reminder

Tomorrow is January 10th if you'd like to participate in Ten on Ten.

Kelly

not to be burdened

I read this this morning.

"I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense."

Isaiah 43: 23 (partial)

Wow, that hit me.

Here's how it interpreted in my head:

I have not burdened you with expectations that you cannot meet.

I have not burdened you with the need for perfection.

You don't need to weary yourself with unending tasks to please me.

I do not want you to be weary.

I love you.

I love you. I love you!

I love you!!!

Be at rest. Rest in Me.

Let's pray for each other to really "get this" today.

Have a good one.

Kelly

what to eat

Oh how lovely it was to "get back together" with all of you yesterday and receive your wonderful comments. Just made my day! Thanks.

In other news, David has been an eating champ all along but over the holidays he just "took off"! While we were at the farm he went crazy over ham and bananas and had two (small) bowls of stew! This kid is starting to eat us out of house and home. :)

So here's what I'd like to know from you moms and grandmas out there (and dads and grandads if you're reading), what are your favorite things to feed little ones? I need ideas! Thanks.

Have a good one! Kelly

photos by Adrian

p.s. Don't you just love that vintage white high chair he's sitting in? Do you think they would have noticed if I had strapped it to the top of the car? :)

long time, no post

This is the farm where we spent New Years.

Happy New Year to you all!

I have been out of pocket, hence no posting.

During the month of December we traveled A LOT.

a lot, a lot.

We're glad to be home.

We were able to see so many wonderful family members and friends but little man doesn't sleep all that great "on the road" and we got to share an airplane row with a dog (not in it's carrier under the seat like it was supposed to be, and not a helper dog either) and experience the joys of airport security and lots of driving, etc., etc.

We are road weary but counting our blessings for sure.

Good things: laughing with family, remembering a life well-lived, comforting one another, celebrating together, good food, the Boxing Day party, the food at the Boxing Day party, getting to experience David's first live marimba performance with him, seeing David take down slices of freshly fried country ham, attending a wedding, hiking in the majesty of God's creation, giving and receiving gifts, Hampton Inns, incredible hospitality of friends, nibbling party treats brought home to the Mama who stayed in the hotel to put the baby to bed, king-sized beds, New Mexican food, cousins, friends who are so glad to see you and have you that they want to cry, kids growing up, David learning to crawl, people who have known you your whole life, "welcome backs", worshipping through song, and on and on. It was a Merry Christmas indeed and a blessed season.

Here we go getting into the swing of things in a new month, new year and new decade.

Kelly

photo by Adrian

Immanuel

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

'Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived."

Luke 2: 1-21

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)."

Matthew 1: 22-23

Merry Christmas Eve

Kelly

opening presents

Adrian 1979

David 2010

Really fun, huh?

And is it just me or does the present Adrian opened look similar to this toy on David's wishlist?

We had one of those at my grandma's house when we were growing up.

More present opening pics:

The boy's had practice as we opened gifts with my side of the family after Thanksgiving and he got to open his presents from his great grandma tonight.

As you can tell, he thinks presents are mighty tasty.

bearing gifts

Yesterday I blogged about how I was going to make a gingerbread house out of graham crackers last night. Well, the best laid plans . . .

It seems that *everyone* is down with the stomach bug.

We already had our share in October so we're really hoping that we don't get sick again.

Out of the six girls who were supposed to get together, four had the bug I think and one's kids did. Oh my.

We decided to call it off and reschedule a cookie swap for the new year.

Cookies aren't just for Christmas, right?

Anyway, I had stained glass cookies ready to go so I decided to add them to the hot chocolate mixes we'd already made for gifting to our neighbors.

Last night I decided that I needed to treat myself since I hadn't gotten to have girls' night so I put aside the to do list and when my little munchkin was in bed I broke out the supplies for my Christmas scrapbook.

I made a Christmas scrapbook for my mom several years ago with one layout for each year of the Christmases of our family.

I was excited to start one of my own and my mom gave me the album and pages for Christmas when we celebrated with them after Thanksgiving so I was ready to go.

Last night I was able to complete the cover page, 2007 and get 2008 well under way.

It will be fun to look back at our Christmases through the years as our family grows.

Anyway, getting out the scrapbooking stuff reminded me of some Christmas stencils I've had since childhood and I had a good time transforming some plain brown paper gift bags into something more festive for bearing gifts to our neighbors.

Thank you Jacquie and Julie for both making this possible! I'm sure I wouldn't have managed to accomplish gifts to our neighbors on my own and it's something I'm glad to be able to do.

gingerbread house

This is my very first gingerbread house to ever make although I was quite fond of sugar cube castle making when I was young. I got to make this house with my friends Emily, Sarah and Rachel and Emily's parents for her birthday several years ago. Her parents made these yummy houses and the extremely yummy icing (I could have eaten that stuff all night!) to put them together. We had lots of fun.

Tonight I'm making graham cracker houses with a group of girls from my church. Anybody have any great tips or ideas for me to use on mine?

When you make a gingerbread house do you eat it?

Kelly

last Christmas . . .

cake stand

christmas color week - red

photo by Adrian

Christmas color week - yellow/gold

hosted by Clarity and Grey

I'd love to know if you join in.

Kelly

christmas color week - green

Just saw this on Christian's blog.

What a fun idea.

Want to play along?

hosted by Clarity and Grey

special helper

This is my very first nephew.

I now have 6 nephews and 2 nieces but this guy was my very first taste of being an aunt.

We're buddies.

He has a special love for rolls.

When we celebrated Christmas with my side of the family I asked him if he'd like to help me make the special Christmas morning rolls.

He was excited to do so and we had so much fun.

We have been making these treats for Christmas morning breakfast for many, many years.

Buy a couple packages of crescent rolls and lay the rolls out flat in pairs, pressing the seams together.

Mix together 8 oz. or so cream cheese (for two packages of rolls), some powdered sugar (sorry I don't have exact amounts) and some almond extract.

Put some of this mixture on top of the crescents.

Make sure it tastes good.

Top with a dollop of cherry pie filling.

Bake at 350 until golden. Enjoy!

What do you eat on Christmas morning?

Kelly

top photo: Mandy

all others: Adrian

three little boys

What happens when you get three little boy cousins together?

Sometimes things get a little bit crazy.

Can you even imagine when they're all running around?

Fun times are ahead!

Are you close to your cousins?

I grew up around many cousins on my mom's side of the family and we had lots of adventures together. One of the things I can remember doing is making our own "Double Dare" show. Do you remember that tv show?

Kelly

cutie cousins

We got to spend great time with some of our cousins over Thanksgiving!

Not all moments were this idyllic however. :)

More pictures to come tomorrow.

Stay tuned.

Kelly

p.s. We LOVED the weeble treehouse that's at Nana's house and we scored one of our own on craigslist this week for only $15! Yippee!

photo by Mandy