Christmas

We let the kids open gifts before we left for Lynden... our own little family Christmas.

And when we got home from Lynden, Santa had been here!! 

Baby's first Christmas. Oren really liked the paper! 

The above picture, the expression on Hazel's face... she was SO EXCITED

that her brother got a Russell Wilson jersey! 

I LOVE Christmas break. 

The PLAY that took place in this house today. 

Oh, I loved it. Listening to it, watching it, soaking it up.

Leavenworth and time with family

A couple of days before we headed to Lynden for Christmas, the kids and I met Natasha, Reese and family in Leavenworth. Leavenworth at Christmas is SO beautiful!!!
It was so fun to see Estelle, Lane, Reese and Natasha. The kids had a ball!!

We brought our sled. Five minutes after arriving, Lane, Merit and Will were sledding! 

There wasn't much snow, but the hill was fun and the kids went fast! 

Reese took the girls up to their condo and Natasha and I headed to the nearest coffee shop for some spiced cider. Walking around with our hot spiced cider, watching the kids sled and soaking in the Christmas decorations and sights was pretty great! 

Lane! 

These girls are pretty adorable together. 

I love their friendship.

Merit, Lane and Willem

Uncle Reese and the girls

Oren was very cozy in Aunt Natasha's arms!

It was really fun to be there. And it sort of helped us kick off Christmas...

Our trip to Lynden was busy and fun. 

I NEVER see everyone I want to see! That leaves me 

feeling sort of sad, but it was fun to make lots of memories with family there.

Oren's first Christmas

Wow, I can hardly believe it. 

He got lots and lots of snuggles there! 

Pictures to come...

chubby cheeked sweetheart!!

Ohhhh and I love this helper of ours, Miss Hazel Jane

This baby doll Oren is almost seven months already!! Time is cruising by!

The kids are so excited for Christmas! Tomorrow Merit and Willem have their class parties and an all school sing along.

Vance put together a darling pink "kitchen" for Hazel the other night. The heavy box with LOTS of pieces overwhelmed me!! I was so grateful he was willing to put it together! It looks so cute! All of my kids have played with a little thrift store kitchen, it cost me $5 many years ago. It will be fun for her to have a new little kitchen. When I was little my Grandma Alma and Grandpa Ken gave me a little fridge for Christmas. I played and played with that. I remember playing "restaurant" in our basement, using plywood on top of what we could find and using those as restaurant tables. We had play food and dishes... good memories!! 

I love the ages of these kids. I love soaking them up. Precious gifts!

The Nutcracker

It was a special treat to be able to see the Nutcracker here in Moses Lake! 

A few girls we know were in it.

It was beautifully performed.

Kendal and Hazel --- these girls enjoyed the show, but the second half they kept wanting to sneak off and just dance together!! Hazel thought the ballerinas were very beautiful! And couldn't wait to be a ballerina herself on the "sidelines." :) I asked her if she would like to take ballet lessons, she told me no and that she is too shy.

A little update

I have no pictures from the weekend, but would like to share our "fun." Saturday morning we headed to Hermiston, Oregon for a very busy, very cold, basketball filled two days. Hermiston is Merit's birth place. It was a trip down memory lane. Merit and I haven't been back since he was a year and a half.

When we arrived in Hermiston, we ate at a restaurant that Vance, Merit and I used to eat at - the Chuckwagon. Oh that place brought back memories! It looked exactly the same!  I dressed Oren in a sweatsuit that Merit used to wear when he was Oren's age! I had to laugh, reflect and be thankful. We used to go there with one baby, our first baby. There we were back again with four "babies"!

Our weekend was crazy. Running in and out of the hotel, various gyms, restaurants in 10 degree weather and below was challenging. Oren did FANTASTIC at Merit's games. Willem did really well. Hazel had her moments. All of the gyms had a fundraising sort of concessions area where they sold Laffy Taffy, Air Heads, Skittles... you know, the healthy stuff. UGH! I was so tired of the Air Head temptations that were all around us!

I brought coloring stuff, a notebook, crayons, snacks... a diaper bag loaded with all a six month old needs. I rescued Hazel in the hotel swimming pool. Was drenched from head to toe. But thankfully that little turkey was just fine. As soon as I could see she was struggling I jumped in - fully clothed with big furry boots. No tears, just a little shaken. Well, no tears for Hazel.

A family of six in a hotel room is, um, cozy. Other members of our family might describe it as crowded.

Merit's team played SO hard! All of the games were close. They lost all four, one of them in overtime. Our intense, competitive Merit struggled a bit with four losses.The calories that boy burned over the weekend! Swimming, warming up at the gyms, playing the games. He was constantly hungry! :)

I am a pretty chipper gal. I wonder sometimes if I can keep this up! But I'll tell you what, Oren's giggles and his "go with the flow" personality really does something for my mood! And the other three, they make me laugh out loud  - often.

God is good. He made me patient. I need to remember that when a bit of impatience settles in. Life is so good and so full. These kids are the best. They are so wonderful.  And as I have said before, I love my days at HOME. Being on the go proves to be a bit more challenging!

Today, at home I watched Hazel play with her felt board and nativity scene. Everything seemed to slow down just a bit. The questions she was asking me about the wise men, the animals, the stable... they made me go "okay, this is the good stuff." She placed the baby Jesus just perfectly...

Here's to a great week AND remembering the REASON for the SEASON.

Black and Whites... Christmas Time

Last year... Christmas time

I am having some fun with my thrift store scrabble letters.

