Snapshots of Christmas

I read a blog the other night where she snapped pictures throughout her house for her to remember Christmas in 2011.  I loved the idea, so here is a taste of our lives on Christmas one very quiet night as the girls were sleeping.  It was actually very special as I went around and tried to capture our lives in the here and now- so different than 10 years ago or even 10 years from now.  It was fun to reflect on each picture, and smile with each memory it brought. 

 

 Above is Handy the Elf, our version of Elf on the Shelf.  This is our 2nd year with him, although he was an imaginary elf for my sister Katie, as she was growing up.  He always left her notes and a special gift on Christmas, and now he watches over my girls, and the girls are truly mesmerized with the magic of it all. 

A special place where we hang cards, but also have a Santa's bag that my mom made that holds cards and letters.  I love both places, because I find the girls pointing and reminiscing about different families hanging on the wall, and also sitting on the recliner sifting through the Santa bag reading through cards and letters.

I love our new tree.  It's nothing extravagant or special, clearanced after Christmas at Hobby Lobby a couple years ago.  It has ended a cussing daddy unstringing tangled lights, only to find them burnt out, and it only comes in 4 or 5 pieces!  Before we had a tree that came from his parents and you could see the metal pole all the way down.    Although this tree is artificial, I grew up with a real tree that filled the house with such a wonderful smell.  I am sacrificing the smell because of my two girls tree allergies, but it's pretty cute in our corner of our living room.

I love this table, because it holds gifts that family and friends have gotten us.

This is a homemade advent calendar where you move the star and count down to Christmas...  I got it in a family gift exchange and I love it!

The front of our fridge.  Cluttered, but pretty symbolic of our lives.  A Bible quote the girls memorized a few weeks ago, a magnet Ellie talked me into shopping the other day, a countdown from a gift from a neighbor, a printout from pinterest, and a magnet that says pray (hard). 

My favorite.  This is my view from the kitchen sink where I pretty much live. The fish I've come to like that stares at me as I'm doing dishes.  We tried to put it on the shelf in the keeping room, but we forgot about it for about a week, and it was still alive.  So here it swims.  A frame and poem of Sandy, my mother-in-law, whom I miss terribly, more than words.  The mini clay figures of our family that Erika made for me.  They make me happy.

To the left is the Tastefully Simple spice rack I bought for myself for my 15 year anniversary.  Rob bought me flowers, and they were never delivered, so this is what I bought instead.  Use them everyday. :) Instead of dead flowers.  The frame is holding a picture of this years Christmas card and Rob finishing his marathon.  I've always wanted under the counter lights, but this counter light is as close as it's ever going to get.

Emily's make-do Christmas baking cupboard, right up above where she helps me bake.  When we went to build this house, our builder realized that we didn't have a pantry in our plans- so we had to squeeze it in our mudroom.  This cupboard we've made for the holidays, is perfect and so convenient!

Nan's card holder she painted when I was a baby.  I tease her and tell her I don't want to be fighting over it when she dies, so I was taking it now.  I know, dark, but it's one of my favorite things from mom.  The plant is from my "sisters" at church that sent me this when my grandpa passed away the same weekend when I gave a retreat at church.  I hope this plant lives forever.

My girls have been amazing this year.  They are going through their rooms and giving their sisters and family gifts that are very special to them.  They are writing poems, sewing, making clay pieces and so many more surprises.  love that! 

This picture of Em is taken so many years ago, but my favorite of her with Santa.  He was at Walgreens one year, and he was pretty amazing.  I could replace the pictures of each of them, but it would be taking away part of their childhood- and they are so precious!

This is a cup from the girls' piano Christmas party, and behind it are the boxes that have yet to be mailed to Operation shoebox.  The girls researched who and where they wanted to spend their money for someone at Christmas, and after watching the videos on their website, they were so touched and very willingly spent their chore-earned money on children who may only receive this one gift ever.  What a priceless experience for them at their age.  There are so many sad things out there, but this was perfect for them. 

The unfinished gingerbread houses because we ran out of icing, and i've yet to make some more.

Ellie made these :)

Merry Christmas!!!!

Blessings Abound

Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's

Peyton, my nephew, doing Erika's job (we tease Erika because she would be a vegetarian if we let her- so she was a bit queasy watching Peyton)

Rob's Dad loves his grandkids- how sweet is this?!? 

