Why I count it all JOY Wednesday!!

Is it seriously Wednesday already because I feel like this week has 

flown by!!!  And friends....this is the last Wednesday of 2010!! GULP!

But one thing I enJOY about Wednesdays is...being JOYFUL!

Join my friend Angel as we count our JOY!

Why Am I JOYFUL this week?

My kids were in our Christmas Candlelight Service...

my angels & shepherd boy.

Lauren has been volunteering at our Vet this week. It just brings me

so much JOY to watch her give of her time for something 

she has a passion for in life.

This Gigantic Swiss Cake Roll!! My niece is in Culinary school

& she helped me make this for Jesus Birthday!

And yes...it's as yummy as it looks. 

Hanging with my kids this week.

Sleeping in & being very Lazy.

A CLEAN HOUSE!

Matt & I sat at Starbucks last night & set our budget for 

2011 & goals for our family financially but most

 importantly talked about where God is leading

us a family & in ministry. It was such a 

refreshing conversation. 

We have been feeding these people's animals while they 

were gone for the Holidays & they paid our kids way 

more than we expected...that was a blessing!

The heart of Matt's mom...thanks for being so 

generous & blessing our family. WOW

You didn't have to do what you did but you

did it anyway with JOY.

My bag of Starbucks coffee my sis-n-law gave me for 

Christmas...good to the last drop every morning!!

I got 2 new lens for my camera & it's gonna help me 

move closer to my dream of being a photographer!!

Laughter of my kids & their friends hanging out 

at our house. 

OSU Bowl Game tonight!! 

GO POKES!

God's many blessings & His love for me.

I am feeling incredibly blessed lately. 

A baby changed everything for us. 

Christmas 2010 w/ Family

We have a big family...lots of stops to make every year!
Our first Stop was with Matt's mom...aka Grandpa & Grandma Z.

Grandma & Grandpa Z. love playing games with the kids. I caught this moment

while they were playing Uno...not just an ordinary game of Uno...some fun

 spinner thing that lights up, they bought to play with the kids. 

They were all sitting on the bedlaughing & playing...what a gift for our kids, 

time spent with them. My Grandma Dickey was like this..she played with us

 & made us laugh. That's what kids remember...not the gifts they opened under the tree. 

The adults got quite a surprise from her also...a decision she made many years

ago is now blessing our family in a huge way...more about that at another time.

Next we headed to Matt's dad's house...aka Grandma & Grandpa Thomason.

They both live in Stillwater so it's convenient for us to see them both. 

The girls always have so much fun together...they are goobers!!

Same with the boys...both grandparents have Wii & all kinds

of games to play so it's a blast for them to hang out. 

Last stop is my parents...Nana & Papa's house with my sister

& her family. My mom always works so hard to make our dinners

yummy & you never walk away from her house on an empty stomach!

This year my dad had a new gadget for the turkey...it was infrared cooked.

Crazy huh? Instead of being fried. 

My kids love their cousins. They always have so much fun together

on both sides. We are so blessed to have so much family. I enjoy our 

time together & love watching my kids interact with extended family.

I know we are so fortunate to live close to our families. I praise God 

for that all the time. 

Just a glimpse into our Christmas. Over & done with way to fast!!

Enjoying a calm week & putting our house back together & being

LAZY!! Love it!

Merry Christmas

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An Angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God & saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests".

Merry CHRISTmas friends...Enjoy your day.

Family Christmas Traditions

As I get older I have realized just how traditional my family is...
And I love that about us.

All my life my family would gather over at my grandparents on
Christmas Eve...their house was always packed with about 40 plus people.
My grandma had made each of us our own stocking...if we brought a guest...
she would make sure they had something too. No one was left out.
We would all open presents together...I absolutely loved this day.

After the gifts were open we would pile into our cars & head to the
Christmas Eve Candlelight service at church. It didn't feel like Christmas
until we participated in this event.

With Matt being a minister, we are involved in the Candlelight Service.
My girls are angels & Jaden is a shepherd each year so on Christmas
Eve we get the privilege of being at both services to help out.

Matt & I have started some traditions with our kids & one of my favorite is...
the kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve...it's a pair of PJs. We put
them on & get all snuggled up & read about our Savior's birth. The kids take
turns reading & this time is my absolute favorite moment of our entire celebration.

We have lots of little traditions to go along with Christmas...but the Candlelight
Service & reading in our PJ's is when it feels like the true spirit of Christmas fills
my heart.

How about your family? I would love to hear about your traditions...new or old.
Enjoy your next few days friends & family. :)

Why I Count It all JOY Wednesday!!

It's late Wednesday & I am just getting a moment to sit & blog.

Of course I can't resist my JOY list this week. Too much to be JOYFUL about.

I haven't been able to blog for a few days...as you can read from my last post.

But it fixed itself...WHATEVER!! 

Join my friend Angel & spread some JOY!!

This week is long because I haven't blogged...so yah...

I survived 6 weeks of Kindergarten.

My family survived 6 weeks of me working full time.

My husband...seriously could not have done 6 weeks without

 his love...patience & support. 

Eggs...6 fresh eggs a day from our chickens.

Arm band tape dispenser...Cost $2.

best $$ I've spent in a long time to wrap presents. 

All our presents are WRAPPED!!

Thought I would share a pic of all my sweet Kindergarteners!!

3 are missing due to 2 puking & 1 was in "in-house suspension" 

I know right...A kindergartener suspended!!

I am done shopping!!!

Matt's sense of humor...

Baby Brynlee...Her mom Lydia was in my small group from a

Jr. Higher & up. Now Lydia is Lauren's small group leader.

Maybe one day...Lauren will be Brynlee's leader.

The picture to the right is Brynlee's dad James. He grew up in our youth group also. 

He is now our Jr. High minister. Can't describe to you how much

I love & adore this little family.

Our adult life group. We had dinner at Los Cabos the other

 night...Amazing group of friends. 

My HS small group of girls...they all inspire me.

The Teacher's aide that worked with me in Kindergarten made this 

adorable train for me!!! So cute!!

I love spending time with our families over the next 

few days. 

Our Pastor's wife...Pam had a dinner for all our

PW's last night...an amazing group of ladies. 

As the Christmas Celebrations begin...I am so 

thankful we are a family who is grounded in our faith in

Jesus Christ. 

Peace. Salvation. 

Christmas lights.

A manger...a baby...a Savior is born.

I have a ton more. Really. I do, but I don't want 

to bore you.  I must keep up with my 

blogging so they are so long.

Love all of you & enjoy the next few days!!

Server Rejected??? HELP!!!

Ok...so I have tried to blog all day....& I have a few pics I want to share...

But for some reason every time I try to upload a pic it says....

Server Rejected...Anyone else having issues???

HELP ME PLEASE!!!!! 

A Little Sign

I walked by Brooke's room the other day & noticed

 this little sign hanging on her door. 

There are times as a mom you stop & think...maybe I'm 

doing something right & they are getting it.

My heart leaps for JOY every time I read these words.

Jesus...God...Bible...& all of us.

Now of course she didn't leave out Presents. :)

Just a little "sign" that Jesus is in her Heart!