christmas recap - the 25th

Christmas morning started with gifts from Santa.

We were quite surprised at their reactions. Taylor went straight to the tool bench, and Mason went straight for the princess bike.

But we set them straight and they were excited!

All 5 of us (the dog too) enjoyed all the goodies in our stockings!

The kids really didn't even notice there were lots of other presents to be opened under the tree. So we had a nice enjoyable breakfast with no mention of presents. I'm sure this won't last many more years if any at all! It was so nice having my parents there on Christmas morning with us.

Our breakfast tradition started as an accident. My post from last year explains it well. Long story short - we were all sick before Christmas last year. So nothing got prepared as planned. We wanted to do a birthday party for Jesus each Christmas morning but I had not made the cake or cupcakes I had intended to make. So at the last minute we made pancakes and used a stack of them as a "cake" that we could put a candle in. We had no syrup and no regular candles. But it worked.

And honestly, even though the pancakes were a last minute decision and I didn't really like it at the time, the idea stuck! I decided pancakes stacked up for a cake was such an easy and great way - and made more sense for breakfast. So we had strawberries and whipped cream and this time we had syrup. And toilet paper in the house.

We enjoyed breakfast casserole and pancakes and Dave read the Christmas story while we ate.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

After breakfast we opened presents.

Dave passed them all out just like my grandpa used to do.

Then we opened one at a time.

Mason opened his Cars suticase first and then had a meltdown because he didn't want to open anymore. He just wanted to pull his suitcase around. I would say he definitely got an obsessive amount of Cars/Lightning McQueen things - but it was just so cute to see how much he liked it and hear the number of times he kept saying "CAR!"

Our kids were quite spoiled by their grandparents and aunts and uncles! Thanks to everyone!

This was the best Christmas I've had in a LONG time. We were all healthy, we didn't have to travel (thanks Mom and Dad!), it was a WHITE CHRISTMAS, and we got to spend lots of time with all those we love the most!

2010 - WE'RE READY FOR YOU!!

Happy New Year!

christmas recap - the nativity story

So our new tradition this year was for all the grandkids to act out the nativity story.

I got this idea from our friends the Macs . I got the idea too late last year. So I suggested it to Dave's mom then and she reminded me of it this year.

So without further ado - here is the cast...

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2: 4-7

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-14

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:15-20

(although the story of Jesus's birth in Luke does NOT include the wisemen at the manger scene, we still included them so we could incorporate more parts!)

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:9-11

Mason was suppossed to be another king, but he was having a meltdown instead.

He hated his costume.

They finished with "Away in the Manger"

The End.

We are hoping this becomes an annual tradition.

Eventually organized and directed by the kids themselves. We'll see.

What fun to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus by acting it out!

*sorry for the blurry pictures, I was on the move most of the time, plus trying to hold Mason in my other arm

christmas recap - the eve

We celebrate with Dave's family on Christmas Eve and every Christmas Eve starts off the same way.

A trip to Drubers (the donut shop) to see Santa.



Waiting in line to see Santa

She still wouldn't do the lap thing.
But this was the best she's been so far - she smiled, talked and gave him a high five!

Santa is a good friend of Dave's parents, so he knows all the grandkids names which they think is pretty neat.

And yes, she is doing exactly what it appears that she is doing.
I thought this would be a good one for teenage blackmail!

Then back to Nana and Papa's for a fun day with family!

Nana has a story she reads the kids about the meaning of Christmas. Each symbol of Christmas has a special meaning and an ornament that represents it. The kids all got to place these special ornaments on the tree as the meaning was explained.


Mason kept himself busy since his attention span is much shorter than the rest.

Then we began a NEW TRADITION this year. One that needs a post ALL to itself! So stay tuned.

It's definitely a CRAZY house with all 7 kiddos running around all day.
But the kids have so much fun.
And lots of memories are made.


After a housefull of naps, we headed to the Christmas eve service at Nana and Papa's church.
We chose to sit on the first 2 rows - with 7 kids.
You'd think we'd be smarter than that.

Then home for Chili and PRESENTS!



It was such a fun Christmas for this little guy.

It was so fun watching him enjoy all of his gifts.
He enjoyed gifts that weren't his too. In fact, I think we could have made his year if we had gotten him one of these Bitty Baby dolls like his cousin got. He would NOT let go of it.

Do you remember THIS that I made??
Well, he LOVED it!
I couldn't even believe he loved it so much.
He told me 2 times it was his favorite gift.
Totally luck. Who would have ever guessed?
But it sure felt good to have a 9 year old appreciate something I made SO much!


