Twas The Night Before Christmas...

The kiddos all did a wonderful job playing the piano and singing at our Christmas Eve Church service.  We really enjoyed the "candy cane service."  I love that the kids know there is a bigger reason to celebrate than just Santa Claus...or simply to receive gifts.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ and the light of God that lives in us all. 

Luke 2:8-14 (King James Version)

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

We wish you a very blessed and safe Christmas!



Where I've Been...

Hello!  My, it's been a long, long time, it seems!  It's been awhile since I've gone this long without posting, but life has been extra busy.  I'm happy to report that I'm finished with with my fall semester of studies!  I've been working to finish up final projects and then my final exams.  It's so nice to be on break (finally).  The kiddos have been extra busy with church and Christmas activities.  Mr. Jones has been working like a dog and is now enjoying his much-deserved vacation.  It's a good thing he has some time off, because we have lots to do to prepare for Christmas day! 

Here's a quick look at what we've been up to the past few weeks.  You may want to go ahead now - scroll to the bottom and pause the holiday music. ;) 

Our "Elf on a Shelf" Sprite Sparkle found his way back to our home. :)

The basketball season at church ended with a visit from some Iowa Energy basketball players!

That's Cavy under the hoop.

The kiddos were excited to get autographs!

Mr. B had his first vocal concert of the year.  I'm frustrated with these low light pics - I'm not digging those "laser eyes."

Mr. B is in the front row - center.

The following week, we enjoyed his first band concert of the year. (Darn camera!)

Mr. B plays the baritone.

It finally snowed (ugh) and the boys took full advantage of it!

Those are some happy faces!

I'm sure the thought of throwing at that chunk of snow at his brothers never even crossed Mr. B's mind...right?!

We baked some Christmas sugar cookies.

Bear enjoyed the baking! :)

Cavy did an awesome job rolling his own dough and cutting out his own cookies!

Cousin Alex joined us for the fun!

Shay is working hard. :)

The youngest 3 kiddos participated in the church Christmas program.  (Grrr...laser eyes)

Jaron did a great job on his lines! :)

Miss Shay started the program with a solo.  She was nervous, but did great! :)

There's my cutie! :)

Angels We Have Heard On High

Joy to the World!

Mr. B attended a Show Choir day camp at the high school. 

They put on a short show at the end of the camp.  It was so fun to watch! :)

He did a great job! :)  (There's those darn laser eyes again.)

Cavy performed with the Cherubs @ Church.

Mr. B performed with the Young Prophets @ Church.

Miss Shay had a winter dance show.

The finale.

Daddy & Cavy brought our little dancer some gorgeous pink roses! 

Someone is enamoured with his little girl.

I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual!  :)

I hope you have been doing well these past few weeks!  Christmas is less than a week away.  Take time during this busy season to remember the real reason we celebrate - the birth of our Savior.

Blessings~

December is here!

Greetings!  Wow, it's been awhile!  I hope you had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!  We had a nice Thanksgiving here at the house with my family.  I slept through most of it as I had a knee scope done on Wednesday morning - nothing like having surgery the day before a holiday.  Bummer.  I can't complain too much though, my mom and the hubby made a wonderful meal, and the hubby and the kiddos took excellent care of me!  I'm back on my feet and doing well - just a little sore still.  This afternoon I get to visit my wonderful surgeon and get my stitches out.  As much as I adore him and his staff, I'm hoping this will be my last knee procedure for quite some time!  I'd much prefer to pop in and say hello without having problems to report. :)

A very unflattering pic of me - staying positive before surgery.  I was so blessed to have so many praying for me and thinking of me! 

Look who came to Thanksgiving!  It's my nephew, Kaevon!  He's getting so big!

He provided a lot of entertainment...another reason I wish I could've stayed awake!  Darn pain meds!

It's hard to believe it's December already!!  Christmas sales are abundant in the stores, I have neither the time nor the money to take advantage of them.  Another bummer.  My schedule will be clearing up soon as next week is my last full week of classes, then finals week...and then... a BREAK!  I can't wait!!  Until then, I'll keep plugging away...and searching for a money tree to attempt to put a dent into Richie Rich's the kiddos' wish lists.

A visit with Santa.

And one of his reindeer!

All but Cavy with Mrs. Claus.

The kiddos are busy this month with programs and concerts and activities.  I'm working with them on the piano and they will all be playing a piece for the Christmas Eve service at church.  I never thought of myself as a piano teacher, but it's going really well!  My little elves are so excited that this magic season has arrived!  I remember how much I loved Christmas season when I was little.  One of my favorite memories was going to holiday open houses with my  mom and my grandma.  There was always Christmas music, and decorations, and beautiful and fun things to look at.  Oh, and there was always Christmas cookies to eat...yum!!  I look forward to making some memories and some cookies with the kiddos in the weeks to come! :) 

Cavy practicing. :)

Grandma's Christmas Cactus is blooming - I've been taking good care of it for her. :)

Bear and Mr. B in front of the dining room tree.

