Christmas Morning

I am in the middle of working on a real work project but I couldn't help wanting to look at some Christmas photos. Turns out we didn't take much. I was trying to be good with video this year and so my photos were very little! I am so sad. But I do have a couple of fun ones.

It's our family tradition on Christmas Eve to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then the youngest throws the first piece out to the birds. My Nana says she does that because she had wanted to show that God cares for "the least of these" and the tangible way to show that to children is giving it to the birds. Caed was able to throw the piece out this year- what a fun memory for us! We were all at my cousin Karen and her husband Graham's home. (Look at my niece Olivia with her hands in the air at the end of Happy Birthday- Precious!)

Throwing the piece to the birds (with help from dad)

Christmas Morning we got up from my sister Kristen's home and went to my Nana's in our PJ's. That's where we opened gifts.

My mom, Caed's Nana, reading a book Christmas morning. (no, it's not the Christmas story, it's just a book of trucks!)

The cousins with my Nana's Hess truck collection. (Caed was in heaven!!)

No more grass

So I know I am skipping Christmas photos- but I wanted to post this in follow up to a picture I posted before the leaves on the Willow tree fell. They almost all fell while we were away and you would never believe we have an actual lawn with the way they cover the ground. Thousands of tiny skinny willow tree leaves!! Since I am suffering with a cold I'd say this was going to be my husbands project this year. I took this picture this morning before I took our lovely dog out for her mandatory walk. Shortened of course, because my energy level is low!

Back after Christmas

Sorry for the depressing nature of sickness in my last post. I wrote it shortly before leaving before Myrtle Beach, and unfortunately we couldn't get out the door before my grandmother passed away.

We've been in a sort of haze, enjoyed being with family at Christmas, and we are back home. I am unfortunately under the weather with what is hopefully only a severe cold. I am taking day quil and nyquil like it's going out of style. I think it's helping me to be able to manage looking after Caed with only minimal TV occupying his attention while I lay on the sofa.

Too bad I couldn't have gotten this while I was in Myrtle Beach with lots of family around! Oh well, we are working it out.

Christmas photos to come soon.

Change of plans...

we weren't supposed to be leaving for Myrtle Beach for Christmas until tonight. My mom received a call about 5 am this morning that she needed to head to the hospital for my grandmother, her heart rate was dropping. My mom made it up there along with my sister Kristen and Ken. She seems to be doing okay again, but we are packing up and heading down now. We were just at a family funeral this week for another family member and waiting any longer to hear my grandmother be better and worse is too much. 8 hours in the car today will seem like years until we are there with her. But better on our way then waiting around.
I'll repeat the same prayer on the drive down "please Lord, let her hang on a little longer"

Live Nativity

Last weekend our church put on a Live Nativity for the Capitol Hill community. It was a great way to keep focused on the reason we celebrate Christmas- not for santa and presents...Jon volunteered to be a wise man with camel (llama), and so we went down and hung out there for awhile. Caed took a late nap, and so he woke up late and this was a great way to burn off some energy. He loved seeing dad all dressed up, and some of our other friends as well. He even warmed up to the animals and pet them himself. He was a little too comfortable! It was also a good reinforcement of learning animals and their sounds.

Caed and sheep: Baaa!

Donkey- He was only a little scared after the baby donkey backed up into him!

Here's the baby:

Caed looking very enthusiastic to be sitting with Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus (real baby!):

Isn't dad looking handsome? I think he should try this look more often!:

Dad's "camel":

Friends, Mom, Grace, daughter, Violet:

Looking at the baby goat:

Building Zone

We went to the Building Museum a few weeks ago and a few of the mom's joined us. They have a great (free) kids area. We had a great time, and it really was so great for Caed- I think we'll be visiting more this winter. They had a life size playhouse and Caed loved the locks. Miss Katrina tried to show Caed how to lock and unlock things. What a nice friend to do that to his mom!

