Baby it's Cold Outside!

Brr...winter is upon us!  It's cold and cold, and cold.

I don't like cold.

Jaron doesn't care if it's cold or not.

He loves snow, he is praying for snow and heading out to play in it as much as possible whenever it does snow.

We got Jaron a sled for Christmas this year...and between our little hill at the house and the big hills nearby he is going to have a lot of fun....provided I take him and don't freeze to death!

It's going to be an interesting Winter!

Randomness

The kiddos and I are on Christmas break...no I don't call it WINTER BREAK or WINTER HOLIDAY....I celebrate Christmas and for me this will always be Christmas Break!

I missed having a Christmas Break last year....this year I am enjoying it....or I am trying to enjoy it...despite having a moody preteen in the house and a rambunctios 9 year old who loves video games more than anything except maybe eating and who uses to much ketchup but that's neither here or there...

My goal for Christmas Break is to get a plan together for the family for chores and stuff to help keep this house more BABY proof since Jayden is a ninja and can find things he shouldn't have faster than any baby should be able to and because the messiness is getting to me.  I don't enjoy not being able to find things that I need easily, I am tired when I get home from work and I don't want to spend all evening trying to get things under control and seriously I am thinking of joining a nudist colony just to cut back on the LAUNDRY....how is it that adding another person to the household brings so much LAUNDRY....I think they are like bunnies and multiply.

I've also decided to pair down my wardrobe....SOME...not completely but I have quite a few shirts that no longer cover my belly when I raise my arms or I have had them for a while and I frankly need some new stuff and I can't fit it all in the drawers in my room which is contributing to my laundry problems.  Oh the joys of living where clothing is affordable and we have extra money to spend on it!

I'm thinking of resolutions.  New Years is right around the corner and I need some goals for all of us to work on in the coming year.  I need to be PURPOSEFUL in what I strive to have us acheive as a family, what I want to accomplish as an individual and how I can be more supportive to my husband.  I don't want to fail in my endeavors this year. 

I'm also going to attempt the Project 365...where you take a picture a day for an entire year....I am curious to see how our life will enfold in pictures....it's a cool project when done well and I am excited to attempt it!

Well, that's a little bit of the randomness in my brain...hard to believe that there are only 4 more days until 2012....

ByeBye Christmas

Yesterday I took down the Christmas Tree and most of the Christmas Decorations.
Yesterday was the last day of Christmas break for the kiddos.
Today we are back to a "normal" routine!
Today we are all back to school or work.

So long Christmas...see you next year!

Christmas Vacation...How I miss you

I miss getting days off between Christmas and New Years.

I miss the time to recharge my batteries.

I miss hanging out with my kids enjoying things we got for Christmas.

I miss it.

I really do.

*Sigh*

Silent Night

We had a very meaningful service at church tonight.

Sang my favorite hymn in the dark by candlelight.

It makes me cry to think of a tiny baby born to die for us.

I love Christmas and the beauty of the Candlelight and the meaning of it all.

Christmas Spirit

I've been feeling a little Grinchy this Christmas.

I work with kids who get everything they want. Their parents spend more on childcare in a month than we spend on our mortgage payment. They have no concept of not having their basic needs met...and it's left me not feeling the most cheerful.

We celebrated the HOLIDAYs at school...couldn't leave any holiday out and yet in reality we left out Christmas. We did the trees, snowmen, stockings, wreaths but the True meaning of Christmas the giving of a Savior...that wasn't talked about at all...was even frowned upon.

Dan and I have never done Santa with our kids...they know that there was a man named St. Nicholaus who gave presents to those less fortunate but they know that he was a man. This man loved GOD and wanted to show God's love by giving to others. There is no man in a big red suit who lives at the North Pole and gives presents to good girls and boys with his magic reindeer. We watch the movies because they are fun and cute but my kids know there is nothing real about it.

Today my focus is on the Saviour coming to give the ultimate gift. The light of the World. My focus will be on giving to others because I have been given so much. My focus will be on others and not self.

