Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Continuing on...
Our next stop on the Christmas Express was to our friends' house for lunch. We've known the Cobbs (Brent and Kerry) since we were in college. Josh and Brent were fraternity brothers, we were in each others' weddings, we live just ten minutes apart, we had our children within months of each other (they also have two girls and a boy), and we just love spending time with such dear friends. So we happily accepted when they invited us over for Christmas lunch.
Somehow in the madness of cooking, eating, cleaning, and helping six children open gifts, I missed getting a big dual family photo, but here are the pics I did manage to grab (they're only of Jack because Abby had already taken off to play with Molly and Grace):
THE TRAIN CONDUCTOR:
THE CUPCAKE KING:
After a quick clean-up and nice, quiet snoozers back at our house, we were ready for the next round of festivities. My parents, sister, and her family all came over for dinner that evening.
As usual, the kids had a fantastic time running all over the place together...they really do have a special relationship, and I just love to sit back and watch it develop. So sweet!
My parents like to pretend that Bethany and I overwhelmed them a bit by giving them five grandchildren in three years, but something tells me they're handling it just fine (and loving every minute of it!)
They didn't even bat an eyelash when our house went from looking like this:
To THIS!
They're old pros! (Or should I just say regular pros?) :-)
And last but definitely not least, this post wouldn't be complete without wishing our newest addition a Merry FIRST Christmas!!
Somehow in the madness of cooking, eating, cleaning, and helping six children open gifts, I missed getting a big dual family photo, but here are the pics I did manage to grab (they're only of Jack because Abby had already taken off to play with Molly and Grace):
THE TRAIN CONDUCTOR:
THE CUPCAKE KING:
After a quick clean-up and nice, quiet snoozers back at our house, we were ready for the next round of festivities. My parents, sister, and her family all came over for dinner that evening.
As usual, the kids had a fantastic time running all over the place together...they really do have a special relationship, and I just love to sit back and watch it develop. So sweet!
My parents like to pretend that Bethany and I overwhelmed them a bit by giving them five grandchildren in three years, but something tells me they're handling it just fine (and loving every minute of it!)
They didn't even bat an eyelash when our house went from looking like this:
To THIS!
They're old pros! (Or should I just say regular pros?) :-)
And last but definitely not least, this post wouldn't be complete without wishing our newest addition a Merry FIRST Christmas!!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Our Christmas Whirlwind Day (PART 1)
Our Christmas morning actually started on Christmas Eve night. Every Christmas Eve the kids each get to open one gift, which is always "surprisingly" new jammies to wear that night and on Christmas morning. I used to babysit for a family in college (who are now dear friends of ours) who did this with their children, and I always loved it and thought it was such a fun idea. So a decade later (I'm dating myself!), we now share this tradition with our little ones.
BEFORE:
DURING:
And WAH-LAH (imagine a little magic wand in my hand)...three adorable, perfectly coordinated munchkins ready for a fun morning:
Because of the late bedtime the night before, our morning got a little bit of a late start (which is really saying something considering we have three children four years old and under!). I'm not sure how many of you know our children, but in case you don't, one thing you should know is that they love to eat. And I don't mean they just like to munch on cookies, candies, and sweets (although they do enjoy that)...they just love food! Jack eats bananas and edamame like his life depends on it, and with the exception of scrambled eggs, Abby has pretty much never turned away a food. And Isabel seems to be well on her way toward keeping the tradition alive.
So did we race downstairs on Christmas morning and open the gifts that were lying in the middle of the living room floor? Oh no!! We looked at them with a smile as we booked it to the kitchen to make muffins for breakfast!
A little fuel for the work of gift-opening...
So with full tummies, it was off to open presents. As you can see, Abby is always the big helper for her little brother and sister:
The jury's still out on whether or not Jack was excited when he opened up his new tractor from Papa Joe and Nanna Lori in Connecticut:
And this was one of my favorite photos from Christmas morning:
On a much more important note, Josh and I have been looking for ways to teach the kids about the real significance of Christmas (see the Nativity post here). Presents are nice...food is yummy...and parties are fun.
But Christmas is the day that Jesus Christ was born.
What an incredible day to celebrate. And one of the ways we choose to do that and to teach our kids about the joy of giving is to sponsor a child through Compassion International. Our hearts have been drawn to Africa, and we were excited to find a little girl in Uganda around Abigail's age who is in desperate need of practical help (such as food and clothing) as well as emotional and spiritual support and encouragement.
So when the kids were finished opening their gifts, we pulled out one more present and told them we'd saved the best for last. Abby opened a small envelope with our sponsored child's picture in it:
She was confused at first, but as we began to talk with her about it, she started asking question after question about Loyce's life. And it has warmed our hearts to see her spend time drawing pictures and saying sweet prayers for who she calls "my new friend, Loyce".
