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!!

The Good (and not so good) of the last couple weeks

GOOD....
-Going to the Festival of Trees (private fundraiser dinner) with my hubby.  Looking at all the trees and sharing a fabulous meal with some very fabulous people from the community at our table.  A very lovely evening. I got to give the speech (when would I ever say no to talking???).

-Going to the Festival of Trees with our family two days later.  In all the years we've lived here, we've never gone, then BAM we get to go twice in one week.  We looked at all the trees together and then... watched Ann perform with her dance class!!  SO CUUUUTE!!

-Getting our Christmas Tree.  Everyone takes a turn sawing except for Mary and I who are videotaping. (I mostly like to video tape rear-ends, but I got a little of their faces in too ;)  The boys carried the tree back to the car.  But the BEST part of all was watching Paul, who insisted on driving while reaching his arm up and through the window to hold the tree to the roof of the car while we drove down to the paying station that had the rope.  (I hope I painted a good enough picture in your mind.)  It was HILARIOUS!  Especially when the tree started falling off twice.  And once, Paul actually let go to wave to some people we know (!?!?) only to remember he should be holding the tree as the tree flew off the car.  I swear, I kept insisting I help,  but I was a good wifey and obeyed his instruction- "just stay out of it".    We are still laughing! 

-Hosting our Advisory Board and Staff Christmas Party at Casa El Mirador.  Two very nice blessings-- first was that one of our employees brought me flowers.  Made my night.   Second, I sat next to a lady, an AB member's guest, who was visiting from Homer, Alaska.  I love Alaska and loved hearing every detail she gave me about Homer and life up there. 

I better make this shorter...

-Watching Elijah's Christmas performance at school.

-Having our friends over for dinner. 

-Having a God-appointed conversation with someone in a parking lot.

-Hearing my oldest son tactfully and respectfully correct me when I messed up his Christmas gift exchange present for school.  (Long story, but he was right, I was wrong)

-Surprise visit from our Divisional Commanders who came bearing gifts for all the children and us too.

-Cozying up most nights with a fire, a movie, and Christmas decor.

-Celebrating my first daughter's 5th Birthday today.  It is ANNday all day long.  (I'll post pics tomorrow, as we're not done celebrating yet!)


Not So Good....
-Catching Mary (the baby) sucking down a bottle of Elmers Glue.

-Slipping and falling on the ice.

-Slipping and falling on the ice for the second time.

-Trying to agree, as a family,  on what Christmas tree to get!

-Forgetting to return the saw to the Christmas tree farm and having to drive all the way back to deliver it.

-Bickering with Paul about the balloon and table decorations for the AB/Staff Christmas Party. me: "Just let me do the balloons MY way!  I can handle it! I run this event, remember??"      Paul: "but Rachel, I'll untangle them so you don't have to cut them"      me: "we don't have enough time to untangle 30 balloons, I'm cutting them.  Now move back before I cut you too"    Paul:  big smile     me:  "I mean it!"     Paul:  big smile

-Freezing cold all day every day.  I'm looooonging for Spring.  The only thing good about Winter is Christmas.

Humble vs. Proud

I wanted to share this from Nancy Leigh Demoss.  Food for thought...

"Humble vs. Proud"

1. Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with the sense of their own spiritual need .

2. Proud people are self-righteous- have a critical, fault-finding spirit looking at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. They look down on others. Broken people are compassionate. They can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven. They think the best of others and esteem all others better themselves.

3. Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit. Broken people have a dependent spirit and recognize their need for others .

4. Proud people have to prove that they are right. Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

5. Proud people claim rights and have demanding spirit . Broken people yield their rights and have a meek spirit.

6. Proud people are self-protective of their time and their rights and their reputation.
Broken people are self-denying.

7. Proud people desire to be served. Broken people are motivated to serve others.

8. Proud people desire to be a success. Broken people are motivated to be faithful and make others successful.

9. Proud people desire for self-advancement. Broken people desire to promote others .

10. Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated and are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness and are thrilled that God would use them at all in any ministry, they are eager to give others the credit and they rejoice when others are lifted up .

11. Proud people have a sub conscious feeling this ministry is privileged to have me and my gifts and they think of what they can do for God. Broken people have a heart attitude that says I don't deserve to have any part in this ministry and they have nothing to offer to God, but the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.

12. Proud people feel confident in how much they know. Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn.
13. Proud people are self conscious. Broken people are not concerned with self at all.

14. Proud people keep others at arms length. Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and loving intimately.

15. Proud people are quick to blame others. Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they were wrong in a situation.

16. Proud people are unapproachable. Broken people are easy to be entreated.

17. Proud people are defensive when criticized. Broken people receive criticism with an open, humble Spirit.

18. Proud people are concerned with being respectable and what others think and working to protect their own image and reputation. Broken people are concerned with being real what they care about is what God knows and are willing to die to their own reputation.

19. Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual needs with others. Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs.

20. Proud people want to be sure that no one knows they have sinned to cover up. Broken people are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.

21. Proud people have a hard time in saying, “I was wrong, will you forgive me.”
Broken people are quick to admit their failures and seek forgiveness when necessary.

22. Proud people in confessing their sins, tend to deal in generalities. Broken people are able to deal with the specific conviction of God's spirit.

