Catching Up!

Wow...has it really been that long since my last post! The only excuse I have is that life is just well...life and it is very busy around here. But it's a good busy. Let me go way back to when we were making pictures for our Christmas cards. Just a warning this is a long post with LOTS of pictures. Things just pile up when you wait so long between posts! This year our Christmas card was made extra special because of a sweet little baby named Lillianna, I love this picture of Anna Kayla and Greg loving on her in between shots.

The two little ones and my big guy didn't mind waiting around for everyone to get in place.

After we finally did we realized that the tripod was lower than it should have been and we were all looking down but we made it work. After all we were not about to try all of that again! This year we celebrated Christmas and New Year's with our annual traditions and we even started a few new ones. Since Paul's side of the family has grown so much (31 in all) we have moved our get together from December 24th to the 23rd. So we decided to have a little Christmas Eve Party at our house for our family after our Church's Christmas Eve Communion.

This is CB before we left for church. She is missing her cute red reindeer sweater but no matter she still looks so cute in those boots!

Here's the three of them ready and waiting to leave.

This big guy had no idea what Santa was going to have waiting for him the next day!

Here's our table all ready and waiting for everyone to arrive on Christmas Eve.

There was lots of yummy food to snack on.

I always enjoy having my big girl at home with us just having her here is a celebration for me!

A rare picture of me with my sweetie, it's one of my favorites.

Our special little Christmas girl snoozing away.

We were so glad that Greg's parents were able to join us to celebrate. We ate and laughed, opened a few presents then shuffled the little ones off to bed before the big day. It was the first year in a long time that Paul and I were up and waiting for the rest of the crew. We sat at the table drinking coffee for what seemed like forever before we FINALLY woke everyone up!

These two were still quite the little sleepy heads.

It didn't take long for Emanuiel to wake up when he saw his Bat Cave. The one that he kept saying he was "being good for goodness sakes" for!

Clara Beth approached her things with a bit more caution.

and this little can held a lot more than chocolate wafer rolls for Land... inside there was a set of keys for...................................

THIS! He was so surprised he said he was actually speechless! Imagine that! Old Santa had really pulled one over on him! It was a Christmas that I am sure we will never forget for so many reasons. We enjoyed the week after just lounging around the house playing a bazillion games of Sorry and enjoying each others company. Then it was time to celebrate the New Year in a new way...We always go to church on New Year's Eve and celebrate with food, games and fun so on New Year's Eve Eve we had our own little special party!

We feasted on grilled steaks, lobster tails, and baked potatoes.

The table was set, candles were lit...

and this girl waited all day to put on her special party dress! Yes we even dressed up for the occasion.

While our bubbly chilled(sparkling grape juice) that's about as strong as it gets around here!

We gussied ourselves up, CB was a lot more excited about this than...

this little guy was but he managed.

Anna Kayla made a special little cheese tray for us to snack on.

I had to include this picture because it makes me laugh. E did not want to dress up but he did, however, he did not take off his favorite socks(the ones with the huge hole in them) and he did not keep his shoes on!

These two joked around and had fun.

And we all had a special toast to the New Year! The little ones LOVED drinking from our fancy glasses. E cracks me up in this pose with his little sock feet!

These two also enjoyed themselves while Lillianna slept away in her little seat.

It was a wonderful new tradition that I am sure we will do again next year!

Until next time,

May this new year be filled with celebrations daily, both big and small!

And in all things celebrate the One who created us.

Psalm 145:7 NIV
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness

Here's to a great 2012!

Robin

Relaxing and Enjoying the Season!

So much to do but instead we are taking it easy and enjoying our time together! Hope to be back soon with lots of new posts about all the things happening around here!

Until next time...
Merry Christmas!
Robin

Blessed and Thankful

As our family gets ready for this Thanksgiving Day we have so many things to be thankful for especially our newest little blessing. It is with much love and joy that I introduce Lillianna Joy, this little piece of Heaven joined us on November 13th and we are all so very much in love with this little angel! Aunt CB and Uncle E have been waiting a very long time to greet this little one and so has her MeMe!