Knocking over Lego's with Aliyah:

Pushing trucks off the porch:

Caed loves "trina". (probably because he senses that she's one of 3 girls):

Grace was so funny with the goggles on!:

Aliyah was having a great time too:

David was having a little of a hard time, probably because he wanted to do everything the older kids were!:

Doing okay

My grandmother came through the surgery well. My mom visited her yesterday evening with other family members and she was awake and aware. She held my mom's hand and asked the other's questions which showed she was alert. We thank God for her ability to get through the surgery.

First day is over, now for continued progress and her comfort as she deals with the pain management...

We just had the rest of the work completed on the back of our house yesterday- our third back door was converted into a window and our bathroom had a window in it onto the back room, so we had that closed up as well. Done until Spring!

Just trying to take one day at a time getting ready for Christmas...I still have pictures to post, so hopefully I'll be able to get to that soon.

Not too busy

I'm not too busy to think of my grandmother Mary tonight. She heads to triple bypass surgery tomorrow morning. My mom e-mailed us family tonight and I am just reminded of my grandmother's faith. This is what my mom wrote in her
e-mail, after talking to my grandmother on the phone:

the surgeon met with her and after discussing everything he asked her if she wanted to discuss the risks and she told me that she told him basically - "Please don't worry about the risks - you just do what you have to do and know that if anything happens I know I am going to be with the Lord and I have complete peace about all of this and please don't you ever feel bad - I don't want you feeling bad if I don't make it."

What a woman.

I am reminded of this verse as a comfort: Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

very busy...

Who wouldn't think it was busy this time of year? I think it's compounded with the extra events for the season and just trying to make it through planning and budgeting and keeping my one child occupied with meaningful activities while I try to keep crossing the things off my list.

Not to mention the fact that we found out my grandmother, my dad's mom, is having open heart surgery on Thursday. She has hardly ever to have to be at the doctor's and although we trust the Lord with her care, this kind of event in your 80's is a little worrisome. We are planning to celebrate with her at Christmas so we keep looking to that and praying for her health and recovery.

Last night we had Jon's company holiday party and it was at a Moroccan restaurant. Wow was it an experience. Auntie April stayed home with Caed, so he was in great hands, although I think he was on the cranky side. I wasn't thinking that Moroccan was exactly holiday-like, but a wiser friend of mine said that it was probably better then the standard hotel catering room party. I agree. We did have a good time, 7 courses of Moroccan goodness! There was even a "belly" dancer. Although since she had a six pack it was less "belly" and more "toned abs" dancing. We ate everything with our hands, and although we didn't really know the other couple we were sharing our community plate with, it was fun. And the other couple was really nice and since the wife used to work for Jon's company he enjoyed getting some insight from her- so it was good. Other then the belly dancer, the other interesting part of the evening was actually arriving. The restaurant is on the border of a sketchy area of the city. The only indication that it's the restaurant that we were invited to was the ornate red door, and some Moroccan writing on the front of the building that was otherwise void of any restaurant signs. You have to actually knock to get into the restaurant. Apparently this is a very popular restaurant with celebrities (mostly the political type) as pictures are adorning the hallways.

We did have a good time! Now I probably won't be posting for a couple of more days, I've got this logo project that is keeping me busy and making this time of year even more hectic, because I have to work at nap time, not clean up and plan like I would prefer to be doing.

Still Snowing...

Wow, two posts in one day- must be an important day! Lots of snow and it's still coming down. I think it was supposed to stop at 8, so I bet it won't go on very much longer, but it's beautiful out there. I took a couple more shots of just the snow- and one fun one of Caed while I was making dinner and he was goofing around.

I am always trying to get different shots of snow instead of the same photo of the house in the snow- one snowy house in the snow looks the same year after year...

Christmas light:

Flowers:

Cool overgrowing plant at the back of our house:

potted plant:

Caed lifting the stool from underneath:

Tonight's snow:

And a couple with flash since I didn't want to bring the tripod out but still be able to get the snowflakes. Jon shoveling like a good husband!: