Christmas 2010

Now that I have had time to sit and breathe,  I was able to go through some of the pictures I snapped over Christmas.  I didn't get very many.  I am the one who loves to take pictures, but gets caught up in the action and forgets to pick up the camera.

Christmas Eve was at our house this year with my family-

   All of the grandkids (minus my too-cool-for-the-camera teenage nephew). 

                                 The kids were so excited!!

He thought is was funny at the time.  We'll see how he feels about it when he is older and it shows up at "just the right time."   hee hee

                          Watch out for this one- she is a live wire!

This cutie patootie got a wonderful gift from my mother.  This doll set was my mother's as a child!  My sweet mother made a new bassinet cover and canopy which included buttons from my great grandmother!  My grandmother made some new outfits for the doll as well.  Five generations of love all wrapped up for a cherished Christmas surprise!

We were blessed that my parents were able to spend the night and have Christmas morning with us!!

These kiddos were all ready to see what Santa left for them under the tree!!

Thankfully, we were able to get this picture of all of us.  It was a Christmas miracle indeed.  I didn't even get Christmas cards out this year.  Sad, I know.  But that's just how life happens sometimes.  See below.

This is the typical mayhem I have to put up with to get a picture out of my monkeys.   This was taken at my in-laws Christmas afternoon.

This little one was all too excited that her stack of gifts was bigger than she!!Luckily, the big one on the bottom was not as big as I thought it was going to be!

All in all, Christmas was just wonderful!  We were able to finish our Advent story "Jotham's Journey" on Christmas morning, which was a wonderful way to keep the kids focused on the real meaning of the season. 

Too bad we have to go back to reality tomorrow.  Here's hoping we get the best of our busyness and not the other way around!

A New Year

Well, here we are in another New Year!  From my family to yours, we wish you much joy, happiness, and peace for the days to come!!

Here in the real world of chaos (where I reside),  we rang in the New Year with another family sleep over with some dear friends!   Big Daddy is with my friend's hubby in Wisconson, so we all spent the night together and stayed up to ring in 2011!  We had so much fun- ate too much and laughed. ALOT.

While I don't usually make a true "resolution" for each new year, I do look at the new beginning as a chance to make improvements.  Not all at once of course, as there are way too many for that.  I will pray and let the Lord guide me to what needs to be done and when.

Although my first goal, if you will, for 1-1-11 is too get my children back to a schedule- starting with bed times and wake times.  We have been going to bed 11pm or later and sleeping until 10am or later.  Monday is really going to bite- hard.  Today we are laying low, playing outside until we are exhausted, and hopefully going to bed at a decent time. 

If you have set a resolution for 2011-  I wish you all the strength and best wishes that you will succeed!!!

Isaiah 9:6   "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

I hope your Christmas is filled with the joy that only comes from knowing the One who is the true meaning of this season- Jesus.

From my family to yours- MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Bah Humbug

*Consider yourself warned: This post is not full of the Christmas Spirit*

Okay, with that out of the way,  I am most certainly not in the mood for anything Christmas!  While I did manage to get decorations done (as many as I am going to do),  I have no desire to shop for gifts.  For some reason,  it is this time of the year that people seem to lose all sense of common sense and courtesy.  This is not only for the general public.  This also applies to our home.  I have been really battling the "its all about me attitude"  from everyone of our children, and needless to say, its contagious.  I have found that in my desire and labor to battle this, I have bitten by the same attitude.  (Contrary to what you may think- I am not Supermom)  I have been asking myself questions like these:

"Why should I keep doing this when nobody even cares or is thankful?"
"Why should I even buy anyone a Christmas gift?  They don't deserve it!"
"Why do I even speak when I am in this house if nobody listens?"

Do you hear the problem with each of those questions?  They contain a whole lot of "I".   Just this morning I was talking to my mother on the phone (complaning- sorry mom), when I realized what I had allowed happen in this family.  Instead of leading by example, I allowed myself to be consumed in sinful attitudes.  The big kicker came when I heard the Lord wisper, "you didn't deserve what I did for you, ya know".  Ouch.  So, I am currently under renovations in my heart, attitude, and daily commitment to the Lord.  Here is the prayer that I offered up in laying it all at his feet:

Dear Lord,
     I am about to lose my senses.  You know this already, of course, but I am bringing this to you as a plea for your help.  I am truly losing it!