Uncle Land couldn't wait to hold her either!

Her Pop Pop thought she was the most precious thing and I have to agree with him!

There is just nothing like snuggling a sweet little baby...

who will be arriving here very soon for her first Thanksgiving celebration. Now I must run because I have about twenty family members and friends that are coming for Thanksgiving dinner and there is still much to be done. Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time...

Wishing you and your family peace and blessings this day of thanks.

Colossians 3:15 NIV
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Robin

Date Night!

Unfortunately the title of my post is not referring to a night out that I enjoyed but rather it was a father- daughter date night, so our girls were the lucky ladies that got to spend the evening with their dad. There was music and flowers and... place cards to make the evening memorable. This was quite impressive since the festivities all took place at Chick-Fil-A!

Both girls were excited about spending special time with their daddy. The big one and the little one.

Our big girl is bigger these days because she is just a little over five weeks away from having that sweet little granddaughter of ours!(we are bursting with excitement)

Our little girl couldn't wait for the special date night to arrive...she loved having her daddy and her sissy all to herself.

They dined outside and as the music played a very familiar cow delivered sweet surprises! It was an evening that they will all remember.

Until next time....and I hope it won't be as long as the last time.

May your evenings also be filled with special memories as you lavish your children with love, just as our Heavenly Father lavishes us with His love!


1 John 3:1 NIV
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Robin

Summer Symphony Revisited

The days of summer played over and over for us like a favorite song that we never tired of. I was so caught up in them that my fingers never even touched the keyboard of my computer except to check emails and an occasional blog. Our time was spent with family and friends making memories, drinking it all in and slurping it up like the lemon berry slushes that I love so much! It was a summer that will be remembered for just being at home...running barefoot through the yard, splashing in the pool, giggling on the swings, listening to the crickets at dusk and watching the stars appear in the night sky. Those sounds were the most perfect summer symphony ever written so finally I have taken the time to revisit some of it...
No symphony would be complete without master musicians. This picture was taken one evening when we were treated to an after dinner concert.

The summer song played on in one of our favorite spots on the porch. I spent early mornings here sipping coffee, reading and praying before the others woke up and began their day. Later lunch might be served here, afternoon snacks or summer suppers. It was even a favorite place for our dog.

My small potted herbs grew amazingly well(this was right after they were first planted) and quite often I snipped some to go in whatever we were having for dinner. Fresh herbs always add such flavor to even the simplest of dishes.

If our small town hosted something you better believe we were there sporting blankets to enjoy the food, fun and festivities...

No matter how tired we might have been from the days activities!

Several spur of the moment summer get togethers were hosted where friends and family contributed to the table.

My brother and his wife came from California(Liss is missing from this picture) and we had a fun time hanging out together and visiting the zoo.

Looking at the real animals and climbing on the pretend ones.

Enjoying frozen drinks after dark!

Our garden grew and so did our children! Here's Emanuiel after harvesting his first watermelon. He was quite a little farmer.

Fresh corn was also harvested as was tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers!

Nights were spent roasting marshmallows...

in all their sticky, gooey, glory...

even the big guy joined in...

and sweet smiles and sticky fingers were had by all!

We took a day trip to the mountains seeking some cool mountain air!

We found it and a breathtaking view!

Having my big guy spending family time with us is always such a treat. You know teenagers lead such busy lives!

We found the perfect place for lunch. A little outside bistro that served the most delicious food. We lingered here for quite a while enjoying each others company.

We stopped by a primitive farm site that had some stinky animals that really caught the little ones' attention.

Summer evenings were spent with some very competitive corn hole games! These were enjoyed by children of ALL ages!

We ate watermelon and yes...

we spit seeds as far as humanly possible!

We celebrated birthdays for princesses!

With homemade crowns!

And savored every second but now that summer is behind us we anticipate with great excitement what is to come... our sweet Lillianna Joy will arrive around Thanksgiving and we will be blessed once again with so much to be thankful for.

Until next time....

Let the music of our lives be a symphony to the one who created us.

Psalm 95:2 NIV
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song

Robin