Christmas Sentiments

We had a wonderful Christmas! It all went by so quickly-like a whirlwind of really fun activity-and then it was over. We had a very busy one as well. We had 6 gatherings, and had a great time at each one... catching up and having a great time with the ones we love most. (We missed seeing some ):
God has truly Blessed us, and we try hard not to take even the smallest things for granted. I have a bunch of pictures to share (maybe) but I thought I'd give you our moms' Christmas trees. Both *gorgeous*!

Nancy's Patriotic Tree

Mom's Rustic Elegance Tree

Kemp Family

On Christmas day, I snuck away with the Kemps for some family photos. We had a great time and got some with their three collective dogs- Ziley, Etny and Swat. Here's one-I'll have more later!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas at Church

We celebrated Christmas at church on Sunday. The kids got gifts from their Sunday school teachers, the boys sang the first verse of "All is Well" with a group of kids, and Tricia sang in the choir, we heard a great message about how a baby changed everything, saw a Baby Dedication, and got to wear our Christmas clothes! (: I usually drag my camera in on Easter and Christmas to get a family picture. It's a little bit of a pain- at the end of the service getting my camera, rounding everyone up and finding someone to take our picture, but I love to look back over the years of our little family at church on two of the most important days of the year!

Snow!

I know it's the talk of the town (: but I am really excited about the snow we are getting! It just seems so much more like Christmas time when it looks like this outside! The boys (all of them) have been playing outside almost all day long. They're finally just making their way inside, looking for hot chocolate and blankets! They made this snowman this morning, and were disappointed to see "Frosty" had already melted quite a bit!
Have fun in the snow!! I'm sure we will!

Chillin'

Love the freckles!

Cupcakes and Signs

{The Cupcakes Hutch, Gwyneth and I made for Preschool this morning}

{The sign Hutch made for the floor when they spilled powdered sugar all over & I mopped it up}

8 Years

Note: I am reposting this from last year because it still sums up my feelings for John, only one year later!!

"There is no remedy for love but to love more" -Henry David Thoreau



This was our first picture together-taken at Ryanne and Steve Bollenbacher's Wedding
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This is the passage of scripture that I read that same day for Ryanne and Steve's wedding. If each of us were to obey this one passage of scripture, think of all of the heartache that could be avoided?! I thank God for bringing John and I together, and am thankful that John is a more wonderful husband and father than I could ever have imagined him being! I am truly blessed and honored to call John my husband. Thank you, John, for eight wonderful wonderful wonderful years! I look forward to many many more, God willing.

Laughter

No More High Chair!

It's becoming more and more evident that Gwyneth is no longer a *baby*! Every day, it seems, something happens that reminds me that a "big girl" is gradually replacing the little baby Gwyneth that we used to hold in our arms. It is so fun to watch her grow into a little lady!

Snow!

Hutch has been looking out the window looking for snow almost daily since about late October, only to be disappointed over and over! Needless to say, he was SO excited when we actually got some! He was out there playing as soon as he woke up!

The Bollenbacher Family

I also took pictures for the Bollenbacher family this weekend. We had a blast finding places all over Van Wert for them. The kids even got in on the fun and chose some special spots of their own. Thanks, Steve, Ryanne, Kendall & Luke! Here's one of the pictures from the day-more of both sessions to come!!

Evans Family

I got the opportunity this weekend to take pictures for the Evans Family. They were a hoot!! The kids are so cute and *all* boy, and we had a great time! Thanks Bill, Jackie, Trey & Nick! Here's a little peek at the pictures!

