Good morning!
From,
sweet pea,
messy faced,
curly haired,
button nosed,
Ruby Joy.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Christmas Traditions :: the Christmas Tree.
I love traditions.
My mom was great at celebrating birthdays, Christmas, and all the in-between. Those days stood out. I want the same for my family. Part of it is making it special. But a large part of it is that year to year, you remember what made those days special. Things are constantly changing, but the traditions are the piece of the puzzle that remain the same. I'll say it again: I love traditions.
Dallas and I are finding out what worked for us in the past, and what we want for our kids in the future. It's fun establishing new traditions and implementing them into our family.
One thing we have come to love is getting a real Christmas tree. We go the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving and hunt through the tree farm for the perfect one for us. This year, though, it was frigid! And windy! So, we made a rather hasty decision. It wasn't so whimsical, as you might imagine. We eyed a tree, sat in the van while Dallas cut it down, talked to Santa quickly, and bee-lined it home for hot chocolate. Romantic, eh? Not really.
When we got home and got the tee into the house, we realized it was shorter than I. Whoops. Now, we don't have room for a grand tree by any means, but this was something special. We laughed, until Layla said begrudgingly, "How will we even fit all our special ornaments on there?" Maleah could put the star on without being hoisted at all. Oh dear.
I left for an hour, and when I got back, my stellar husband had the problem fixed. He put the tree on a box, arranged a nice tree skirt underneath, and all were happy as clams. Crisis averted.
Decorating the tree is what is so precious to me.
Every year the kids get ornaments. They each have their own box, and wow, what a big deal this is to them. Along with those ornaments, there are handmade ornaments by the kids and others, gifts, ornaments from special places we have visited, first year ornaments, and photo ornaments. It's not a perfectly themed tree. But it is perfectly ours.
Our little tree is cute, and we love it.
Merry Christmas!
My mom was great at celebrating birthdays, Christmas, and all the in-between. Those days stood out. I want the same for my family. Part of it is making it special. But a large part of it is that year to year, you remember what made those days special. Things are constantly changing, but the traditions are the piece of the puzzle that remain the same. I'll say it again: I love traditions.
Dallas and I are finding out what worked for us in the past, and what we want for our kids in the future. It's fun establishing new traditions and implementing them into our family.
One thing we have come to love is getting a real Christmas tree. We go the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving and hunt through the tree farm for the perfect one for us. This year, though, it was frigid! And windy! So, we made a rather hasty decision. It wasn't so whimsical, as you might imagine. We eyed a tree, sat in the van while Dallas cut it down, talked to Santa quickly, and bee-lined it home for hot chocolate. Romantic, eh? Not really.
When we got home and got the tee into the house, we realized it was shorter than I. Whoops. Now, we don't have room for a grand tree by any means, but this was something special. We laughed, until Layla said begrudgingly, "How will we even fit all our special ornaments on there?" Maleah could put the star on without being hoisted at all. Oh dear.
I left for an hour, and when I got back, my stellar husband had the problem fixed. He put the tree on a box, arranged a nice tree skirt underneath, and all were happy as clams. Crisis averted.
Decorating the tree is what is so precious to me.
Every year the kids get ornaments. They each have their own box, and wow, what a big deal this is to them. Along with those ornaments, there are handmade ornaments by the kids and others, gifts, ornaments from special places we have visited, first year ornaments, and photo ornaments. It's not a perfectly themed tree. But it is perfectly ours.
 |
| Maleah's first year of school ornament. Charlie's Santa riding a red 4-wheeler. Our trip on a train. Our vacation in Wisconsin Dells. |
 |
| Layla's firetruck. A handmade house. Baby's first Christmas. |
 |
| And the picture in front of the tree? Yeah, not ideal either. But, again, us! :) |
Merry Christmas!
Thanksgiving 2014
This Thanksgiving probably went down in the books as my favorite. For starters, nobody was sick! Can I get a Hallelujah?!