This organization welcomes sponsors year-round, and there are countless children that still need help. Compassion International is committed to high standards and financial integrity. They have extensive information on those topics on their website. We would love to see others join in this invaluable and rewarding program, too!!
Well, I'm only to 10:30 on Christmas morning, and this is vying for the "World's Longest Post" record, so I'll close for now. Stay posted...lunch and dinner to come!
BEFORE:
DURING:
And WAH-LAH (imagine a little magic wand in my hand)...three adorable, perfectly coordinated munchkins ready for a fun morning:
Because of the late bedtime the night before, our morning got a little bit of a late start (which is really saying something considering we have three children four years old and under!). I'm not sure how many of you know our children, but in case you don't, one thing you should know is that they love to eat. And I don't mean they just like to munch on cookies, candies, and sweets (although they do enjoy that)...they just love food! Jack eats bananas and edamame like his life depends on it, and with the exception of scrambled eggs, Abby has pretty much never turned away a food. And Isabel seems to be well on her way toward keeping the tradition alive.
So did we race downstairs on Christmas morning and open the gifts that were lying in the middle of the living room floor? Oh no!! We looked at them with a smile as we booked it to the kitchen to make muffins for breakfast!
A little fuel for the work of gift-opening...
So with full tummies, it was off to open presents. As you can see, Abby is always the big helper for her little brother and sister:
The jury's still out on whether or not Jack was excited when he opened up his new tractor from Papa Joe and Nanna Lori in Connecticut:
And this was one of my favorite photos from Christmas morning:
On a much more important note, Josh and I have been looking for ways to teach the kids about the real significance of Christmas (see the Nativity post here). Presents are nice...food is yummy...and parties are fun.
What an incredible day to celebrate. And one of the ways we choose to do that and to teach our kids about the joy of giving is to sponsor a child through Compassion International. Our hearts have been drawn to Africa, and we were excited to find a little girl in Uganda around Abigail's age who is in desperate need of practical help (such as food and clothing) as well as emotional and spiritual support and encouragement.
So when the kids were finished opening their gifts, we pulled out one more present and told them we'd saved the best for last. Abby opened a small envelope with our sponsored child's picture in it:
She was confused at first, but as we began to talk with her about it, she started asking question after question about Loyce's life. And it has warmed our hearts to see her spend time drawing pictures and saying sweet prayers for who she calls "my new friend, Loyce".
This organization welcomes sponsors year-round, and there are countless children that still need help. Compassion International is committed to high standards and financial integrity. They have extensive information on those topics on their website. We would love to see others join in this invaluable and rewarding program, too!!
Well, I'm only to 10:30 on Christmas morning, and this is vying for the "World's Longest Post" record, so I'll close for now. Stay posted...lunch and dinner to come!
Four Feasts
One of our favorite parts of Christmas each year is spending time with our families and friends. And we normally take a couple of weeks to "hit all the houses"...but not this year. We packed five rounds of festivities into six days. Crazy? Yes.
Fun? Most definitely!!!
It started last Saturday with our annual "Eastaboga Christmas Potluck". That's our Christmas get-together with all of my mom's side of the family from Eastaboga, but this year we had it at my sister's house in Childersburg.
The kids (all seven of them...under the age of six, mind you!) had a fantastic time, and they looked like little streaks running in and out of every room of the house. We stopped them just long enough to grab a quick shot with their great-grandmother, Meme.
The next stop on the Christmas Express was to my sister-in-law's house in Helena. Angie and Joey hosted a dinner for Josh's side of the family on Christmas Eve. Half of the crew drove here from Georgia, and Aunt Sarah and Uncle David buzzed over from Mississippi.
To say that they cooked a feast would be a serious understatement! As a matter of fact, Joey prepared a prime rib roast that almost made me turn from my vegetarian ways! I'm pretty sure I drooled on it a little as I saw it come out of the oven. :-)
Speaking of being a vegetarian, do any of you know about the tradition of the Peppermint Pig? It began over 120 years ago in Saratoga, NY, and we've been doing it for years in Josh's family. I won't tell the whole legend, but it involves putting a candy pig (I learned her name is "Noel") into a velvet pouch and rubbing it for good luck.
That's nice...except it isn't true.
You're supposed to put Noel into a velvet pouch and kiss it while making a wish.
Not true either.
So what is the tradition of the Peppermint Pig?
I'll let you take a guess. Here's a picture of Noel straight out of the box:
Did you miss it? Take another look:
That's right, folks. We put Noel the Pig into a little velvet pouch, and we whack at her with a metal hammer until she breaks into a bazillion pieces. Then to top it off, we eat the broken shards.
Nice, huh?
In reality, it's a fun tradition that's full of laughter. GrandPam (Josh's mom) always reads the story:
Then we pass the pig around and pop it (maybe that sounds nicer than "whack at it") when we hear the words "THE PEPPERMINT PIG". And when the story is finished, we enjoy a little piece of peppermintpig as an after-dinner treat.