Awww....

The kiddos in the family room (before the ornaments went on).

Well, our tree is up - or I should say "trees."  I guilted the hubby into letting me put up three trees this year (they're all artificial and were all in storage - so I don't feel too bad about it):  one in the family room, one in the dining room, and one in the kid's play area in the finished part of the basement.  I didn't get to physically do much of the "putting up" this year - the hubby and the kiddos did that while I rested up the ol' knee.  They did a wonderful job decorating the trees too - I just may consider officially retiring...well, maybe not quite yet.  :)

Blessings~

Giving Thanks ~ An Interview With Mr. B

Mr. B & Emmitt in June 2008

Me:  Hey Mr. B!  As you know I've interviewed both of your brothers and your sister for the blog and now it's your turn!
Mr. B:  Okay.

Me:  What does it mean to you to be thankful?
Mr. B:  It means that you are glad for what you have and that you are happy that you are as fortunate with what you get.

Me:  What are you thankful for?
Mr. B: My family, our house, our car, all that we have, and food. 

Me:  Anything else?
Mr. B:  That we have a dog, and Church.

Me:  As you know, Thursday is Thanksgiving.  Are you looking forward to anything in particular?
Mr. B:  Football and food.

Me:  Is there anything else you'd like to say?
Mr. B:  Save the turkeys...eat chicken.

And that's all folks...

Blessings~

Giving Thanks ~ Now I Lay Me...

Mr. B, in his playroom, fast asleep on Elmo's foot.

...down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  As I tucked the kiddos into bed tonight, I spent a little extra time with Mr. B.  He's growing and changing so fast, I can barely keep up.  I'm thankful he's not too big for his mommy to tuck him in at night (yet)...snug as a bug in a rug.  He's still my little burrito baby.  :)  After I got his blankets situated, I sat on his bed and smoothed his dark hair off his forehead as he closed his eyes and yawned.  I ran my fingers over his eyebrows and the scar that dissects his left brow.  The whole time I'm looking at this boy, who is now taller than me, with his thick dark lashes, and his pre-teen, random pimples...all I can see is my baby boy.  It seems like it was only yesterday, when I used to rock him to sleep while he hugged his blankies tight (not one - but three special blankets).  When he became too big to rock, I'd tuck him snugly into his race car bed, together with his "guys" which consisted of small beanie versions of his beloved Sesame Street characters - his first "friends."  I'd line his "guys" up along the side of his bed and read to him (and them) one of his favorite books, Dazzling Diggers or Dear Zoo, sometimes both.  He and I both had those books memorized.  I would purposely leave out words on occasion just to see if he could remember what words were missing - he always did.  Oh, how I treasure those memories.  I am such a lucky Mommy!

I'm so thankful for all the nights I have tucked in little ones, rocked little ones, walked little ones, read or sang to little ones, prayed with and prayed for little ones, kissed angelic foreheads, cheeks, and noses, and allowed my heart and soul to be filled with the essence of these darling, delicate beings.  They are truly glorious gifts from God that deserve to be treasured.  If I never lived another day on this Earth (in which I hope quite the opposite is true), I would know in my heart that I was so incredibly blessed in my life from those precious moments alone.  My blessings are abundant, and I am so thankful to the Lord for all of those wonderful, cherished moments, and for what I hope will be many, many more.

*I'll have to remember to come back and read this post when my angels are being incredibly naughty (as if that's possible...I'm just kidding...it's totally possible), and I need to be reminded of how blessed I am (because I really, truly am).  :)

See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 18:10

Blessings~

Giving Thanks ~ Interview With A Bear

Bear @ 18 months (when he ate pretty much everything - including plastic cheese).

Me:  Hi Bear! Thanks for letting me interview you for the blog today. As you know, it's your turn to tell me what you're thankful for. First of all, what does it mean to you, to be thankful?
Bear:  I'm outta here. I'm leaving.

Me:  Oh, come on! What do you think it means to be thankful?
Bear:  To appreciate something, I guess.

Me:  Like your Mama? (Wink, wink)
Bear:  No.

Me:  What?! Seriously?? Alright, you're laughing..I'm telling everyone that you're laughing. :) You appreciate me, don't you? I made pot roast and you LOVE it!
Bear:  No. I don't. I wanted tacos.

Me:  Maybe tomorrow night, pal. Okay, what are you most thankful for, my stubborn child?
Bear:  My mother, when she's helping me against my dad. (Because his dad said he had to eat the pot roast.)

Me:  Hmm...that doesn't happen very much, I'm afraid. We're a team, remember? Anything else that you are (seriously) thankful for?
Bear:  I'm thankful when I don't have to eat junk.

