3... 2... 1... lights!

It will be a busy 25 days... it will be a happy fun-filled 25 days.  I do not plan to fit every thing in.  I do not plan to be hurried - although there will be a few days of hurried in those 25. But I do plan to sit on the sofa with the kiddos reading every single Christmas book we own.  I plan to watch fun Christmas movies as a family.  I plan to bake and decorate cookies with friends.  I plan to shop for practical and fun gifts for my family.  I plan to sing Christmas songs and enjoy them.  I plan to help point my kiddos to our Savior's birth...

The lighting of the Christmas tree and whole city was tonight.  For the third year in a row Danny got to say the prayer before the event.  Love being part of a town where you can say a prayer and give God the glory.

The kiddos loved every minute of it... free hot chocolate!

Danny thanking God for sending His son as we celebrate His birth.

Lights!

Love this shot... and it's blurry.  Em - proud of her Daddy... 

It's official now... we'll turn the lights on at our house now, too.

The First Sunday in Advent

The Prophecy Candle

"This candle reminds us of the time for waiting for the Messiah to come.  It reminds us of the witness of prophets about the Savior.  It is a time for our waiting as we move toward the celebration of Christmas."

"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."

Isaiah 9:6

I found this advent wreath in a catalog years ago.  You can easily make your own advent wreath... or even use colored votive candles and place in a circle.  Even if you begin your advent wreath tomorrow... it's the thought and memories you make with the wreath that matters.

Another resource I love using at Christmas is this book... The ADVENTure of Christmas by Lisa Welchel.  It has many easy and practical ideas to keep Jesus the center of this merry season...

Black Friday... shopping and decorating!

Wow... it's here. Christmas. Enjoyed the morning working on some Christmas projects. Did some shopping to find some good deals... (did okay.) Kiddos were troopers -- and as promised stopped at our favorite park to play before we headed home. Danny pulled down all the Christmas decorations... and the kiddos could not wait to decorate their tree. They did it all by themselves... not bad!

December daily... hoping some of my blog friends will take up the challenge of a post/photo a day through the month of December... and no big deal if you miss a day here or there... it's Christmas after all! Enjoy it!!!

Happy Thanksgiving...

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:3-6 NIV

I'm thankful for the Lord.
I'm thankful for my sweet family.
I'm thankful for God's provision.
I'm thankful for friends I see often...
and those friends I so miss and don't see often enough.
Just thankful...

gratefulness count down... 2 & 1...

I'm grateful to wake up to a clean house and kitchen... being home these last few days has been wonderful! I've been cleaning -- getting ready to do some baking and Christmas decorations... might even take the kiddos to get their photo taken with St. Nick. I'm grateful for easy days at home... sleeping in until 7 AM... so lovely... waking to peaceful kiddos playing together happily... I think they are enjoying the break, too.

Had a wonderful time with childhood friends last night... I'm grateful for old friends.

Can NOT wait to begin my December Daily '09 posts...'tis the Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gratefulness count down... 4 & 3

#4 So grateful for friends who come over for dinner... and for friends who have us over... love our neighbors... love a random phone call saying "hey - we made all this stuff, please come over..."

Okay - we'll be right there!

#3 Grateful for good, easy and festive ideas... like this one. Found this idea in an old magazine. Always needs an easy way to use my little votive candles...

gratefulness count down... 5

I'm thankful for our church... a place to come for corporate worship, share communion and to learn about God's Word together. I'm thankful to look over and see my son singing hymns and my daughter holding my hand.

At church on Sunday morning together as a family... a moment I've hoped and dreamed for my whole life and still can not get over God's provision... and I hope I never do.

I'm thankful for a wonderful group of friends from our small group that will be over for dinner tonight... thankful for a husband who is down stairs cleaning... getting ready for friends...

Thankful for a blog... to share my thoughts/photos and my 300th post! Wow...

gratefulness count down... 6

This is a two part thankful day... Happy Hour 1/2 price at Sonic (unsweet ice tea!) and a yummy salad for lunch... taking a break from all the Saturday projects going on here....

And these two kiddos... I'm thankful for days like this... it's 3 PM and they are still in their PJs and they have been playing make-believe games all day... just completing the build of a double dog house with two pups in the house... (another blurry shot - but I love it.)

gratefulness count down... 7

I'm SO grateful for this little family... my heart was filled with thankfulness today as I watched my husband and children represent our family for Career Day at Hudson's school. Danny was a presenter and explained to the children all the things a Police K9 unit does on the job. (This photo is horrible... it's blurry and Hudson looks mad - but he wasn't! I think something is wrong with my camera... anyway...) Emma sat at the front of the room for all three presentations... never made a peep - just proud of her daddy.

I never expected I'd be living and raising a family in the same exact place where I grew up. I never expected that I'd be married to a police officer. Many things I did not expect... but I do trust the LORD and can let go of my expectations...

"Many are the plans in a man's heart,
But it is the LORD'S purpose that prevails."
Proverbs 19:21 NIV

I want to live for His purpose and not my own... today I was reminded yet again where are ministry is... and it's right here. May His purpose prevail...

Parent observation week in dance... for the first time since last spring I was allowed to sit in E's dance class and observe. She is in tap, ballet and jazz this year... and hour and a half! And these girls work so hard... I'm happy to report... and I'm not just bragging here...

She's good.

It's wonderful watching my little girl - who dances through life all over the house and half the size of the other girls - practice correct form, know the moves to the beat -- and look good doing the dance. Our third year of dance is finally paying off! LOL!

Needless to say... it was a good moment for the momma.

Marching to a different drummer...

At our school's fun run... that's my boy in the red shorts. They are all warming up for their run. Jumping Jacks... and there is my child doing them in a circle as the rest of the group faces forward... this shot cracks me up. That's my boy...

Thanksgiving verses... thank you for the feedback! I love the ideas my sweet friends commented about on the last post. Andrea... I plan to make a Thanksgiving tree out of something we already had... I'll post a photo once we have more thankful items on it... love that! I would have never thought to use that before... And thanks for the website Aimee...!!!

So much to be thankful for...

give thanks...

"I will praise God's name in song
and glorify Him with thanksgiving."
Psalm 69:30 NIV

The best way for me to not focus on my self and to help my children to not focus on themselves -- is to look at God's Word. This month I hope to focus on Scripture that will focus our hearts on gratitude and thanksgiving. I plan to keep track of a list of things the kiddos will come up with - things they are thankful for. (And I'm sure their growing list for Santa will not be too far away!)

Halloween 2009

Such fun with friends and neighbors - trick or treating up and down the street... the kiddos could not wait... so fun watching them giggle as they run door to door. Each time looking in their bag to see what the got! Fun times...