Here Comes 2010

Aaron made these glasses with my mom...aren't they cute? Next year (ha ha) I'll re-visit our Christmas at home, but for now a simple "Happy New Year" will do! :)

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

On the brink of our Christmas snow storm, I'm thinking of my many blessings. 2009 has been such a great year for our family. Our kids are at the most amazing ages--not too old to hate being with us, and not too little to make outings a burden. We've taken lots of bike rides, spent many hours boating, and enjoyed playing with and raising our puppy. My parents made several trips out here to visit us this year, including this week of Christmas. We're blessed with good friends that come and stay with us, see us at our worst, and come back for more visits. :) Friendly neighbors, friends through church, and a close-knit extended family all contribute to the feeling that we're well-loved.

School is out for Christmas break, which means we're half-way through this school year. I just don't know how that can be possible. Braylen admitted to us that he "likes" a girl at school. I'll call her "E." He says she's his girlfriend. YIKES!!!! A few weeks ago he came to me and asked, "Mom, do you think I should tell E that I like her?" Wow, I didn't think I'd be answering questions like that EVER. One day he's my baby boy and the next day he's asking me for advice about girls. At least that's how fast it's seemed to me. I encouraged him to be E's friend, not make it anything more than that. I guess he didn't take my advice. Not the first time, I'm sure. I'm just thrilled he's telling me all about it. So, now Braylen's girlfriend is E, and his buddy Jake has a girlfriend too. Welcome to the new world of 10 year old boys.

Aaron's been a sweet blessing to me during this Christmas season. He really likes to sing Christmas carols. His favorites are "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "Silent Night," "Jingle Bells," and "Away in a Manger." Derek and I heard him singing last night and realized we've never heard him sing to himself around the house like that. It is sweet to hear. While snuggling with him before bed, we sang "Silent Night" together. When we got to the part that says "Mother and Child," Aaron said--"Hey, mother and child" while pointing to me and to himself. I took a picture in my mind in that moment with him.

Finally, Aaron's given me some more funnies this week. While tucking him in last night he said, "I sure like these leather sheets." Umm, he meant flannel sheets. :)

Aaron's bedtime music tells of a story about people returning to Judah. He heard that tonight and said, "Aunt Sarena went back to Judah tonight Mom." Umm, his aunt's plane couldn't land at our airport and needed to fly back to...Denver. Not Judah. So I ask him, "Do you mean Denver?" He says, "Oh yeah, Denver." :)

Merry CHRISTmas!

December Highlights

This Christmas season we're enjoying all the SNOW! Two snow days last week found us baking Christmas goodies and watching Christmas movies. In jammies of course. :) Blowing snow drifted over our furnace pipe and we woke up to a freezing cold house Wednesday morning. Thank goodness for a fireplace and for repairmen who came over first thing that day. Derek snowplowed and shoveled for almost 5 hours that day...what a blessing to be able to help others like that. An elderly couple I didn't know came up to us at the movie theater and thanked Derek for his hard work. Seeing their gratefulness really blessed my spirit.

Kings of the Hill

There's nothing like playing in the snow with Daddy. All the boys, Derek, and Ginger played on a huge snow pile out front. The kids are still tunneling their way through that mountain. I know snow causes adults a lot of headaches, but none of that matters when I see the kids having fun in it! The backyard has snow forts and tunnels too, although with the high snow drifts I've had to watch the dog a bit more closely. She likes to perch herself on the tallest hill and peer over the fence. Yikes! Thankfully she hasn't jumped ship...yet.

Friday night our kids spent the evening with their cousins while Derek and I went Christmas shopping. Thanks to a great brother and sister-in-law, I can officially say we're all done shopping now! Saturday the boys spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house sleeping around the Christmas tree, roasting hot dogs in the fireplace and watching a Christmas movie. Derek and I went to our small group Christmas party and stayed out past midnight! How fun that was for us old folks! ;) If you ever have the chance to play a game called "Things" I highly recommend it!

