled drinks before the prayer was even said. Broken glass. Bawling child (take a guess which one). No one (except the chefs) wanted to eat anything. Etc. Etc. It was really quite funny how chaotic the whole thing was.

We gave the kids their PJ's, read the Christmas story in the Bible, watched "The King is Born" to calm everyone down, and called it a night. Well, at least the children did. Whew!

from the kids' holiday mouths

This was posed by Lucy... everyone had to stand in front of the letter of their name.

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After we taught the story of the nativity to the kids, Austin sang nice and loud, "Baby, baby, baby Jesus."

(btw, This is George's fault. He's the one who introduced them to Justin Bieber's "Baby, baby, baby, ohhhhhhhhhhhh." Umm... if you haven't seen the video, I'll just tell you its one of the lamest I've seen. Poor guy can't dance. And seeing 12 year-olds flirt...just kind of gives me the willies.)

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Lucy: "So, do we have that big sign up in case Santa forgets what to say?"

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Elise: "Ok, ok, ok. I be 'baby Jesus.' Yu-cy, you be 'Mary.' Mommy, you be 'Mary' too. And Austin, you be 'Bethlehem.'"
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On the van ride home after seeing Santa at the Air Force Christmas tree lighting:

Elise: "So, what is happening with Santa Claus?"

Me: "Um... what do you think is happening?"

Elise: "Oh... he's probably just there. ... Putting rocks in his bag."

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Lucy: "I just put these cards here so everyone would remember the reason we have Christmas."

(Can you see Lucy down below? The blankets on the floor are "reindeer pens." This little game of make-believe was played quite a bit during December. Elise always wanted to be the "girl Rudolph with the bow.")

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White watching a sea-life documentary movie...

Austin (very loudly): "Ohhhh... its a CHRISTMAS shark!"

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Lucy: "I think the babies would LIKE coal in their stockings, don't you? I mean, they love to play with rocks."

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Elise: "Can you wrap me up like baby Jesus?"

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Lucy's been very curious about "what is a real story."

During the movie "Rudolph" ...

Lucy: I don't think this is a real story because Abominable snowmen aren't really true, are they?"

{funny she said nothing about the talking/singing snowman at the first. ha!}

During "Polar Express" movie...

Lucy: "Is this a real true story?"

Me: "Mmmm... I don't think so. What do you think?"

Lucy: "Well, I don't think it is because why would a kid leave somewhere without telling his parents?"

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In the Christmas parade, the "pro-natural birth" people all dressed up and chanting: "Mary had a natural birth. YOU CAN TOO!"

Ha! Yeah, right. Well... at least I hope not.

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Me: "If the three of you clean up all the junk in this living room, I'll let you watch 'Rudolph.'"

Lucy: "Mmmm... I don't want to watch Rudolph. Its too scary."

Elise: "Don't worry, Yu-cy. I hold you in the scary parts. I not scared."

{and that's what happened}

Apparently the stork can cross the ocean...

Yes, Tripp child #4 is on the way! Due in May.

We are thrilled!

This is the little present I put together to break the news to George:

Get it?

Prego. 100% natural.

Ha! He looked at it for a long time and then said, "NO way!" And then we laughed a whole bunch. And cried some. And laughed some more. We feel very blessed.

This is the picture we sent to our families to break the news.

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If you want a bit of detail, here goes:

I am feeling well. This is week #18. So at this point, I'm past the nausea state. And really, I don't get sick compared to the poor gals who throw up continually. I'm naturally pretty tired, but the last time I was pregnant, I had a newborn and a husband who worked (what seemed like) continually. So really, I'm doing well. Big ultrasound in a couple weeks and at this point, we think we'll keep the gender a surprise. I guess we'll see if we stick to that when the time arrives because neither of us seems to have much of an opinion one way or the other.

The question I've been asked most (even by strangers) is if we were expecting this good news. I always think this is a strange question. I guess its because a "planned" child is such a foreign concept to us. :) We checked in with our fertility doctors before we left SA. They ran a bunch of tests again and felt there was nothing more we could do that wouldn't be a waste of time/money or would be risky to my health. With the stress of moving, selling a house, etc., we just thought we'd put the thought of how/when/whether to grow our family on the shelf for a while. Ha! We are very grateful the Lord thought differently.

So Miracle #4 is on the way...

Mele Kalikimaka from the Tripp's!

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas season! Just thought I'd share two little videos that have brought the spirit of Christ into our celebrations:
Our Christmas Story Tree

What shall we give?

Merry Christmas to all of you!

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And for the grandparents, here are some Christmas carols for you. The girls were easier to film because they don't pay attention when I pull out the camera. But Austin stops and says "cheese" whenever he sees it. I wish I could have captured his whole song (he was just belting it out at the breakfast table :).

We miss you!

This week's holiday happenings - part 2

Better not pout...

(this was after they got spanked for running outside the gate)

On Friday night, we joined a cute family we met through Lucy's school for a walk down "Christmas tree lane." The weather was beautiful, but it seemed sorta strange to be looking at lights wearing flip flops.

This week had several opportunities to see Santa. This was one of them. Apparently he likes Hawaii weather as much as we do.

We helped a bit with Lucy's class Christmas party on Friday. Here's a picture of a few kids as they are delivering donated gifts to the Salvation Army van.

Lucy and I attended a matinee performance of the Nutcracker. On the way, Lucy said, "What?!? Its ALL dancing? Like the WHOLE time? Hmmm... not sure I'm going to like this." :) She had a great time during the first act and was especially excited to recognize some of the songs. Then about 15 minutes before the finale, she said, "This is boring." I must confess, I agreed with her during that particular dance. Overall, we had a great time!

Afterwards, this Nutcracker had a "Sugar Plum Tea" included with all matinee performances. We had sandwiches and drinks and then everyone got to mingle a bit with the dancers. Lucy's favorite dancer was the one with the pink and green costume in the left hand corner.

And look who else came? :)

We made tortilla snowflakes (idea borrowed from my friend, Jamie) for our Hula/Ukulele Christmas social. This was a bigger hit than I thought it would be. Lucy had a great time cutting. After they were baked, we sprinkled powdered sugar on half and cinnamon/sugar on the rest. The taste wasn't to die for, but they looked cute. :)

At the social, our hula class danced to "Mele Kalikimaka". The ukulele students came up to the front of the stage individually, chose a song and then everyone played/sang along. It was really fun.

Santa made an appearance at Lucy's school, too :)

Lucy came home from school one day with something that looked like a dead animal.

Apparently its Rudolph.

making paper snowflakes.

Elise can cut paper pieces smaller than anyone I know.

I found this little set up in the living room. Aww...

Tonight we had a Mexican dinner with some buddies - Powell's and Jensen's. Yum!

Hey, where did everyone go?

Christmas program for Lu

So happy to wear lip gloss. :)

"Little girls get to wear makeup only for Halloween and programs, right mom?"

Lucy's in the far right corner... I always sit on the wrong side.

Lu participated in the K-3 school Christmas program this week. I've heard the songs for a long time (sung in the shower mostly :) so it was fun to see them actually performed. The title was "Miracle on Bethlehem Street." Lucy's speaking part was: "P is for Peace, the most wonderful part." All the kids had obviously been coached to talk "loud and slow." :)

There were songs I hadn't heard and also a few familiar ones (some with verses sung in Hawaiian). Lucy's teacher is also the choir director. Its amazing the energy she has even after teaching 47 years!