Our Tree

Yesterday was a long day for Hutch (and me) because he waited not so patiently ALL day long for Haydn to get home so they could decorate the tree. Throughout the day he would say, "Mom. Is it time to go get Haydn from school yet?" "Not yet, Hutch." Then he'd say, "Hmm. What is Haydn doing at school now? Is he eating snack yet?" (at preschool, Hutch eats snack at the end of the day) All day long this happened. I felt sorry for him, with the undecorated tree just sitting there, right in his face, reminding him of what he couldn't do! I felt sorry for me, with this little kid asking me the same question every five minutes all day long! (; When we finally got Haydn, (finally!) Gwyneth fell asleep, so I laid her down for her nap. (Hutch was shivering with excitement by this time)I put the garland on, helped the boys get all of the decorations out (all glass), pulled a chair over to the tree so they could reach the top branches, and laid down on the couch and took a little nap while they decorated it themselves! Crazy? Maybe! But I must say, I don't think it looked THAT bad-and there was only one bulb casualty (that happens when I decorate!). I may have switched some around while they weren't looking, and I may still be doing that today, but that's not the point, right?! Those boys did a great job, if I do say so myself! Maybe I'll never have to decorate my tree again! I'll just nap on the couch!

A Great Light

Beat

Gwyneth was very tired this afternoon...

... so she climbed up on the kids' "shoe box"

and fell asleep.

Tiffany's Decorated Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! On Thursday, we headed to New Bremen for the Lloyd Thanksgiving @ Kevin & Connie's for lunch. For supper, we went to Butch & Bobbie's in Van Wert. This is pretty much what the guys did. Don't they look full?!! Saturday evening, we had John's family over for supper.

Watching

Projects

I'm working on projects for our event at church on Tuesday night. Holiday Hospitality: Reclaiming Christmas. I'm creating the Children's Idea Room. It will be set up as a bedroom, and I am OH so excited! I'm putting together tutorials to hand out, and giveaways (you could win a paper chain advent calendar!) You should come! It's Tuesday night @ 6:30 at our church, and the format is that of a "morning show".

Yummmmy Turrrrrrkeeyyyyy

We had our fill today. Not only of turkey and all the goodness that goes along with it (and there was A LOT of goodness today) but our hearts are full of love, laughter, remembering, singing, sharing, catching up, and making sweet memories.

Give Thanks

Give Thanks with a grateful heart
Give Thanks to the Holy One
Give Thanks because He's given Jesus Christ His Son
And now let the weak say, "I am strong!"
Let the poor say, "I am rich! Because of what the Lord has done for us."

Give thanks!!

*Werts Family*

It's unfortunate, I know, but they are a Gator (cough cough) family.

>

Tiff's Family

I took the Werts family's photos this afternoon, and it was so much fun!!! I was so impressed with Jim's ideas the whole time. This family always cracks me up, and today was no exception! Tiff-here's *one*!! I will show you more soon!

Accountable

School Pictures!

Haydn: 1st Grade



Hutch: Preschool

*and obviously I had a black dot on my scanner! (: ooops!

Car Rainbow

Hutch thought it would be fun today to make a rainbow with Hot Wheels. So did I. So we made one. He was right. It was!


I had to get back to housework. I know. Sounds not fun. You were right. It wasn't.

Anyway...

He kept asking me which letters make which sounds. Like, "Mom. What makes this sound? "juh" "juh"?" I would tell him J and go back to my work.

I went in and saw this!

He decided to count each color of car. My favorite color spellings are AOJ for Orange, PRBL for purple, and YLO for yellow. I'd say he's definitely an 'emergent reader'!!

He Passed!

Do I sound surprised?! Well I am! Haydn took his first Progressive Swim Lessons at the YM. He was a "Polliwog".

As we watched each evening, I had parents encourage me, telling me that their children took each class 4 times until they passed, so just expect it. So, we expected Haydn to stay in Polliwog next time. But, evidentally, Haydn has John's mad swimming skills (: and he really got the hang of it toward the end of the session. I would say he probably would get the Most Improved Award if it were an award. It was so exciting to see him go from a boy not really digging the thought of climbing up the diving board ladder to a brave little water-loving boy whose favorite part of swimming lessons is jumping.
Last night was the last class of this session, so family could come watch. He had a pretty big audience (our family plus Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Larry). I lugged my camera in and everything only to realize that I forgot to recharge my battery. I *never* do that. Well, almost never, I should say! As he climbed up on the diving board, my battery died. ugh.

Not to be defeated, I pulled out the trusty cell phone and finished the session with this! {still missed the diving board pictures, though!}

Great job little Guppy!