Year End

Happy New Year's Eve! The last day of the year! If I have time in January, I'll do a 2015 re-cap, but for now I'll post my annual 1st & last photo. 2015 has been quite a busy year as they usually are; however, in the midst of it all, I'm so grateful. For my beautiful family, for God's grace and His patience with me through all of my failings and for all of the good days, the bad and everything in between. Through the better and the worse, I am truly blessed.

My how they've grown! Here's to 2016. :)

Happy birthday Will!!

And another year bites the dust. Just like that, you turn 8 years old. Memories of you being a newborn seem so long ago but also just yesterday. It's a weird feeling. That's one of my favorite parts about Jake's age right now, aside from 2 & 3 being such cute ages anyway, is it's like having a glimpse at when you were little again. He's wearing your clothes and playing with some of your toys, but mostly watching him play the way you used to and listening to the cute things he says sometimes. You used to have the most adorable, funny, awesome stories when you were really little. I love who you are now, but I miss your littleness too. 

So Happy 8th birthday Will! I love you my son, my firstborn, my little man, my Will Will. You are such a good kid with a good heart trying to make the right choices which can be so hard at your age. We know. We understand. We love you and are proud of the boy you are, your choice to love and believe in Jesus and your desire to do the right thing. Most often you make better choices at school and bring home an attitude and some bossiness, but we love you and are working through it. 

We did a little something different for your birthday this year. Instead of having a party, we had a small celebration with Uncle Stevie. You loved the idea when I first brouht it up, after you said no to a party, and it turned out well. Really simple but still enjoyable. We gathered at Grandma & Paga's on Stevie's birthday, had some pizza and some ice cream cake then all went to see Star Wars. Well, daddy had to miss it b/c he was super sick, but we decided I would go with you as part of your birthday present and celebration. 

Then on your big day, you opened a couple presents after church then went out to lunch with some friends and went shopping! Our present to you was a new bike. When we got to the store, however, you decided you'd rather have a skateboard. Not the wisest choice, we advised, I think you'll regret it come summer, but you brought home a new skateboard. 

Happy birthday my Will! I love you and pray we share many more birthdays together. 8!!!??!!

Christmas is here again!

"Stand up and cheer again! Let's leave our heartaches and sorrows behind."

"Oh there's no place like home for the holidays 'cause no matter how far away you roam, when you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze, for the holidays you can't beat home sweet home! I met a man who lives in Tennessee..."

Don't you just love Christmas music? I do. At least the classics, the voices I grew up with. Anyway, Merry Christmas! We started off our morning as we have for many years: piling on our bed and reading from the bible with all the kids, then we take a picture on the stairs and head down to open presents! 

The two littles haven't quite got caught up with this tradition yet. Jake was not pleased with taking photos but changed his mind after we finished. 

Now it's on to the presents! Will was very pleased with everything he opened and squealed with delight but was ready to keep opening. Maggie moved along quite well too, what's in the next package after the quick excitement of opening one. Jake. How I love that Baker. He was content to relish the moment and savor each gift, taking time to play with them or at least wanting to. And Allie of course was interested in anything, not her packages in particular. 

 Lil miss stands to eat

What a great morning with the littles. After breakfast, stockings and some play time, we packed up and headed to the grandparents to celebrate again. :) 

Gingerbread Houses

For the last couple of years, I've bought the gingerbread house kit from the store. We've had fun putting them together but the houses didn't actually taste very good, especially because we don't eat them right after assembly. Maybe that's the trick, I don't know. That aside, in our experience, fun to decorate, pretty to look at, not yummy to eat.

So this year I decided to try something different! Sugar cookie house and royal icing plus a few candies to decorate with! Not quite as cool as the 3-D houses, but still fun and much tastier. I did consider making gingerbread cutout cookies rather than the sugar, but knew for sure the sugar would get eaten! I iced a few houses brown for the gingerbread affect, a few white and left a few plain. I also made several colors  of royal icing to decorate the houses plus marshmallows, chocolate chips & crushed candy canes to add. The kids still had just as much fun I think. :)

If we do this again next year, I may get a few more types of candy for everyone to use on their houses. Great job on your gingerbread houses kiddos!