december... or a little of it!

We had a little bit of a crazy December, more so than normal!  Three kids did exams this year, me working (and I hate to complain, it is only 2 days a week, but I am a wimp!  We do so much better when I am totally focused on running the home... I have respect for all the working moms out there!), many games for Mally Grace and Reilly, Nora and her strange virus that wore her down (and the rest of us...not used to a whiny Nora!  Ready for easy going Nora to be back!), Flynn is busier than normal with this being the first year end of running his own business, Nora and the missing glasses (more on that in a bit!), no christmas cards out... a first for me!  and we lost this sweet lady:
Aunt Frances.  Flynn's wonderful aunt who was like a grandmother to him since he never knew his grandmothers. She was the last living member of his dad's family.  She was a part of our family holidays, religious celebrations, and many memories.  And she is who Nora Frances is named after.  We will miss her greatly.

holding her little namesake...

Aunt Frannie was not a poser, so most pictures are of her covering her face or looking away!

Nora lost her glasses...it was the oddest thing.  We know for a fact they were on her face at one point because a friend was here and commented on them.  30 minutes later I asked her to sit down and do homework and reminded her to put her glasses on...they were gone.  We looked EVERYWHERE, cleaned out everything- no basket, pocket, drawer, pillow, furniture left unturned.  We prayed to St. Anthony over and over...Tony tony come around!  I think he was on Christmas vacation!  2 weeks go by and we give in and order a new pair.  We go get them and ON MY WAY home, Flynn calls to tell me Mally Grace and her friend have found something in the driveway... in many pieces...Insurance covers "broken" so I call and ask them to define broken, which apparently does not mean crushed!  We are hoping that this pair sticks around!  Then she forgot them for her therapy, meaning two trips there in 2 days!  Sweet sister Malachy leaves her notes all over the house to make sure she takes them!  The funny part is that when Nora was 1 she also lost her little glasses and we looked all over the place and doctor said no need since she was about to have a surgery and also about to outgrow them...almost a year later we found them in Potato Heads rear!  So this time Nora made sure we looked there!