Today begins the celebration.

Okay I did have a work party earlier this week and it was a lot of fun.  In fact I am now addicted to fired pickles...

But today is when we will all pile into a warm living room with those closest to us. 
We will eat way to much.
We will laugh way to hard.
We will fight over some pretty awesome gifts.
We will save some of the others for another Yankee swap.
It will be good.

Today begins the celebration of the ultimate gift God gave to us that night in a manger. 

In the days to come we will sit and open gifts that has brought the giver much more anticipation the the receiver.  As the boys talk about the gifts it's the joy they hope to see on our faces as we open the ones from them that outweighs what they will get.  I am quite sure that's how God felt that night, each night, one of us opens His gift of Jesus. 

Some gifts I've been given this year as I remember.
~ Little boy excitement over the gifts they are giving.  (So much so there isn't going to be too much surprise on Christmas morning)
~ Customers, strangers, giving me large tips with a God bless as they leave.
~ Friends to be with.
~ Snow to watch my babies, now boys, play in.
~ A healthy new niece and a healthy new Momma.

Happy Birthday, My Dearest.

To another year of greatness!

I love you today because...

...Your love for your teens and children in your ministry...

...You understand your need for you and God and nothing else...

...Your Daddy touch, that only you could have with our boys...

...You are who you are, no questions asked...

...The joy you give us when you get the guitar out...

...Happy Birthday!

Three

I can hardly believe it's been three years since we were in the hospital listening to you purr while you slept, something you still do.

 

In the last year you have grown into a true boy.  We've been diaper free for almost that entire time. You began potty training just before your second birthday and you are a quick study.

 

Caught red handed...Eating old candy from the gingerbread houses.

They say the cravings your mother has while carrying you becomes your favorite food.  My cravings were kit-kat's and twix bars.  Oh yes, you have a sweet tooth worse then I've ever seen before.  Just last night as I was trying to get you to eat your dinner I said that if you ate you could have some left over frosting on crackers, but you were too full to eat any more.  Until five minutes later as I pulled out the frosting you ran to the table saying, My tummy is sooo hungry!  Before I knew it, you were done eating the sustaining stuff ready for the sweets.

Love little boy toys.

You have an imagination that runs wild.  Earlier this year as we put you to bed you would come out with pure fear in your eyes and voice saying that, "I can't go to bed there are Coyotes in my bed and they will eat me!"

 

When asked what you want to be when you grow up you say, "I want to be a daddy with five kids!"  Any kind of house work you just love.  You cook for me all the time, you clean, and you love on that baby of yours.  When we look at toys in the store you love walking down what we call the "pink isle" also known as the doll isle with each new doll you have a new squeal to match it.  This year for Christmas I'm giving you a doll stroller something you've been asking for since this time last year.

Knowing you love to wear costumes big brother picked this out all by himself for you.





While you are bushels of laughs, and wildly fun doing things only you could think of, you are most of all a gift to me.  You are on loan, and God has given you some pretty special personality traits.  Aside from laughter when I think of you I think compassion, a boy who understands the need to encourage others, a giver it doesn't matter what or how much it means to you if you think it'll brighten another's day.

 

As you wanted a costume party I dressed up as you.  any given day we would find you in one or all of these items-1 boot, 1 glove, batman shirt, vest, back pack, hat, and crazy socks...All day long you would say, "Momma, I mean Laughter..."

 

I love you.  I thank God that he has allowed me to grow with you another year.  My prayer this year is that while you are just beginning to come to an understanding of spiritual things, that you may fall head over heals for the One who made you...That and I am still praying that God will get me to your fifth birthday before any broken bones or ER trips come.

You requested strawberry cake with strawberry frosting with sprinkles and a strawberry on top.

 

I love you sweet boy.  Happy third birthday.  It's been beautiful to watch you become a boy.

 

 



A sneak peak into this years Christmas gift theme...

My first step was the natural food store just down the road a bit.  To buy these wonderful products.

Next step invite my brother and his girlfriend up to help with wood and then back out on the men while we have some girl time in the kitchen.  Am I against stacking wood?  Nope, but if there are girly things that need being done and I have a fellow girl to do it with...

I wonder what it's going to be?

I would tell now but I don't want to ruin the surprise for those who will receive this goodness.

Little boys helped, they even brought there own kitchen stuff to make imagination gifts when the stove was required.

 It all happened in the kitchen over a matter of weeks...

Each part simple and fun.  Only leaving one battle wound, a cut finger on a sharp edge.  Totally worth it.

I shall share it all with you starting December 26th.