Rob's brother and his dad getting ready to dig in!

The kids made a sign for Rob's cousin, who is very sick with cancer and in the hospital.  We took a picture and sent it on our phone to hopefully warm her heart a bit. 

Rob's grandma and I

I love Thanksgiving.  The food, the family, the friends.  We are blessed and often do not see it because we are looking for things to show up in our lives in a different way and when they don't, we complain that life has cheated us or passed us by.  Yet, everything that comes to us is a blessing.  Sometimes it comes in a more difficult form, to assist us in seeing the good that is in our lives.  Sometimes I need a gentle reminder from above to awaken me to what is needed.  An issue with a friend reminded me to practice compassion, forgiveness and acceptance.  Losing grandpa last month reminds me to embrace every day, to love our family like there may not be a tomorrow.  Nothing is wasted.  Nothing comes without a meaningful gift attached, even if it seems hard to believe.  This year I am reminded to appreciate what is in our lives rather than pouting about what is not, and see how much life seeks to help us grow spiritually. 

I found this lovely blog with printable gratitude signs.  They are beautiful and profound quotes that help you to reflect on the importance of giving thanks and to Who we should be giving thanks to.  Enjoy!

http://spirituallythinking.blogspot.com/2011/11/gratitude-printables.html

Indianapolis Museum

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Before Rob ran his 26.2 miles, he took the girls to visit the Children's Indianapolis Museum. They had a ball!

A Legacy

 The picture I took on my way to the retreat as Grandpa was only hours from Heaven.


You would think that with me writing on this blog for the last 2 years, I would know how to scan a picture, but obviously I do not.  :) 
A year ago last September, we went to church, like any other Sunday.  Reading the bulletin on the way home from church, a women's retreat captured my attention.  Thinking to myself: a night away and to make some SMOY friendships is just what I need.  I thought- even better, I'll call my sister Julie, to go with me so we can catch up and "hang out." 
The next week, we are unloading our sleeping bags from our cars, only to sleep on air mattresses in the school classroom at church.  An hour later, as we are sitting at different tables, we find out that this time next year, we are the lucky ladies to be giving the retreat! 
Here we are, a year later, a bit wiser, and a whole lot closer (to each other and to God), and don't regret one minute of it.  After the retreat, we met a couple times a month and then weekly towards the end to prepare for the retreat.  The friendships formed, the power of prayer, and the amazing presence of the Holy Spirit were just a bit of what we experienced together.  What a legacy of women I was given in my life.  I thank God for allowing me to cross paths and hopefully form lifelong friendships with my new "sisters."  
The weekend we were to give the retreat, my grandpa passed away.  He had been in and out of the hospital for the three weeks prior, but he is such a strong man, we still had hope he would pull through again.  The God who held Grandpa as a young man, through all his years of farming and through those years of loss and struggle.  The God who pursued him all his life and gave him grace when he faltered.  The God who blessed him with a beautiful family and 90 years to enjoy them. 
Grandpa was a dignified man, and he died a dignified death.  That moment at home at mom and dad's with Hospice, we experienced the peace that comes from righteousness in Christ.  Grandpa's death has been a powerful reminder that I will one day be the one in that hospital bed.  The way I live my life matters, the choice I make affect generations to come, and I want to go out the way Grandpa did.  With peace and faithfulness and complete trust in Jesus, to carry my from this life into the next.  What a legacy he has left.

Running Defines Rob

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It was so euphoric watching Rob cross the finish line.  26.2 miles.  Every bit of it.  Months of training.  We were so thrilled to spend a weekend in Indianapolis to cheer Rob on as he ran his first marathon.  The outpouring of compassion and spirit that individuals gave to 12,000 runners who tackled the marathon was amazing.  It took faith and courage to accomplish running this marathon and he did it!  We are so proud of him!

Trunk or Treat

 

Trunk-or-Treat

Our First Time Ever

A Blast!

School with Friends

 

We mixed it up a little bit and a couple friends brought their schoolwork over so they could work together.  They worked great and were pretty creative in learning together.  They played a scrambled states game and practiced flashcards with states and capitals, they played a fun critical thinking game during lunch that was hilarious, and watched brainpop and quizzed each other.  Days like this are so much fun and watching the girls so excited about learning is awesome!