Bunk beds for the new year...

 The kids have new bunk beds in their rooms for the new year!  These bunk beds were actually the ones my brothers used growing up- my parents brought them out to us in October!  So far the transition has gone well.  Jeremiah is on the top and Lydia sleeps on the bottom and so far both have not fallen out of bed yet.

Even Josiah is in a new bed taking over Jeremiah's old crib.  Jeremiah usually calls out to Josiah as he is try to go to sleep but they seem to be adjusting well.

Gingerbread Cookie Baking with Cousins...

Christmas Play...

Christmas play with some friends over the holidays...

Mommy moments...

A few days before we were supposed to leave to visit my family- I took the kids to see the Nativity with live animals near our house.  We had a great time visiting the animals.  The kids were starting to whine that it was cold and so I got them in the car and turned on the van so they would have heat.  Meanwhile all the doors shut and somehow locked me out.  I had only the coat on my back, phone and purse were locked in the car.  One of those crazy mommy moments.  And of course, I didn't know Michael's phone number- it was in my phone.  So I just stood at the window trying to get Jeremiah to unbuckle himself and unlock the door but he could not. I had quite a crowd of people around trying to help me out and finally a dear gentleman screwed off my antennae and put it through the window to hit the button to roll the window down.  At that point, it didn't matter if the car window area was scratched a little bit- I was glad to be able to get into the car.  Needless to say, my new years resolution is trying to memorize at least my husband's phone number.

Christmas Activities...

 Lots of Christmas activities this past month- Zoo, building Gingerbread houses, making lots of cookies, making ornaments and all kinds of gifts and crafts for the kids- they may be bored next month as Jeremiah keeps asking- what other activity are we going to do!

Caroling...

One of our special memories for the season was going Caroling at Twin Towers with the youth girls.  I took the kids and gave them fun hats to wear.  We had a great time singing to Gigi and some of the other residents there!  We gave them wrapped little plates of cookies and sang some of their favorite songs- a special memory the kids and I had this year.  One of my favorite memories growing up was going caroling and singing to neighbor houses and then coming back for cookies.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

Sweet friends...

 This week, we enjoyed a visit from our sweet friends- Michael and Anne Marrs.  I worked with Anne as a secretary in our Seminary days and she quickly became a great friend- a sweet encourager and patient listener!  It was so fun to catch up with them after 5 years and see what the Lord is doing in and through them as counselors in Montana!  :) 

Josiah- 9 months!

 Josiah is a happy boy at 9 months.  He started crawling a few weeks ago and is getting into everything!  He is starting to want to pull up and sit and rock on his knees but hasn't figured it out yet.  He is starting to eat solid foods pretty well and loves to wrestle and play with Daddy and the other kids!  He is very scheduled and when 8pm rolls around- he is a tired boy!  Still no teeth for this guy and I think right now he weighs about 16 lbs.

 Jeremiah & Lydia in their Christmas outfits!

Now that is the true boy right there- sticking out his tongue!

Sugar Cookies

 So thankful for a sweet friend to come over and help us make sugar cookies on Saturday! 

I could not have done it without her- and we even made them gluten free for Daddy too!