Christmas 2010

This is Christmas Day at Red and Liz's house. We decided to do pictures first thing.
Christmas Morning at our house. It was so fun and so sweet. Justin and I were up by 5:45am, we filled the stockings, got a fire going, cuddled and talked. The kids woke up around 7:45am, and we continued to cuddle and talk around the fire. We read the bible together, prayed together and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. We opened stockings and gifts, such a joyful time. We ate breakfast, colored, and showered before heading to Red and Liz's for the day.
Christmas Eve, the fire was toasty!!! Loved it. We taught the kids how to play "spoons".


Cameron was working on his Christmas gift for Pops. He made a hanging wood sign that said "Merry Christmas". He used his saw, he sanded, widdled out the words and painted.
Jalen did some reading.
Miah loves to paint, so Christmas eve, this was our little girl on the kitchen floor.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were extremely relaxing, peaceful, and really great this year. I praise God for the gift of Jesus. He is our peace. I praise God for the gift of a wonderful, amazing, loving husband. I praise God for 3 healthy, smart, fun, joyful children. I am truly thankful. This 2 week Christmas break has been the best ever, we have all enjoyed being together, seeing family, sledding, games, movies, crafts, all sorts or stuff. And it ain't over yet!!!!

My baby is 6 years old today!

Miah Elizabeth, Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Happy 15 year Anniversary!

December 23 will always be way special for us. In 1994, Justin proposed to me in Frankenmuth, MI half way across the covered bridge. In 1995, we were married at 11:00am at Pigeon River Mennonite Church. We spent our honeymoon in Frankenmuth and Traverse City, MI.

15 years have gone by, and I can truly say, I am more in love with my Justin than ever before. As the song we used to like says, "I've finally found the love of a lifetime". Here on earth, Justin truly is my love of a lifetime. Yeah, I used to be a Firehouse fan (I can probably still sing most of the song even though I haven't heard it for about 15 years).

To celebrate, tonight, the five of us watched a movie together and ate popcorn and ice cream. Next week, Pops and Granma are watching the sweeties for a day so Justin and I can go on our official anniversary date (I CANT WAIT!!!!!)

1st day of Christmas Break

Okay, so over Christmas Break, Jalen is practicing tying his shoes for 20 minutes each day. Miah learned yesterday how to swallow pills whole, (so now I don't have to crush them up and mix them with yogurt.) Miah is practicing her #'s, letters, sight words, and reading her little books every day. Jalen wrote his assigned autobiography today, (whew). Miah cleaned her room today, all by herself (big job)!!! Over the past 2 days Justin and I scrubbed and waxed both bathtubs (we have had hard water for about 4 years, so the hard water film was thick).

It is also, a very Toy Story year around here. My mom got the kids the movie, Toy Story 1. Which they loved, and we already have Toy Story 2, so now maybe they'll get Toy Story 3 for Christmas, (wink, wink). Tonight they're watching #2.

I am reading an amazing book, called "Radical" by David Platt. So far, so good. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book to get you thinking.....

I am enjoying getting Christmas cards, letters and photo's in the mail! And today I put the budget together for 2011. All in a days work......................

Merry Christmas!

It is that wonderful time of the year. We have not sent out any Christmas cards the past few years, and this year we thought we would. I made a list of over 50 names, and then after a big sigh, I said NO WAY! So we narrowed the list to 25 names. Then I started searching through all our pictures from 2010, so find one really good picture of our whole family. No Luck. So then I decided not to send out any Christmas Cards. Then I thought of those few folks who don't have internet, who don't use Facebook, and who would really love a Christmas card in the mail. So we narrowed our list to 11 people. I printed 11 photos. We hand wrote 11 cards, our kids made most of the cards by hand. And I mailed them out!!!!

Today I spent most of my day at the school, helping with Christmas parties. I am exhausted! Yes, it was fun! But, I seriously need a nap!

Christmas presents are wrapped and all under the tree. I love sitting at night, in the decorated living room, when the house is quiet and only the Christmas lights are on. It is such a warm, fuzzy feeling. I am looking forward to the next week. We don't have too much going on, except my brother is coming for the day Saturday, Kids Christmas singing at church on Sunday, Christmas party on Tuesday, Anniversary on Thursday, Miah's Birthday party the Tuesday after Christmas. Besides that, we will be chilling out. Seriously, I am not putting anything else on my calendar. I want to cuddle on the couch, drink hot cocoa, read a book, play scrabble, watch a movie, sleep in, and enjoy each moment, whether busy or not. Each day is a gift. Each year is a memory, I keep repeating year after year that our kids are at the perfect age. I guess as a parent you always feel that way. Like each season, each stage is unique, fun, and precious.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas! Enjoy each moment, hug your loved ones alittle tighter, and try to just relax, not alittle, but alot!

Top 10

Top 10 things on my to do list...
1. Sewing a ripped strap on Cameron's winter boots
2. Running 4 miles
3. Dishes
4. Christmas Cards/Pictures
5. Christmas Shopping
6. Grocery Shopping
7. Gluing Jalen's broken ornament back together
8. Juicing Carrots
9. Planning & invites for Miah's Birthday party
10. Printing vacation photos and putting a scrapbook together
11. 88 pieces of homework from Jalen's teacher for the 4 days of school he missed!!! (I may be exaggerating a tinnnny bit)
Okay, I said I would stop at 10..........................

Top 10 favorite things about our vacation...
1. The beach on the island of Freeport, Bahama's
2. The sunshine, I can never get enough of this.
3. Touring Nassau Island in the Bahama's, seeing the wealthy area and the poverty area, learning the history. (We saw where Oprah has a huge home on the beach in an area that we can't even drive to and just a few miles away there are homes no bigger than my garage with no water, no bathrooms. On the side of the road, there is a government supplied faucet for about 20 homes to share.)
4. Elegant night on the ship, taking pictures with the family
5. Dinner every evening (all 10 of us), we spent almost 2 hours each evening, enjoying great food, trying new things and talking about the days events.
6. My mom, Miah, Josey, and Addison all getting their hair braided Bahama style
7. Traveling through the airports with the kids. They were amazing. They loved all of it and never complained about all the waiting around and all the walking we had to do.
8. Night out with Justin and my mom. I think I laughed for an hour straight.
9. Hanging out with Miah and Addison one night in the room, such sweet little girls.
10. Watching Justin enjoy all the unique foods. Justin loves a wide variety of foods that we never have back in Indiana, or that we can't afford to have back in Indiana. So he thoroughly enjoyed trying new things, and ordering things he hasn't had in years. The smile on his face was truly priceless.

A few favorite moments in the Bahama's

The beach in Freeport, Bahama's was so beautiful, it was a highlight for sure. Justin, Cameron, Jalen, Josey and Aunt Tammy all took a "banana" boat ride in the ocean to go see dolphins.

My mom and Uncle Ty took this boat out to a dock to go parasailing. They loved it.
We took a tour in Nassau, Bahama's, we got to see most of the island, this was at the Aquarium on Paradise Island.
Sightseeing on Nassau.
Fancy night on the ship.
Top deck, water park.