I think I say it every year, but as the kids get older, it seems to get sweeter. I love the memories we are making, the conversations we are having as a family, and seeing everyone so genuinely tickled to be together.
The real kick off to Thanksgiving is the school program. This year we did Charlie Brown Christmas. It was super cute and the kids did just wonderful. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos. I was just a tad bit busy playing the piano for it, but I assure you the girls looked absolutely beautiful and sang great, too.
After the program, we got Anna and Asher for a few days! Oh, the fun!!
Thanksgiving day, we headed to Ankeny to the John's. We arrived to a scrumptious brunch, then game playing and snacking, checked into our hotel, and back for the Thanksgiving feast.
Friday morning, the ladies went out for breakfast and shopping, while the dads took the kids swimming. It was a great time had by all!
That afternoon was more game playing (yes, we love games!) and snacking (yes, we love food!). As the evening approached, Erica, Alisa, Dad, and I were getting giddy excited. We knew a surprise was on its way!! What could it be?!
Nana and the kids were completely floored!! Was a limo necessary? Heck no. But oh my goodness, the squeals of delight were just precious! On the way back, we were trying to see where we were, and Noah piped up, "At the corner of happiness." Doesn't get better than that.
The limo took us to Jolly Holiday Lights, we oohed aahed over the light displays, visited Santa, and ate popcorn on the way back. It was seriously such a treat!
The next morning, we went to Noah's basketball game, ate leftovers, then headed home to freshen up a bit and head to our next Thanksgiving celebration. The fun never ends! :)
That afternoon/evening was spent with the Wessels fam. Bonnie is always so great at crafts and activities for the kids, and we had a great time sitting around chatting and eating another Thanksgiving feast!
We went home that night filled to the brim with gratitude. From one loving family to another, so much food, loads of cousins, playmates, and friends, lots of laughter, and sharing our lives together. We are blessed beyond measure.
Thanksgiving 2014 was outstanding. Thank you, Lord!
I think I say it every year, but as the kids get older, it seems to get sweeter. I love the memories we are making, the conversations we are having as a family, and seeing everyone so genuinely tickled to be together.
The real kick off to Thanksgiving is the school program. This year we did Charlie Brown Christmas. It was super cute and the kids did just wonderful. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos. I was just a tad bit busy playing the piano for it, but I assure you the girls looked absolutely beautiful and sang great, too.
After the program, we got Anna and Asher for a few days! Oh, the fun!!
 |
| They played Monopoly for hours. WHAT?! They seem so old. |
Thanksgiving day, we headed to Ankeny to the John's. We arrived to a scrumptious brunch, then game playing and snacking, checked into our hotel, and back for the Thanksgiving feast.
 |
| Alisa always creates a beautiful space for us! |
 |
| The kids' table! |
 |
| Quite the crew. |
That afternoon was more game playing (yes, we love games!) and snacking (yes, we love food!). As the evening approached, Erica, Alisa, Dad, and I were getting giddy excited. We knew a surprise was on its way!! What could it be?!
 |
| A LIMO!! |
The limo took us to Jolly Holiday Lights, we oohed aahed over the light displays, visited Santa, and ate popcorn on the way back. It was seriously such a treat!
The next morning, we went to Noah's basketball game, ate leftovers, then headed home to freshen up a bit and head to our next Thanksgiving celebration. The fun never ends! :)
That afternoon/evening was spent with the Wessels fam. Bonnie is always so great at crafts and activities for the kids, and we had a great time sitting around chatting and eating another Thanksgiving feast!
We went home that night filled to the brim with gratitude. From one loving family to another, so much food, loads of cousins, playmates, and friends, lots of laughter, and sharing our lives together. We are blessed beyond measure.
Thanksgiving 2014 was outstanding. Thank you, Lord!
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Ruby Shenanigans.
This girl of mine. She has brought outrageous amounts of joy and very rarely fusses or cries. She is so funny and does not miss a thing. But, she is our child who climbs, loves danger, and lives a little on the wild side. Every family needs one, or so I hear.
