Get a Handel on things!

Heyo - El Jako grande' here. What el jako grande means I don't know. I'm strange. Many of you will attest to this. Anyway. The title is in reference to Handel's Messiah, which Ruth, Ayla and I went to a performance of this morning at church. I've vaguely heard of it, and anyone who was in choir certainly knows it (aka Ruth). It was really quite awesome. A co-worker of mine (Helena) invited us and we haven't been to a church in a bit so it was really nice to go. And Ayla loved the service. It was over an hour long and with lots of music but she did great. Every time the music stopped she'd say "mauk, mauk" as in "keep it going!" Keeping with the saying things, Ayla is still adding to it - wait, that would be math. Um...

Lately she's been having little conversations about the moon "The moona. Where'd it go? It's all gone. It's sleepy. Hong shhh hong shh (the sound of snoring). She likes to touch christmas ornaments on the tree and talk about them too - "touch the bear, touch the ball." She also likes helping me water the tree. Every morning she holds my hand as we walk from the kitchen to the living room with a water cup. When I lay down and get under the tree to water it, she crouch's down next to me and then after I'm done carry's the cup back to the kitchen for me saying "take it, take it". After I take it from her she then claps and is very proud. I am too. : )

Otherwise...let's see. The last post was Ruth's birthday. There's so much before that we never caught up on (Michigan, my brother and his family being in town - to which Ayla runs around with a christmas picture of them now saying "ayee! caynen! - who are her cousins Allie and Caden. By the way Aunt Mandy, she does say Mandy now too - along with Josh, Beth, Sarah. She has most of the immediate family members down I think and just loves her cousins - who are also Oli, Hano and Keekay (Ruth's sister Beth's kids). Oh, and when we went up to see my Grandma Schmidt in the hospital, she even said Mana (grandma) Aggie after we told Ayla who she was. And that was last sunday.

This last week was good. I worked from home (and actually did) on Tuesday b/c of snow (7 inches). That was nice as Ayla would peek through a hole in our basement door (i was working in the basement) and say "hi!!" all excited throughout the day - so much so Ruth had to put a table in the way to keep her from doing it all day. I didn't mind but the floor is REALLY dirty there as it's also where our backdoor is.

Last night (saturday) Ayla spent some time with Mana Sue and Papa Dave as they watched her at our house while Ruth and I went out for dinner and did some Christmas shopping. Ayla also received an early Christmas present from said Mana and Papa - a little kitchenette set that you see in the pictures. She loves it and has spent most of her waking time at it today. (she's currently taking a 3 hour nap!) Thank you Mana and Papa (and Papa for putting it together for 4 hours last night! - I don't think you ever put a kitchenette set together for Josh and I - well, maybe Josh, but I won't mention that. : )

We hope all of you are doing well - and obviously, for family who read - special thoughts and prayers for Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Steve and cousin Missy and Matt who are expecting baby Sarah this week!