Advent Day 10

Tell someone you love them.

Where do I start? There are so many people in my life that I love! But today I'm picking a few fam members to glow over.

I'll start with my brother...John and I are two different birds. But we have the same sense of humor which I think has been the glue between us. I feel like I missed so much of life as I moved out right when he started high school, then he was off to the air force. But after six years of that he's home, he's married...and I have to say it...he's a man. I'm proud of him, and I love you!

My parents may see an obvious choice, but I do love them tons! It's not been the easiest to live so far away from them, especially as I watch my own children grow and I want them to see all of it! But the Lord has been good to us with all our visits, Internet and the phone. We have the technology! They are supportive and loving, and even in the harder times I knew they were on a firm foundation. I think that's the most important thing they could have done for me.

I love my cousins. I will always get to see my parents, but getting together with them is not as automatic and I miss them dearly. They probably won't even see this, or ever really know how much I love them, but I do! We laugh and have the BEST time when we are together. There are always the same fights, a few of the same stories, and a game or two usually squeezed in. They are slowly catching up to me with 3 of them married now. I don't have a pic of all of us together, but I love this memory with Aunt Sandy's amazing white plastic trash can of dress up clothes! (This was over 10ish yrs ago)

Advent Day 9

Celebrate with friends.

Friday night I hit the town with...


these two ladies.


It was one of many "last get together's" before Min leaves for Germany on Thursday. As always we had a blast and laughed and laughed. I feel I can truly be myself around these girls and even though we didn't hang out tons and tons, I'm going to be missing the option this threesome. Mindy was always ready for late night trips to the movie theater and deep talks in the car. She was always embracing of my honesty and quirkiness! SO, even though we will mourn her absence, we CELEBRATE the path that the Lord is leading her on. We celebrate that she is so willing to follow. We love you Mindy!!!!


super late last night, or early this morning.....good good times...


some addendum's to earlier advent days:


We actually did carol a song or two or more last night in a retirement home. J really got into it. He said on the way home, "mom at first I was like 'uhhh, i don't like this,' but then I did and it was fun!" Den told me that at one of the rooms we stopped at he went right up to a woman and hugged her while telling her Merry Christmas. I love my boy!!



J chose to "give something back" to his mom mom because she "always makes us food". So we made her mint chocolate chip cookies.

Advent Day 8

Remember Charity


*water

*food

*shelter

Advent Day 7

Give a gift of love.

there is no picture or link to go with this as it has been a busy and long day. however, when we opened this up and read it both kids attacked us with hugs and kisses, gifts of love indeed!

Advent Day 6

Be merry today and always

mer⋅ry /ˈmɛri/ –adjective, mer⋅ri⋅er, mer⋅ri⋅est.
1.full of cheerfulness or gaiety; joyous in disposition or spirit: a merry little man.
2.laughingly happy; mirthful; festively joyous; hilarious: a merry time at the party.
3.Archaic. causing happiness; pleasant; delightful.—Idiom
4.make merry,
a.to be happy or festive: The New Year's revelers were making merry in the ballroom.




here are a couple of V just for fun

Advent Day 5

Give something back.

The kids have each thought of someone that has been generous in their lives and they have come up with ways to "give back" to them in their own ways. Perhaps I'll document that later. For now here are a few (very few, my internet was not cooperating, there is sooo much more out there!) ways we can all give back.

Samaratin's Purse

The Salvation Army

Crystal Peaks

Advent Day 4

Carol a Song

As you can see we had a helper. I love how you can hear J singing in the background in "Jesus loves Me" . I let them pick the first song, then requested something about Jesus. We will actually being caroling at a nursing home on Monday, so this we be re fulfilled then.

SIDENOTE: Special little happy birthday to TINA!!!!! I don't normally do this for friends on their birthdays but I'm inspired to share. Tina has been an amazing friend since I met her in CO, but even more so since I have moved East. She is fabulous to laugh with and I can talk to her about nearly anything from the shallowest fashion concern, to deep trials of the heart. She is full of integrity and she's a great mom and devoted wife, constant in seeking our Savior's ways. I'm beyond blessed to know her. Happy Birthday Tina! Love you tons! (you'll be glad to know T that I decided against digging up and scanning an old pic of you in costume in CO, consider that your other gift)

Advent Day 3

Contribute to Peace

So this is one of the trickier ones. Peace can mean different things in different contexts. In this house peace is after 8pm, but I don't think consistent bedtimes is what is being implied here. Naturally my mind went to the war that is going on in the Middle East. Dennis often mentions our soldiers in prayer with the kids. Yesterday I got an email with this link www.LetsSayThanks.com . I believe Xerox did this last year, but you can pick out a card and they will send it to a soldier who is currently sering in Iraq. I will be having the kids do this when J gets home. As I type this I can hear my baby cooing, my daughter flipping through the pages of a book under our Christmas tree and I can smell a beef stew simmering in the crock pot. Those who have chosen to serve us to promote peace, are not in a peaceful situation. The least we can do is send them a thanks for their sacrifice with a few clicks of the mouse, and keep them in our prayers. By the way, Dennis has a cousin leaving in a few days for Baghdad. He'll be driving a lead truck, the truck that will be the first to find roadside bombs. Pray for Dan.

I'd also like to try some sort of peace treaty between the sometimes feuding siblings...we'll see.

Advent Day 2

Hug Someone

They wouldn't hug each other long enough for a picture, but then they hugged me.

J wanted to take a pic of me so I hugged myself :)

Advent Day 1

Every year my mom had an advent calendar for us and we loved it, especially when it was our turn to open the little window. We've had one for the past couple years that plays music and will keep using it until the batteries die. My friend Elicia gave us a new one that we are adding to our advent time this year. Each day tells you to do something and I am going to try to have us do each one in some fashion.




Day One: Shop Fair Trade

The Tree is Up

i just love all the goofiness in this picture

Happy Thanksgiving!

The kids made placecards :)

etc...

Just a bit of catch up, few from when my mom was here and a few recents...

Someone gave E a build-a-bear gift card for her birthday. This was so up her alley.

She kissed the heart,

put it in her kitty,

gave the kitty a bath,

and dressed the kitty (she chose undies instead of shoes).

Meet Nysa (nice-uh, a name she created).

a winter day fort

so sweet

seconds later

we just haven't been happy: teething+pinkeye+cold = boo

does anyone else think this potato looks like a heart?

So this is a little long, but it's been a while since I posted a clip.

5 years of E

My girl is 5. FIVE!! Craziness. So her day started with a breakfast of choice which was baked oatmeal.

she enjoyed it thoroughly

She had preschool that day where she was the birthday princess. It also happened to be the field trip to the ice cram shop day...she lucked out. It was there (above) where they sang to her. When they got back to class she passed out her birthday treats.

That evening I made the birthday dinner she requested: chicken, broccoli, corn, sweet potato fries. We had brownies and ice cream before we opened some presents from us and my mom. We then watched a slide show I made from birth to 5yrs. V kept yelling at it, which didn't match up with the vision I had of emotionally reminiscing, but we still enjoyed it.

Saturday was her fairy party with a few friends. I got a little craft crazy. I made mushrooms and wands that I hid and turned into a game. I also made wings and tutus that the girls happily wore and frolicked around in. They took all these things home as well as a few other goodies in baskets. The girls were great and really seemed to enjoy being fairies. There was one who would actually say things like "do the other fairies get to...?" My mom was a huge help in finishing some of the projects, as were the others who stayed at the party. thanks to all!

I'm officially NOT a cupcake decorator, but they were yummy!