We finally got both of our kids to agree to be in a picture. And what a great one this is!
The proud grandparents of 7!



A wonderful wonderful Christmas eve.
We headed home, and were met by my parents who had arrived that night to spend Christmas Day with us.
Got the kids in bed and started our normal Christmas Eve wrapping.
My dad saw our pile of gifts and said "you still have to wrap all of those tonight?"
Yep Dad. We do.
Because that's just how we roll at this house.

Christmas morning came quick.

christmas recap - parties

A little sneak peak back at some of our Christmas parties...

Our Community Life Group had an ugly sweater and white elephant gift exchange party.

There were definitely some interesting gifts.
an animal trap
a sheep skull
a very special trophy
a box full of maybe 200 outdated notepads to a doctor's office
a dead plant
oh yeah, and a slicer attachment to a Kithcenaide mixer - for real! Old wedding gift, never used.
You can guess what was getting stolen among all the junk!

Matt got some new lovely teeth.


I guess there's been a tradition that has been started.
Whoever hosts the party ends up finding lots of the gifts left behind - in random places.

The trophy got tested out on the animal trap - SUCCESS! The trap worked.
and then placed in the nativity scene
Notepads were stashed EVERYWHERE - including on top of the fan, in the couch, etc.
The stockings and Christmas tree had surprises left in them too.



We are SO blessed with such an amazing group of friends that we get to meet with almost every week!

I hosted a Christmas party for all the girls in my Premier Family!
Such a fun group of girls!
And our house was done, and Christmas decorations put up, just in time.


We had lots of yummy food and a gift exchange too! This time it wasn't junk. Just gifts that we could use for our businesses in some way.

Everyone was being nice and not stealing, so I stole first to get them going.
And they took off from there. By the end over half the gifts had been stolen the max number of times!

Love these girls - and all the friendships I have because of Premier!

We also had a Christmas party with all the gals that I'm in a bible study with every Tuesday morning (and their husbands!).

More food
More white elephants gifts
More fun with friends

Just no pictures.

These parties and these people are just ONE more reason I love love love this time of year!
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Keep on reading - I have several posts being added that you might have missed!

Christmas program

I've got lots of December pictures to squeeze in over the next day or so. I'm guessing it won't happen. So I may end up postdating so I can keep them all in 2009.

Our church didn't have their regular children's Christmas program this year due to the fact that many many people in the church are consumed by Judgement House during October which is when all the work for the Christmas program would normally begin. So they choose to change things up and have an Easter program instead!

But the kids still got to go on stage one Sunday morning in December to sing for their parents!


It was Mason's debut in any program and he did GREAT! YES, they let kiddos UNDER 2 perform - how fun is that!??!?

He didn't do any actions - but he also didn't cry or run to me when he spotted me taking pictures. He even gave me a sweet little shy smile!


They sang "Away in the Manger" and "Happy Christmas!"
You should see little Mason do the actions at home - so stinkin cute!

For those of you who asked for a picture of her bangs. I maybe made it sound worse than it really was.

You can tell in these pictures that she has some bangs on one side of her head. At this point I had not even trimmed them straight yet. It obviously could have been MUCH worse (much closer to her head!) I didn't have to fix them much. Mostly because I'm not sure WHAT to do with them. For now we just use a barrette to keep them out of her face. Which we obviously forgot on the morning she was getting up on stage.

So considering the size of the chunk of hair she cut off, I guess I can say she did a pretty decent job of cutting herself some bangs. I won't tell her that though!

Taylor's newest hobby

I'm not sure if CUTTING is a hobby.

Unless you're 3.

Or 21 months for that matter.


Taylor would be happy if I gave her a pair of scissors and a pile of papers and she cut all day long.

Notice the area around them.
This is what I have been finding ALL over my house.


I thought I had the scissors put away so they can only use them when I get them out for them.

But I was wrong.

I got in the shower thinking they were just playing nicely in the basement.
When I was done, I called them up and we headed to Papa's house.
I didn't notice anything at the time.
But at Papa's house I put Taylor's hair in a ponytail. When she turned around, I noticed her bangs.
The bangs she never had before.
I just stared at her for a minute trying to figure out how she got bangs.
When I looked closer I noticed the choppy edges.
The minute I asked her what happened to her hair, she burst into tears.

Truth be told.

Back at home, I found this on the floor, right where she had been sitting...

