Our Friend Katy :)

Today we are watching our dear friend Katy... We are having fun with her...  but 3 kids sure can make a mess in no time!  And it is too cold to go outside- so we settled for Jeremiah and Katy chasing me in the basement. :)  At least they are getting exercise and in the bitter cold these days- we don't dare go outside.

Cookie Baking...

A few weeks ago- we made Gluten Free Sugar Cookies- mainly for Daddy- Jeremiah loved them and made a mess but had fun decorating and cutting them out. Lydia- is not so much help this year but enjoys sitting on the floor and watching! We love cookies! We have also enjoyed using cookie cutters for jello jigglers this year and my friend Amy S. told me she uses cookie cutters to cut out her PB and J sandwiches for her kids- what a brilliant fun way to eat PB and J!

Nancy Guthrie & Community Groups

This weekend, Nancy Guthrie is in town for a Women's Conference Friday night and Saturday afternoon!  I am so thankful to my husband for watching the kids so I can have a bit of a break!  Looking forward to a time of refreshment in the Word and Worship with other women- without kiddos!  Praying God would work on my own heart during this time and hoping to get to know some ladies even better!

We are also getting ready to launch Community Groups at our church.  Michael has been busy training the leaders who will start groups next week.  We have really enjoyed having this group of leaders in our home- they are all amazing leaders and will be great shepherding people in their homes!  Though, I have to admit, I am sad to not have them come over to our home twice a month- it was such a highlight for me!  So here is the group- they are a bit crazy!

Family Shots

Flashback: Wanted to include some of our favorite family shots over the holiday months in December...

Lyons Christmas 2013

Since I am still updating Christmas posts...  We celebrated our Lyons Christmas gathering after we got back from PA on New Year's Day this year.  It was a fun time together though personally it got a little chaotic for me with all the paper and ribbons and kids grabbing toys and wanting to play with things right now.  I struggled through the evening with being upset at my ungrateful son and feeling like the present opening was a little chaotic.  I can see why some families allow kids to open gifts at a separate time and open adult presents at another time- I am liking that idea more and more.  This Christmas we tried to teach Jeremiah the importance of thanks but honestly, I saw more of a greedy heart than I would like to see.  Here's to hoping his birthday in a few weeks will go a little better.

Shower for My Sister

While we were in York, PA over Christmas- my mom and I planned a shower for my sister, a little early, but it was fun to be involved in helping plan a shower for her and we definitely surprised her! My sister is due to have a little boy around the beginning of May. The only problem with our shower day was- literally the day before we were going to have the shower- she got a bad virus and ended up in the hospital. But thankfully she was doing much better on shower day- she just was feeling 100 percent. While in York, we also got to visit with my Mom-mom Delp and Lydia got to meet her Great Grandma for the first time. I am sad I don't get to see my Mom-mom more often but really do try to make the effort to see her when I get to PA!

Delp Family Christmas 2013

On Christmas Eve this year- we journeyed to PA- we had a great week with my family. My mom- being the elementary teacher that she is- had a flannel board all ready to tell the Christmas story. Jeremiah loved that and it carried on a tradition of something we always did when we were young. We had fun being together on Christmas day and then the day after Christmas we headed to a Children's Science Center. Jeremiah and Lydia loved exploring the train display and the different cars to drive as well as grocery shopping with Pop! Jeremiah even got to go to Walmart on our trip with Pop. Even now Jeremiah will tell me what Pop gets when he goes to the store. My dad always took all 4 of us kids grocery shopping and now with 2 in tow- I don't know how he did it and managed to get all the groceries home and not leave any kids behind. :) My brother Jon was home from his internship in Montana this Christmas and it was fun to spend time with him. I think Dad held Lydia most of the time- he had a little bit trouble sharing her- I think she reminded him of my sister and I when we were little. :)

Lyons Family Christmas 2013

Flashback to our family Christmas 2013: This year we had to celebrate the Sunday night before Christmas as we had to get ready to go to PA on Christmas Eve. We spent some time acting out the Christmas story and read in our Jesus Storybook Bible about the Christmas Story- He is Here! We sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus" which Jeremiah really liked this year and Jeremiah and Lydia opened his presents and we began the beginning stages of teaching Jeremiah how to say "Thank You" for a gift that is received instead of treasuring the gift above the giver. It is always hard to know what to get our own kids- I tried to keep things simple and just get them a book or practical items. I did get Lydia a few pacifiers- her favorite for soothing at naps and nighttime and friends of ours got Lydia her first doll- which was super cute! I think she loves it! Michael and I tried to focus our gifts for one another this year on something sweet, something fun, and something practical. It helped us think through categories of what to get each other which is fun to do. I have a tradition which I almost ran out of time for this year- of always putting rhyming clues on gifts- I may do this for Jeremiah when he gets older. Michael is always usually way too good at guessing what is in each gift based on the clues- he is too smart but it is fun.

Randoms Happenings...

A few fairly random happenings in our world this week...

1. Lydia has been liking Avocado- I found one for 59 cents at Aldi last week and Lydia and I have both been enjoying some avocado. We are thankful this little girl eats anything!

2. Unlike Lydia, Jeremiah will not eat anything. We have been battling his stubborn heart over for many days now- it is tiring. And my husband is mainly the one battling- but it is tiring watching him. Saturday night was supposed to be pizza and family night. Jeremiah was going to watch a short movie with daddy and have popcorn- real bonding time but the boy sat for 2 hours and did not each his pizza. Needless to say- the night was not real memorable- at least in a good way. The other night after sitting at the table all night, he ate his dinner for breakfast the next morning and as he ate it exclaimed- I obey mommy. The funny part is usually he will sit at the table and sing hymns and all kinds of songs- "Children obey your parents in the Lord" at the dinner table while not eating. Oh my!

3. I am feeling the January blahs. The post- holiday excitement and time with family and friends- to cold, sunless days and isolation. At least that is how they feel. Today there was sun- I took the kids on 2 walks and sat outside during nap time to try to soak in the Vitamin D that I am so desperately lacking. :) I realize on these days that I love to be outside- I hate being confined to indoors and I love the sun! These winter months are a battle for me- a battle in my mind and a reminder that it is a daily battle to think upon Truth and not allow my mind wander toward loneliness and despair. My prayer for this coming 2014 year is that I would have joy each day in the daily tasks the Lord has given me to do. This year- I am praying for joy!

4. As a mother of young kids- I often feel like my mind is mush. I feel like I am dealing with the physical needs of my kids and correcting behavior and I often feel like I don't think about much at all of substance. Michael and I have been enjoying this year listening to the Radio Theatre Chronicles of Narnia- it has been rich for mind to feast on during nap time or while I am cleaning! We just finished "The Last Battle" and I love how the book pictures death and how they see Aslan- as My Heart's Desire! Such richness!

5. I am beginning a study of Colossians through a Sunday School class and I am hoping to spend some time these next few months meditating on this rich book and even hopefully beginning to memorize this book! I love when people spur me on and encourage me in the faith and a dear sister's Christmas letter did just that when she shared how she was trying to memorize the book of Colossians. I need that encouragement!

Advent...

This year for Advent we did a Manger picture. I bought the little sticker book for $1.50 off of Amazon and each day we put a different person or animal in the manger scene. I also printed off and laminated cards from the Jesus Storybook Bible and we used those to read a different Old Testament Bible Story each day before naptime and then put our card on a little close line hanging in the kitchen. Jeremiah loved reviewing the cards. I am actually going to do them again in January- doesn't hurt to have a little review. Then we ended at Christmas with Jesus being born and visited by the shepherds and wise men! Both of the ideas are definitely a fun easy repeat for Advent next year. We also enjoyed lighting a candle at lunch time each day for lunch too and listening to fun kid friendly Christmas music- our favorite- GT and the Halo Express- Ticket to Christmas. I listened to this growing up and I just love how each of the songs are Scripture verses!!!