Christmas Offering

As we wrap up the Christmas season I would like to draw your attention to this wonderful worship song by Paul Baloche. The original song, "Offering", only includes one verse and is repeated, but Baloche added another verse, about the Christmas story, to be used as the first verse resulting in "Offering (Christmas Version)". If you love worship music as I do you may be familiar with this song. Click on this link to listen to the song or watch the video below, but be sure to scroll down and turn off the music before watching the video. Casting Crowns also does a great rendition of it, but I am a little partial to the original. May it focus you on our Lord and Savior and draw you into worship.

More Christmas Fun

While Christmas is officially behind us the season still lingers. Sometimes it's easier to get out and enjoy things after all the rush is over and we can relax. Darrin is on vacation until the first of the year, so we've been enjoying movies as a couple and doing fun things with the kids.

Last night we took the kids for a drive to see some lights. We had planned to hit three places, but the kids were tired by the second stop that we cut our night out a bit short. I'm so glad we hit the first house when we did. The kids LOVED it, especially Rebekah! We've been to this house once before when Darrin and I were first married, but I had forgotten about it.





The front porch





Inside the garage - Rebekah loved being in this "room"!








I thought this model of the twin towers was really cool, too.


Today we had a fun day with just Rebekah. We went to the Imax theater to see "The Polar Express" in 3D. When we first arrived we had a few minutes to waste because they were not allowing guests to be seated until a few minutes before the movie started, so this gave Rebekah the perfect opportunity to ask for popcorn.

We have seen the movie many times because Darrin recorded it on our DVR last year. Rebekah has been known to ask to watch it in the middle of summer in fact. As a result we know the movie well, and Rebekah kept exclaiming that we had it at home or she would tell me what was going to happen next. The loud noises of the train or other various parts of the movie hurt her ears in places, but overall she really enjoyed it as did Darrin and I.


After the movie we ate lunch at Cheeburger, Cheeburger (a first for all three of us) and then returned to my parents' house to pick up Joshua.

Unfortunately, I have some bad news about Joshua's ears. They have not cleared up from their last double ear infection. He is on one last round of antibiotics, and if this doesn't work we will pursue an ear, nose, and throat specialist and have Joshua get tubes. Please pray his ears heal and that we won't have to go this route. I'm not opposed to tubes at all, but I'd rather this round of meds kill the infection and avoid tubes if at all possible. Our pediatrician recommended an ENT who is in the same group as mine, and this particular doctor deals with many children. As much as I really like my ENT I am all for going with one who treats children regularly. Hopefully it won't get to that point, but at least I can know more what to expect if it does come down to it.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Late afternoon and evening my family came to our house to celebrate Christmas and to have a birthday party for Jesus. Soon after they arrived Joshua was loving on his cousin Taylor. I wish I had the camera ready in hand because it was so cute! One of these days when they cooperate better for pictures we're going to have to have some pics made of them that are in the style of Kim Anderson photographs.


After a big Christmas meal we kicked off with the reading of the Christmas story from one of Rebekah's Bible story books and then we opened presents. Our family holds a different tradition than many families in that we open one gift at a time. It is really special this way because everyone gets to see what gifts were given from whom and to whom they were given. It makes for gift opening to last a long time, but it's a tradition I've always loved.

We had a number of coincidences that made for good laughs. My mom and I both got my sister and her family the exact same ornament! Carrie and I had decided not to exchange gifts among our family members except for the kids, but when I saw this ornament at the mall I just had to get it. It is a family of three with a pregnant mother and BABY marked on her belly.

Another really funny thing was that we gave my parents the movie "Prince Caspian" and they bought the same for us. We had also each purchased the movie for ourselves! Looks like we both have returns to make. Also, my parents bought a large box of See's peanut brittle to share with the family, and we gave them the same thing for Christmas. It's pretty scary that my mom and I bought many of the same things!

Joshua was pretty funny in that he wanted to play with Rebekah's and Taylor's toy vehicles. Rebekah got a toy minivan to go with her dollhouse, and Taylor got a Little People SUV. Who cares that the vehicles are pink and purple? Joshua saw wheels and wanted to play with them!

After we opened gifts we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and had cake. Carrie had brought us a copy of Taylor's 2nd year slideshow, and we watched that while we had cake and holiday punch. We had a great time together, and I'm looking forward to us getting together again on Monday before Carrie and her family head back home.

And here's a laugh for you...

Baby's First Year Photo Frame: $24.99

Ultrasound: $200

Finding out you're having another granddaughter: PRICELESS

Christmas Morning 2008

***Be sure to scroll down and turn off the music before you watch the video.***

Merry Christmas 2008!!!