She climbs up onto the counter via the stools. The stool falls over? No worries. Just makes her life more interesting...
Stinkin' cute...
Will not sit still for a picture to save her life...
She is so very 18 months old. She is curious, inquisitive, testing her limits and my patience, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
She climbs up onto the counter via the stools. The stool falls over? No worries. Just makes her life more interesting...
Stinkin' cute...
Will not sit still for a picture to save her life...
No step stool? This tractor will work just fine. It rolled away, she went with it, and laughed.
She is so very 18 months old. She is curious, inquisitive, testing her limits and my patience, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
gifts continued...
36. Going to bed at 8:30 last night.
37. Winter. I love it.
38. A workout with my great friend to start the day.
39. A morning of chatter with a group of ladies.
40. Seeing my two middles giggle together at the table in a room of many.
41. A nap.
42. Life. It is so fragile and such a gift. I'm very simply thankful to be alive.
43. Christmas shopping. It is so fun to give.
44. Ruby mimicking my every move, to the point of rolling laughter.
45. Worship music that fills my home, and little feet that dance to it.
37. Winter. I love it.
38. A workout with my great friend to start the day.
39. A morning of chatter with a group of ladies.
40. Seeing my two middles giggle together at the table in a room of many.
41. A nap.
42. Life. It is so fragile and such a gift. I'm very simply thankful to be alive.
43. Christmas shopping. It is so fun to give.
44. Ruby mimicking my every move, to the point of rolling laughter.
45. Worship music that fills my home, and little feet that dance to it.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Fall funk.
This fall found me in a funk. It was a funk I didn't care for one bit. I could never pinpoint it, but I didn't like who I was in it, and I definitely didn't like how it made me feel. While it wasn't a certain feeling or instance that got me there, I think it was a combination of things. The culmination was my loneliness at the end of harvest season. The icing on the cake was a husband discouraged with his crops, and though we have so much to be thankful for, we were just down in the dumps.
By Saturday, I was downright crabby. Dallas was running ragged. He had worked until 11:00 Friday night, then up at 5:00 the next morning for a church pheasant hunt, then straight back to the field. I was hearing about everyone else doing fun things, enjoying the last of the fall weather, and I was jealous, irritated, emotional, and a big ol' grumps.
I am so thankful that it is very rare for me to get into this kind of mood. God created me with a joyful spirit. Pair that with positivity as one of my top five strengths, and life is pretty good.
After having a momentary meltdown Saturday afternoon, I got the kids and I ready, and we took off for church. We were early, so were just driving, and came upon this beautiful sunset...
And this song was playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L945WWYWIvc
We pulled onto the side of the road and the kids and I just thanked God, right then and there, for His majesty. They were just as amazed as I was with the colors and beauty of it all, and we talked about how the God of the universe who can paint such a beautiful picture in the sky, does the same beautiful things everyday in our lives.
At church, as I held my communion, I cried and cried. Here I am, remembering Jesus Christ's body and blood shed for me. Who am I to feel sorry for my pitiful little self, that really has very little to pity about? Perspective shift.
That night when I got home, I picked up my book 10,000 Gifts again. There is so much all around me. When my head is down, it's hard to see. So, pick myself up, and look around. Blessings abound.
*********************************
This morning in MOPS, Mom gave encouragement about the fruit of the Spirit: JOY. We were all invited to write a "joy," or "gifts," list. I decided I'm not going to stop with this list, but rather keep them going...
