Happy New Year!

The last day of 2008! That seems to call for a post of some sort. This time last year, Brian was in Kenya, the kids were sick, and we were with my parents while he was gone. There was a good bit of unrest in Kenya at the time so I was pretty nervous. We were so glad to have him home even though it really was a wonderful trip for him. Lots has happened since then. Brian graduated from RTS in May, we moved back to Virginia in June, and he was ordained in November. Other things that stand out for me:
Jack finished kindergarten, began first grade, and reads so much I have a hard time keeping books in his hands. Kayla took ballet lessons and performed in her first recital. She has since decided she's done with ballet. Samuel has gone from baby to an almost two year old, learned to love Elmo, and branched out very little from his favorite food, cereal. There have been swimming lessons, soccer games, making new friends, leaving old friends, a great new church, snow, a trip to Busch Gardens, pizza and movie nights, many trips to the duck pond, biking with no training wheels, "real" haircuts, this blog, hummingbirds, being sick at Christmas-again, being much closer to family, celebrating birthdays 34-1-6-35-5, losing teeth, and lots more I will think of later.
We really are thankful for where the Lord has brought us and look forward to what this new year will hold.
Happy New Year!!!

Foggy Idea

I checked out Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Excited for another of her books after reading Gilead. I pulled it out as we headed down the road to my grandparents for Christmas. Just a few pages, maybe even paragraphs, into this book I began to get this strange feeling that I have read it before. It became pretty much maddening. I mean, it was driving me crazy. I have foggy ideas of what's happening next. The characters are familiar to me. And yet I cannot recall having read this book. But I must have. Sometime. In Charlotte? Bridgewater? How did I come across it??????? Oh!! It is still making me crazy.
Well, all that to say, pick up a copy. It's well worth it!

A Visit with Santa

So, there they are. With Santa. We visited the Yankee Candle store in Williamsburg last week. Almost as soon as we walked in, Kayla shouted, "There he is!" The same Kayla who also said to someone who asked her what Santa was bringing her, "Nothing. He's just pretend." Well, not pretend enough to keep her from sitting with him twice. After they had talked with him for a while and gotten a candy cane, we did a little browsing. I'm told she saw the mailbox where kids leave Santa a note if he's not there when they visit. She just had to go back, sit on his lap again, and make sure he knew that there was a box full of letters for him. After a hug, her job was done.

I don't guess this needs much explanation.

Even Samuel visited with Santa, ever so cautiously. He gave Santa a "5" and a wave.

OK- Brian informed me that Martha Stuart is not Stuart but Stewart. Further proving my point...

Another Note

I love it when these notes come flying down the stairs after the kids have been tucked in. I guess Jack wrote this for Kayla because when he came down this morning, he asked if I got Kayla's note. Smile.

I May Not Be a Martha Stuart...

But I do love to see this little tree when I come down in the morning. We often forget to unplug it at night so it's soft glow is quite welcoming. Jack's job was to put the lights on it. And he did. Just kind of laid them on the tree. So even though there is green chord sticking out everywhere, I love that he tried.

This music box has been around a long time. For some reason it's one of the Christmas decorations that always sticks out in my mind from my childhood. I shamelessly asked if I could have it and Mom graciously said yes. It still plays Jingle Bells. The kids say it's really old- 35 years maybe!

I have always been partial to snowmen. The country type. I had a hard time finding them on the tree for a picture because little hands, particularly the littlest ones, keep rearranging the ornaments!

I guess my favorites are the ones we make. I'm not sure what you would call these little guys but the kids love them.

What's better than getting out sequins and glitter?

Our Ballerina

Our Beautiful Ballerina

OK- I have to qualify this video . Maybe justify is a better word. This is the first video I've posted and it really isn't very good. But, the content is so sweet and if you watch carefully you'll catch it. Kayla had her first ballet recital today. All week, Jack has planned to give her flowers after the recital. My plan for getting the flowers fell through so Granny and Grandpa came to the rescue! I love the look on Kayla's face as she and Jack walk off together.