Happy Birthday Mike!

Today is my father in law's birthday. Happy Birthday Mike! I thought I'd leave you a post of a picture I found while sorting out my comptuer files today. This one is from the Mariner's game quite a few summers' ago. The boys had a lof of fun that day. I remember it well. Happy Birthday!

Christmas Morning!

wearing our new Christmas jammies

Opening some presents

All of the cousins - except sleepy Lincoln

All dressed up and ready to go

Christmas Time!

This year on Christmas Eve we went to dinner with my sister and her family. I think I ate more crab than Kacia, but it may have been close:) Then we all went to church together. This is always my favorite part of the night! This year in particular, God brought back fond memories of my last Christmas with my mom. Maybe it's because Jenny and Kevin's girls are the age that our kids were that year, but whatever it was, it was sweet to remember in detail that last Christmas Eve dinner with her and then going to the service at Faith. I had so many flash backs to that night. I will always remember her singing with tears in her eyes and that beautiful shiny blue shirt she wore. Anyways, now I am rambling.
So, after Church we opened gifts together with the Burns Family and then went home to read the Christmas story and get our kids to bed (which is getting harder, not easier!)
We had a nice quiet Christmas day. I think I wore my pjs most of the day. Late afternoon we saw the movie Marley and me, and then came home for Christmas Fettucini and Allie's Creme Brulee. It was a relaxing day. We did have some snow fall down Christmas morning, but it quickly melted as it hit the much too warm ground. Nothing like our family in the Northwest had!
What hit me the most this Christmas season is how much God has given me. My salvation, Hope, Joy, Peace...I feel so full of blessings I don't deserve! Truly overwhelmed by what He has given me. Greatful- so greatful! Merry late Christmas to all of you!

Making Cookies with our Cousins

Rylin and Kacia came over the other night to help us decorate cookies. We looked at lights, drank hot chocolate and read stories. It was a lot of fun. It's great to have them around to bring out the "young childlike spirit" of Christmas in our house.

Drive Through Nativity

Last weekend, Pete and I and the kids were in the drive through nativity at church. I think it will be pretty obvious who we were:) It was cold, and fun. It was pretty funny to see our kids wearing elf ears, but even funnier to watch Pete, "HO, HO, HO".

To answer the question...

Yes. Yes I did let my boys go to school today with shorts. They have adversions to pants. Apparently they are too confining. My rule is that if it is below 60 you have to wear a sweatshirt. Sometimes, you gotta pick your battles.:)

Let it snow, Let it snow, PLEASE!

That was Allie's prayer last night. And while it was beautiful to wake up to the winter white, unfortunately, Allie didn't get her snow day. Maybe tomorrow. They are calling for some more tonight. Either way, it was a nice treat today, and it feels more "christmasy" than wearing a tank top while putting up lights.

Nanna and Papa came to see Michael's orchestra concert

My favorite!!!

Pete and I take turns.

a few more

A day in November...

I had a blast practicing on my new camera today. I'm lucky to have willing models! What a beautiful fall day it was!

question/thought of the day???????????????

I was thinking about this today and it really started bothering me, or should I say convicting me.....WHY IS IT SO MUCH EASIER TO BE SAD/MAD ABOUT THE SIN IN OTHER PEOPLES LIVES, THAN MY OWN?

I know I need to be way more broken by my own darkness, than the darkness I see around me.


Just a thought.

I've been Tagged!

My friend Megan Tagged me. I loved reading her and Jenny's responses on their blogs. I don't know that mine will be as interesting, but here goes...Six interesting facts about myself.

1. I hate my kitchen being messy. I don't think I've ever gone to bed with a sink full of dirty dishes. If we have a party, I'd rather stay up into the wee hours of the morning to clean the mess, than wake up to it. Now, don't worry if you are one my friends who may not share my neurotic passion- I never mind someone else's messy kitchen. In fact, it is strangely freeing for me to leave a dirty dish in your sink and know you don't care:):):)

2. My favorite holiday is really more of a holiday week. I love Thanksgiving week. It has always been my favorite. I love Thanksgiving day, but really I love the whole weekend; getting Christmas stuff out, maybe even the tree, spending time with family and friends - the whole holiday feels so cozy and peaceful and LONG!