*********************************
1. My salvation. Even if nothing else made the list, this is enough.
2. The beautiful sunset that lifted my head from my valley.
3. My best friend and husband who I would choose over and over and over again.
4. My babies. Even when they cry or say, "Mommy" 100x a day, praise God they have a voice.
5. Parents who love each other.
6. Sisters.
7. Food, and not only food, but so many choices.
8. Puzzles.
9. Hot cocoa.
10. My freedom and those who fought and are fighting for it.
11. Our church, PLC.
12. MOPS ministry and the opportunity to invest in the women there.
13. Fall colors and smells.
14. The different seasons.
15. Charlie's Carharts, John Deere hat, and work boots that sit right by his Daddy's.
16. My friends.
17. Our small group.
18. Good health.
19. Provision.
20. S'mores.
21. Yoga pants.
22. Talking in bed every night with Dallas.
23. All six of us in the combine.
24. Our babysitter, Melanie.
25. Watching Maleah learn how to water ski.
26. Our home.
27. Layla's comments that make me roll in laughter.
28. Watching the kids be pulled behind the 4-wheeler in the snow.
29. Listening to Maleah sing, play piano, and play violin.
30. The smell of a Christmas tree.
31. The pitter patter of the kids' feet upstairs.
32. Dancing in the kitchen.
33. Footed pajamas.
34. Watching the kids play on the beach.
35. Ruby's exploding vocabulary.
By Saturday, I was downright crabby. Dallas was running ragged. He had worked until 11:00 Friday night, then up at 5:00 the next morning for a church pheasant hunt, then straight back to the field. I was hearing about everyone else doing fun things, enjoying the last of the fall weather, and I was jealous, irritated, emotional, and a big ol' grumps.
I am so thankful that it is very rare for me to get into this kind of mood. God created me with a joyful spirit. Pair that with positivity as one of my top five strengths, and life is pretty good.
After having a momentary meltdown Saturday afternoon, I got the kids and I ready, and we took off for church. We were early, so were just driving, and came upon this beautiful sunset...
And this song was playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L945WWYWIvc
We pulled onto the side of the road and the kids and I just thanked God, right then and there, for His majesty. They were just as amazed as I was with the colors and beauty of it all, and we talked about how the God of the universe who can paint such a beautiful picture in the sky, does the same beautiful things everyday in our lives.
At church, as I held my communion, I cried and cried. Here I am, remembering Jesus Christ's body and blood shed for me. Who am I to feel sorry for my pitiful little self, that really has very little to pity about? Perspective shift.
That night when I got home, I picked up my book 10,000 Gifts again. There is so much all around me. When my head is down, it's hard to see. So, pick myself up, and look around. Blessings abound.
*********************************
This morning in MOPS, Mom gave encouragement about the fruit of the Spirit: JOY. We were all invited to write a "joy," or "gifts," list. I decided I'm not going to stop with this list, but rather keep them going...
*********************************
1. My salvation. Even if nothing else made the list, this is enough.
2. The beautiful sunset that lifted my head from my valley.
3. My best friend and husband who I would choose over and over and over again.
4. My babies. Even when they cry or say, "Mommy" 100x a day, praise God they have a voice.
5. Parents who love each other.
6. Sisters.
7. Food, and not only food, but so many choices.
8. Puzzles.
9. Hot cocoa.
10. My freedom and those who fought and are fighting for it.
11. Our church, PLC.
12. MOPS ministry and the opportunity to invest in the women there.
13. Fall colors and smells.
14. The different seasons.
15. Charlie's Carharts, John Deere hat, and work boots that sit right by his Daddy's.
16. My friends.
17. Our small group.
18. Good health.
19. Provision.
20. S'mores.
21. Yoga pants.
22. Talking in bed every night with Dallas.
23. All six of us in the combine.
24. Our babysitter, Melanie.
25. Watching Maleah learn how to water ski.
26. Our home.
27. Layla's comments that make me roll in laughter.
28. Watching the kids be pulled behind the 4-wheeler in the snow.
29. Listening to Maleah sing, play piano, and play violin.
30. The smell of a Christmas tree.
31. The pitter patter of the kids' feet upstairs.
32. Dancing in the kitchen.
33. Footed pajamas.
34. Watching the kids play on the beach.
35. Ruby's exploding vocabulary.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Good morning!
Mornings are so predictable around here. They go the same way and in the same order pretty much every single day. These little details are among the precious things I never want to forget as the years go on. I want to remember that when the kids were 7, 5, 4, and 1, they...
