Merry Christmas!

This year has been another year filled with God's blessings on our family.  I am overwhelmed at His goodness toward us (in meeting our daily needs) and am ever thankful for His Son, Jesus.

We have made the most of this season with decorating, ornament making, cookie decorating (and eating), visiting Santa, reading Christmas stories, watching classic Christmas movies,  serving at 3 Trees ministry, attending Adrian's Christmas program, school parties, and more things I can't even think of.  I love this time of year because it seems easier to be intentional about spending time together and making fun memories in the mist of our daily routines.  

Genius, pure genius...(evil laugh)

Every Friday, I like to kids to do a thorough job cleaning up the playroom.  When I tell the kids it's time to start picking up, I get bombarded with whining and complaints.... and "but I didn't play with that" and "he/she isn't helping"... it was making me absolutely crazy.  I realize that if I enforced the rule that after you play with it, you put it away, then there would never be a mess.  However, enforcing this rule would require that I spend all my time following the kids around and reminding them to pick up....  not exactly helpful. 

Today was different.  I made a list of all the playroom clean up jobs I could think of (while waiting in the carpool line), tore them apart, and put them in a bowl. Each kiddo picked 5 jobs (and I got all the miscellaneous stuff) and got to work.  It was magical.  No complaining at all and the whole room was cleaned up in 10 minutes.  Plus, when something wasn't done, I knew who was responsible!    YAY to a clean playroom, no mommy meltdown, and no complaining.

Jesus takes care of us

Adrian got the flu late last week and is recovering great!  Today, while we were playing with knights and our castle, he wiped his nose with his hand.  Yuck!  I told him to go wash his hands and then we could play some more.  He didn't want to.  I said "There are lots of germs on your hands and you don't want Mommy to get sick, do you?  Then who will take care of you...(or something like that).  He said "Jesus will take care of me Mommy." Amen, sweet Adrian!  That is exactly  right!

Adrian and Eli

precious Aaron

Birthday party with Cooper

SOCCER!!

So, I'm officially and a soccer mom and all I have to say is that I LOVE it!  I wish I'd played soccer growing up because it looks like so much fun!  Go JG and Go Blue Devils!

(No pics this time as it was overcast)

Aaron's first haircut