Me:  So, Bear, what you're really saying is that you're thankful when you CAN eat junk - like junk food: candy, chips, and all that yucky stuff. I know you can't possibly be talking about food that is healthy for you! ;)
Bear:  I hate the pot roast.

Me:  Oh, how you make life interesting. I do love you, my little Bear.
Bear:  I want tacos.

Me:  Well, thank you for sharing how thankful you are in this season being grateful for all we have.
Bear:  I still want tacos.

Me:  Yes, well, I love you too. Goodbye!
Bear:  I want tacos.


Uff Da!!!
Blessings~

Giving Thanks ~ Days 8, 9, & 10

My goodness, it's day 10 already!  Looks like I missed days 8 and 9 (I did say I'd "try").  So, here is a quick catch up:
Day 8:  I am thankful for books (and the fact that I'm able to read them).
Day 9:  I am thankful for the internet, so I can blog! :)  How did we ever live with the internet??

Miss Shay before church in Sept 2005. 

Day 10:  I am thankful for my little Miss Shay (my ONLY girl).  She is my little sweetie and she's growing up in a big hurry.  Her Daddy and I are so proud of the responsible and caring young lady she is turning into!  The following is an interview with her about giving thanks.  Enjoy!

Me:  Hello, Miss Shay!
Shay:  Hello.

Me:  Can you please tell me what you think it means to be thankful?
Shay:  Uh..to be happy for something. And you're so happy it's here.

Me:  Can you tell me what you are thankful for?
Shay:  My family, friends, my pets, and my church. And I am thankful for God.

Me:  I think that is so sweet that you are thankful for our church and for God. What about our church makes you feel thankful?
Shay:  The people there and the Sunday school. I love the music and I love learning about God and all the stories about him and Jesus.

Me:  Remember when you had church in your room on your bed?
Shay:  Yes (she growls).

Me:  I bet you are glad to have an actual church to go to again.  Do you remember what you did during your own church time in your room?
Shay:  YES! I really would just read a verse and listen to my Bible school CDs and pray. And then I would pretend my stuffed animals were the other people at church. And then, remember, I would ask you if you could pay a church so I could go to real Sunday school.

Me:  I remember that! I think you are much happier in a real church. :)
Shay:  And we have more than one church (location) - and they have great snacks, and choir too! I really like the fun things we do with our church. I LOVE my church! I am thankful for my church!


Me:  Anything else?
Shay:  Oh, I'm thankful that we finally buried Penny, she's an angel in Heaven now.

Me:  Very nice. Thank you, Miss Shay! :)
Shay:  You're welcome! :)
 
Blessings~

Giving Thanks ~ Day 7

The weekend has drawn to a close, and I wish it were Friday night all over again.  I spent most of the weekend fighting some nasty sinus headaches.  It's unfortunate too, because it was a beautiful weekend.  Friday night we went up to Grandma's house.  My mom has been getting things ready for an estate sale and wanted me to come up.  Walking around in there, I felt like I was going to be sick.  It was gut churning to see my grandma's things laid out on tables with price tags on them.  All those memories...it was just too much, and I couldn't hold the tears back.  Of course, my crying made my mom cry...and well, it wasn't a good thing.  The end of October marked six months since Grandma passed away.  I miss her so very much.  It's going to be a difficult holiday season this year without her presence.  I know she'll be here in spirit;  it'll be the first holiday season in my life without her.  On a happier note, after we left Grandma's house, we stopped by to look a bedframe my mom found on Craigslist for Miss Shay.  We ended up buying it for her, and at $25, it's a steal. The frame is old and needs to be repainted, but we'll get it figured out.

Saturday morning the hubby had to work, and the kiddos and I slept in.  My head hurt so bad, I went back to bed when the hubby came home, and slept a few more hours.  I can't stand sleeping the weekend away, but when you feel lousy, rest is about as good as it gets.  Saturday evening we attended a potluck at our church.  The kids sang, and Mom and Papa Edd tagged along.  My mom has been working so much getting Grandma's house ready, this is the first time in awhile she's been able to see the kiddos sing. 

This morning we slept in again (and I snuck a mini nap in this afternoon).  I've just been so wiped out, today I am thankful for medication and for rest.  I'm still not feeling like myself, but I'm feeling better.  I hated missing Church this morning, it's just become part of who we are, and I feel incomplete today without going.  But there is always next week, and hopefully I'll be feeling much, much better by then.

Here's some pics from Saturday evening:

Mr. B & his friend, Caleb

Shay with Anne (whom she ADORES).  :)

Mr. B singing with the Young Prophets (yes, you may want to pause the music) ;)

Shay, Bear, & Mr. B singing with the big group. :)

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Blessings~