Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Uncle Aaron's Visit

One of the best gifts this Christmas was the visit of my brother Aaron and his sweetie, Nicole, all the way from freezing Seattle. There was much joy and jumping around in our family when we were finally able to give them hugs! The kids, especially, loved hanging out with their funny uncle and his pretty girlfriend. We did have to share them with her family and their friends while they were here, but the time we did get with them was full of love and lots of laughter. I've really missed his dry (as in the Sahara Desert) sense of humor. There was a lot of "Do you remember..." and family jokes. There's just something about being with the people you've known your entire life.

We were so excited they were able to come and spend Christmas with us. We're all hoping they'll be able to make it out in March for another visit and to see our new baby! Next time, maybe they will try to sneak Bubba into their suitcases and take him all the way back to Seattle with them. However, I don't think anyone would be happy about that!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Snow, Snow, Snow!

Hubby and I spent Saturday in the snow with our kids freezing our patooties off! After driving for several hours (seriously) because the rest of Phoenix had the same idea, we finally found some. Our yearly trip to the snow is a big deal around here. However, some are less excited than others. See exhibit A:

Exhibit A

Others are way more happy about this. See Exhibits B and C:

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

All in all is was a good, albeit frigid day for us Arizona kids!

Click to play Christmas Morning 2008
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We hope your Christmas was as blessed as ours was this year and every year. Love to all!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

My Irish Tenor



I have to say right here that I am a proud wife! My husband has a great voice and I love hearing him sing. He really only sings in front of others during Christmas, so that's definitely one of the highlights of my season. I had to push and prod him to do it this year because it was more of a time commitment than in previous years, but he was so glad he did it. This year, before they sang in church on Sunday, his group traveled to three nursing homes and sang for the residents there. Not only were the residents blessed, but he got the biggest piece of holiday cheer and realization of what we are blessed with. I LOVE my husband! I love seeing when he is touched by the Lord on such a personal level. The picture above is during our soup potluck on Sunday after church when they went around caroling while we ate.
On Sunday, we had our church service with the singing of Christmas carols. When his group led "Silent Night" the sanctuary was filled with the sound on God's people singing praises to their king. It was a time of intense worship with acapella singing and harmonizing (which I love, but still can't do). No wonder the angels had to split the sky open and announce Christ's birth to the shephards! They couldn't contain their joy. That's exactly how I felt when we were singing that holy song.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Cookies




My wonderful sister and I had a baking day last week and we had a blast! We made 133cookies to give out for our Dad, at least that was before the kids and hubby got them. We had a great time of sister chat, girl talk and shooing kids out of the kitchen. I am so thankful I have a sister close enough to share this Christmas time (and baking) with. By the way, in case you have us confused, she's the thin, non-pregnant one who's blessed with our dad's metabolism. I just look like I've been sampling too many cookies. :) Ah well, at least I have a reason for the chubbiness, right? RIGHT?!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Click to play Christmas 2008
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Friday, December 12, 2008





The camera has been found! (Go ahead, I know you want to sing the Hallelujah chorus for me!) Hmmm, too bad the new camera is due to be in today. I guess I'll just have to keep both of them. Oh, dear!
This was our trip to the tree lot last Friday. It was actually a little chilly and I was sorry we didn't have big jackets. It just made it seem more winter-y. We found the perfect tree pretty much right away, which is very unusual, and the kids wanted to explore the little trees. Ya-ya and Bubba found some just their size. It was Gi-Gi, though, who came home with the prize. Ever since she was a baby, people have just wanted to give her stuff for free (I wish I had that gift). I don't know why that is, but complete strangers will just give her things. Such was the case last Friday. She was admiring the little "Charlie Brown" Christmas trees and one of the workers asked her if she wanted one. She is so proud of that little tree and takes excellent care of it! It's now sitting in our kitchen where she is graciously sharing it with the whole family.
Bubba and Ya-ya were just fascinated with putting rocks in the trees' water. For some reason that's incredibly entertaining.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Early Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas-sy weekend with so many great photo ops. One problem...I lost the camera. (Sigh of remose) I can't really say I'm that upset about the camera. It's the pictures that were lost with it. So many cute pictures of picking out the perfect tree and poof! they're gone. And to add insult to injury, I had just replaced the batteries! I know someday the camera will be spewed out of the black hole I call my house right now, but will it be before Christmas?

