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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Our latest additions...



These pieces of furniture are from John's Aunt.  He grew up eating on this table during Thanksgiving dinners.  It's long, at 7ft, and that's what we would eventually like to have---a very large table to have people over and eat at.  I had found a table that I wanted...big and farm like table...but I like traditions and family and I loved the hutch that went with it and the "dry" sink that we are using right now under our Wii tv.  The hutch and dry sink will eventually go in our kitchen, when we build a house--if all goes that way. 

Sometimes dreams (like my farm table) become a thing of the past when other options are better!  We use the table in our home school room right now, b/c we have my table(that I grew up eating around) in our kitchen.  My kitchen table will eventually go in our "missionary" part of the house that we plan on building.  When we came back from Russia, it seemed that we didn't have many things of our own anymore...but we have now filled our house with lots of blessings! 

It will be fun to see if our plan to build actually happens.  We are praying that we do His plan not our plan in all of these steps! 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Bull's Eye!!

Katie and Melissa's friend scored a perfect dart!!  Woohoo!!!  Way to go Rebekah!!!  (yes, Melissa broke her arm---if you didn't catch the green cast!!) 

Monday, January 2, 2012

Christmas 2011--

 their piles...
 Melissa went first...can't remember what she was opening though.

 Katie's crown from Matthew:)

 Matthew's sword from Mark--he didn't want to see what it was til it was opened!!
 we had friends that carved this knife--and a gun---my first gun that I bought for Mark. 
 a dart board---to go in our "sun room/game room"
 notice the boards behind Melissa...we made these for the girl cousins and my girls...it's a chalkboard/coat rack.  We had fun diying it!!
 a small remote control robot--for Mark!!!
 Aunt Cristina and Uncle Stephen's Frank Lloyd Wright puzzle for the kids.

Another tradition--open one present at a time!  It just seems like no one gets to enjoy other people opening when mayhem happens!  So, started by an idea from my brother's friend's family...we do the one at a time thing.  This year, I took the kids to the dollar store, where they chose to buy each other presents with their money that they have earned over the year.  Ok, I am still stuck in the before inflation times(back when $1 was alot!!), so they don't earn much...but they don't need much, right?  It's not like I make them buy their clothes or food!!   My kids loved watching each other open their specific present...it was fun to see their excitement in giving!  Merry Christmas 2011!!
We also got a treat---my parents came to visit Christmas night and stayed for 2 nights!  So fun to share Christmas with both parent sets!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Christmas Eve 2011

 Matthew got a marble tower
 Melissa got an art set
 Katie got a snuggi

 Mark got a metal detector!!
Our Christmas Eve traditions:  eat chili and the kids open one gift...a new one was added this year---attend Christmas Eve Communion at our church when we are home for Christmas!