Merry Christmas

much better...

Merry Christmas 2009

Our new tree...

Olivia's turn to trim the tree...

Daddy's assistance

She's almost tall enough to do it herself

we think the star might be a tad big... hmmm.

Black Friday...

Steve declared on Thanksgiving day that he thought it might be 'fun' to go shopping on Friday!
I was pretty shocked, because he doesn't ever really like to go shopping... why would he brave the busiest day of the year?

Well - he left at 10minutes to 5am and made it to Target, Meijer and Wal-mart...
he returned with all the shopping finished before 7:30.
My HERO!

Our shopping is mostly finished - and now we can enjoy the season!
Merry Christmas Shopping!

New kitchen floor - Pt. 2

the newly finished floor -
there's little that stands up to the feeling of a project finished
(almost)
like most home projects there will always be something left...
or a surprise addition to the project
stay tuned - paint was purchased to touch up the cupboards!

Thanksgiving 2009
for these and many more things we are thankful

Thanksgiving... preparation day

The kids had the day off of school so they each took the opportunity to help me make a recipe that we would share.
Simeon made Great Grandma Mathew's Date Pudding.
Olivia made Aunt Nancy's Potato Rusks
Sophie helped me make Donna's Sweet Potatoe Casserole
from our days in South Carolina

They all turned out deliciously... and the kids really enjoyed helping me make a special dish for our dinner!
I'm thankful for my children - they are such a blessing to me!

Thanksgiving

When I was a girl my mom enjoyed painting ceramics. One year she spent a lot of time painting a pilgrim man and woman. They have decorated their home since then as a great reminder of being thankful.
This year, as I was getting ready for Thanksgiving, I found these plus an Indian man to decorate my home. I love that they are simple enough to not have faces, but detailed enough that you can see the honest labor of their hands and efforts. If it weren't for the Indians and Samoset along with his entire tribe our forefathers would not have made it to the spring to learn to plant and harvest. Having seen Plimoth Plantation this summer - these important people have earned a very new place of respect in my mind... yet even more than them - God has so richly blessed me that how could I NOT but sit and be grateful for so many things.

Happy Birthday Sophie

My little Sophie turned 4 just last week... a month earlier she told me very specifically what she wanted her cake to look like. Thankfully it was the little brown piece of paper with polka dots that caught her eye... stacked, please, and with white cake. You'd never know that she was a pretty sick little girl on her birthday - but in the end she told her daddy that it was "the bestest" birthday she ever had. Complete with birthday wishes from loved ones and a dolly head to play hairdresser with.

As the sun was setting...

While we were visiting in Van Wert, to drop off the tree bound for Texas, we had to take advantage of all of Grandpa's leaves and 'help' him take care of making some piles. It was a great time to watch the kids and Steve play in the leaves.

New kitchen floor - Pt. 1

We decided that after the kitchen was painted, that this old flooring had to come up. It couldn't even be scrubbed (on hands and knees) and stay cleaned any longer. So... we cashed in some sony points and got a gift card for Lowes. The day was spent chipping away at the old lenoleum. I still have a blister on my thumb three weeks later to prove how hard it was... only to find out that we could 'heat' the tiles and they'd come "right up"... The kids got in on the action and we spent the day on our knees in the kitchen working together.

Catching up...

Life has whizzed by in the past 2 months... I look at my pictures and realize that I have not accounted for the many things I've learned and enjoyed.  Nor, have I taken account for the experiences of life.  I have enjoyed the and focused on the experience - but haven't related them as I can or ought.  So ... here in the next few moments I'm going to attempt to bring the picture back into focus.  Enjoy!