23. Proud people fear consequences of their sin. Broken people are grieved over the cause the root of their sin.

24. Proud people are remorseful they got found out. Broken people are repentant over their sin which is evidenced by the fact they forsake them

25. Proud people when misunderstood in relationships, wait for the other one to come and ask for forgiveness. Broken people take the initiative to see if they can get to the Cross first no matter how wrong the other may have been.

26. Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor. Broken people compare themselves with the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for mercy.

27. Proud people are blind to their real heart condition. Broken people walk in the light

28. Proud people think they have nothing to be repentant of. Broken people realize that they have a need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.

29. Proud people are unbroken and don't think they need revival, but they are sure everyone else does. Broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.

Which are you?

The Jackpot

When I was a little girl, my mom bought me a pack of Bubbalicious Bubble Gum.  I opened up the package and on one of the individually wrapped pieces of gum were the words "YOU WIN" stamped all over it.  How excited I was!  I won a free Barbie Doll and I can still remember going with my mom to the store to redeem my prize and pick out a brand new Barbie, a Hawaiin one with long, shiny black hair and a hula skirt.

As a teenager I called up a local radio station to request song be played. 

I had no idea that there was a contest going on and I got put on air as the lucky caller.

  I won a DJ Jazzie Jeff and the Fresh Prince "Summertime" CD. 

A couple years ago, I was watching a Portland news show and they said the 10th caller gets free tickets to the RV Show.  We love going to those so I thought, why not try and give them a call.  I won! 

And yes, I'm one of those people that gets all excited screaming and laughing... on air. 

We drove to Portland on the day of the RV show and stopped by the TV Station (KATU),  unloaded all the kids and I proudly walked in to claim my prize. 

Sometimes I get real lucky and win all the bonus tickets out of the Monkey game at Chuck-E-Cheese. 

In fact, the kids beg me to play it now so that I can win a whole bunch of tickets for them.

BUT ...

I really hit the JACKPOT

with him.

Thank you, Lord.

Corps (Church) Christmas Decor

Some Fellowship Hall decor...

I hung these up and down our Hallway.  Cheap and easy ;)

Chapel Foyer

Chapel Decor

This (below) definately had a "wow" effect. 

It's what I heard over and over again when people entered the Chapel last Sunday. 

I got it from Oriental Trading.  The boys helped me hang the big stuff.  The rest of it hand to be individually cut and hung (I didn't know that when I ordered!).  What I thought would be a 1/2 hour project turned into a 2 1/2 hour project.  Yikes!  But anyways... well worth it!  I love it!

I bought all new tree decor this year.  I've never had 6 Christmases at one appointment.  Didn't know how sick I'd be of using the same decorations 5 years in a row.   So I sold all of our silver and purple decorations in the Thrift Store and picked out all of these goldish colors instead.  I think it looks prettier in person.

Glass door with window clings Ann hung up

I decorated for the children  upstairs too.  They have their own fiber optic tree and everything.

What a wonderful Celebration the Birth of Immanuel is!! 

I hope our Corps (church) building is setting the mood!

What's Good...

How good and pleasant it is

when brothers (and sisters) live together in unity!

-It is like precious oil poured on the head,

running down on the beard,

running down on Aaron's beard,

down upon the collar of his robes.

-It is as if the dew of Hermon

were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the LORD bestows his blessing,

even life forevermore.

Psalm 133:1-3

Parade Float!

Where we live, The Dalles, does a Starlight Parade every year the day after Thanksgiving.  We have always loved watching the Parade, but have been getting a wee bit frustrated that there is rarely ever a mention of why we're celebrating "the holidays" the "seasons greetings" the "santa claus" etc. 

In fact the last two years we didn't even see a "Merry Christmas". 

So... it has been our hope all year long to be able to do a Nativity Float for the parade.

Paul headed it up.  One of our AB members lent us his trailer and warehouse.  And another gentlemen built the (huge!) stable.  The local music store lent us their sound system.  It was a LOT of work,  especially on the tail end of the Thanksgiving Dinner and in the beginning of all our Christmas activities.

All I can say now though is...

It was

F-U-N!

Naturally, we recruited our family to work on it .

They were eager to help and be a part of it.  

Among many other things,

David and Elijah strung the lights.

Just when we were quite aware that it was serious crunch time, the carpentar, *M*, who built the stable, showed up at the last minute to help Paul drill our figures to slabs of stabilizing wood.  Thank God!  I swear God must've whispered to him to get over to the warehouse and help the Chouinards. 

Ann helped Momma hang up our banners. 

We had the local sign shop make them, saying "The First Christmas".

Hannah took sister for many walks in the warehouse and outside through the puddles too.

There's my hunk of burnin' love. (Carrying a wiseman ;)

Momma measuring and cutting.

We ran out of little kid jobs,

so the girls played in the van and pretended to pick up kettles and church kids! LOL!

Here we are! Bright and shiny faces!

Two others from the Corps (church) joined in on the 3 mile parade march.

 I was glad to have an adult on both sides of the float. 

Paul drove. 

Mary and Hannah rode in the van and waved, well Hannah did. 

Mary slept all through it (she had a busy day).

 Ann and I walked (and ran too!) along one side of the float.  Ann got pooped after halfway, so she rode in the front seat waving and shouting "Merry Christmas".

David, Elijah, *C* and *O* walked/ran on the other side. 

We gave out SA lollipops, War Crys (magazines), and Brass Band Christmas CD's.

It was such a blast!

And now, I leave you with a qoute I have loved for many years...

"Be the change you want to see."

Merry CHRISTmas!