The rest of the Christmas fun took place on Christmas Day, so I'll be back with more later. But for now, there are new books to be read, new toys to be played with, and three sweet children to be cuddled!
Fun? Most definitely!!!
It started last Saturday with our annual "Eastaboga Christmas Potluck". That's our Christmas get-together with all of my mom's side of the family from Eastaboga, but this year we had it at my sister's house in Childersburg.
The kids (all seven of them...under the age of six, mind you!) had a fantastic time, and they looked like little streaks running in and out of every room of the house. We stopped them just long enough to grab a quick shot with their great-grandmother, Meme.
The next stop on the Christmas Express was to my sister-in-law's house in Helena. Angie and Joey hosted a dinner for Josh's side of the family on Christmas Eve. Half of the crew drove here from Georgia, and Aunt Sarah and Uncle David buzzed over from Mississippi.
To say that they cooked a feast would be a serious understatement! As a matter of fact, Joey prepared a prime rib roast that almost made me turn from my vegetarian ways! I'm pretty sure I drooled on it a little as I saw it come out of the oven. :-)
Speaking of being a vegetarian, do any of you know about the tradition of the Peppermint Pig? It began over 120 years ago in Saratoga, NY, and we've been doing it for years in Josh's family. I won't tell the whole legend, but it involves putting a candy pig (I learned her name is "Noel") into a velvet pouch and rubbing it for good luck.
That's nice...except it isn't true.
You're supposed to put Noel into a velvet pouch and kiss it while making a wish.
Not true either.
So what is the tradition of the Peppermint Pig?
I'll let you take a guess. Here's a picture of Noel straight out of the box:
Did you miss it? Take another look:
That's right, folks. We put Noel the Pig into a little velvet pouch, and we whack at her with a metal hammer until she breaks into a bazillion pieces. Then to top it off, we eat the broken shards.
Nice, huh?
In reality, it's a fun tradition that's full of laughter. GrandPam (Josh's mom) always reads the story:
Then we pass the pig around and pop it (maybe that sounds nicer than "whack at it") when we hear the words "THE PEPPERMINT PIG". And when the story is finished, we enjoy a little piece of peppermint
The rest of the Christmas fun took place on Christmas Day, so I'll be back with more later. But for now, there are new books to be read, new toys to be played with, and three sweet children to be cuddled!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Boys' Night Out
Josh and Jack headed downtown last night to enjoy some father/son time at the UAB basketball game. When they first got there, Josh said he thinks Jack was experiencing a little sensory-overload with the lights, the band, the cheering crowd, and especially the super-scary really energetic mascot, Blaze.
But he warmed up quickly, and he was apparently the object of attention and affection from some of the fans sitting around him! All in all, they had a great night, and Jack really enjoyed his first basketball game with Daddy...except when they went anywhere near Blaze, in which case he made the "If-I-don't-move-maybe-he-won't-see-me" face:
On a very different note, I know many of you pray fervently about concerns that we write about, and I have one that I would like to mention on behalf of some friends. They found out this morning that their unborn child has a potentially life-threatening syndrome.
We often have difficulty reconciling the picture of a gentle, loving God who allows the children He loves to walk through such painful times. But just as my children trust me without question to protect them and do what is best for them, I trust my Heavenly Father's sovereignty in my life. I trust Him to love me (Rom. 5:8), protect me (Prov. 2:8), and do what is best for me (Rom. 8:28). 2 Samuel 22:31 says "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." We may not understand His movement in our lives, but the Bible assures us that His ways are always loving and faithful (Psalm 25:10), just (Deut. 32:4), holy (Psalm 77:13), and righteous (Psalm 145:17). This family loves God, and I know they trust in His ways. Please join with me in praying for them daily.
And pray for healing for their sweet baby, and praise God for the ways in which He hears and answers our prayers.
But he warmed up quickly, and he was apparently the object of attention and affection from some of the fans sitting around him! All in all, they had a great night, and Jack really enjoyed his first basketball game with Daddy...except when they went anywhere near Blaze, in which case he made the "If-I-don't-move-maybe-he-won't-see-me" face:
On a very different note, I know many of you pray fervently about concerns that we write about, and I have one that I would like to mention on behalf of some friends. They found out this morning that their unborn child has a potentially life-threatening syndrome.
We often have difficulty reconciling the picture of a gentle, loving God who allows the children He loves to walk through such painful times. But just as my children trust me without question to protect them and do what is best for them, I trust my Heavenly Father's sovereignty in my life. I trust Him to love me (Rom. 5:8), protect me (Prov. 2:8), and do what is best for me (Rom. 8:28). 2 Samuel 22:31 says "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." We may not understand His movement in our lives, but the Bible assures us that His ways are always loving and faithful (Psalm 25:10), just (Deut. 32:4), holy (Psalm 77:13), and righteous (Psalm 145:17). This family loves God, and I know they trust in His ways. Please join with me in praying for them daily.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
What a waste!
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