"Holiday" Program

We're having our "Holiday" program tomorrow...not a Christmas Program a Holiday Program.

The kids will sing Christmas songs...about Santa, Trees, and Bells...no nativity at all.
We will sing a Hanukah song...no baby Jesus in the manger.

A "holiday" a time where kids get lots of stuff but miss the one thing that they really need...and I can't really talk about it...I read a book about the Baby in the Manger today and not one of my kids could tell me what that meant...

I'm missing the joy of Christmas and the celebration of the Birth of a Savior...where I work it's all Santa and stuff...no joy...just stuff.

It's really Sad...and empy feeling...I'm thankful that I have joy in my CHRISTMAS...its more than just a Holiday!

White Christmas

We all know that old Christmas Song...."I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...just like the one's I used to know"

Well, we got one this year. Christmas Eve a storm blew in and it's finally leaving us now!

Christmas Eve is spent at home, we open presents the four of us and hang out and then go to the Christmas Eve service at church. The last few years I have gotten the opportunity to read a Christmas story for the service for the children. I love doing it.

Christmas Eve was a long day....Jaron was very cranky and just wanting to open presents...which I kept making him wait for. He really doesn't like waiting. So he makes it until Daddy wakes up and we spend a cozy afternoon opening gifts and celebrating together...glad for the family time. During the afternoon it begins to sleet and finally changes to snow...I am getting anxious as the day goes by since my sister Wendy was traveling down from Omaha. She made it safely and soon after my mom calls to say that they are not traveling the hour down the road to Pleasanton for the Christmas Eve service where my Dad is pulpit filling, and I am relieved that they are going to be safe. I was disappointed that our church cancelled our service but at the same time I don't like driving in yuckiness so I was also relieved. We had a nice enjoyable evening at home.

Christmas Day and we had a blizzard overnight...there is a lot of snow and it's been drifting all over. We delayed going to my parents until the afternoon to let the snowplows do their job and so it will be safer. At 1:30 we get ready to leave...get the car warmed and off we go...we don't get far before we got stuck in a big snowdrift. A neighbor pulls us out and we make it out of our neighborhood and then I hike back to the house to get the kiddos and we walk to the car after packing a bag to spend the night at Grandma's. We get there with few problems and Dan leaves to head home...he isn't staying at my folks...on his way home he gets stuck multiple times and finally gives up calling me to say he is stuck at Quik Trip and the tires are not helping since they have no tread left. Wendy and I go and rescue him and get him back to our neighborhood.

The kiddos and I stayed overnight with my folks and had a nice time just hanging out. We played games, took pictures and played with our new toys. Sleeping arrangements were a little atypical but it was all good.

Today we spent the day hanging out, watching it continue to snow off and on, and getting new tires for my car. My dad was able to help us get unstuck and over to get new tires...what a difference in driving for me! Bad roads plus bad tires equals a really bad combination! We are home now and looking forward to sleeping in our own beds and hanging out playing Wii together.

It was a great Christmas, one of lost of memories and fun and stress! I am so thankful for all the fun we can have as a family.

Wrapped with Care

Today I took 2 trips to the kiddos school to help with the Christmas Activites in the gym. I manned the pinecone ornament station. It was fun...tons of kids...but fun!

Between the 2 parties I wrapped almost all of our Christmas Presents. I have 3 or 4 little ones to wrap tomorrow but for the most part I am done.

Tomorrow, we pick up the last few little things since the kiddos are off school. We should pick up Grandpa's present that is enroute to our humble little town and maybe do some holiday baking. I am in the mood for some yummy cookies!

I'm looking forward to all the remaining little things that need to be done between now and Christmas!

Yeah Baby...

Tonight I went to Kohls and got the last of my Secret Santa gifts to exchange at work for our Secret Santa.

I got some killer deals at Thanksgiving and spent 72 dollars while saving over 100. Well, I got 10 dollars in Kohls cash on top of my great savings. So tonight I was able to get my Secret Santa some stuff without spending any of my own money! Wahoo!

