Christmas 2012

 
 And the Angel said to them: “Do not be afraid. For, behold, I proclaim to you a great joy, which will be for all the people.
 For today a Saviour has been born for you in the city of David: he is Christ the Lord.
 And this will be a sign for you: you will find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the celestial army, praising God and saying,
 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.”
                                                                                                 Luke 2:10-14

Merry Christmas!
Here is a slide show of our wonderful Christmas celebration.

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Getting ready for Christmas

We do a Jesse tree as our Advent calendar. For those not familiar with one, it's the story of Jesus's lineage. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1, "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit." We hang ornaments each day beginning on Dec 1st until Christmas. Matt made our tree out of left over branches from trimming the trees in our yard. We bought the ornaments that you put together and it came with a scripture reading for each day. The kids really love doing this and it keeps the focus on Jesus's coming. 

We had our annual music concert this christmas with Ava and Matthew on piano and Rachael and I on violin. We took a lovely video which you'll have to take my word on was some of the best playing from all my kids. Unfortunatley when I copied the pictures over, the videos did not upload and they are now lost. So instead I put some pictures of what the girls where wearing that night. I know not the same, believe me I'm VERY upset about this. Moving on...

The kids and I baked some cookies and passed them out to our neighbors. We visited some neighborhoods with beautiful and elaborate christmas light displays. Christmas shopping is done. It's time for St. nicholas to appear.

 

 

 

Rachael hanging an ornament on the Jesse tree

 

 

Girls all dressed up and ready to go

 

 

Making gingerbread cookies 

 

 

 

Christmas pictures 2012

Here are some of our pictures we took this year:

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Day to everyone! I'm so very thankful for my awesome family that came up from Houston to spend Thanksgiving with us! I'm also thankful my brother got to come as well! Finally, he's off a Thankgiving! My mom's cousin came as well as my brother's girlfriend and her child. Because of the full house this year, my mom offered to host.
Here are some pics of our fun day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November

Another busy month flying by us as we speak. The kids are getting ready for the holidays ahead, Matt and I taking more steps to getting the house ready to sell possibly in the spring. Of course, there's still the schooling, working, cleaning, and everyday adventures in between that either are planned or surprised. I remember some years back when it was just Ava, Matthew, and Rachael and they were all playing so well together. I actually remember being...board. Well you can rest assure that I'll never feel or think that way again. Here is a few things that were going on this month.

Ava continues with horseback riding lessons and what a surprise, Matthew actually decided to join her! He's doing well and catching up quick. Rachael and Jillian are practicing for their dance routine for The Charlie Brown Christmas play the WAG group is performing. The older three are still working on their music for the Christmas recital coming up next month. Speaking of music, I took them all to the Meyerson to watch the Dallas Symphony perform. It was great! We all loved the cute little conductor with the bouncing hair. Even Jake and Jillian sat in their seats (most of the time) and watched it.

  As Matt and I still hunt for our future land, we are slowly but surely getting the house ready. This month we painted our new school room (which was the old toy room) and put in desks, bookshelves, and a little table with chairs for the little ones. It now officially looks like a school room! We had to get tires on the Toyota so the new wood flooring is on hold until next month. Hopefully by the end of this year, that room will be completely done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our little trick or treaters

This year we opted out of our usual All Saints party at the church and went trick or treating with some friends. We had a blast! This was the first time trick or treating for the twins and a first for me to go with them! I wish I brought the camera along with us...all the kids were so cute and had so much fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Matt's Birthday

Happy Birthday to my funny, hardworking, loving husband.  One more year until the big one...
he he he.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Ava!

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Ava! She has grown so much this past year. She's already 4'11" and will get her braces next week. Which she is very excited about after wearing a headgear for the last 6 months. Ava's currently in soccer with the homeschool group, and continuing horseback riding begins next week. She's still really into horses and really really wants to be a horse trainer for the Kentucky Derby when she grows up. But, just recently I heard her say that she might be an orthodontist instead. ( I'm thinking yay, since we don't have any way of providing her a background for horse training and I'm pretty sure you have to know someone who knows some...) Ava still enjoys reading, now on a kindle, thanks grandma/grandpa, and crocheting purses and doll accessories. This year for her birthday we had a fall themed party with grandparents and a few close friends attending. It was a  good excuse to decorate my house for fall...Yeah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Jake and Jillian

Four years ago on Sept. 18th at 11:41 and 11:42 Matt and I were blessed with a baby boy AND a baby girl! Thanks be to God who obviously knows me better than I myself to bestow upon me such a gift.

Happy 4th Birthday to Jake and Jillian! We love you guys so much!