So needless to say, I think we'll try to pick up a new hobby around here.
And the little kid scissors that I bought for their stockings (since up to this point they have been using my scrapbooking scissors) stayed in the closet. I don't think I want to promote this hobby anymore.

sweet friends

I had such a fun Saturday a few weeks ago.
My best friend from college lives in California. So I NEVER get to see her anymore.
She's gorgeous. Such a California girl. In the fashion industry. We are quite the opposite.

In fact, I always laugh, because out of the 50 girls in my sorority pledge class in college, she would maybe have been #49 on my list of who I thought I'd end up being best friends with.

I'm such a small town girl in so many ways.
She's totally not.
I had absolutely NO fashion sense.
From the first day I met her, she has always looked liked she walked straight off the runway.
Eyes are just drawn to her when she walks in a room.
I sneak into rooms, many times, hoping to not be noticed.
She's fun, crazy, outgoing.
I'm kind of boring.

Honestly, the night I first met her. I'll be honest and say that she was THAT girl.
That girl I would NEVER be friends with.
WAY too cute.
Center of attention.
Oh her long blonde, gorgeous locks, and her coordinating, silk pajamas, she made me sick.
"I would NEVER click with her"
(Jenny, I hope you're still reading this!)

Then our pledge class was heading out of town for our "freshman sneak" (just a fun weekend away that I think was suppossed to be a secret to the rest of the house, if I remember correctly) We were all still so new, trying to find our way, trying to figure out our place in the mess of 50 girls who were suppossed to be our "sisters". I needed a ride to KC and somehow I ended up asking Jenny.

Yeah, THAT girl.

We rode to KC together. Talked, laughed, got to know each other.
We clicked...I couldn't believe it.
I loved her heart. I loved who she was.
And that was that.

The beginning of a friendship that is now almost 9 1/2 years old. WHOAH! Really?
We were roommates several different times in college.
We were together through some very tough stuff.
We laughed, we cried, we ate Thai food, we drove each other to class in the rain and snow, we did crazy dumb things.

Then she spent a semester in London.
Totally her.
Totally NOT me.


When she left for London, I was still dating my highschool sweetheart, of almost 5 years.
When she returned, I had met Dave.
I remember those phone calls. Trying to explain to her what was happening in my life.
Trying to explain to her the step of faith I was about to take.

Many of my friends chose not to follow me into this new chapter of my life.
But Jenny did.

Many doubted me, and thought I was making a horrible decision.
If Jenny thought this too, she at least didn't tell me. I think she thought I was crazy for awhile. I was giving up what many people, including myself, thought would be my future. But she stood behind me. She welcomed Dave with open arms, when others did not.

A few years later, Jenny stood beside me as Dave became my husband.
I've missed her.
Our lives took us on 2 completely different paths after college.
But I will take advantage of every chance I can to see her again.

So I packed up the kids and drove to see her in KC.
She was home at her parents house for a long Thanksgiving break.
It was going to be a family trip, but then Dave needed to finish the fireplace before the carpet was installed. So I braved it with both kids.

Her parents were so welcoming to us...and fed us lunch when we got there.
And got out their old-school Cooties and Trouble game for the kids. SO FUN!



Jenny's dad, Mark, sang and played his guitar for the kids, and even let them strum.

And YES, that IS the leopard snuggie. I've made lots of fun of them. But Jenny loved hers. Taylor loved it too. I'm reconsidering my overall opinion.

It was a short visit. But a great one.
Love you lots Jenny!



But that's not it.
I didn't get to see just ONE old friend that day, but TWO!!!

Onnie and I have been friends since preschool.
We got SO VERY close in high school.
I did a post about her last year during a really important time in her life.

She's a doctor. So is her husband.
I think I can call her that already.
She's been in medical school for what seems like an eternity. I'm sure it seems even longer to her.
She's seriously one of the smartest and most driven women I know!
She had a baby girl 6 weeks after Mason was born.
Yeah, 2 doctors, still finishing school and residencies and all that - with a baby - they are ROCK STARS!

I hadn't gotten to see little Anna since the hospital when she was born.
That is WAY too long.

Aren't they seriously beautiful - both of them!!

Onnie fed Mason marshmellows. That's what good friends do for each other's kids, right?


It was fun having our kiddos together to play. I sure wish we were closer and could do it more often.



I could not get over how stinkin cute Anna is. There was just something about her that was so familiar. I think she reminded me of Onnie. The Onnie I knew when we were 4. What a fun feeling that was.