• My sense of sight-  I am losing the ability to keep my eyes on you in the midst of worldly attitudes and self-centeredness.  Instead of keeping my focus on you, I find myself allowing the contagious sinful attitudes to seep in.
• My sense of hearing-  I have allowed the worldly noise prevent me from hearing your voice telling which way to go and what to believe.    (Isaiah 30:21)
• My sense of touch-  Lord, I haven't felt your presence and love surrounding, comforting, and protecting me and my family.  I know its our own fault, but I miss the warmth of your unconditional love, unending joy, and unspeakable grace that only you can provide.
• My sense of smell-  I have lost the aroma of your Holy Spirit filling my heart so that it overflows with you.  Please allow me to clean up, clean out and make room for my heart to overflow with goodness and mercy.
• My sense of taste-  I want to taste the sweetness of your love and words roll off my tongue, instead of the bitterness that has been present lately.
• My sense of balance-  The biggest of them all, my life is out of balance.  If it weren't, I wouldn't be here losing all other senses.  I have allowed myself to put my time with you each day to the side and let busyness take over. 

I am ashamed that I have let things get this far.  I am blessed beyond all measure of human understanding, yet I have taken it all for granted.  I just ask that whatever each day holds, that you will uphold me with your mighty  hand and protect me from caving to the ways of the world.  Allow my children to be influenced not by my failures, but my ability to trust in you, Lord, to overcome.  Please forgive me.  Your humble daughter,

the view from where I sit

My favorite part of these cold nights??

Ahhhhh.  A crackling warm fire, the glow of lights on the mantle, and snuggled up with Big Daddy (or at least somewhat close).

Our Advent Tradition

A couple of years ago, my mother gave our family the book "Jotham's Journey".  It's a story of a young boy and his adventures leading up to the coming of the Messiah.  The story starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas morning. 

We missed our little tradition last year (sniff, tear).  This year, however, we are reading it as though we have never heard it before!  My kiddos cannot get enough and every night they ask to read ahead.  At the end of each night's section of the story, there is scripture and explanation about that time and how it relates to the Advent season as we celebrate.

I don't know if you have your own Advent traditions, but if you are looking for one, "Jotham's Journey" is certainly worth diving into!!

There are also two other books for the Advent season that are told from the poinof view from characters that are introduced in "Jotham's Journey".   They are  "Tabitha's Travels" and "Bartholomew's Passage".  I think we will look into these for the coming years.  All these books can be ordered here for $7.99 each or $21.99 for all three!!

What are your family's Advent traditions?

Thankful- Days 3 & 4 (alternately titled "I am already a day behind and its only Monday")

Oh dear.  I didn't write my thankful post yesterday.  I sat down to do it when we had some late, unexpected company.  Which happens to be one of the things I am thankful for!!  I love that I have friends, who are also neighbors, that feel comfortable coming over whenever the lights are on!  That's just how we roll.

I am thankful for Sundays.  Although many Sunday mornings I wish I could just sleep in, I always feel refreshed and full after corporate worship with other believers.

I am thankful that we are blessed enough to be able to offer meals to those who have a need.  A friend of mine (actually 3 friends of mine) have all recently lost their grandmothers.  I love that we were able to show love to some of them by providing a meal for their family.

I am thankful for hunting season when, on the weekeknds, I am home with the kiddos while Big Daddy is off doing his manly- whatever.  I guess I am not actually thankful for being alone with the kids, but read on.  You'll understand.   Yesterday afternoon and evening, our kitchen was turned into deer processing central.  While it is messy and time consuming,  I am thankful for the wonderful meat it provides our family which lasts all year.  Or sometimes even longer, depending on the kind of year Big Daddy has had  :).

Although I am not a morning person, I do love mornings.  Why?  I am so glad you asked.  Lamentations 3:22-23 says  "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,  for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."    I am overwhelmingly thankful for the Lord's mercies.  The past couple of days have been hard.  I have felt a little burnt out with my job.  I have let the mundane aspect of everyday life take over and let it get me down.  It's verses like these and a new Monday morning that bring me and my spirit a renewed joy- even in the mundane.

Which, by the way, is what I need to get back to- thankfully (I think).