Flashback: Hand-me down

I think I'm going to spend some time posting older pictures.  I have so many that I love and my kids love seeing them.  This one is for you, Mom.  This picture was taken 4 years ago.  I wore this dress back in the 70's, handmade by my mom!  I think my brother may have even had a matching shirt??

Aaron's Birthday

Jojo's birthday

Though these are a few months old, I wanted to post them.  I love the faces on these pictures.  Greta is so excited to give Josiah her homemade gift.

Not sure what all Greta had in this little box for him, but she made him all kinds of treasures.  I just love, love, love it.

The story behind Jojo's birthday cake cracks me up.  Claudia served at a wedding at church back in the fall and they were handing out extra cake.  I took a pan and threw it in the freezer.  Jojo kept saying he wanted a blue birthday cake.  Score for the mama.  I really don't enjoy baking.  He was thrilled with his blue cake!!  The bride goes to our church and when I told her the story of the recycled cake, we both got a good laugh!!!

Sweet Friends

One of Claudia's favorite things to do with her friends is to take pictures.  It like when she asks me to do it for them.

Messy & cheerful

Thomas Christmas

It's always fun to have my brother and his family here for Christmas. It brings me joy to watch the kids growing in their relationships with their cousins.  Things get easier when it's not just a bunch of toddlers!!

Morgan just loves to read the comics.  We don't get the newspaper and so she's always trying to steal them when she goes to my parents.  My dad has been saving these for Morgan for a gift for Christmas and she just thought this was the greatest!!

Basement tea party.  Good times!

Christmas Day

Phew, it's gonna be Easter by the time I get these Christmas pictures finished...

For many years we have been using the same Advent calendar.  There are so many out there but this one is so simple and we read a part of the Christmas story every day.  The kids have loved it and we love it...so it's still going strong.

Finishing the Advent calendar

Listening to Daddy talk a bit more about the Christmas story

When I first saw this picture I thought, 'Oh how cute, but too bad that Josiah isn't in it.'  Look again!!

Nothing like the anticipation of opening presents to give me some great smiles!  

I love the genuine emotion and affection they give each other while opening their gifts from each other.  And no...this isn't an everyday occurrence!!

Claudia had gotten an antique looking warrior type bracelet for Aaron at a yard sale this summer.  She wrote up a legend about the bracelet.  Pretty unique and clever gift!!

After the gifts were all open I took some shots of what all the kids were doing:

New books are her favorite

Loving her new doll from Grandpa and Bev Heitland!

Construct-o-Bots also from Grandpa H and Bev

Building a monster truck.  love the ear plugs

Admiring all her goodies, though my first pic of her was her trying on her new clothes.  But she hated the pic so I didn't post it!

Christmas Eve

I am not a fancy person, especially when it comes to food and table decor.  I am practical and like it that way.  A few weeks back Steve and I were at a dinner party and the hostess had the table set so beautifully.  I mentioned to Steve that someday I would like to invest in pretty things to set the table with for the holidays.

Being the thoughtful man that he is, he gave me a gift on Christmas Eve because he thought I may want to use it that night.  He got me a table cloth and placemats!  It was so sweet of him and our Christmas Eve table looked especially pretty this year!!