Until then I will leave you with this one Christmas project the boys and I made together, thanks to pintrest.  It was so good I decided to make two giving one away...

Step one: Paint the hoolies feet.  Since little boys love painting especially there feet this wasn't a problem.

Step two: Paint the word "Mistletoes" underneath.  I have the worst penmanship ever and painting is not really my thing.  I used a stencil and filled it in.

Step three:  Add color.

There you have it a cute little Christmas project that captures the memory of those three and four year old feet.

Celebrating 6 years with shoes

I have worn heels maybe two times in my life, and nylons only when required.

 

So when I envisioned my wedding day with me in typical wedding shoes I saw disaster.  I mean, tripping over my dress and rolling down the isle just wasn't my idea of a good wedding day. 

So I chose my everyday sneakers.  I did end up tripping on my dress falling on a staircase with the bellman running to my rescue, but that's for another story. (Just an FYI, it was an alcohol free reception.  I was that slick all on my own.)

 

I wasn't the only one who went for tennis shoes.  One of the groomsmen showed up with these bright green shoes. 

He said he'd only wear them until I noticed, which I did the instant I saw him.  How could anybody miss those shoes?  I figured since I was going for comfort who was I to stop him. 

 

So funky shoes kind of became a theme of our wedding.  The girls all had duck slippers.  Some of which even quacked when they walked.

A laid back Christmas

In past years we've decorated not only the Christmas tree but also the boys bedroom and other rooms, this year we're not really feeling it. 

Last year we had a two foot Christmas tree to which we added a decoration each day of the advent. This year we're two days into the advent season and haven't done a thing. I'm thinkin' this year we'll skip it.

This year we have the biggest Christmas tree we've ever had, but minutes after we turned our lights on the middle section went out leaving us to simply shrug. Our big ol' tree won't stand straight so it's leaning over with some books at the base of the stand to hold it steady.

All of these imperfection are okay as perfection isn't our goal.  The traditions and celebrations of each year may change but there are some absolutes. 

Such as reading our Christmas books. This year we added a new one to our collection called, "God gave us Christmas". It's a really good book about a polar bear cub learning the everything is a gift from God, but the greatest gift was Jesus. 

We try to not only tell the boys that Christmas is all about giving but we try to let the boys give.  Last year we did this with our advent calander some days giving to friends, singing to God of even finding a stranger to give to.  One way we are giving this year is by not filling up our stockings a choice we all made as a family.  Instead we're using the money to buy animals for families that have no money in other parts of the world.  If you're interested check out World visions online gift catalog by clicking here.


Photo taken from World Vision online gift catalog.

I kind of like that each year is different.  It keeps us focused on Jesus and giving rather then on perfecting family traditions.

Remember His covenant forever, the word which He command to a thousand generations.  The covenant which he made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.

~ 1 Chronicles 16:15 & 16



Catching up on Thanksgiving

Well now, the day before Thanksgiving I realized I had used up all my picture space over on this here blog, and because I did all of my Christmas shopping online this year, my bank account went on alert not allowing anything from the internet to withdraw from it.  It was for my protection and while I am glad to know my money's well protected I have missed recording life here.  Today's about catching up...

The makings of an Apple Cranberry Pie.

I found this recipe on the back of a bag the year Laughter was born.  It has ever since become apart of our holiday celebrations.  In making this I knew Thanksgiving was about to start.  A full week long celebration this year.  Monday massive amounts of cleaning and the first pie was put together not to be backed until the morning of.

S'more Brownies.

Now this one I only because we had just been introduced immediately falling in love.  As we remember all that we've been giving and all that we have to say thank You for I wanted the boys to have food that would bring them great pleasure as well.  As it turned out it brought us adults joy too as the kids didn't touch the pies we had been waiting for...This goody will be back.

Grandpa B came up Wednesday morning to help me with the cooking.  As far as American food and childhood memories go he is the second best cook only beat by his mother.  The smells brought back such good memories.  The tastes explode in your mouth.

Here's a taste explosion for you; Chocolate French Silk Pie made with Belgium chocolate and homemade whipped cream...I won't mention the singed hair or my new understanding that some kitchen aids are more then just space fillers...

It seems that around Christmas time as I'm cooking to prepare for some kind of gathering one of the boys has a hard time sleeping.  On those night instead of being sent back to bed.  They get to come help and even lick the spoon before being sent back to bed.  They love it and so do I.

There were 10 of us this year.  Five kids and five adults. 

I was excited to be sharing our gift house with others. I was excited to be sharing a dream we've had as well; to host friends at our house.

Big brother came all the way from Boston to be with us.

It was a good day.