Decorations Galore!

CHRISTMAS TIME IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR! I just love the holidays...the decorations, the music, the smells, sights and sounds, the hustle and bustle in stores...I love it all!

One of my favorite things is putting up the Christmas trees and decorating inside and outside our home. This year, we got Brooklyn her own tree to decorate. It's 3 feet tall and is covered with Dora the Explorer ornaments, babies and angels, her Hawaiian Santa and teddy bears. She pretty much wanted to put all the ornaments on her tree! We compromised and put the heavier ornaments that she loves on the big tree, but down low so she can visit them. We completed her tree by putting on a string of garland that has green, silver and red stockings hanging from it.

Mommy & Brooklyn picking out

the first ornament to hang up.

Brooklyn admiring her tree...
and as she said "all done."

One of the tradition we started last year is to have Brooklyn place the star at the top of the big Christmas tree, with Daddy's help of course. This year, she got it on the first try and was pretty proud of herself!

Reach, lil' one, reach!!

Yeah! We did it!
I love the way she is looking at her Daddy, so precious!

Cousins

There's nothing like a cousin. They aren't your sister or brother, so chances are you won't have much quarreling or rivalry, and sometimes if you're lucky, they're better than a friend because they are family and always have your back. I am the oldest grandchild on my dad's side of the family, thus meaning I am the oldest cousin, and I have 12 cousins. I have very fond memories of sleepovers with all the cousins at grandma's house, playing doctor or house during a family get together and at Christmastime we would all get together to perform a play for the rest of the family. Those were the best times.

Now, that I'm a mother, and my daughter has a cousin that is 13 months older than her, it excites me. I want them to have fond memories of their childhood together, just like I do. I want them to be close, and get every opportunity to play and enjoy each other. At Thanksgiving, I got a glimpse of what their relationship will be like. As we were over at my brother-in-law's house, Brooklyn and Kendall (my niece, her cousin) were sitting at Kendall's table and "eating" the meal they prepared for themselves. A cupcake for Kendall and veggies and a hot dog for Brooklyn. They seemed to communicate with one another in their own language and you could tell they knew what the other one was saying. They ended the night with a big hug and kiss, and of course all parents had their cameras safely tucked away. When they were done, and the cameras were out, we couldn't capture the moment...but it was very sweet! They are both very precious, very intelligent, very loving and very special girls. And, I can't wait to see their relationship flourish.

Brooklyn & Kendall at Gramma & Grampa's house in August
Brooklyn chasing Kendall through the yard.
I know what Brooklyn was thinking..."If I
get my hands on you, we're hugging!!"

The girls at White Fence Farm in October.
Another photo opportunity missed when the
goat jumped up on Kendall's back because
the girls were getting ready to feed it.

I'm very THANKFUL for....

