Christmas at Home

Our Jesse Tree

Entryway

Entryway table

Kitchen with little stockings from my childhood

Kid art

My happy little snowmen.

The trees on the right were a very special gift from my Paul when we were at our first appointment and I was having a most difficult time with some very mean people. 

The trees remind me of how a difficult time really pulled Paul and I together

and toughened me up for battle against sin and the ruler of darkness.  ;)

On a lighter note...

Our Gingerbread house that we made at Thanksgiving.

I was noticing that candy kept missing from it.  All the children denied it, but I knew someone was doing it!

Finally... I caught Hannah one evening with a peice of candy in her mouth that could only have come from the Gingerbread house.  She fessed up and we all were reminded that whatever sin you do in secret always comes out!!  You may be enjoying it for days or weeks, sometimes even years, but the truth always comes out.  Hannah just got a good talkin' too, after all, she's just learning about these things. 

Very cute story to tell though!

Bathroom

The kids love to play with these guys.

and these guys.

I was super excited to buy brand new bulb ornaments for our tree this year.  They were a bit costly, but I purchased 2 sets of 65, one red toned, one gold toned.   The best part is... they are unbreakable!  and will last me for years!  The sad part was that I couldn't get them all to fit!

My dear friends gave me this Alaska Nativity after I did a short-term mission trip to Alaska islands.

Mikasa Nativity

It was sad to retire Buster's stocking this year.

From left to right...

Mary, Momma, David, Hannah, Elijah, Daddy, Ann

Singing snowman given to us by my lovely MIL

One of my favorite parts of Christmas are the cards.

This year, I hope to take them down one each day starting on New Years and pray for the families.

Dining Room

Living Room 

Christmas Sunday

Yesterday was our 4th Sunday in Advent, what I like to call Christmas Sunday.We had a lovely church service followed by refreshments and gift giving.The youth sang two songs, David played a guitar solo, two of our church ladies did a skit, and one of our darling 3 year olds sang a Christmas song in Russian.   We had a Carol Sing and a nice sermon by Capt. Paul reminding us that Jesus didn't only come to save us from sin but to save us for something good in our lives.

Here are 5 of the good things that Jesus saved me for...

Merry Mary

Deep David

Articulate Ann

Excited Elijah

Happy Hannah

We need Christmas...

to remind us that Hope is not the prisoner of despair,

but the captive of faith.

We need Christmas...

 to remind us that being Holy is not being distant

from the world,

but being different in the world.

We need Christmas...

to remind us that Love is not the gift of the giver,

but the giver wrapped up in the Gift.

-General William Booth

Founder

The Salvation Army

Precious Baby Mary!

This is me...

Sigh. Smile.

This is my babe!

We've had 3 babes in this home, they all have loved standing under the table here. 

8 months old tomorrow.

17 1/2 pounds of (as my mother says... "tender juicy baby flesh!") LOVE it!!

Mary has heard her name quite a lot this month. 

We are always saying "Merry Christmas"

and she perks right up and giggles thinking that we're talking to her!

I love my babes more now than I ever have.  It just keeps getting better.

I so enjoy and marvel at watching them grow,

but I'm appreciating that one day, we won't have anymore babes in the home.  Boo hoo.

At least I should start having grandchildren by the time the littlest ones grow up. 

That way, I'll never have empty arms.

Thank you Lord, for children!  (Especially mine! hee!hee!)

Festival of Trees with Ann's Performance

Grocery Outlet sponsored this tree.  *A* (owner) did an amazing and creative job with this.  This was for the Thursday night private dinner which, among other things, also did a "paddle auction" to raise funds for the hospital and us (The Salvation Army). 

I had a hard time picking out my favorite tree.  This one was pretty eye-catching though.

THIS was my FAVORITE tree of all, but not one of the 35 sponsored trees. 

Just a lonely little tree, stuck on a table in the corner.

A Candy themed tree!

This display was a collection site for Toys for us.  It is mostly empty here because the event was not yet open to the public.  But by Saturday, when we came back, it was getting full. 

Yay!  I desperately need more toys for the 430 children we have signed up!

While Hannah RAN in tears the other direction from the Fred Meyer bear,

Mary wanted to stay and check him out.

Elijah and Bear.

David and Bear.

Ann was a little nervous before her dance class performance.  Here she is eating her fingers.

She did so good once it got started!

There's our Hannah girl!

Thank you, Lord, for putting us in a wonderful and supportive community 

Thank you for Christmas and (BUSY!) Craziness, and Celebrations that go on and on and on.

Merry CHRISTmas!

Happy Birthday Ann!

Yesterday was Ann's 5th Birthday!

She started out her day waking up to lots of birthday decorations.

Then she brought sugar cookies with hot-pink frosting to her Tuesday morning pre-school class.

Then we went to dance class.

When we got home, Ann could do anything she wanted, it's her day!

So... we played a very long restuarant/tea parlour game. 

Then she chose to watch Max & Ruby and Olivia and Spongebob.

Then she and her brother Elijah made a rocket

out of the box that Grandma and Grandma sent Christmas presents in.

Then we ended up ordering Cheese with extra cheese Pizza for her dinner party.  Ann's favorite! (I was going to make it, but I was too busy playing with the birthday girl!)

Ann with her presents.  She was very spoiled!  She got a couple of gifts from her grown-up friends at church.  Grandma and Grandpa sent a package.  Our DC sent a card with $5.  A gift from brothers and sisters, and a gift (actually 3 this year!) from Mommy and Daddy.

Getting to see her cake.

Blowing out her candles.

Opening Grandma and Grandpa *S* gift.

Waaay to much tape and plastic bags.  We're guessing that Grandpa wrapped it?!  Ha!Ha!

Paul had to break out the scissors.

So.. let me tell you Mommy and Daddy's gift story...

after Christmas last year the BEAUTIFUL big and poofy Christmas dresses were on sale at Fred Meyers for 75% off.  So I bought 2 of them for Ann and 1 for Hannah and spent like 20 bucks for all three.  I stashed them under my bed all year, so that I could give them to Ann for her birthday.  She loves big, pretty dresses!  The other thing that she's been asking for over the last several months were "bumpits"!! (She's holding them in the pic above)    I still giggle!  Everytime we saw anyone out and about who had poofy hair, Ann would turn and point and get all excited that they might have a "bumpit" on.  (A wee embarrassing!)   She got a Barbie toy from her siblings, but she was still most excited to have her very own "bumpits"!

Elijah wrapped up a couple pieces of his own gum to give to her.

Ann with a quick, sloppy bumpit hairdo.

David tried on the little one.

Elijah too.

Thank you, Lord, for my little girl!!  What a JOY she is!!