Love deals like that ...plus the stuff I bought was marked down so it was like the store was giving me stuff for nothing....love it!

I see how coupon shopping can be very addictive...wish I had more time for it all...

Cyber Monday

I got a great deal today on a present for one of my family!

I love great deals!

I am so UBER EXCITED!

I love finding good deals on things people will really like for Christmas!

I love my family!

Christmas Snapshots

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Merry Christmas

From our little house in Missouri to wherever you may be...the Jonathan's wish you a very Merry Christmas...may we remember the true meaning of the Season and the Love that was shown on our behalf.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas Break!!!

YEAH!!!!

Christmas Break is hear with it's much needed battery recharging time.

I am so thankful to be able to spend time with my family and enjoy Christmas with them!

The presents are almost all bought, we are making goodies to share, and just enjoying being a cozy family in our home.

To everyone who may read this...let me say....

Merry Christmas!!!!

Oh Christmas Tree...how lovely are your branches

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas Tree this year!

Lots and Lots of Tape

Just a warning to anyone getting a present from us this year....the kids are doing a lot of the wrapping....all by themselves!~They are covered with tape! It's actually kinda cute...or it's a mom thing...I'm not sure!

A Cold and Wintry Day!

So as if today wasn't busy to begin with it certainly was made more exciting by the 2+ inches of snow that fell here today!

My parents and I went to see Janea in her Christmas program at school today. She did a good job and so did the kids. It was definitely a 3rd grade performance but they did a good job! Well, when we got to the school it wasn't snowing or raining. When we left almost an hour later it was snowing and it was starting to stick! I then left to go to work and it took me longer as the roads were getting slicker and slicker. I had an uneventful afternoon and work and then the adventure began!

The kids school district cancelled all after school activities so they didn't have Good News Club and so they rode the bus home. Well, traffic was nuts, I couldn't go past 40 on any road and my 22 minute drive took about an hour. Just as I am getting close to home my phone rings and it's the bus driver. Praise God she kept my kids on the bus longer and then called me and was understanding that I got stuck in the nasty weather! I am so grateful for the people who help me take good care of my kids!

Janea's program was cancelled for this evening...so it's a good thing I went this morning since it looks like it will be resceduled for Monday night and I have my Christmas party for work. So we have to look at things to see if Janea can participate or not. I am glad to be home safe and sound and not needing to go anywhere else this evening.

Sparkly Christmas Land

We took the kids out to Longview Lake last night! It was a lot of fun. Jaron enjoyed all the different displays of lights! He was giggling and carrying on in the back seat with his Sister.

They had such a good time! Here are some really not so great photos of the various displays. If you are in the area you should go and see the lights.. One tip from us to you if you go try to get there as close to 5:30 when they open so that you are in line for a shorter amount of time!

Merry Christmas!

I know I am two days late but I still want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

I am pleased to say that while it wasn't my favorite Christmas it was a good Christmas. My kids are happy and healthy and over the moon excited about the presents they received. I got to spend the morning with my Mom and Dad and Sister before they left for California to visit the rest of the family( If you are reading this--I say HI!) My parents are so awesome and got me a really nice digital camera so now I can post pictures easier to my blog! YEAH!!! I still haven't figured out how to get it hooked up to my computer at home so I'll post pictures soon!

Christmas Eve service was great too. The kids liked the story I read--The Legend of the Candy Cane and all in all it was a great way to refocus on the true reason for the season.

Praise God for his most Wonderful gift--the Lord Jesus Christ! Wise Men still seek him!

Need Some Ideas...

So my pastor asked me on Wednesday night if I would be willing to read a children's book for the Christmas Eve service this year! I said yes I would love to and so now I need to find a good book. I know of several, have one that I would consider but I am looking for a few good ideas of a book that is a Christmas story but also gives the gospel message and the true meaning of Christmas. I would also like for it not to be just reading the Christmas Story since Pastor is already doing that....so any ideas????