Layla: the first to arise every morning. She quietly goes to the living room or dining room and typically colors or reads. She is very quiet, never waking us. From 7:15-7:45, she watches the clock like crazy. She is very concerned about getting to school on time and always is the first to be dressed and have her backpack ready. [to be totally honest, for as "free spirited" as she is, her responsibility this year has taken me by great surprise. good job, layla!] Layla wakes up so pleasantly.
Charlie: is the next one up for the day. We know he is awake, however, as every.single.morning he opens the door and yells a resounding, "Ta Da!" This is no joke. He is smiling ear to ear and ready for the day. He first looks to see if Daddy is home, then straight to his tractors. He, on the other hand, takes forreevveer to get dressed. The boy has work to do. He wakes up happy.
Maleah: has to be awoken from a deep slumber every morning around 7:00/7:05/7:10/ya know. She likes to hold my hand down the stairs [I'll take it.], then plops on the couch. Then plops on the kitchen chair. Then plops to the potty. Then plops back to the couch. After about five minutes of plopping, she gets ready. Maleah wakes up groggy [and sometimes a bit owly].
The three are dressed [usually] and sit down to eat breakfast about 7:20. I sit with them and we have good conversation and I read them "Jesus Calling" for children devotions. At 7:30, the girls head upstairs to brush their teeth. [Not real sure how much Charlie brushes his teeth. Ha! Dallas says he was the same. Hilarious!] After they brush their teeth, Maleah gets...
Ruby: sometimes is up for an hour in her crib while other times Maleah picks her up in a dead sleep. The little peach just enjoys her morning time in her crib, talking and singing. There are times she is awake for over an hour, but never fusses, yells for me, or even stands up. Even when she is sleeping so hard and Maleah goes in her room to bring her down, she wakes up with an instant smile. I am thankful for her joy.
And Saturdays? Yeah, we all sleep in, stay in our jammies, eat breakfast at 9:00, and love it.
Layla: the first to arise every morning. She quietly goes to the living room or dining room and typically colors or reads. She is very quiet, never waking us. From 7:15-7:45, she watches the clock like crazy. She is very concerned about getting to school on time and always is the first to be dressed and have her backpack ready. [to be totally honest, for as "free spirited" as she is, her responsibility this year has taken me by great surprise. good job, layla!] Layla wakes up so pleasantly.
Charlie: is the next one up for the day. We know he is awake, however, as every.single.morning he opens the door and yells a resounding, "Ta Da!" This is no joke. He is smiling ear to ear and ready for the day. He first looks to see if Daddy is home, then straight to his tractors. He, on the other hand, takes forreevveer to get dressed. The boy has work to do. He wakes up happy.
Maleah: has to be awoken from a deep slumber every morning around 7:00/7:05/7:10/ya know. She likes to hold my hand down the stairs [I'll take it.], then plops on the couch. Then plops on the kitchen chair. Then plops to the potty. Then plops back to the couch. After about five minutes of plopping, she gets ready. Maleah wakes up groggy [and sometimes a bit owly].
The three are dressed [usually] and sit down to eat breakfast about 7:20. I sit with them and we have good conversation and I read them "Jesus Calling" for children devotions. At 7:30, the girls head upstairs to brush their teeth. [Not real sure how much Charlie brushes his teeth. Ha! Dallas says he was the same. Hilarious!] After they brush their teeth, Maleah gets...
Ruby: sometimes is up for an hour in her crib while other times Maleah picks her up in a dead sleep. The little peach just enjoys her morning time in her crib, talking and singing. There are times she is awake for over an hour, but never fusses, yells for me, or even stands up. Even when she is sleeping so hard and Maleah goes in her room to bring her down, she wakes up with an instant smile. I am thankful for her joy.
And Saturdays? Yeah, we all sleep in, stay in our jammies, eat breakfast at 9:00, and love it.
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