Sibling love

Here's the proof...they really do love each other.

Gingerbread house

Getting everything ready to create our first ever Hatfield gingerbread house.

It's constructed and now time to add the details.

Hurry take a picture before it falls down...

Here's the proof it was our first time ever making a gingerbread house. We used regular frosting instead of the stuff they included in the kit. Oops. We'll know for next year. The kids were troopers and said "no worries, now we get our own little square to redecorate."

Church Christmas Program

All ready for the church Christmas program

Traeger and Ataly with their friends singing for church

Traeger all decked out.

Ataly all in with costume, sign and voice.

Dear friends

When I was in college I babysat/nannied for a family with 4 kids (they now have 6 kids). Maggie was the only girl out of 3 boys (now 5 boys) I considered the D family my family away from home. The F family was the other :O) Whether their parents needed a sitter for the day or while they took vacations I would stay behind and build fun memories with the kids. My favorite is that when we get together now they still will recall some of the fun things we did. I also lived with the D family for a semester. For years after I moved out they still called their bathroom "Mikaela's bathroom"

12/12/1999

12/2011

Maggie now is taller than I and her older brother is a freshman in college :O) Ugh...where did the time go?! 12 years since I first met them God has seen fit to allow us to still be in contact. We only live an hour away from each other. Unfortunately we don't see each other as often as we'd like but I cherish the times we get to met up.

celebrating my birthday together with the D and F kiddos

August 1999

meeting up for ice cream with the D family

2011

Snow fun

From then (1 1/2)...

to now (5 1/2).

That was a sweet ride.

Ataly trying it out on a little safer terrain.

Pushing it back up the hill...that's never the fun part.

I did it :O)

Traeger learning for the first time how to roll up snow to make a snowman.

Ataly trying it too.

My active boy who loves life to the fullest.

Ataly was so proud of her first ever snowman she made all by herself.

Decking the halls

I brought everything down to decorate for the holidays. Ataly immediately said, "oh mommy we're going to make the house look so beautiful." While Traeger showed little to no interest. Before long Traeger was intrigued and joined in on the fun.

Ho ho ho...Merry Christmas.

This seems like forever ago...

Look at this pretty one mommy....

I think it should go right here...

Check out this one...

Traeger intently adding his special touch.

Daddy came to the rescue when I couldn't get all of the sections of the lights to work.

Putting on the final touch.

Uncle Boy visits 2011

It took one mention that Uncle Boy (Luke's friend from high school) was coming to visit and the kids kicked into full gear. On their own accord, they got right to work making signs for his arrival.

Traeger made the welcome sign for the front door and taped it up.

Traeger made other signs that he taped up around the house to welcome Uncle Boy.

Before I knew it the kids were upstairs chit chatting and doing something. Much to my surprise they moved out the bed for Uncle Boy, "made" the bed, got him pillows and set up chairs next to his bed.

Side note...I really had to restrain myself from going after the kids and straightening up the bed, getting Uncle Boy different pillows and putting the bed where it belonged. But I knew how proud both the kids were to have prepared on their own for our special guest. Straight sheets and fluffy pillows were not the main point this day. Their own special touch was what made it perfect and ready for his arrival.

Uncle Boy and Traeger playing a card game.

The boys took some time to work on our family puzzle.

Thanks Jon for taking the time off of work to come hang out with us for a couple days.

Highlights from Thanksgiving 2011

Looking back at our highlights from our Thanksgiving vacation 2011...

1. started our time off with a date out with the adults to celebrate my sister's birthday

2. thrilled to have had the blessing of a 2 night, 3 day time away with the man I love.

My parents graciously offered to love on the kids so Luke and I could step away from our normal duties of parenthood and ministry (not sure we ever fully step away from that...we are called to always care for others, even while on vacation :O)) and just be. It was a sweet time to connect. Eating, running, sleeping, shopping, talking, spending quiet time with the Lord, Survivor marathon, attending a new church on Sunday were a few favorites of our time together.

3. Traeger got to go hunting with Grandpa Bruce and Kieran

4. Nonnie, Ataly, Cori and Melia went out and about shopping while the boys hunted.

5. We took the P boys bowling and then out to supper

Ataly's cheering section

Look at the air this girls got...she was pumped about her good roll down the alley.

Nice aim Traeger

6. Ataly helping Nonnie make some of the food for the Thanksgiving feast for the whole family

7. Traeger got in his fair share of time playing the Wii

(Not sure what Luke's doing here...either cheering, coaching or providing some good moral support)

8. Thankful for lots of quality cousin time

9. Blessed with grandparent's love

Grandpa and his girls...

Nonnie and her boys

10. Can't miss out on a Scrabble match up

11. As tradition has it my sister's family spent the night on Thanksgiving-Saturday morning

The moms hang with the kiddos in the morning while the dads go hunting. By 3pm we're ready to go do some "hunting" of our own.

Mom taking a break from shopping and getting refueled to be out until midnight on Black Friday.

12. Auntie Casey came to visit for a couple hours the day after Thanksgiving

13. Grandpa Tim and Nana came up to visit and go out for supper the day before Thanksgiving.

We remember Thanksgiving 2011 with grateful hearts for the abundant sweet blessings the Lord provides. We were definitely refreshed and recharged. Big to small blessings...we praise God for whom all blessings flow.