Snowshoeing

We just had a wonderful two days in the snow. It was great to get away and do something memorable as a family. Jeff found a little inn that was cozy and perfect for us. Here's how we gave Grace her own room.

I think the credit for this idea goes to Karyn, and big thanks to my mom for reminding me of it. At times like this, it's nice that Grace is not pulling up yet. She slept like a champ in the pack-n-play. And this butterfly blanket that you'll see now and then in my posts was certainly worth whatever my parents paid for it in 1976 or 1977, don't you think?

The closet in some hotels is big enough for a little kid's sleeping bag. This one definitely was not that big, but we still used it. I think Jonathan liked having his own cubby, too.

And now for the snow pictures.

Gracie's first snow.

Jonathan's first snowshoes. Yay for Craigslist!

Grace and I took some self portraits while the guys sledded down a hill.

The family shot.

We bundled our baby so that she probably felt like a marshmallow. It was hard to keep her warm enough, so we didn't stay out for too long at a time.

Grace was a little young for the sledding thing. Maybe next year!

Visiting with Dad and Amanda

In the Meantime

I am out of the blogging groove. I will probably jump back into it in a few days, although I'm not making any promises... In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures for you, my patient readers.

Here is Grace playing with a new toy, wearing some new Christmas duds and her first really-and-truly Big Girl Hair Bow.

And here's Jonathan, putting a quarter for each state into the map that his grandparents gave to him. For the most part, he sounded out and read each state correctly. There were a couple of really funny mispronunciations, though.

We had a fantastic Christmas at home and spent some special time with the kids. I have lots of pictures to post! Maybe that will be one of my New Year's Resolutions? We hope you have had a special time as well.

Merry Christmas!

with love from our family to you!

Merry Christmas Eve!

We go to church with the nicest lady who made Grace this quilt. On Sunday, this lady sent gifts home with me: a little tree decorated with handmade ornaments and a gift for each of our kids. I was touched by her thoughtfulness. It is really special to see people at our church love on our kids. Here are a couple of the ornaments on the tree.

I love them, but my favorite is the pear.

The little balls with sequins reminded me of this one I decorated when I was in first grade...

and inspired me to do some ornament decorating with Jonathan next Christmas. I bet I can find some silky-wrapped ornaments after Christmas to save for next year and collect some sequins and straight pins, too. Not that I would trust every little kid with straight pins, but I bet he'll be ready for it in a year, and he's such a detail guy that he might enjoy the intricate work.

A couple of other things you might enjoy:

These posts by Design Mom about her kids' Christmas tradition. They make gifts for each other. And she has several kids! My favorites: embellished gloves (which I can see myself doing next year, with Jonathan) and potato print clothing.

And this post by Money Saving Mom: A broken tea cup, a humble manger, and the best deal I've ever gotten.

Merry Christmas!

What God Ordains Is Always Good

by Samuel Rodigast, 1649-1708
Text From:
THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)

1. What God ordains is always good;
His will abideth holy.
As He directs my life for me,
I follow meek and lowly.
God indeed in every need
Doth well know how to shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.

2. What God ordains is always good.
He never will deceive me;
He leads me in His own right way,
And never will He leave me.
I take content What He hath sent;
His hand that sends me sadness
Will turn my tears to gladness.

3. What God ordains is always good.
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; Each morn anew
I'll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

4. What God ordains is always good.
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather.
Now I may know Both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

5. What God ordains is always good.
Though I the cup am drinking
Which savors now of bitterness,
I take it without shrinking.
For after grief God grants relief,
My heart with comfort filling
And all my sorrow stilling.

6. What God ordains is always good.
This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm, For with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me.

My dad tells me that this is a hymn that has sustained him through difficult times in the past and especially now. I hope that you find the lyrics powerful as he has and now I have as well.

She's at it Again

Special Privileges

I think every kid knows that when Daddy is in charge, they get special privileges. Grace has already figured this out. and while I was gone, she got to wrestle with the newspaper.

Laying Low

Playing with his birthday gift from Uncle Garth and Aunt Kathy...

and showing it to Grace.

Jonathan's Land of Counterpane

Here's a picture of Jonathan at the beginning of this yucky bug he had. He's feeling better, but I did turn on the humidifier for him last night, as well as slather him with Vicks one last time. (Those two things really seem to help him not to cough at night!) I'm so thankful that both kids are mostly better. They don't get sick very often, and I'm so thankful for that, too. And that my Christmas shopping was 99% done before the bug hit. I finished my Christmas gift sewing last night, yay! I just have one thing to sew now, and it's not crucial: Grace's stocking. I didn't get Jonathan's done until he turned three-seriously-and I thought I'd try to beat that record with her. I guess it shows you how much we're into the Santa thing. Still, it's fun to hang the stockings since we live in a house with a mantle for the first time!

Coughs and Sneezes

I've been taking care of sick kiddos. Grace has been on the mend for awhile, and Jonathan finally is now, too. I thought he was on the mend Saturday but completely misjudged it. I deserved a bad mommy award for that one since I figured it out at a Christmas party. He was feeling decent enough to disobey yesterday instead of just laying on the couch studying Lego directions, so I know he must be getting better. He definitely got the worst of this bug.

I've still been taking pictures, which I'll try to post soon. We're excited about Christmas around here...all the shopping is done, and I just have some sewing left to do. We've opened all our Christmas books and are re-reading our favorites. Can't wait to give our gifts and celebrate our Savior's birth. Jonathan has lots of chocolates to eat from his Advent calendar since I made him save them until he feels better. Such a mean mommy. :)

Nine Months

I forgot to post nine month pictures on Wednesday...

You can tell that she wasn't feeling very well. She's still not 100%, but she's on the mend. Jonathan got the worst of it.

She wanted to go for the gifts instead of take cute pictures.

The Land of Counterpane

by Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay,
To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.

I was the giant great and still
That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.

I have two kids in the Land of Counterpane today. I can only hope that they are "happy all the day" in the "pleasant land of counterpane." Jonathan is on the butterfly blanket on the couch reading books, and Grace is sleeping in her crib.

The Past Week or So in Pictures

Bundling up the kids. Grace was not amused.

Jeff's parents came out for Jonathan's birthday instead of Thanksgiving. We really appreciate them coming and helping so much with so many things while they were here.

Big thanks to all of you who helped me pull off Jonathan's little family party. I couldn't have done it without you! You may notice that my dad is missing from these pictures. He was in the hospital all last week, and we found out Thursday (Jonathan's birthday) that he has liver cancer. (I'm so sorry if you're finding that out here-I wish I could have told you personally.) He was still in the hospital on Saturday (the day of Jonathan's birthday party and also my birthday) having a procedure, and Doreen is also missing from the pictures because she was at the hospital with him and came by later. Dad is at home resting now and we expect that he'll start chemotherapy within a few weeks.