- My Husband. He’s the head of our home. He goes above and beyond to help out around the house and with Brooklyn (he’s an incredible Daddy!!). He has such a witty sense of humor, which is one of the reasons I was initially attracted to him. He is the love of my life, and everyday I feel so blessed we’re walking through life together.
- My Daughter. She’s my miracle. She brings spark and pizzazz to every day. When she wraps her arms around my neck, places a kiss on my lips and says “love you,” it melts my heart. I love to just sit back and watch as her imagination takes full force in a game she is playing or when she is coloring. She is definitely a Mommy’s girl, and I relish every moment of it!!
- My Mom & Dad. What can I say? These two people raised me to be the person I am today. They are both way more than my parents, they are my friends. I feel so blessed of the relationship I have with both of them. My Mom is the strongest person I know and I’ll admit, I am a Daddy’s girl through and through. I played softball in high school for my Dad (and I ended up really liking it!).
- My In-Laws. My in-laws are definitely my second family. My mother-in-law has a very kind and giving spirit. She’s always looking to help out in any way she can, and she offers an ear anytime you need it. My father-in-law is definitely a family man. I have never seen him so excited than when all of us went to his hometown in South Dakota over Memorial Day weekend. He had a smile that lasted all weekend! My brother-in-law definitely has the best stories and even though he’s a police officer, he really has a gentle side – you should see him with his 3-year-old daughter! My sister-in-law is going to make an amazing mother someday. She’s always in-tune with Brooklyn.
- My Sister. When she was first born, I really didn’t like her at all. I used to hit her on the head when she was a newborn and say “nice, nice baby,” which of course I got in trouble for. I didn’t want a sister at all. I was an only child for 7 years, and I wanted to keep it that way. Boy, was I ever wrong! I cannot imagine my life without my sister. We have become very close over the years, and we will always be that rock in each other’s life.
- My Grandmas. I have two grandmas. Grandma Betty watches Brooklyn while I work. I know I can speak for Kevin too when I say that we are both so very grateful for all she does for us. It’s because of her that Brooklyn isn’t in daycare! Grandma Gwen is very, very loving. She has 14 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, 6 children, 4 daughter-in-laws, church family and many friends, but she loves everyone and has never learned to say “no” to anyone.
- My Cousin, Sarah. I have 12 cousins and while I am not trying to leave anyone out, I have to say how grateful I am for Sarah. She’s four years younger than me and when we were growing up, there was definitely a sense of competition. But, now that we are grown up and both married, I am relishing in the relationship we are building. She’s a wonderful person, so giving and like my sister-in-law, she’s going to make an amazing mother someday.
- My Closest Girlfriends, Jessica & Jenn. Life wouldn’t be the same without these girls. I share such a special bond with each of them. Kevin and I are Jessica’s daughter’s godparents and Jenn and her husband are Brooklyn’s godparents. We are experiencing mommyhood together and will always have each other to lean on through everything in life. These girls are more like sisters to me than friends.
- My Friend, Steve. If you want to meet someone that is very sincere and genuine about knowing how you are, let me introduce Steve. He works with my husband, but over the years, he has become a dear family friend. My in-laws have considered adopting him!
- My Fellow Jr. Youth Group Leaders, Lori & Renee. These ladies are my sanity when it comes to planning all things Jr. Youth oriented. They also provide me with stories and tips about what it means to have a teenager, since they both have boys in the Jr. Youth Group. Yikes! Can I keep Brooklyn a toddler forever!?!
- My Bloggie Friends. I love sharing stories with you, and getting to see a glimpse into your life. You making this blogging adventure that much more fun!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Christmas Thoughts

I was driving home late one night last month while a local radio talk show host was lamenting how he wasn’t looking forward to Christmas. He went on to gripe about how Christians just “get up in your face” this time of year.

I was tempted to call and immediately offer an apology. How dare we, as Christians, spoil the spirit of Christmas? After all, people are busy buying presents, running up those credit cards and fighting over mall parking spots and here we are, wanting to talk about the only begotten Savior born to free the world of its sins.

Of course, the effort to take Christ out of Christmas is nothing new. Nothing irks me more than to see a “Merry Xmas” sign. The little Algebra I know taught me that you could insert anything in place of X. But, alas, it wasn’t quite as catchy as Christmas.

So the emphasis has returned to not attacking the message but, rather, attacking the messenger. So the popular wisdom becomes “we’ll keep Christmas but we’ll mock those Christians who are celebrating it for all the wrong reasons.”

The ironic part is we’re the only ones who have it right. There is only one reason to celebrate Christmas. I shudder when I think about how many people don’t know why we celebrate Christmas. I shudder more when I think about how many people, like this ignorant talk show host, are trying to forget why we celebrate Christmas.

And, in a world that continues to take a dimming view of Christianity, I think “up in people’s faces” is exactly where we need to be. We need to be proclaiming the love of Christ and we need to be sharing the wonderful story of salvation.

It’s a great story, it’s a miraculous story and it shouldn’t be some cheerless anecdote to all those other Christmas activities. We can share the love of Christ and we can still buy those presents, hopefully not overcharge those credit cards and eat plenty of holiday cookies. They don’t have to be separate. We can celebrate Christmas without forgetting the meaning of Christmas.

But, if proclaiming the birth of our Savior, ruins somebody’s holiday, then I’ll gladly stand up and be called Scrooge.
--
(My dear husband wrote this, but I really wanted to share it!)

Giving Back

On Saturday, our church's junior youth group volunteered at 9Cares Colorado Shares, a huge, state-wide food drive.

9Cares Colorado Shares started as a simple food drive in the old 9News parking lot. A lot has changed but the goal is still the same - to feed, clothe, and provide a happier holiday season for Colorado's less fortunate families. The holiday drive is the largest one-day food, clothing and toy drive in our region, with nearly 30 sites along the Front Range and into the mountains. Combined, the 30 sites, collected 383,025 pounds (191.5 tons) of food. Our youth group worked at the Firestone King Soopers and collected 4,441 pounds of food and $563.

