Merry Christmas to all

It has been a full, very fun weekend, starting off saturday with Pete and I's first ever, all grown up Christmas party. We had so much FUN with all of our friends, dressing up, visiting, and playing games. We are truely blessed with some amazing friendships. We shared some fun family times going to dinner on Christmas Eve, meeting Kaitlin's roommates, opening gifts, going to church and finishing it off with a trip to Bunny Flat, to go sledding this afternoonn. Pete and I can't believe how much Christmas has evolved for our family over the last few years, and especially this one. The kids are still excited and they get crazy in the mornings, but despite the fact that we are sad that there arn't toys to put together any more, it is so cool to be able to talk about Jesus and have them begin to comprehend what He did by coming. Even some of Allie's observations about Mary, made me wonder about things I hadn't before. I do miss the lego directions though. Anyways, that 's all for now, so, " Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

fun in the snow Christmas afternoon

Christmas morning

In our jammies

In our new jammies and all ready for bed

the five of us

Christmas Eve dinner

Christmas Eve

Alex turned 9 this past week. He had a wonderful birthday. On Saturday, they played golf, and on Sunday we had a family party. On his actual birthday, which was Tuesday, we went to In and Out, and had burgers with his best friend Jake, and my brother too. Alex loved all of his presents, and he went "insane" when he opened up the Catcher's gear. He had been wanting it for over 2 years. His patience and persistance in wanting it finally convinced Pete and I. Here are some pictures of his day. When we were at In and Out, I had forgot to bring forks for the cake, but no worries, you can eat cake without forks, and even without your hands. I call this, "date prevention practice" Have a wonderful Christmas Eve tomorrow! and Happy 9th birthday to our baby!

The twelve days of Christmas with a twist

A couple of years ago now, I surprised the kids with a gift I called Mom's 12 days of Christmas. I wrapped a box and put 12 ideas of fun things to do in it. Each day they took turns drawing an idea. I never intended for it to become a tradition, after all, isn't it true that the best traditions are ones you don't plan? But every year since, they have begged to do it again. Some of the ideas in the box have been serious, and some silly, and some, I have made mental notes to repeat. (or not too) So tonight's drawing was a repeater from last year. We go to Starbucks, drink peppermint steamers ( steamed milk with peppermint flavoring) and take turns telling our favorite Chritmas memories. One of the questions Pete and I asked them tonight was, " what is the favorite present you ever got?" Wouldn't you know, all of their answers surprised me, none of the favorites were even over $20.00.....soooooo, to encourage any of you parents who are wondering how you are going to afford that "popular gift on tv" be encouraged! I love nights like this! I know we don't have a perfect family. But the one thing I love about my family is that we talk. I hope that it never changes. I love that our kids share their hearts with us, and that they want to know ours. May it be one tradition that never dies! On the way to Starbucks, we stopped at the mall to see Santa, and get their picture with him. Here are a few pictures of our night. Blessings, and oh by the way...9 days till Christmas!

Girl Party

On Sunday night, one of my friends, Megan, hosted a cookie/ornament excahnge. I came home with more cookies than we could possible eat. It was a fun way to kick of the beginning of December!

Christmas light parade

We ventured out to the town Christams parade this weekend. It was fun, definitely not the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but Fun!

baking weekend

Pete is in Monterey this weekend for a seminar, and we are baking. Michael has a friend over tonight, so I am welcoming their help to make a massive amount of peanut butter balls. We'll let you know how it goes. Bet you wish you could be here to try one :):):) We took a picture so you could see how much dough we have to roll into tiny little balls.

Some family pictures of Thanksgiving weekend

Cool Shot of Pete falling over

The huddle

The football game on Saturday after Thanksgiving

Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving morning, the boys played football, and we wern't cooking....we were walking. My sisters Jenny and Sabrina, our friend Megan, and Allie and I all participated in a charity event called Turkey Trot. We got to burn off our extra calories, before we even consumed them. It was a nice cool, beautfiul morning.

We spent Thanksgiving with my dad and Carolyn last week. I got to meet my step sister and two step brothers. They were all very nice, and we enjoyed a nice time of visiting with my dad, and EATING! As usual, Michael drank too much soda(this is what happens when you don't let them drink it reguarly) and so he was a little sick on the way home, but he is recovered and soda free again. The hard thing about driving home from Dad's isn't the two hour car ride, it's the fact that there is two hours to think about the visit, and it always hits me hard. He looked really sick this time. He had changed so much in the few weeks that we had seen him before Thanksgiving. It broke my heart, and my families. So much to relive again. The questions from the kids are so hard to answer and bring back so much. I am trying to have hope, and be an encouragement for my dad, but watching two parents so physically pained has definitely shaped me in ways that I can't explain. Please pray for him, and for his pain, it is excruciating. please pray too for strength for my kids and for their broken hearts.....One thing for sure, this family definitely longs for heaven and for the relief and everlasting joy it will bring. Alex said the other night," If heaven is so good, why do people try so hard to stay here?" I love that my 8 year old is learning what Paul knew, when he said," To live is Christ, and to die is gain!" We hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and were able to focus on the many blessings that God has given all of us.

Up for Hoops?

Michael and Allie tried out for basketball last week, and they both made their school teams,,,,YEAH! Alex has named himself the official trainer, helping them practice, and giving them critiques afterwards,,,,,yeah, they love that. Does anyone remember the smell of hot, sweaty gyms, and kids that don't where deoderent yet? Well, this house is definitely going to be "sure"

the fall is flying!