My friend Shannon gave me a very fun "Christmas assignment". She and Marianne are decorating our church --- all black and white! Their ideas and crafts are beautiful! My assignment was to take black and white pictures of Christmas things. The above picture is one of my very favorites. I too am printing it for a Christmas clothesline banner. Shannon is printing a variety of pictures and has great ideas as to how to display them.

I love this time of year.

Days at home...

This guy likes his Bumbo seat. He also likes being in the middle of the action

My helper

These cold days are really great for just cuddling at home!

I love days at home.

FIVE Things I am THANKFUL for...

A warm house

Children who love each other

My husband

Our family

My hope in Jesus

Santa Baby

Curious

Cheerful

Chunky

oh sweet baby! 

And he loves being in the middle of it all....

This chunky sweetheart will be 6 months old tomorrow. 

Oh, time can slow down just a little. 

Happy Decorating! 

Oren all smiles / and a little catch up

The days are cruising by! Time flies. I need to think about Christmas cards and Christmas shopping. Wow! It feels a little overwhelming, but also fun.

We had a very short (few hour) visit with Phil yesterday evening. He was passing through on a work trip. It was good to see him, I am glad he stopped! Matt spent the weekend here. That was good too. Brothers are great gifts!

On Monday morning Hazel woke up and her ear was hurting. I took her to the chiropractor -- he can do a little something to help get drainage going. I have been made aware that antibiotics are WAY over prescribed for ear infections, so we decided to wait it out. Healthy diet, elderberry (an immune booster), ibuprofen and lots of rest. I was advised to give it five days. Yesterday, the fifth day, she still wasn't herself. Today I took her to walk in - thankfully Merit and Matt stayed back with Will and Oren. Vance was gone. Well, a double ear infection. ugh. And antibiotics prescribed. ohhhhhh. I hope she gets relief soon. Poor girl. She has been so hard of hearing, lots of fluid built up in there. The last two nights we got good rest. Thank you Lord. I hope tonight is good too.

School is going well for Merit and Willem. They are glad to have Monday off. We are thankful for all of those who serve and have served our country. I am very proud of Reese and Natasha and the sacrifices they make. Natasha is very involved with the military families. Yesterday she headed up a baby shower for one of the gals. This is her time of "service" too. We cannot take these people forgranted.


I better run... Willem and Hazel are running around like hooligans! Oren will soon be up from his little evening nap.

Oh his smiles! :) 

Trust

Oren Paul

Oh his sweetness! 

I took this pic last weekend in Ephrata. The fall colors were so beautiful.

I have good "heart news" After genetic counseling and testing in Seattle, my heart looks really good.

The U.W. has a fantastic medical center. I was blessed the day of the genetic test and counseling session. 

Merit and Oren joined me. Merit was true to his role of a fantastic big brother. He was moral support for me and a sweet bro to Oren.  We checked out the stadium afterwards, Merit was all smiles. Katie Allred had Hazel for the day and Hazel was SO excited to be part of the Allred family for an entire day! She loves Maddie! She enjoyed some quality time with Katie, their little Sam and Maddie. Willem went to school that day and then went home with the Johnson's. They helped me out in such a great way. Then that evening the whole family met up at Merit's football game! One month later I received the results and I received really good news. The month seemed a little long, but I prayed for TRUST. Friends gathered and prayed too. 

My sisters are receiving great care, but their road is different. This feels heavy at times.

I will pray for them often and trust that God will help them through all of this.

They take good care of themselves which is huge. They are being proactive, which is wonderful.

ICDs have become quite sophisticated and do their job. 

Cardiologists and other heart doctors are learning more and more about the functions of the heart and how to help people that need heart help.

My sisters are brave and I am so proud of them. 

We have a really good little heart friend, Maddie. I have thought of her so much through this journey too. 

I love her LOVE for life. Her joy, her sweet spirit. I am praying that through the years so much can be done for this beautiful girl and her special heart. My friend Katie, Maddie's mom, is brave and courageous. She is a fantastic mom and knows to find joy in the journey! 

We trust in the Lord. We continue on with hope.

I pray for all of my siblings and for my mom's siblings regarding all of this. To think less than one year ago we learned that genetics play a role in this is crazy. There has been a lot to digest over the past year,

Last weekend I loved watching these two run and play between Merit's basketball games in Ephrata! We had a fun day.

Sharing my kids and our happenings...

Oh my gosh.

This guy.

Oh he is such a sweet blessing.

He is a calm to my crazy.

He is SUCH a joy!

Sometimes I make myself sad thinking he is growing up to quickly. 

I just need to really enjoy the now.

Each day at a time. Why is that easier said than done?

I love raising boys! Boys are good to their mamas.

They are so sweet, interesting, active. It is great!

And to throw Hazel Jane in that boy mix... oh I love it! 

She was napping when I got this shot of our handsome three boys.

Maybe Vance will agree to have just one more. I bet it would be a boy. 

But really, life is so sweet and full with four. 

Chunky Cheeked Sweetie

He's been loving the rice cereal I introduced last week.

This past week I enjoyed going to the Piper Barn Bazaar.

A beautiful craft show with LOTS of vendors! 

It is about ten miles out of town. 

I have memories of going to it with my sis Natasha and also with my friend Shelli.

It was packed when I went. I thought it was going to get me in the Christmas spirit, but there were tons of people, I didn't hear any music if it was playing and I was sort of on overload. Lots of cute ideas though and I bought a picnic basket. I am the queen of baskets. 

It was a fun outing. I joined Katie A. and Shelli there and also got to visit with other friends.