Merry Christmas

Sunday Photo: 39

We've had quite the ride, the last couple weeks.  I feel like just when we get back on feet from one thing we get hit with another.  I might catch up.  Someday.  I might blog about thanksgiving, and November.  I just might get to the Christmas cards sitting at the table.  Or I might not.

This week I was reminded of the importance of putting down my phone, putting away my computer, putting away distractions and being there.  

This weekend I picked up the book, The Best Yes, by Lysa Terkeurst.  I am loving this book so far. This sections really spoke to me:

"Just that morning I'd been praying and asking God to show Himself to me.  I asked God of the Universe to interect my life with His revelation, then I got up from my prayers and forgot to look.  Forgot to seek Him.  Forgot to keep my heart in tune with His voice.  His invitation.

All because of the chaotic rush of my day.

When all of life feels like an urgent rush from one demand to another, we become forgetful.  We forget simple things like where we put our car keys or that one crucial ingredient for dinner when we run into the grocery store.  But even more distrurbing, we forget God.  We say with our mouths that we are trusting and relying on God but are we really?"

Life has been so rushed lately.  We have been knocked down with so many blows.  I feel like we can't catch up.  But I decided it's ok.  I am a huge believer that there is good in every day.  We have had some days lately when I have to look pretty hard to find the good.  But there is good. 

This week I'm reminded that the good can just be simple things.  And letting some not-so-important things go. I'm sorry, but the Christmas cards really might not get done.  Tonight after dinner instead of bundling everyone up and rushing to a church activity we wrestled with Dad under the tree. I'm positive the Christmas activity tonight was fantastic.  But we needed some together-not-rushed time.  And it wasn't anything fancy, but it was just what we needed.

I'm looking forward to spending the rest of our busy holiday season in a similar fashion.  Simple and just what we need.

Sunday Photo: 38

I haven't been very diligent with the Sunday Photo posts the last couple weeks.

Life is just busy.

But I needed to post something at the top of the blog besides poor sick Eli.

We saw Santa at the church Christmas party on Friday night.  Avery then woke up Saturday morning sick and has been sick with a super high fever every since. She's just so sad.

Hopefully this week I can post about November, Thanksgiving and catch up!

{November}

November was a busy month.  Noah and Lucy had birthdays.  Then I took a blogging sabbatical for a while and now I need to catch up.  

Noah and I got happy mail - he got Pokemon cards for his birthday and I got a book that I was part of the launch team for. 

Wade's sister and I went to the pinners conference.  I really wanted to go last year and couldn't make it work, I'm glad she went with me this year.  We took a class by Becky Higgins.  I had a lot of fun and can't wait to go again!

Lucy at bathtime

Ready for school and watching the snow.

Lucy gets to spend a lot of time at the office with us these days.  She's ok with that because it usually means lots of snacks and whatever Netflix show she wants.

She also loves story time - one time they brought a canoe!

Noah developed a bit of asthma in November.  The poor kid just got off one medication and then got another.  He just can't win.

Charlotte, Gage and Noah and I were extra's for a Studio C skit.  I can't tell you more than that until they air it - hopefully soon!  We had fun, but learned just how much really goes into comedy skits!  We were there 7 hours and they still weren't done!

In November Eli had his turn with seizures and the hospital.  Poor guy.

He's a trooper with his medicine - even though he says it tastes absolutely gross (Noah agrees).

Gage finished robotics club at school.  He thought this was really cool and had a lot of fun.

We couldn't resist and put up the kids christmas tree downstairs before we left for Thanksgiving.

We took a fast road trip to Washington for Thanksgiving.

We had a good time visiting with my parents, we got to see our friends the Bell's and their kids and their new baby.  Lucy slept through thanksgiving dinner and then ate marshmallows when she woke up.

Eating out with Grandpa and Grandma

And we took a trip to the beach one afternoon...because Wade isn't happy if we drive all the way to Washington and don't go to the beach.  Even though it's cold and windy.

Lucy made sure that Barbie got to play at the beach too.

We went out to my parents tree farm and checked on our trees.  We each picked a tree on the farm before we moved from Washington.  They were tiny before and they have grown!

We also got to visit with my Aunt Pam and my cousins.  I haven't seen my cousin Kevin or ever met his wife or little boy, who is the same age as Eli, but we had a good time visiting with them.  We were sad to have missed Uncle Dennis' funeral by just a few days.

Black Friday my mom and I did a little bit of shopping, but mostly I did our shopping on Amazon this year.  But Avery had a fun time with grandma on this trip too.  She loved it when we had a girls trip for ice cream.  

It was a fast trip and then before we knew it we had to head home.  We stopped in Portland to see Micah and Alison and then decided to stay the night in Boise.  We usually always do the drive in one day, but it was nice to have it split into two for a change.  There is never enough time to spend in Washington now that we don't live there. We are already counting down the days till Grandma and Grandpa can visit us here in Utah in the spring.