Cookies for the firemen

Noah and Poppi decided that they wanted to do something special for the firemen who do so much for our area and have allowed Noah to visit several times.

It was fun to watch the 2 complete this project on their own from start to finish. And they did a great job, the cookies were delicious!

Okay, so they may not look like much now, but look at all those cookies they made!

YEA!! The cookies are done. Lets go to the firestation!

And what would a visit to the firestation be without a picture in the drivers seat?

It was actually a different visit then our previous visits. We arrived at the firestation and the sidewalks were frozen sheets of ice! It took quite a while to get to the door (and although they didn't realize it at the time, Poppi, Lolli, Uncle Flip Flop and Noah were all able to get in their annual Christmas ice skating. They just didn't know it would all be on sidewalks! Poor Daddy had to miss out.)

We finally made it in and had just made it to the fire trucks when an alarm sounded and the fireman very calmly told us to step behind the yellow line. They were actually heading out to an emergency! I was amazed at just how calm it all happened. There was no running or chaos like they show in the movies.

Noah was pretty bummed when they had to leave, but the fire chief was there to finish off our tour and let us sit in one of the trucks.

Guess who came to visit?!?!

We were patiently waiting for our guests to arrive, so I'm showing B-man my new calendar. What do you think, Bweven?

Mo-oom. He won't let me hold it!

Okay, I'll play with this instead.

Pooh and I are having a snack, wanna join us?

Okay, I'm done being patient. I'll just tell you...Lolli, Poppi and Uncle Flip Flop!!!!

They came in their big, black truck and brought lots of fun things.

And who knew they'd be so willing to be silly with us. Mommy isn't nearly this fun.

Lolli was good at helping me push Breven. He's getting heavy!

Who do you think looks tougher?

'Twas the night before Christmas...

...when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

The children were all nestled snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

The elves all worked hard late through the night,

to ensure the children awoke to a beautiful sight.

The true reason was finally known the next morn,

that Jesus the Christ child had now been born.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!!

Friends, changes and peekaboo!

I love this picture. I call Breven my snugglebug since he used to be so cuddly when he was first born. But he is no longer a snuggly baby. So this rare moment is so precious to me!

Isn't he starting to look more and more like a little boy, not a baby? He is still our sensitive child, crying and laughing in the same breath. He's growing right on schedule, but he's definitely content to sit and check things out. He has no desire to crawl at all. He moves himself around somehow, I still never see him do it, but he cries whenever you put him on his belly.

Noah will be such a big helper as we help watch a friends little girl starting in January.

And I think this is just one more notch in graduating the baby phase:( I'm not ready for him to grow up just yet!

But it's time to change to a bigger carseat. Breven is so snug in the infant carrier that we had to cooerce his arms to get in the straps.

Doesn't he look so big?

Where did Noah go?

There he is! Good job, James! You found him.

And how else can you better monitor the snowfall outside?

Our little Nuggets fan (thanks, Steph!) decided the duck just wanted to hang out with him:)

Talking to the family on Skype.

Bubbles!

We LOVE bubbles at our house. Noah is constantly asking for bubbles in the bath tub and thought it might be fun to introduce Breven to them too. What do you think, B?

Something tells me he likes 'em

Could they be any more opposite? Dark, light. Brown, blue.

Bubble Hair

Who has the tallest hair?

Block city

Hey, Noah! What's going on?

Are you in your castle?

Wait, Mama. I need to fix the gate.

Noah? No-ah? Where did you go?

Hey! Has anyone seen Noah?

Oh, there you are! Wait...that's quite the smile what's going on?

Uh, oh! Looks like he's trapped Breven in the dungeon!

Getting ready for Christmas

So I betchyou didn't know Mary was able to have a choice of 2 different stables!:)

Counting down the days...thanks for the chocolates too, Calie!

Showing Breven all the fun of decorating for Christmas

I think he's happier about being on Daddy's shoulders than on trying to put the star on top

This has been such a fun year for us as Noah is so much more aware and excited.

Hanging out under the tree.

Yep, I think we're just about ready for our family to get here and celebrate Jesus' birthday with us.

My lost coin

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!'

Luke 15:8-9

Okay, so I didn't really lose a coin, but I did lose something especially important to me. For our 5 year anniversary, Aaron gave me a pair of diamond earrings, something I had always wanted. Anytime I wear them, I am periodically checking my ears to make sure they are still there and to make sure the backs are on snug.

I put them on yesterday and with a busy day running errands, getting pictures taken and cleaning up some extra messes made around the house, I didn't check my earrings until I finally sat down to do some computer work. I checked my ears and and earring was missing!

So after several prayers to God to help me find it, I retraced my steps through the house and even vacuumed out the entire closet hoping to hear it get sucked into the vacuum. No such luck.

I couldn't find it. I counted it as lost, thinking it had to be on a store floor or in a parking lot somewhere.

Fast forward to today. I sat down to feed Breven his dinner and stepped on something. Thinking it was a crumb, I knelt to pick it up and saw it sparkle. I did a double take. It was my earring!!

And it reminded me of the verses I wrote up above. No matter how big or small, its still important to God. I could still talk to him about it, confessing my fears and frustrations. And even if I hadn't found the earring, I should still praise God because atleast I had one earring left that could be my reminder of our anniversary.

And then I read this verse that follows the 2 referenced above...

Luke 15:10

"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

My joy of finding my lost earring can't hold a candle to the joyous celebration of a new life found in Christ.

And that got me thinking. Do I have any chances to celebrate like those angels over a new believer? Do I have any chances to tell anyone about the miraculous saving knowledge of Christ's love for them? Are my eyes open to those chances?

This is a great time of year to be on the lookout for someone in need of some grace and forgiveness. And now I think I have one more prayer to add to my list.

Open my eyes, Lord, to see the opportunities you're going to present to me today. Give me the words to say to the strangers I meet while I'm out and help me to show them Your compassion and love.

What about you? Are you keeping your eyes open to the opportunities God has given you today to help those in need?

Boys will be boys!

My three cuties!

It is so much fun for me to see them playing together and laughing together. Noah was trying to balance a fork on Breven's head.

Watching to see how Noah does it...

Playing with some of Noah's new toys

Gotta get all the gear on

All ready to go build houses with his work "goatee". He goes to work quite often and even told some friends that he builds houses with his work.

Even Breven wants to get in on Noah's business

Giving Miss Lori a hug.

We celebrated Noah's birthday with Miss Lori after his party since she couldn't make it. She made him his own cookie mudslide. Let's just say...this child was on a MAJOR sugar rush from all the sweets all day!:)

I was back in the bedroom the other day while the boys were playing in the living room. After a while, I heard them getting closer and closer. I went to go find out what was going on and found this....

Noah was pulling Breven from the living room to our bedroom:) And Breven was laughing the whole way. Well, he was until he fell over. But once I sat him back up, he was right back to laughing as Noah pulled him around the house.

As they passed by the outlet with the vacuum plugged in to it, Breven reached out to grab it. Noah, being the great big brother that he is, moved B's hand out of the way and covered the outlet while telling Breven no-no.:) Gotta protect the little brother!