Aaron's gift from preschool--the bag says To: My Family, and he drew 5 smiley faces

Aaron's all smiles at his program

Lots of fun activities going on at school this week. Aaron's highlight was his Christmas program today. Hard to believe it was our last one...one of many lasts we're experiencing this year. Aaron said his favorite songs were "Jingle Bells" and "Over the Hills" (also known as Go Tell it on the Mountain.) :) Our pastor spoke during the program for a few minutes, and when he asked the kids some questions my little Aaron was the first one to put his hand up in the air. A HUGE difference from last year at this time. He's really coming out of his shell, affirming our decision to give him an extra year at home before putting him in the public school system. For that, I'm very thankful.

Finally, we made our annual visit to see Santa this afternoon. Braylen blushed when I told him to go tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas (a real football helmet.) Later I told him I wouldn't make him do that next year. Another little boy of mine growing up. Aaron sat on Santa's lap and told him he wanted a stamp book. That's his #1 wish this year! Kind of crazy, but a friend told me today about a 3rd grade boy who's asking for a nutcracker. That shows me Aaron's request isn't all that wacky. :) Kaleb's visit with Santa went like this:

Kaleb: I want an Eagles hat, Eagles pants, Eagles socks, Eagles shoes, and Eagles underwear.

Santa: Okay, I'll see what I can do about that.

Kaleb: Oh, and an Eagles jersey and helmet too.

Santa: Anything else?

Kaleb: A Nintendo DSi, Wii games....Santa, you know what I did last night?

Santa: What?

Kaleb: YOU tell ME!

Ha ha ha! Poor Santa--he had to be pretty quick on his feet. You never know what Kaleb's going to say....

Here Comes Christmas

"Ready or not, here I come!" ~Last week I heard my boys shout that out in our family room while playing hide and seek. I think it also applies to the Christmas season! I might not feel ready, but Christmas is coming anyway. So, Aaron and I made a day of it and decorated the house on Friday. We started at 8:30 am and ended at 3 pm when school let out. What a great helper he was for me. I tried not to think of what it'll be like next year when my little boo is in school all day...

After the big birthday celebration last week, I put my Christmas music in the van and started playing it. Aaron heard this line from a song: "Soon the bells will start..." He piped up from the back seat and indignantly said, "Bells?!! I don't hear any bells!" I think of him every time I hear that now. :)

Yesterday I broke the news to Derek that it was the day to take pictures of the kids for our Christmas card. For the past few years I've done it myself, but this year I needed his help. How was I going to get 3 kids and a very active German Shepherd to pose for a picture? I had envisioned a great outdoor shot with the kids laughing and playing around Ginger, all dressed up in red and green. Candid shots of my kids just being themselves. Complete with our puppy.

Well. Freezing cold temps and single-digit windchills killed my dream.

So, we sat the kids down by the fireplace and brought Ginger over to sit with them. Too small of a space to romp around in with such a big dog. If our card had audio embedded in the photo, you'd hear things like this:
"Boys, your job is to look at the camera and smile, NOT at what Ginger is doing."
"Aaron, I can't see you--scoot forward."
"Braylen, DON'T MOVE"
"Braylen, smile nice, NOT like that."
"Ginger--SIT! STAY!"
"Aggghhhhh!!!!!!!"

Amazingly enough, we got several usable shots from our very high-stressed photo shoot. For those of you who will receive a card from us, now you know the rest of the story. :)

You know what you should never do after a photo shoot like that? Put ornaments on your tree. Letting my kids decorate the tree is ALWAYS a madhouse. This year it was even worse, thanks to our crazy picture-taking fiasco. Aaron cries because he doesn't have many ornaments. Well, Braylen is twice his age--what can I do? Kaleb just wants to play with his ornaments. He whines when I tell him they're supposed to be hung on the tree. Braylen bosses them both around, telling them where they can (mostly can't) hang their ornaments. I just want to toss the ornament totes in the air and walk away from the whole mess. Isn't this supposed to be a festive time? Remembering when they made their ornaments, or who they received them from? Nope. It's complete and utter chaos. When they are done and banished to the basement, I look at our sorry tree with clumps of ornaments hung on the bottom half. I sit on the couch and shake my head and think, "Maybe next year will be better." But then I think, "Someday I will miss this."

To wrap up our fun day yesterday, we had supper by candlelight. You want to know what our elegant meal was? Little smokies (complete with football toothpicks to skewer them with), cheese and crackers, and apples with fruit dip. Alvin and the Chipmunks were singing Christmas songs in the background, and all I could do was look at my husband...and laugh. :) Ready or not, Christmas, here I come!