3. My idea of a perfect day right now would be; a rainy day where I could stay home all day with my kids and husband, in my jammie's, with a REAL fire in the fireplace and nothing we'd have to do or get done. I spent so many years home with the kids and I remember being so bored of being home all day, now I'd welcome it. Funny how things change!

4. I've always felt that God has and will call me to full time ministry someday. I don't know how or where or when, but Pete and I both share this sense that someday we will serve God in more of a full time capacity.

5. I love coats....REALLY love coats! I counted, just for the sake of this blog and I have 17 coats. 8 dress coats, 4 winter ski coats, 1 leather coat,3 athletic style coats and 1 down coat. and these are not 17 coats that I use to wear, or sit in my closet, but 17 coats that I currently wear. The problem is, I live in the wrong place to have this love for coats. I only get to wear them for a few months out of the year. I really wish that the coat could just be the outfit. I hate taking them off, especially when they are so cute. (And no, I am not convinced I have enough, I just tried one on yesterday! )

6.MUSIC- I love it!!! It has shaped, convicted, softened, healed and freed my heart from the time I was a little girl. I love all music, but mostly I am talking about WORSHIP MUSIC. I love listening to it, and I love writing it, but mostly I love singing and playing and worshiping God through it. I have a feeling I've been labeled "the Charismatic one" of my family. But, so you know, this is really more of a private thing for me, than public. I raise my hands in the car, the shower, while I am running....you get the picture. I get so lost in singing my heart to Jesus. When the song is about God's sovereignty or majesty, I'll feel like I could sing it forever. I look forward to music in heaven! I can't wait to sing " Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. and if God allows, I'll sing it to Him forever!

7. There is no trial, struggle, are heartache in my life that I wish God would have saved me from. That may sound cliche, but it's true. Everthing I've lost or hurt from has led me to such a deeper place with my Lord. In those times my heart has broke, He has replaced deep fears with deep trust and faith, He has freed me of chains I bore, He has rooted me in Him and taken my roots out of this world. I know that if I had been spared the pain, I wouldn't know Him, the way I know Him today. I truly am thankful for how He has allowed pain in my life, but walked with me every day of it!

So there are seven things about me. Opps- it was suppose to be six. Now I'd like to tag Sherrie Jones, Sandie Haskins, Angie Rowe, and Sabrina Heltand. Have fun!

"Home Church" on a rainy sunday

Fall Party on Halloween 2008

Alex doing some tricks!

YIKES!!! Who is this kid's mother???

Alex ran for Pres!

Alex has so much courage, and he decided to run for President in school government. He had a great campaign slogan, "Go for the Gold" gave an awesome speech, and gave it his all, unfortunately, only one man can fill the job and this year, the votes favored a great kid who is in sixth grade-we were so proud of Alex for his attitude and hard work!

Kacia - the soccer star!

I can't leave out that Kacia played her first season of soccer this fall too! We made it to a few games to watch the action. She did awesome! Go Kacia! ( It seems like this was just Allie starting out, where does the time go?)

A couple pics from my birthday

For my birthday, we went to the pumpkin patch with my sister and her family! It was a great way to have fun and visit while the kids could all run around! It was about 90 degrees that day, kinda strange to be sweating at the pumpkin patch, but when the sun went down, it was awesome and their was a beautiful sky! Thanks Burns' family for a wonderful night!

Alex and his puppy!

Catching you up on the month of October

October has been great! I love October weather. Most days it was in the high 80's in the afternoon's and cool in the mornings and evenings. Perfect for running and great "play" weather for the kids. Allie played volleyball for school, Michael played soccer for school, and Alex and I spectated each day. Alex's season starts this week, so he is excited to leave the sidelines and get in on the action.

Cooper is getting huge- he is over 55lbs now. He rides with me in the Yukon all afternoon! I can't belive I've turned into one of those "dog persons", but I have. He loves to get the kids and his tail wags so hard in the car when we pull into the schools, that sometimes I think he is going to break it. Pete continues to walk him every morning, which has somehow made him especially fond of Pete.

Speaking about Pete, he had a great soccer season too, I just never take my camera to his games, I might embarass him!

Messing around at the park on Labor Day

a little soccer, little volleyball, a little sitting in the sun. All in all, a great afternoon!