We tried to get the kids in a picture together. We threw marshmallows in the air at them.

But really nothing was working. This is the best we could do. And even in this picture I'm pretty sure EVERYONE is in motion.

Thanks for letting us stop by Onnie! Thanks for the mac and cheese and marshmellows.

I LOVED getting to see you and catch up on life. I loved getting to share our kiddos with each other.
Let's set up an arranged marriage for Mason and Anna, okay?



Such a fun Saturday.
Nothing beats sitting with old friends and being able to pick up right where you left off.
On my drive home, I was feeling so very blessed to have such wonderful friends in my life.
To not only the ones I get to drive a few hours to see, but also those that I get to drive home and be surrounded by too.

"We always thought we'd look back on our tears and laugh, but we never thought we'd look back on our laughter and cry."

just the beginning

This has been such a growing year for me.
And I have felt the changes down deep inside, most itensely at the holidays.
Easter.
Thanksgiving
And now Christmas.

No doubt, I have always understood why we celebrate Christmas.
But this year I am understanding it more than ever in my heart.
That just seems to be what's going on with me this year.
Learning.
Reflection.
New Understanding.

My heart has been so heavy over the last few days. It aches and bursts with joy and happiness all at the same time. I have struggled more than ever this year as I have watched those close to me and those all around ALL of us experience pain and dissappointment and tough times.

But yet my heart is joyful. I am thankful. I am blessed. And even though my heart may ache for so many reasons, I look around and can't help but see MORE THAN EVER just how GOOD our God is.

I've spent some time over the last few days trying to reflect and really think about this holiday. And I mean think about it like I have never thought about it before.

It's easy to know the story of Jesus's birth, believe in it, celebrate it, but not TRULY TRULY understand it's worth. Truly understand it's capacity and meaning.

I clicked over to a blog last night, and was skimming over the 212 comments left in reponse to the question "How do you handle Santa at your house?" Dave and I have had some great conversations about this at our house in the past week so I was some-what interested in hearing what others were saying.

After reading many comments, I came to one that was written by someone that seemed to have gotten a little off topic, but it started a WHOLE realm of additional comments. This commenter stated that NO WHERE in the bible does God command us to celebrate his birth. There was a lot said by this commenter, but long story short - they don't celebrate Christmas because we are NOT suppossed to celebrate the birth of Jesus but rather his death and resurrection.

I'm sure you can only imagine the comments that were posted in response to this.

It just got me thinking about this birth that we celebrate.
It's a birthday. It's about a little baby.
And I really do think that there are people all over the place that DO remember this story when they celebrate Christmas. Christians or not. And for some, it may just do it because "that's just what we're suppossed to do". Even if it's just for a mere 2 minutes among all the hustle and bustle. But that's it. That's the extent of the celebration and THAT BABY is the only thing remembered.

So this Christmas, I am DEFINITELY celebrating that birth.
But I am looking beyond.
Because as much as we can say "it's not about the presents, it's not about Santa"
I think we should also realize that it's not just about the manger or the sheperds or the the angel or wisemen.

It's about a birth.
That led to a cross.
And it's about an empty tomb.
It's about my sin.
It's about this world that is lost.

Jesus was born on this earth
so that we may be born again.
And have eternal life.

It's about the gift.
The one that costs us nothing.
But cost Him everything.

The birth was just the beginning.
But the real celebration is the rest of the story.
And the rest can't happen without the beginning.
That is definitely worthy of a great big birthday bash!
And definitely worth our focus among all the other things this season brings.

I love how this video just brings it all together.

a FANCY tea party

To celebrate the end of Taylor's time with Parents As Teachers, Miss Donna came over for a FANCY tea party!


What a FUN idea! Taylor was just in heaven.
Miss Donna's basket was full of juice, grapes, strawberries, bananas, donut holes, and a REAL breakable tea set that was VERY FANCY.

Taylor absolutely loved pouring everyone's tea. She would wait anxiously for us to drink it so she could pour more.

Miss Donna even pulled out the Fancy Nancy Tea Party book - Taylor LOVES Fancy Nancy!

Miss Donna even helped Taylor fold a FANCY napkin just the way Fancy Nancy does for her tea parties.

It was especially fun because Daddy was home with us too! The weather was bad so he had the day off. This made the FANCY tea party even more special.

Our new carpet was installed the next day. What a great "last day of our old carpet" activity to do!

I'm a little sad. Because no more PAT means that preschool is just around the corner!
Oh my FANCY little girl is growing up.