Friday, December 31

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

We had a really fun New Year's Eve with our friends!  A few of our families got together at Felix and Lori's house for a fun and "food-filled" New Years celebration.  18 kids in all ran around the house like crazy while us mommies and daddies ate, played games, and visited...What a great night of fun!
Madison and Isabella
"MOST" of the kids at the table eating!  The house was filled with people!!
The 2 "Jeremys"  We have some great friends that are also named Jeremy and Kerry!!  Isn't that crazy! So this is the Jeremy from the other, "Jeremy and Carey" (that is how she spells her name)
Getting the toasting drinks ready for the New Years Count Down! 11:55pm!!!
All the Girls! (Lori, Shelly, Carey, Becky, Michele, and me!)
All the Boys! (Jim, Felix, Tim, Jeremy, and Jeremy!)
"3..2..1..HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"
Nicholas and Savannah with their noise makers!
Outside for some party poppers!
Wouldn't be New Years without explosives!
Jeremy and Carey's New Year's Kiss!
Our New Year's Kiss!
Tim and Michele's New Year's Kiss!
Felix and Lori's New Year's Kiss!
Jim and Becky's New Year's Kiss!
Our Children at 1:00am!! They never run out of energy!  What a great way to bring in the New Year! Thanks Felix and Lori for hosting such a fun evening! Have a blessed 2011!

Thursday, December 30

FORGIVENESS

We had an unfortunate accident with mom and dad's old CD's from College.  The kids were listening to some of our old music and did not put the CD's away carefully and one broke in half.  Madison left a sweet note inside the CD case, feeling really sad that she had broken one.  Just warmed my heart to see it and to get to tell her..."Of course I forgive you!"  What a true gift that forgiveness is.  Our children look to us for the example of how to be truly sorry and also the example of the unconditional love that our Lord has for all of us.  I do not want my children to be afraid to ask for forgiveness from our Lord through the sacrament of Holy Confession.  He already knows our souls and wants His children to come to Him and allow Him to ease their burden and show them His glorious mercy!!  

"God had sent Jesus to forgive sins, but after his resurrection Jesus told the apostles, "‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’" (John 20:21–23)"

Tuesday, December 28

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!

This house in St. George Utah was decorated with a CRAZY amount of lights!  Even the yard was lined with strands of lights. The kids LOVED it! You just had to smile!

Sunday, December 26

CHRISTMAS COFFEE CAKE....ARE THOSE GUM BALLS?

FRUIT SHOULD NEVER BE "CANDIED"

BEST SANTA GIFT (balloon animal how-to book)

This gift from Santa was a entire afternoon of fun!  The fun only stopped because we ran out of balloons.

CHRISTMAS 2010 (OUR HOUSE ADORNED WITH LIGHTS)

I have been gone for awhile and feel called to start blogging again.  I worry about what I am going to say but have decided to just ignore that vice and just write.  I love Christmas.  It is a wonderful time to refocus my life.  In church today, Father talked about the 4th commandment "Honor thy father and mother"  Of course I was looking to see if the kids were listening.  He went on to say that he was more so talking to the adults!  He had beautiful words and summed up with that EVERYTHING we have been given under God comes from our parents!  They gave me everything...and I should thank them and honor them for their entire lives.  Thank you Mom and Dad for raising me in a faith filled Catholic home!  I love you.
 We had a snowman family greeting friends at the front door!
 Each tree was wrapped in red lights!
 The house disappears in this picture of the lights all lit at night!  The kids loved it!
 Our courtyard gate wreath....Christmas is so much fun!  Neighborhoods are transformed into winter wonderlands!

Friday, December 17

CHALLENGE CLUB CHRISTMAS PROJECT

Madison is in an amazing Catholic girls service club named Challenge.  Her club adopted a family for Christmas.  We got to go to the family's home and deliver the gifts!
 The girls brought gifts that filled their entire living room!
 What joy the girls felt when they saw the different they made first hand for this sweet family!
 Then we sung Christmas carols to the family!  What a blessing we got from this experience!
This is what Christmas is truly about!  The family was so grateful and happy.  Even her children were touched with tears inside their home!  What wonderful little disciples these girls are!

Sunday, December 12

TWO OF MY LOVES

Here are my 2 loves at a Cowboys Game.  Nicholas adores his daddy.  He wants to be just like him.  Nicholas LOVES to spend time with Daddy, especially boy stuff.  Daddy feels the same way about his perfect little son
Aren't they so handsome
I love them so much!!

Thank you Jesus for little boys.....that grow up to be wonderful husbands!!

Thursday, December 9

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY JESUS!


I love singing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus each year. It is always Angel Food cake (fitting) with homemade whip cream topping.  It is a tradition that i am so happy to have been raised with.  He is the reason for this time of year and He gets lost sometimes.   A very Cliche thing to say but true!

Jeremy had knee surgery so we could not put out our big Christmas tree this year.  The kids and I got a small tabletop tree and adorned it with homemade painted dough ornaments.  That was one of the best evenings together ever!  We are in Utah with our family so I will post pictures when we return.

What a great time we are having with our family in Utah!  I love Christmas!
(Jeremy's father "Oompa", Jeremy, and Jeremy's grandfather, "Papa")
Every time the family is together the boys play multiple games of Cribbage!  It just wouldn't be Christmas without this scene at the kitchen table...it bring warmth to my heart!
 Making our Christmas cookie dough ornaments at home before Christmas
 It was such an amazing night with the kids!  We all had so much fun!
 The tree was prettier than ever!!  The best tree I ever saw!  Made with such love!
They are so proud of their tree!
 What a wonderful way to get ready for our Little Lord Jesus!
 Best Christmas tree we ever had!

Saturday, December 4

FRIENDS

Madison had a friend over a few weeks ago and they came down stairs after playing quite a while and they were dressed the same.  I love that!  It is in our blood as girls to do these things with our friends!  I just had to post these cute pics of them.
 Look at the side ponytails!
 Matching bows too!
 Sweet Gianna
Little models! They are growing up so fast!