This, obviously, was our nativity play. A few things... Sadi is the angel and is naked because she wouldn't keep her angel costume on. And the voice of Mike when he says the angel's part...he is not mocking the angel, he's using a high pitched voice because Sadi is the angel. Just didn't want him getting a bad rap for his narrating.

Our angel wouldn't keep her clothes on.

Mary for got to take her pillow out when she had the baby. She looks a little chesty!

Everett got to play the baby Jesus. He was 5 wks old.

Our wise men. They look pretty wise.

Sadi falling out of the manger when it was over and she was jealous because she didn't get to be the baby.

Christmas morning when it was clean.

tree

Jackson's gift was this huge set of army soldiers and tanks.

Emma's big gift this year was just tons of crafts. She is my little artist.

Apparently Sadi had no big gift because I didn't take pics of it and I can't remember what it was. Whoops!

It's a little late, but not near as bad as last year's late Christmas post. We had so much fun this year. Christmas Eve we had a fantastic dinner at our house with Mike, Lilian, Jorge, Sam, Everett, and Simon (this was his second year with us and we sure like him). We love having close friends for our family out here. The Moore's are our family and we're going to miss them terribly when we move.

One thing I can say about never having lived by family, though, is that I am grateful that we wake up and have Christmas as just our little family. I don't think that will change even when we do live close to siblings and parents. The feeling of gratitude that i have when my kids get so excited is just for me to enjoy...my own present.

The after Christmas sale 2008, I got the pieces to put together a wreath absolutely knowing that that was not something in my range of talents. I can get as far as purchasing the different cool textures and color schemes, but the actual construction of my project, not so much. Anyway, that's what friends are for. I have a friend who has to be the most crafty, talented friend I have ever met (no offense to the crafty friends who I did not mention!). My dear Monica, how wonderful and willing she is to be my friend however painful it can be at times! So this is my wreath. I wish the pics did it justice. In person, it takes my breath away because I have shopped for a beautiful wreath for three years, and never purchased because I didn't love it enough to display it. But this is my new Christmas treasure. It is actually hanging up still even though Christmas went down 1 1/2 months ago. I can't find a bin big enough to hold it!

Can you just tell it doesn't do it justice?

Just a few cute pics

The examples.

These pictures make Emma seem so grown up to me. She looks huge! When did this happen?

Eating spaghetti at lunch. With their hands. On the same chair. Sadi had to dress in her brothers clothes that day. She would accept nothing less.

I love the way Sadi is watching him. She tries to be just like him.

It has been so fun watching Sadi want to be just like her older siblings. Emma is the mother that makes up where the other mother lacks. :) This morning all of the kids woke up and Emma fed them breakfast (cold cereal and toast with butter and jam) and kept telling them not to wake up mom and dad because we were so tired...which was oh so true. Jackson can tease Sadi and play with her and beat on her and she just smiles and laughs and beats him right back. Sadi's personality fits so perfectly into this family.

Today in primary the sharing time was tossing a bean bag around the room and whoever caught it got to finish the sentence "I am grateful for Jesus because..." and Emma's response was "He put my little sister into our family and she is so much fun." Jackson's response "because he blesses me." Of course, I was thrilled with both responses because they came up with them on their own. I love, love, love seeing them think and share the things that are going on in their heart. And that they get it. How wonderful!

TWO THINGS

1...I THINK EMMA LOOKS ADORABLE.

2...I THINK I LOOK SKINNY.

BOTH VERY HAPPY THINGS.

Treasure Found

This post is specifically about Sundays. These are the best and the worst of days. Jack has had morning meetings on Sundays from the moment we got married so I have always been the one to get the kids ready for church. Jackson, the majority of the time, makes a ten minute project for him (clothes and shoes on, and hair gelled) into 30-40 minutes with some raising of the voice (a.k.a. yelling), bribing, begging, etc. He is his mama's child in that he loves his pajamas...and VERY much dislikes dressy clothes. he won't touch any of his 8 polo shirts and has only recently (past Christmas) put on nice pants, shirt, sweater, and tie without too much fuss. However, last Friday I found this sweater and tie at The Children's Place that I thought would be great for Easter. I played it up that he would look handsome in his tie just like Daddy's and he was so excited. He dressed HAPPILY and got his hair done with a smile onhis face on Sunday (even mentioned how his hair looked good) and when we got home from church he didn't want to take his church clothes off. I was so excited that I went back to the children's place the next day and got three more ties and two shirts. He asked if he could wear a shirt and tie home and I was loving it the rest of the day. Was this all it took the whole time? Get him nicer clothes for church? I'm excited for the options I have now to choose from and that hopefully he's not going to fight getting his clothes on for church quite so much.

a long awaited day

This happened quite awhile ago. She has lost another since then, but about two months ago she lost her first tooth. She had been so jealous of her friends and classmates and was constantly asking when it would be her turn so YEAH FOR EMMA!!!

This is what happens when she gets her own ice cream cone in the car.

At the park when my dad was here. Unfortunately, he's mostly blind from pain in his eyes and couldn't focus the camera all that well. This was one of the best.

Right before Emma's concert.

Just thought Jackson was SO CUTE!!!

Sadi, too! I think she is adorable.

I haven't been that great on getting back on the wagon. Sorry! Not a whole lot to say other than I love my cute family. Emma is the most wonderful oldest example I could have asked for, Jackson never ceases to put a smile on my face with the cute thoughts going through his brain, and Sadi is the easiest thing still and is a blast to see her try to do all her older siblings do. She also LOVES babies (dolls and real) and is the best dancer when music comes on. I'm gonna record that. Hey is anyone able to see the videos I put up? MAYBE 5% of the time I can get one to play on my blog. Is that normal or is it because I have a new computer that doesn't do it right? If anyone has a clue please let me know. I'm so not computer savvy!