A Christmas Eve to remember...

I am sitting at our desk at 11:00 on Christmas Eve. Anthony is, of course, wrapping my presents last minute :)

We had a wonderful day of visitng our neighbors & exchanging gifts, making cookies for Santa, having a nice family dinner and a birthday party for Jesus.

Before blowing out the candles together, we talked about why we should celebrate Jesus' birthday. Jacob and Elijah just took off like little rockets. Amist all the sweet little boy chatter about who Jesus is, why we should let Him live in us, what eternity meant and so many more.. I was filled with an intense warmth.

The candles were getting very close to the cake as we wrapped up our conversation. My boys are really understanding what it means to be Christians. They are embracing God's love.

What a wonderful thing!

My Firstborn

Jacob is 8 today! Last night we had our neighbor's (who we are so blessed to have as our friends) little boy over for a sleepover. I REALLY don't know how Anthony's Mom did it...

The living room was transformed into a great mass of sheets, blankets, ropes and furniture. We had cotton candy and gatorade, rented Wall-E and Space Chimps. All set, right...?

Well...around 12:15ish, Jacob and Zeek walked into our bedroom just as I was dozing off (I wondered for a moment if Anthony's snoring had woken them). Bright eyed and bushy tailed, they asked me if they could just stay up since they weren't tired at all.

I sighed and I smiled (sleepovers are new to me!) and told them that it was definitely time for bed. About thirty minutes later they were quiet and still. When they actually dozed off, I am not sure...

Silly Mommy assumed they would sleep at least a little later than usual, but to no avail. At 6:30 they were pupmed and ready to go. We all marched out of our bedroom (Eli had decided to come sleep w/us sometime in the early a.m.) and sang Happy Birthday to Jacob.

Thankfully, the neighbors decided they wanted to have us over for breakfast, so we went on over to a FEAST and Jacob got his first birthday gift.

In a moment, I will be loading the boys in the car so that Eli will fall asleep and Jake and I can take a siesta too, before the rest of the planned festivities start.

Decorating Christmas Ornaments

We spent the afternoon decorating ornaments with our neighbors today. It was so much fun, but of course, the batteries in my camera were dead. Karoline caught a pretty good one.

We have the greatest neighbors in the world. They are about the same ages as us, similiar interests, two children and matching cats, too.

Mommy had a lot of fun doing a few herself!!!

To You...

This is being written (last minute before work) in appreciation to my wonderful Mother-In-Law. She is always there for me - eagerly listening to my thoughts and concerns - and she gives some of the best advice and insights into life.
I have come to think of her as a real Mother to me as well. She is an amazing woman that raised her family in such a way that I hope I can live up to in raising mine.
Mom - thank you for everything ... especially my two mini-catatrophes today - fixed by you, of course.
All of our love...

The Nutcracker

On Thursday night Jacob and all of the 2nd graders in his school put on a performance of the Nutcracker. Anthony, Eli and I went, and my parents drove over from TN too.

During the director's introduction, she asked that parents not wave to their children so as not to take away from the play.

Jacob was in the very first scene as a decorator. After the 4 boys were done they walked off stage waving to the crowd. My sweet son spotted us in the audience and waved. He waved and waved and then stopped and kept waving. He was wondering "why are they not waving back?". They entire audience was chuckling and the family next to me told us how cute he was.

Maybe he will take after his Mom and get into acting :)

A special moment

Last night as we were cleaning up after dinner, Eli started talking very softly. I thought I had heard a little bit of what he had said, so I asked Anthony to listen and Eli to repeat what he had just said a little louder. Anthony and I had huge grins on our faces as Eli said this...

"And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord showed round about them and they were sore afraid."

This was the highlight of our night and I will never forget it...