It was so incredible to be a part of this food drive. To watch people head into the grocery store, as I am sure they do every week, but to come out with bags upon bags of food that they bought just to give away, it was amazing! And, the youth group kids really got into it, helping unload van loads full of goods, passing out fliers of the top-10 most wanted items, sorting the items once they were donating, weighing the boxes and loading them in the truck.

Brooklyn even got so very involved in helping the little kids with their donations. She would run up to them, grab their item hand it off to be sorted and say "thank you." So precious!

We really had the best time volunteering, and our family plans to participate next year. Like I said, there's no words to describe how amazing it is to watch people just be so giving and selfless.

Shut Up & Drive!!

You know how some people say they drive a lemon??Well, I feel like I am driving a pumpkin!But, I am coming around on my rental car...the color is real unique!
And, I'll have it till I get this back...

My beloved Subie!!

But can she sing?

Fun Brooklyn Stories

Here are some fun Brooklyn stories I wanted to share...

JAM
Brooklyn has gotten very, very interested in the little pieces of lint that you find between your toes after wearing socks for a period of time during the day. To most of us, this is called toe jam, but Brooklyn simply calls it "jam." She frequently, about six to eight times a day on average, sits down on the floor, pulls and tugs at her socks, trying desperately to get them off to look for jam. If she can't get her sock off, she'll whimper a bit and ask for help. She'll sit there for a good 5 minutes examining each crevice before standing up which means she is done. Not only does she examine her own toes, but her fingers too, and Mommy's and Daddy's toes and fingers too!

FIRST TIME IN A MOVIE THEATRE
On Saturday, Kevin, Brooklyn and I went to see Bee Movie thanks to my parent's generous ticket giving! To sum up our experience, I will link to Kevin's hilarious take of the events that occurred. Here's the link. I really think she enjoyed the movie, it was very cute!! She did score a new outfit out of the whole ordeal.

OOPS!
Brooklyn really got to use one of my favorite words she says "oops!" yesterday afternoon. I was on the computer checking my work email and Brooklyn was sitting in our home office coloring. Our computer desk has a couple shelves to the right of it where she sets up shop. She will bring a small chair from her bedroom and sit down and color. She has a couple pads of paper there and some crayons and a pencil. As I was looking at my email, I looked down and noticed that the paper pads were no one to be found, but she was sure working hard on her artwork on the desk shelf. Uh-oh! We haven't had to have the conversation yet that crayons, markers, pencils, etc. are to form artwork on the paper, coloring book, etc. not on walls, furniture, ourselves, etc. So, we had that conversation yesterday. She looked surprised that this wasn't an okay thing to do, but she did say "oops" and "I sorry Mommy." I reassured her that I wasn't mad, that we need to be a bit more careful. She said "ya."

OUR LIL' CINDERELLA
Brooklyn has really gotten into cleaning. She is such a big helper and will often offer to help wipe off the table, clean up the floor after a water spill (that she made in order to have the chance to clean it up!), wipe Mommy's, Daddy's and our beagle's mouth after we eat, sweep the floors with a broom, use the weed blower outside as part of fall cleaning, loading the dryer, etc. You know if she wants to help out when she says the phrase "I do dat." She wants every opportunity to help out, and like I said, she will make messes in order to clean it up. So, so cute! Kevin and I always joke about child labor laws, but we wonder what happens when the child willing asks to clean!?!

Of course, there's a million stories to share about what the precious girl is doing, but those are just a few of my favorites! She is really growing up TOO fast!!

Pumpkin Fun

Taking a break from a horrible day (was in a car accident last night on my way home from work and have been working with the adjuster to get my car fixed - not my fault, I got rear-ended!) to post pictures of our pumpkins we carved. We had so much fun doing it, but Brooklyn wasn't too sure about the insides of a pumpkin! Yucky! she declared. But, she sure enjoyed the after effect!

"Jagged Smile" by Daddy

"Three Blind Mice" by Mommy

"The Penguin" by Mommy

"Home Sweet Home" by Daddy

Brooklyn declaring "Oh, cute!"

Halloween Fun

Brooklyn really got into trick-or-treating last night. She had the adorable kid factor going for her as in she said "thank you" to everyone that handed her candy. She didn't just say it once, she said it over and over..about three to four times per house. And, everyone really loved her costume, and thought she was adorable, so they gave her extra candy. I have to admit, she was quite adorable and she is a very polite kid all the time.