Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Everyone!
Yeah! Our computer is fixed and I can transfer photos again!

My precious baby is 4 years old!

Our little Miss Miah turns 4 years old on Friday, but we celebrated her birthday yesterday. She requested a PINK PRINCESS PARTY, and that is what she got. (Although she wanted her friends to play dress up with her, and they didn't want to, she started to demand that they play dress up, so I had to step in with a lesson on being bossy.) "It's my party and You'll do what I want to" was her mind set, but she adjusted her attitude quickly and had a great night.

I will post pictures as soon as the computer gets fixed.

Thank you to everyone who came to her party. Miah is a shining light in our life. She is very girlie, very silly, very emotional, very helpful and full of love. She has a very shy side and also a very out-going side, which she switches between quite quickly. She loves to play dress-up, play with stuffed animals, especially horses, bears and puppys. She also loves art! She paints with her brothers almost everyday.

It is hard to believe she is my youngest and she is now 4 years old! Awesome and Sad all at the same time.

Homeschool Christmas Party day!

Well, last minute I realized that today was Jalen's Christmas party at school, so I needed to come up with something fun for Cameron, Miah and I at home, so no one felt left out. So total last minute, we made chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles, and then we had left over melted chocolate, so we threw in raisens and almonds, WOW, those were good. My favorite part was watching Cameron help Miah. He is so sweet with her. I am thankful he has a little sister to look out for and teach and be gentle with. I think it is good preperation for him for later on in life. But, what also blessed my heart was that, even before we were done, Cameron saw a neighbor walking her dog, and he grabbed a pretzel, threw on his shoes and chased her down to wish her a Merry Christmas and give her a chocolate pretzel. Then he made up a big plate to take to our friends across the street, and he made a homemade Christmas card, or should I say "crismis" card for them.

Then we picked Jalen up from school and he had all sorts of Christmas crafts and little treats, but the first thing he did was give a treat to Cameron and Miah. (He told me on the way to school that if he got any treats he was going to ask the teacher if he could bring one home for his brother and sister too. I figured his teacher would say no, but I loved his heart.)

(Now, I am praying for a snow day tomorrow!!!)

Update on my photo's

Well, figured out that my camera is fine, it is the computer that is not allowing me to transfer my photo's in. So for the past month I have not been able to transfer any new photo's. So I may have to do my Christmas letter without photo's. :(

SO MUCH TO SAY... SO LITTLE ENERGY...

Really Cool stuff to share, but I am low on energy and on my way to sleep, BUT, wanted to say a few things.

Colossians 1:28-29
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

It has been such a blessing seeing my children so excited for Christmas. They are seriously the most generous children I have ever known. They keep going through their closets pulling out things to wrap up and give to others. It is humorous and heart warming. They all love to give. We are trying to teach what is appropriate to give and what isn't without squelching their enthusiasum. So far as long as it's clean and it still works, I say sure!

Last week, Jalen kept asking for me to take him to the "Dollar Store",(which, around here, it should be called the "More than a Dollar Store") Anyways.... finally I took him. See my children get allowance money each week and I knew Jalen had been saving his for quite awhile, and so he knew exactly what he wanted to buy. He saved up $10.00 and he walked right into the store, walked right to the spot where this special item was, and he grabbed it, walked up to the counter and used every dollar he had plus his change for tax. He used all but .20 cents. He bought a big nerf gun thing. He wanted to give it to his best friend Luke for Christmas. We went right home and he wrapped it up and made a card. Two days later we went to Lukes house and Jalen gave him the gift. It truly is more blessed to give than to recieve.

I don't know who is looking forward to "Christmas break" more, me or the kids. This year I think I am more organized than last year and also doing things simple and looking forward to our little family traditions. And I am so looking forward to seeing family! I love how excited my children get to see their extended family. They love people, especially family, and it brings me so much joy to see them loving their extended family so much.

Today was truly one of those days when I must admit that I have the best kids in the world. I really do. Sorry to all you proud mama's out there, but I really do believe that mine are #1. :) :)

Misc. ramblings by Jenny...