I have had a wonderful October and November. Getting to be with friends for my 30th birthday, a fun and relaxing shopping trip to Sacramento with my sis, Jenny,a wonderful biblestudy came to a close, Michael and Allie made the basketball teams(after an entire week of tryouts). But mostly this fall, God has been moving in my heart!!!

I don't know why it still suprises me when the Lord answers my prayers specifically, considering all the times He has, but I guess sometimes I think of my prayers as arrows going out into space, and it is so humbling when the Lord specifically answers you in a way that makes you very aware that He is involved in the details of your heart. This week, I began to pray that God would re-focus my desires, and thoughts. It is so easy to look like I belong in this world, and to begin to fit in, but I don't want to, I want to stand out as a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. My attitudes were beginning to take on the appearance of the world. Colossians says to "fix our eyes on heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, not on earthly things." but how much of my day is spent on thoughts that are temporary and of this world...... Yesterday was when I SAW God answering my prayer. Everywhere I went, I saw hurting people. It was like they were in " bold" and holding signs. An elderly couple in the grocery store, struggling to get their bags into the cart, too sick to be able to help eachother, a boy at the kids school, from a very HARD home, being teased and rejected. A lady I know well, prominent and lacking nothing on this earth, wasting away from designer drug abuse, and a little boy in a grocery cart, being yelled at and pulled on by his very angry, incompetent parent. They were everywhere! Seeing so many lost or hurting people grounded me, and made me accutely aware of where my focus has been wrong. God showed me all day, how much I have, not just earthly blessings,but the love of my family and friends, and mostly, the Love of my Father, and the hope of my salvation and future! Praise the Lord that "here" is not my home, and that I can know that. As fall has flown by, and we are gearing up for the holiday season, I pray you too, will be encouraged to "fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" ......Let's not fit in! May we not look like the world, but like Jesus.

All dressed up,,, and, "mom, my tummy hurts!"

Whoever says that sugar doesn't effect kids, hasn't been at my house when it is being consumed! Sugar makes my kids CRAZY! If I were a teacher, I would always get a sub the day after Halloween. Or maybe that is when they crash, and they sit like zombies all day. Anyways,tonight, we are getting it out of there system! Usually we do the 2 pieces a day thing, but that last us until July, and then, well, Pete and I eat it. SO ,,,,,today eat and be merry for tomorrow it is protein and veggies, and only carbs that have fiber! Arn't they all so cute. The boys are baseball players,,,,AGAIN, and Allie is the "challenged cheerleader", they are joined by the two princesses in my life, Kacia and Rylin!

give this girl a show

For a long time now, many of you, (but mostly us) have witnessed the comical talents of my daughter. She is confident, uninhibited, and amazingly funny. (a talent she did not get from me) She came up with her own Halloween costume and a gave us a funny show tonight!

fun fall weekend

We had a really relaxing weekend! What a nice change. We got to see our friends Darrell and Sandie,and their sons Kyler and Kendrick. (for more on kyler, please go to www.kylersupdates.blogspot.com) We played some baseball, soccer, made popcorn balls, did some cool pumkin carving, and slept,,,,don't you love the time change! It is starting to cool down quite a bit,,,,today might have been the last 80 degree day of the year. This week it is suppose to fall into the 70's and 60's. The kids are excited for the rain in the forecast. You'd think it was going to snow with how funny they are. Pete and I get a good laugh about how different of a climate they are growing up in, compared to the one we grew up in. Oh, by the way, do our pumpkins match our personalities???

pumpkin patch for the day

My sister and I took the kids to the pumkin patch. Jenny gets away with a 50 cent bill, while mine is 20.00. (Notice the size of Kacia's pumkin!) We had a fun time. It is still a bit strange to me(even after 5 years) that it is warm when you go pumpkin hunting. They even sell slushies! Well, even though Jenny got the cheaper bill, you should have seen how dusty we got her new car. I guess that makes it a little even, because I hate my car getting dirty!

I forgot to post this one

A few weeks ago, we joined Pete on a bus. trip to Lake Tahoe. We got to stay in Heavenly Village. We watched movies with the fire place on, and the windows open, went in the hot tub, and walked around. It was fun, but we felt a little stranded in the day time, with Pete needing to take the car. I started getting weird looks from the front desk, as we passed them to go into the hot tub for about the 6th time in one day. Beautiful views, and what an amazing place. If only we could ski for a living!

Snake food?

This worked out great....I get to be the cool mom, who let her kids have rats. And now we DON'T have rats! The deal was,,,,clean the cage, feed them, and I don't want to have to tell you all the time. Well, it was day 6 and no one would clean the cage, and so I reminded them of the deal, and told them if they wouldn't keep it, the rats were going bye-bye. They said, ok then, because we don't want to clean the cage, and they are not so cool now.... So the rats went bye-bye. Whew, that worked out how I wanted it to. I love it when that happens! How weird is it, that I acutally felt sad for the little guys dropping them off for the "pet adoption program" at Petco? ( the guy said, most of them end up snake food) I guess we are helping out the food chain :):):)???

Update on the politician

Well, It was a close race, but in the end, the boys took control of the student body government this year, with a sweep! Allie has had a great attitude, being thankful for her experience last year, and looking for the good in this situation. (not being the only girl amongst a slew of boys, being one of them.) So, thanks for thinking of her. It was a fun race, and very competitive. Yeah Allie! That takes so much courage to speak in front of your school.