Merry Christmas

Last night we celebrated Christmas with Jeremy's family.

It was a nice time shared together.

It seems like each Christmas there is a little bit more to celebrate with each other.

One year it was praying for Gail and her fight with breast cancer.

Then it was rejoicing at the birth of Emma.

And this year it was celebrating the fact that Dewayne's skin cancer was found and was able to be removed.

Please pray for him as he is facing another reconstruction surgery here in the new year.

Each year spent with loved ones is something to celebrate. For you never know what a year may bring.

We will be spending the rest of today with my family.

I hope you have a blessed Christmas.

(I couldn't decide which picture to use. I liked both of them....I think that by this last picture, Emma was done and ready for a nap.)

Christmas Eve Eve

Today we went to my parents church. Everyone but Joanna came. She went to her church this morning.

It is always nice to find any excuse to get together.

I think we have the next Mozart in the family.

After church we went to Janelle's for lunch.

We wanted to get some pictures with all the cousins.

They of course hated the idea, but....well.....we won. ;)

9 Grand kids.

9 cousins.

Grandma and Grandpa with the grand kids.

I LOL'D when I saw Elisa's face in this picture.

Then we thought why let the fun stop with the grandkids??

There might have been some who hated the idea.

But well..... I won. ;)

And I am so glad that I did.

I love each and every one of my siblings so very much.

 

This is a picture of the best Aunt known to mankind. She loves all her nieces and nephews. She spends time with them. She goes out of her way to make them feel welcome. She encourages them. She prays for them. She loves them.

 

They are so very very lucky.

 

 

Of friends and Luminaries

 Look who came to visit his favorite Aunt Julie???

 Jon and Mel are in town for Christmas.

How I love it when they are home.

Jonas needed a special hug from Daddy. ;)

I think Jonas was a little apprehensive of all these crazy people at first.

 

Little Madelyn.

 

What a cutie!!

 

Look at those eyes!

 

The girls are paying a little more attention to each other now.

And the Mommy's have decided that all they need for Christmas are bags and boxes. No toys.

Hear that Grandma?? ;)

 We tried to get a group picture.....but well our photographer wasn't quite cooperating with us.

Thanks Maddie.

I love my babies.

 Maddie was having fun with the sled tonight.

Tonight was our first luminary night in the neighborhood. It's something I have wanted to do for years. I am glad we took the time to do it this year. I am even more thankful for good neighbors to do it with.

Maybe next year we can get the rest of the neighbors into it. It's such a great opportunity to meet the neighbors.

 

 

 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season.

It seems a little less hectic this year then past years. I am so thankful for that.

 

A night for cookies

I have wanted....for a while to make cookies with the kids. But we'll....with life happening, well it's been hard to find the time.

Finally I decided that I would just have to make the time.

I had to shut my eyes to the dishes in the sink, the laundry that needed to be folded, and the house that needed to be picked up. I don't know about you....but I like to cook and bake in relative cleanliness.

Anyway.... I am glad that I made the time and if you read my Facebook status....well.... I didn't even fall asleep in the cookie dough. Bonus!!! ;)

This is what baby girl decided to do while we were making cookies. I wonder if she will pull an Uncle Jeff and open up all the presents??

Anyway.... Take some time this year to spend with the ones you love. Make memories.

Time to say goodbye....

2 weeks can be eternity, or they can just fly by. These past 2 weeks have flown by. I have so looked forward to Christmas vacation this year. Not just to have 2 weeks off of school ( which I won't complain about!! ) But no, this year was special. Jonathan and Melanie came home. How I have missed them.

2 weeks came.....and 2 weeks went.

Sunday came and it was time to say goodbye. I promised myself that I wasn't going to cry like a baby. And I didn't. Or haven't. :) I didn't cry while I said goodbye. But once I got in the van to go home, I cried. And I cry now. There is such a void felt when your family isn't whole. And having that family present for a while makes the void even greater when they leave again.

We pray for Jonathan and Melanie every day on the way to school. The kids have even gotten in the habit when it is their turn to pray to mention them. We pray for safety, wisdom and direction in their lives. We pray for them to stay strong and united together. We pray that God will meet their every need. And now we especially pray for Melanie as she is pregnant. We pray for extra strength and comfort for her.

I am so grateful for the time that God gave us all this Christmas. I really do feel like special memories have been made. Time was freely given and smiles and laughter were shared. It was wonderful.

(I can no longer say that I haven't cried like a baby) :0)




I cannot wait till we can see you again. Maybe this time it will be me flying to Hawaii!!

Christmas pictures

Christmas Eve was spent at the Hunny's parents. We had a lovely time. We had dinner, opened presents and then Hunny and Jeff couldn't wait to watch the traditional movie, A Christmas Story. Brother was laughing right along with it!!







Christmas Day was spent opening presents at home, and then going to Joanna's house for lunch and more presents. It was great to have my whole family together this year.

( Our kids big present this year was a hamster. They have been BEGGING us for 1 and we decided that we would each get them 1. Dada's promptly bit her. And now Dada has been nervous to play with it. I will have to admit that it doesn't like to be messed with. All it does is lay in the cage. I haven't really seen it play at all. Hopefully it isn't sick. :( Brother's on the other hand is pretty gentle. Harry is his name, and Harry will let Brother pick him up and play gently with him. Hunny says we should just put up a sign in the yard saying...petting zoo. )