Can you believe I filled up my mini-van today for $27.00? Absolutely Crazy. Crazy Good. I wish I could stock up, buy some big tank and store up enough for the next 20 years or so. (but that might be a fire hazard to have in my back yard.)

Heads Up! For those of you checking your mail everyday, just hoping and waiting for a Christmas card from us, well this year we are doing something different. We are going green. We will be doing all Christmas letter/cards/photos by way of email or through this blog. So you can stop running to your mail boxes checking for our card! :)

Snow... sure is pretty, but I think we have enough.

Dishwashers... ours died the end of October. It was old, but worked great, until the day it died! We did the old fashion method for over a month, but thankfully got a new one installed a few days ago. We shopped around, so many to choose from, we seriously bought the cheapest good one we could get. We found one with the basic good features, no bells and whistles, but got it really cheap. And it works GREAT. I can not imagine a dishwasher that cost $1,000 more working any better than ours did. Thank you God, and Thank you Mom.

Water... Drink more, it's good for you!

Christmas Shopping is not really on my radar this year. I've done a tiny bit. And I have a tiny bit left to do. The Christmas budget is small, so it helps not to think about it. The more you get out in the stores or look through all the sale flyers, the more things you see and think, oh so and so would love that, or gee I want that! So my plan is simple, don't think about it, don't go out to the stores and don't look through the flyers, and just focus on family gatherings and what we can do as a family to help others and thank God everyday that we are healthy, that all our bills are paid and that we both have great, fulfilling jobs.

God is Faithful, I am thankful, Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving... came and went

Howdy friends, I have been trying to post some photos and something is not working between my camera and computer, so for now, no new photos! :(
All is well here, Thanksgiving was very relaxing and nice. As always Liz's cooking was amazing. No complaints from anyone. I don't even like sweet potatoes, but the ones she made were great!, (I had three helpings). I also loved the pumpkin roll and the cranberries. And the day just flew by, I think we should have thanksgiving for three days straight. Justin took the boys to see the movie "BOLT" last night, and they all gave great reviews, I don't know who liked it more, Justin or the boys.
I am anxious to post photos from last weekends wedding, but something isn't working.
Christmas season is officailly here and I have a few gifts bought and hid. My kids are getting older and my usual hidding presents in my closet thing, well it doesn't work anymore. Any ideas?

Forgiveness

Great Quote: "Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past."

4 True Statements:
"Forgiveness is not forgetting"
"Forgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation"
"Forgiveness is not a one time event"
"Forgiveness does not mean to condone"

Proverbs 4:23
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Forgiveness means to release. Remember Ephesians 6:10-18, "Our battle is not with flesh and blood..."

Photos from the Work Sites

There were three different work sites, one in Elkhart, one in Mishawaka, and another in South Bend.
These photo's are from the Elkhart site. There were about 300 people serving here. 18 businesses were involved, 100 Notre Dame athletes, and 350+ Five Star Middle School students total. Also, the Five Star Fitness Drummers performed! The energy was contagious!

Five Star continued....

Thank you to Congressman Joe Donnelly for your support and encouragement!

Five Stars "Change Our World" 2008

Saturday Novemeber 8th, 2008, Were you there?
I am so glad I was. This was the 1st ever Five Star "Change Our World" event. Over 800 people gathered at Penn High School for the rally that preceded the service project. These pictures capture some of that. It was inspiring, energizing and truly amazing. To all of you who helped, supported or attended, THANK YOU!!
I will post photo's from the work sites soon.

Saturday Five Star "Change Our World" Event

Check out this link. http://www.streetkidssoftball.com/changeourworld.html

See You There!

Tammy's Wedding Shower

Yesterday I was blessed to spend the day with my mom and sister and 30 other women to celebrate Tammy and Ty, and to shower them with gifts.

