Archive for 'My Crazy Life'
| Today is December 1st. We have already been working hard on getting in the Christmas spirit around here. For the first time in long time we put lights on the house; the tree is up (although not decorated yet); and we watched two Christmasey movies already. I came across this email questionnaire and thought it would be a great December 1st post.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I am not a great wrapper. Although I can rap. No, actually I can’t…just joking! I do both. Since we are usually packing it up and heading out of town, I never do bows. What’s the point? 2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial baby! Bath and Body Works make a great Evergreen oil to infuse the house with that tree smell without the tree mess. 3. When do you put up the tree? This year, we put it up before Thanksgiving with plans to decorate it with our college boy while he was home. Funny thing…we didn’t get to it. Thought we’d do it tonight, but Janelle has to work. Maybe tomorrow! 4. When do you take the tree down? Usually around New Years. 5. Do you like eggnog? No thank you! 6. Favorite gift received as a child? It’s a toss up between my Blue Velvet doll and a typewriter. No wait a minute. My sister got the typewriter! Come to think of it, I always wanted HER presents. I still talk about the super cool toy she got that made things out of Tootsie Rolls. You could even make a whistle! Oh that little green monster….jealousy. 7. Hardest person to buy for? my brother in law, fo sho 8. Easiest person to buy for? My hubby. 9. Do you have a nativity scene? Absolutely! It is more important than the tree, but not as big. Last year I upgraded from my newlywed $5 set to a nicer one. 10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I admit it; I have done the email card once. It was either that or nothin’. I just ordered my custom created cards today. I can’t wait to see them! 11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My brother gave me a pencil one year. A PENCIL!!! 12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolf, A Year Without a Santa Clause….all of them! 14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? hmmmm….I’m not telling. 15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Gosh, I can’t narrow it down. There are so many yummy things. 16. Lights on the tree? The more the better even though Bryan does not agree. 17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night sung by Charity Von. 18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Always travel. Once we stayed home and it was not the same. 19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. And of course, Rudolph! 20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star 21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? With Bryan’s family on Christmas Eve, my children on Christmas morning and my family on Christmas afternoon. 22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People trying to take CHRIST out of Christmas. 25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I great week with our family in Ohio. I need a huge family fill up….my tank is empty! |
My kiddos in 1996! In 1996, a mailed Christmas card in and 2006 part of an email card!
This collage speaks for itself! What can I say. It’s hard not to laugh, but getting a serious picture out of Janelle was like catching the wind!
I will admit that I struggled with feeling blue today off and on. We’ve lived 700 miles from our family for almost 10 years, but it doesn’t get any easier to be alone on holidays. Commercials showing bulging families laughing and loving don’t do much to help my self-pity either. But, then I am reminded by the Spirit how very, very much I have to be thankful for and how blessed my life is. The weather today in Kansas was unbelievable and I decided I would round up my three biggest blessings and make them let me take their pictures. Janelle protested, “but we haven’t changed since last year!” She’s pretty accurate, but I was itching to shoot pictures and I wanted to force them to have some fun together. My great idea was to head to the playground. I’m so glad we did that. It got us laughing together and I could faintly see my three little babies running around; the only difference this time was that when I said “time to go home”, no one protested like they did when they were little! I am a very, very blessed and thankful woman. I hope that you were reminded today of all you have to be thankful for too.
So, I’m trying to get a picture of them swinging and Dad decides to get in on it!
I did not, I repeat, I did not take these pictures. Just had to get that disclaimer out of the way first. But, I had to post these few pictures of the wonderful men in my life. My poor husband is now abandoned in a house full of women. Bryan and Brandon had a great time together and went to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes wipe up Michigan at BW3′s before heading out to the Wildcat game. I made Bryan take Leah’s camera so that I had a couple pictures of them. I’m sure they had lots of male bonding. I sure wish that Bryan would have taken a picture of the bathrooms at Brandon’s frat house. I guess they don’t even have walls or anything up between the toilets. Just a row of toilets. Brandon says they like it like that. I have to wonder…..hmmmm?
Not a bad picture, except for the red eyes. I so love these guys!
Bryan took twice as many pictures of the stadium and game than he did of Brandon and him. Of course, I wanted the later.
At the game. See real men can wear purple!
Check it out! A Ohio State flag at a Kansas State tailgate!
We have been part of an incredible church, Church of the Harvest, for 8.5 years and this week our awesome church is celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Over 8.5 years, I have probably taken 10,000 pictures for my church and of course, this week will be no different. We love our church for so many, many reasons and up until September 1st this year, I have been employed there. This is my family away from my family. We moved here from Ohio and knew no one, but God put us in this beautiful church that was just getting started and planted us in a great and loving family. I am so thankful for my Pastors and leaders.
Saturday Night’s guest, Jimmy Bratcher, rockin’ it out!
The awesome, incredible and anointed worship team of Church of the Harvest!
Enter His gates with thanksgiving!
The amazing hands of Pastor Tracy Frech!
America’s best Pastor, David Frech!
Sunday morning’s guest, Pastor Ed Akers of Victorious Living Christian Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Hundreds of people saying thanks and we love you to our Pastors.
Love was in the air!