Today (Christmas Eve) Rebekah and I spent some time making candy and baking a birthday cake for Jesus. We have been reading the Christmas story nearly every night this month and we've been discussing what Christmas is about. Last year I started doing a few simple Advent activities and had planned to do more this year, but the season slipped up on me so quickly. I think having a shorter time span between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been part of that. I haven't decorated as much this year, and it's hard for me to believe that it is already Christmas. To me it still seems like it should be a couple weeks away.

Anyway, despite the fact that I haven't done as much with Rebekah and taken time to really plan activities surrounding the holiday I have devoted time with her to discuss Christmas and the birth of Christ. In our house we do not celebrate Santa. I've always felt that I was not being completely truthful if I led my children to believe in Santa, although I can understand the idea of it only being fantasy. Rebekah and I have talked about Santa being a character similar to Cinderella, that he is pretend, and I've introduced her to Saint Nicholas, although I don't think that she has made the connection yet. Despite the discussions we have had Rebekah has asked for the past couple of nights if Santa was coming because her Grandy told her he was. I think she is confused now. We will see what happens in the morning, but she has this idea that Santa is bringing her presents. Hopefully she will forget about him once she sees the gifts from us.

Without further ado, here are some pictures from our fun today.



Birthday cake for Jesus (minus the candles)


The first layer is chocolate. The brown represents our sin. The second layer is red for the blood of Christ that covers our sin. The third layer is green for the life that we have in Christ. The white icing represents that He washes us white as snow. The star of David in the center represents that Jesus came from the lineage of David. The cake is round because Christ came to Earth. The hearts around the sides are believers all around the world who love God. A red candle will go in the middle of the cake for Jesus, and a candle for each person present at the birthday party for Jesus will be lit on the cake as well.

Here are the kids' big gifts. Other than their pj's which they opened tonight to wear to bed as well as their stockings these are their only gifts from us.

For Rebekah


For Joshua


I can't wait to see their faces in the morning!

10,000 Hits and 200th Post!

Wow! It's hard for me to believe that I've passed the 10,000-hit milesone and that this is my 200th post since I started this blog in March. My purpose was only to keep family and friends updated with our family, particularly due to Joshua's gross motor delay, but also because I didn't want to keep up with two webpages, one for each child. I rarely kept Rebekah's webpage updated, and I never imagined I would stay on top of a blog, but I've really enjoyed blogging, posting pictures, sharing our day-to-day or week-to-week lives, and even letting out some steam every so often. I don't consider myself one to enjoy writing, but blogging makes it fun, and I've enjoyed sharing the last nine to ten months with you here. Thanks to all my readers! Thanks for "listening" to me, thanks for your comments (I love them!), and thanks for sticking with me! This blog has been a great outlet for me, and I've really enjoyed posting in addition to playing around with creating new templates every few months. It has all become a fun hobby, and I've enjoyed sharing a piece of our lives with you.

Christmas with the Church Side

Derek (Darrin's brother) and Robin brought Ann to visit for a few days to celebrate an early Christmas with us. Here are a few pictures with our time with them.

Robin and Joshua


Rebekah got a baseball mitt from Aunt Donise and Uncle Mark


And guess who plays with the accompanying baseball?


I was just telling Rebekah yesterday that I need to see if my childhood My Little Pony is in my parents' attic, and look what else Aunt Donise and Uncle Mark got her.


Rebekah also got a cool Aquadoodle from Uncle Derek and Aunt Robin. This thing is so great because it is mess free. You put water in the pen and it comes out through the sponge tip onto the mat that turns blue where you write. The color disappears when it evaporates.


Check out all the wheels Joshua got. You can't go wrong giving him a vehicle!



He got one more, but he wasn't interested in opening another present tonight.

Rebekah got a Disney Princess arts and crafts pad from Grandy as well as a couple leotards, a skirt, and tights for ballet that she'll be taking next semester. She was super excited!



During their visit Robin, Rebekah, and I played bowling on the Wii. Joshua ran back and forth through the living room laughing, and a few times he ran to Derek. It was really cute!


Sweet!


Derek and Robin have returned home, but Ann is here for a few days. I'll either have lots to post or I'll be away from the computer more over the next few days.

Sibling Fun and an Early Merry Christmas to Us

The kids do not always play together, but when they do and really enjoy each other it makes for a Kodak moment. We had two of those today.

#1 Joshua pushing Rebekah in the doll stroller



#2 Joshua playing with Rebekah's face, and Rebekah kept asking him to do it



And finally, an early Merry Christmas to us. Our TV is 10 years old and has been going downhill lately. Our stereo cabinet also lost its glass door, and we needed something to hold our stereo equipment and CDs. So, here is our Christmas present to each other.


We are really enjoying our new TV. The only bad thing is that since we didn't mount it on the wall the kids can touch the screen and they also love to stand right in front of it. Other than that we are really happy with it all. Merry Christmas, Darrin!