Christmas...um, Valentine Cookies

I threw all health {you know that gotta-make-them-at-least-a-little-healthier?}caution aside before Christmas and bought white flour and pure white sugar just for decorated sugar cookies.  Well, Christmas came and went and we never got the cookies made.  So with Grandma's helping hand, they made Valentine cookies instead.  Somehow Grandmas are just more patient than mom. 

Yum.  These cookies sure won't be around here long!

~Our littlest helper~

{I tried to lovingly encourage valentine colors for the hearts!}

Fourth Fun

{Exploring the woods along "grandpa's" river}

{Who knows how many Oreo's}

{Sparklers that grandma found tucked away in the cupboard}

{..and a picture of the box they came in...just cause I thought they were neat!}

{Croquet}

{Lots of bubbles with the cousins}

We had an old-fashioned picnic down by the river. Fried Chicken..Potato Salad..Watermelon..and Brownies.

We did go into town to watch fireworks. No camera, No pictures!

Birthdays/Easter Celebration

We spent Sunday with the family...4 birthdays to celebrate and an early Easter.

Beautiful, springy centerpiece

L is now 8 (in March) and LittleM is 2 (Feb.)

Happy Birthday, sweet children. May God keep you through this year.

Coloring Fun

Christ the Lord is Risen...HALLELUJAH!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Aren't they beautiful?

Christmas Fun

Yea..I know, Christmas is past and so is New Years. But I thought I'd just post these pictures and then get on with 2009!

The traditional 'pictures in front of the fireplace'! It is fun to compare pictures from year to year to see how the children have changed. (and yes...the adults change too, but we like to pretend that we're forever young!)

L with her handmade headband from her sweet cuz!

Our children received a Leap Frog Explorer Globe. I think Grandma knows how much this mom loves gifts that have educational value..I think that comes with the territory of being a homeschooling mom!

Little M didn't quite know what to do with his stocking!

I'm not sure why I manage to get pictures of opening gifts but forget to take pictures of the other fun times. Food...games...family...and more food. We were blessed to be able to spend 2 whole days with my family. Sometimes we have to hurry off to other gatherings. I guess I don't even need to tell you how tired the children were after two solid days of playing with their cousins!

The Best Gift

Jesus is the best gift you'll ever receive!

He's the most expensive gift...it cost His life.
He's the most practical gift...you'll use it everyday of your life.
He's the most long-lasting gift...eternal!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Celebration

Stocking Stuffers...all wrapped and ready to go!

Trent and I both got a chance to hold all 3 baby nieces at once. What a sweet armful! They were good as gold the whole time. (how good is gold anyway, and where did that saying come from?!?) If you notice..they aren't even unbundled yet. That about tells you how long they were there before we were begging to hold them!

I think the girls were quite pleased with new dresses for their dolls.

Amazing how the boxes are sometimes just as fun as the new toys!


BigM's first 'real' Legos. All we have had are duplos. Now we are graduating up to lots of little pieces. If he spends as much time as his daddy did playing with them...he will be one contented child.

As I contemplate Christmas, I have to wonder if we sometimes miss the meaning. Ok. Yes, we miss it alot. Our children are excited and thankful for their new toys. Are we excited and thankful about the gift we have been given? Jesus Christ...a gift to all the world....Savior of the world. Are we excited when we wake in the morning about our gift? Do we want to tell others?

Sometimes I think gift giving gets tedious....and overdone. And I wonder if it causes us to lose our focus. If somehow we could show and teach our children by the giving of gifts that a much greater and most important gift was given to each of us. That Christmas isn't about toys and food.

It is about Jesus...My Savior. Given as a gift to me. And to You! Are you thankful for your Christmas gift?

Decorating for Christmas

We got out a few Christmas/winter decorations today.

This Bethlehem set was a gift from my students when I was teaching 9 yrs. ago. We had just been to visit Israel so it was (and still is!) a special gift.

No, there probably weren't huge pine trees in the area where Jesus was born...but it seems so bare to not put them there...I guess we have a semi-realistic scene!

Our Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving!

Grandma made lots of cookies for all of the grandchildren to ice and put sprinkles on...they were very generous with the icing and sprinkles!

Each family took the things to make a treat. ( A.Lizzie's cookies, peanut butter balls, caramels, and peppermint bark) Yum..Yum...now to leave the things in the freezer and not put them in my mouth!!

Give Thanks!

We checked out Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson from the library. Thanks for the recommendation, Mrs. K. It is a celebration of Psalm 92.

It has cute pictures...like this one of the Grandpa and grandson eating pumpkin pie!

BigM's story time craft......what a turkey he is sometimes too!

I have been blessed with this wonderful family!

As the actual THANKSGIVING DAY nears, I am reminded to check my heart to see if I am truly thankful.

• Do I take my blessings for granted..and think that I in some way deserve them?
• Do I rely on my husband to provide for our family when in reality it is God who provides?
• Am I thankful on the tough, busy days?
• Do I show a thankful spirit to those around me, or am I grumbling when things aren't just my way?
• Am I training my children to be thankful for the blessings they do have and not to covet?
• Do I portray a non-covetous heart to them as an example?

The questions could go on and on!

What are you thankful for? What are you doing to cultivate a thankful heart in yourself and/or children?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

Labor Day Weekend Fun (and work!)

My weekend started out Friday eve with work! When I finally went to bed at 1:00 I had canned 20 pint of salsa, 14 pint and a half jars of spaghetti sauce, 16 pint of sloppy joe sauce, and 12 jars of grape juice. I guess I don't even need to say that my feet were sore! Thankfully I had my hubby's help marking them and putting them away on Saturday. That's a job in itself!

ETA: pint or pints?

We had some friends over on Sunday. See previous post! Fun day!

We spend yesterday just hanging out. It was fun to relax with the four people that I love the most!

Our swing broke probably about a year ago....so the children were quite pleased to have it fixed!

Who says leftovers can't be fun?

It was fun to have a holiday weekend. Now it's back to school and the normal schedule. Whatever normal is!