Well, panic set in and obviously a new camera must be purchased right away. Okay, now usually I am not a person who rushes out and buys something when I imagine I need it. But truly, this is a necessity and I had turned the house and car upside down looking for it first. Besides, hubby and I had already planned on this and were saving up for this purchase. We just had to do it a little sooner than expected. So, begging my children's patience this morning (no small undertaking) I ordered one online today. I'm so excited. However, it has to be shipped! Arrrrggggggghhhhh! So much for immediate gratification. I even splurged and got 2-4 day shipping. I have now taken to checking my email every 10 minutes to see if my camera is on it's way. Nope, nothing yet.

Until then, my blog is pretty picture-less. But when that camera gets into these little fingers (well, they're only slightly swollen) watch out! I'm sure my family will get tired of seeing that camera in my face. But it will be such a Merry Christmas for me!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Christmas Fun

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Usually this goes through email, but I thought it would be fun to put it on the blog. I would love to see your answers, too, so please leave a comment so I can go to your blog and check out your answers! Thanks, Aunt Mac, for sending this.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both depending on whatever the present needs

2. Real tree or Artificial? real, all the way

3. When do you take the tree down? about a week after Christmas

4. Do you like eggnog? depends on who has made it

5. Favorite gift received as a child? my red Schwinn bike in 1st grade or the poodle skirt Grandma made for me in 4th grade

6. Hardest person to buy for? my dad

7. Easiest person to buy for? any of my kids

8. Do you have a nativity scene? three

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? As a daughter of a former mailman, I feel it is my duty to support the Post Office by mailing cards. Plus, I love getting fun mail like Christmas cards.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Okay, here's me opening up: a terrible sweater 5 sizes too big (seriously) with the Wal-Mart clearance tags on it. It was given to Goodwill the next day.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Nativity or The Bishop's Wife starring Cary Grant

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually around September unless I'm somewhere special on a trip earlier in the year and see something that's absolutely perfect.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no, never!

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Uh, I'm pregnant so anything! But the favoritest is coffeecake, fudge, or well, okay just about anything.

15. Lights on the tree? Where else would they go?

16. Favorite Christmas song? Still, Still, Still; Breath of Heaven; O Holy Night

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home because I want my kids to have great memories of Christmas at home.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Of course, but I don't want to show off. Well, okay: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Oh, and Rudolph.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning, although when the kids get older, they'll be able to open one on Christmas Eve.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? To copy Autie Mac, the consumerism and the rush, rush, rush

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? Traditional red, green and gold

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? changes every year

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? why doesn't the homeschool convention have gift cards?! Well, world peace, new tennis shoes, gift cards, tidings of comfort and joy, and a new camera.

25. Who is most likely to respond to this? ?
26. Who is least likely to respond to this? ?

27. What do you put in your stockings? legs! Oh, that kind of stocking. Well, depends on whose it is. It could be toiletry items, jewelry, candy, small books or toys, just small little goodies.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Welcome, December!


It's December 1st! Hooray, it's a wonderful time of year! Wait, is it really?

Honestly, I have to say, today has not been the best day so far. I was all set to welcome this wonderful Christmas season with a carol in my heart when I awoke to sick children (like the pukey kind), throw-up laundry, dishes in the sink, schoolwork to be done, and Christmas decorations that have yet to find their home. To top it off, I've been feeling a little under the weather and have no energy to even put juice into sippy cups. I have a list of things to do (who doesn't) in order to make this Christmas season meaningful and yet simpler than before.

So, I've decided to ban the Martha Stewart-spirit from my home. If you haven't noticed, I have a tendency to be a perfectionist. This season, I'm letting go. Yes, I want everything to be beautiful and wonderful for my family and selfishly, myself. This is just me being honest here. However, I am not willing to sacrifice my time and energy with my family to make sure everything is "just so". I think about the story in the Bible about Mary and Martha (wait, could her last name have been Stewart?) and I'm reminded what my priorities should, no, need to be.

This being said, if you receive Christmas cards with stamps on them upside down or little scribbles on the backs of the envelopes, it's because I just closed my eyes and shoved them in the mailbox before I could "fix" the things my three helpers may have "helped" with.

Now that I have purged myself of the holiday grumpiness, I feel much better and feel like I can sing "Joy to the World" with a happy heart. I hope your season is filled with lots of help from your "helpers" and wonderful memories that will be made. And, yes, it really is a wonderful time of year!