In the morning before Miah and I left for the day, Miah wanted to wear her bathing suit to the Shower. She didn't want to get her pretty dress all wet! She asked me how many bath tubs would be at this shower. We had quite the conversation talking about what a Shower really was, so then I started calling it a Wedding Party, which she then thought was the actual wedding. It was quite an educational day for Miah. The whole 3 hour drive there, she asked about getting married and showers, weddings, dresses, gifts and how all this stuff wedding stuff goes. She is a little jealous of Cameron, because she really wants to be the ring bearer. I assured her that she would get to wear a really pretty dress with tights and cute shoes, so for now she is excited!

Pumpkin Farm Review

Last Sunday, Justin and Uncle Seth took the children to this really cool pumpkin patch. It's called Knollbrock Farms, south of Goshen. They loved it!

Days, Weeks, Months....

I am blogging to tell you all that I don't have time to blog. I hope to, I want to, I plan to, but you might not here from me for the next month. Now through Thanksgiving is a pretty full Calendar for me. Now the term "full" is a relative term. I know some of you have lives way fuller than mine, but we all know how much we can handle, so to me, I'm pretty packed out for awhile, so if you are looking for a volunteer for some commitee or wanting me to rake your lawn, forget it! I'm full. I was so tired last night I went to bed at 8:00pm. Yes, that's right. Not that I didn't have something to do, I was just so tired I was about to throw up! (sorry too much information). Well gotta go, time for Jalen's Reading Time. (FYI- my little kindergartener is improving daily and he is so proud of his reading accomplishments!)

7 Questions for a 7 year old

1. Favorite Color?
GREEN
2. Favorite Sport?
BASKETBALL
3. Favorite School Subject?
LIBRARY
4. Favorite Meal?
EGGS & TOAST
5. If he could pick our next family vacation, where would we go?
VIRGINIA
6. If he could take us all out to eat, where would we go?
STEAK AND SHAKE
7. What do you want to be when you grow up?
BUILDER
(The birthday boy wanted to add one more question)
8. What is your favorite thing?
LIGHTNING

We played a little game at Cameron's party. He loved it! The game was all about him, and he was the host. A birthday is a day to celebrate, remember and encourage. I pray that Cameron felt all of that on Wednesday.

My prayer for Cameron is from Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

7 Questions for a 7 year old

Cameron's 7th Birthday Party

All Good...............

Well it is Sunday night, and all is well. So many great memories from this weekend. I often step back and look at my family and think, 'this is the stage that parents miss when their kids grow up'. It seems like the stage we are at is often what older couples have looked back and missed the most. And I can see why. Kids are so full of life, energy, wonder, curiosity, hope. They have such big dreams, and wild imaginations. They say the darndest things.

Today after Cameron told us that hamburgers come from pigs, Jalen asked if pickles came from frogs, because they are green of course.

Miah keeps asking me what I want to be when I grow up?...... (I tell her, I want to be a mom and wife and I want to love God and love people with all my heart) She then says, no mom, what do you want to be when you grow up?

I bought all three kids their own new set of markers, I have never been more appreciated. They flooded me with hugs and enthusiastic THANK YOU'S. That was well worth the $8 I spent.

I gave Justin a haircut today, then it was Jalen's turn, he said, "do mine just like daddy's"! Cameron then said, "I want to grow mine long, it is almost winter right?"

I am excited for the upcoming week. Cameron has a birthday on Wednesday, we have another field trip, 2 birthday parties, 1 trip to the library, 1 maybe 2 trips to the grocery store, hours of reading "Dick and Jane" and "See Spot Run" (do you have a kindergartener? 1st grader? - You know what I mean:) ) ............ so yes another full week but we're ready!

Congratulations!!!!!!

Best Wishes and lots of love to my sister, Tammy, and her fiance Ty. They are planning a wedding for November 22.

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures
forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

(This was the Justin and I's Wedding Psalm, so I think of it anytime someone is getting married)

Jalen cheerfully doing his chores

Miah trying on her 'new' winter clothes (thanks cousin Josey)

Cameron's Field Trip to Stover Farms