Merry Christmas everyone!

We had a great day, just the four of us. I remember that I fell asleep somewhere around 11:30, which is absolutely unheard of for me on Christmas Eve. Next thing I knew, I heard C get out of bed. That was around 4:35am. I dozed off and on till my alarm went off at 6:30 and then I needed to get up so that I could get lunch started.

I made C wait to wake J and M until about 5 till 7am. With breakfast baking in the oven, we had all presents unwrapped and accounted for by around 7:45. Then the boys played with their new things, I talked to my mother-in-law on the phone and watched White Christmas on tv. J did what he does most days off and that meant computer time.

We ate lunch at noon and then headed out to the house. Being that we are to move in two days, we had some things to finish up at the house. So we did that and came home to eat a simple dinner of appetizers.

It was a low-key day and we really needed it for the simple fact that the next few days will be crazy!

We'll keep you posted.

Merry Christmas Eve eve.

Wow. Did 2008 go quickly for anyone else? As I sit here, I'm wondering where '08 went!

Here are a few pic highlights for the year:

Caleb's 6th birthday was the end of February:


In May, Matthew's godmother, Stephanie was married. He was an usher in the wedding. He did a great job.


In June, we went to Michigan to visit family:



July meant fireworks:


Caleb lost his first tooth:


We used the pool A LOT in August:


and visited Stephanie in her new home and made a day trip to Lincoln Park Zoo:


September brought the start of sixth grade and first grade for the boys:

Matthew's 12th birthday:


And the start of trumpet lessons. (Thanks, Uncle Dan!)


In October we carved pumpkins:



In November, we visited family in Michigan again and Matthew learned how to shoot a gun:


And we bought our first home:


December so far saw us closing on our home, packing, working, and moving into our home by the New Year. We've been very blessed this year with all that the Lord has seen fit to provide and look forward with great anticipation to 2009!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The BEST email I have ever received.

I'm the most fortunate man in the world.
I love and appreciate my family - and they love me too.

I'm thankful that you are my daughter. That will always be true - regardless.

If the Lord has ever SPOILED someone - it's me. My family is better to me than I could ever deserve.

My life is changing these days - as my career changes. I'm spending more and more time with people whose lives are slipping away - seeking to help families cope and maybe even celebrate a wonderful life lived by the one they love. This is a very good thing.

Everyday is a gift from God. YOU are a gift as well.

I'm proud of you - for sure~!

Love,
dad*

So far behind, I'm ahead.

"So far behind, I'm ahead" is something that I've heard my Mother in law say a time or two in 13 years. And that certainly applies to me right now. C's teacher asked me today how packing is coming. I laughed. Between packing, school, cleaning, shopping for Christmas and the 1,000,000,000 other things that I have to do, I feel as though eventually I may get caught up around February 1st.

Baking for Christmas is the thing that had to give this year. Tradition states that the boys and I sit down with the cookbooks and recipes and they each choose 3 cookies that we bake and give as gifts. We compiled our list just after Halloween. That was the end of that. Last Tuesday, we had a snow day and we did get a batch of peanut butter bonbons made. Six bonbons went into the freezer for Santa for fear I wouldn't get to another batch and the rest were eaten. Gone. I do need to make another batch to give to J's co-workers at the Christmas party this weekend. I think the day for that is Thursday.

I finished up Christmas shopping today, with the exception of that we are still trying to locate one gift for M. This was, of course, at the expense of the huge basket of laundry that needs washed. I figured it'd wait another day. It had to, I really wanted to get the shopping finished. Tomorrow will be laundry day and set aside for beginning to wrap gifts. What gifts I don't get wrapped will probably have to wait until Monday.

Over the weekend, we will need to purchase and hang 15 (or is it 17??....it's written down somewhere) mini blinds at the house, clean the carpets and other floors and just get the house generally ready for the onslot of boxes and furniture come the 27th. AND I still need to make a trip to Sears to purchase a washing machine and dryer. (Yay!)

Add to that church services on Sunday morning and the company Christmas dinner at 4pm and J will be once again looking forward to getting back to work on Monday.

Is it the new year yet?!?!

Our house!

The house from the road:

Yay!

Now we are official!!

We met the seller's agent, our agent and our mortgage lender at the title company this morning at 10am. After signing and dating (12/12/08) what seemed like eleven million papers and a bit of a wait for the papers to be faxed over, we got a "Congratulations, you're home owners!".

I didn't expect to get emotional when it was all over, but I did. Everybody understood. :)

After a celebratory lunch at Red Robin, we made a our first trip to Home Depot. We went out to the house to change the locks and do some light cleaning and then got home around dinner time.

I didn't remember to grab the camera to take some pics, but the next time we are out at the house, I'll get some.

And in two short weeks, we're making the big move!

Thanks!

I am thankful that today was a "snow day". It gave the boys (and me) time to do some baking and just slow down from everything that's going on.

I am thankful that J is so on top of all the hoops for getting the house. He may have a breakdown when it's all over, but for now, he's taking it all in stride.

I am thankful that we have a warm place to call home while it snows and the wind blows.

I am thankful that my Jesus has everything in His control. There isn't a thing that He doesn't see or know about where we're headed. He has what is best in store for all of us.

Check it out!

Just wanted to give a shoutout to the oneminutewriter.blogspot.com.

Anyone who ever *wanted* to be a writer, but didn't know where to start, this is a fun resource. It just might prompt you to get some creativity flowing!
Enjoy!

Holiday concert.

Last night was the holiday concert for K-1st grade. Being that C is in grade one, we went. Now, the note that the teachers sent out stated to NOT have your kid to school until 6:15. When we arrived at 6:15, the MPR where the concert was held was already full. Hmmmm. So we spent the concert standing along the back wall. That was okay; it was easier to see what was going on than sitting in the back row of chairs would have been.



I let M sneak up and get some pictures:




It was a cute concert and all the kids did a great job!

Thanks! December 2 edition.

Give thanks!

1. I'm thankful to see the sunshine this morning when the temp with the windchill is -2.

2. I'm thankful that one of the kindergarteners told me yesterday that she missed me last Tuesday when we were absent.

3. I'm thankful for my grandparents.

4. I'm thankful for hot showers.

5. I'm thankful that there is plenty of money in the account so that I can shop for groceries this afternoon.

Give thanks!!