Christmas!

It's late on Christmas night and between packing for our trip to Montgomery, getting the kids to bed and cleaning up, I am trying to add some videos...but it is SO SLOW! So, we'll see what manages to get uploaded before we leave tomorrow morning.

Michael and Savannah were so excited to come downstairs and see what Santa left. Savannah patiently waited for Michael to wake up, snuggling in our bed watching The Grinch and drinking chocolate milk.



Michael, likewise, patiently held Savannah's hand, half helping-half dragging her down the stairs to see what goodies were left for them by the big guy! Savannah was so excited, I think she does a little hop-twirl dance in one of these videos and tells us "goodie goodie" or "I love it" for almost everything she touches.

Lots of Diego animal rescue toys, cars and little ponies later and I would say we had a very successful, non-stressful, amazing day at home! Did I mention sausage balls and a duel-channel marathon of A Christmas Story AND Christmas Vacation!!!! We laughed so hard, ALL DAY LONG!!!

I can't fit much more in this post, so I'm off to bed...we have a very early start tomorrow and at least 14 hours in the car with these two munchkins--praying for safe travel and sanity!

Merry Christmas everyone!
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Blizzard!

It snowed, and snowed, and then it BLIZZARD-ED! We had about 20-24 inches in two days and it was fun while it lasted, but the aftermath has not been too much fun...the roads are a mess, our neighborhood wasn't plowed or prepped for the storm, cars were stuck and had to be dug and pulled out and the steps and sidewalks are a wreck. But the snow bunnies had a good time! We threw snowballs at each other and we threw kiddos into banks of soft snow, made hot chocolate and warmed by the heat of the space heater (we have no fireplace), watched countless Micky Mouse Christmas movies! Glad we weren't trying to go anywhere and we able to just snuggle up and enjoy the wintery weekend together:)

December

We had snow about a week ago! It snowed pretty hard for a few hours and we had a few inches, but by the next morning it mostly just ice:( We did venture out that night to watch the Fredericksburg Town Christmas Parade and it was COLD! Savannah only lasted through the first half before her wet mittens and cold nose spoiled it for her, but Michael made it through the whole parade. We have good friends whole live right on the main street where the parade rolls through and we were able to watch the rest of the parade from the warmth of their living room.

Yesterday we visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps to see Santa! The Museum was much more of a hit then Santa was...

This was a close as Savannah would get! Michael asked for a batman racecar and a stop sign (what?) and Savannah whispered that she would like a puppy and Diego toy.

After our visit, we walked quickly through the museum, which deserves HOURS to wander through. Michael and Savannah walked most of the way through looking straight up at the ceiling and needed to be reminded to watch where they were going about sixteen times! Everywhere where you look, there are Marines repelling from ropes, helicopters and old planes suspended from the roof...and of course all the reminders of what makes the Marines the most awesome fighting force in the world!

December!!! Woo Hoo!

Oh Christmas Tree..Oh Christmas Tree! Well, on Thanksgiving morning Michael ran up to me as I was cooking and told me ever so urgenly, "Momma, I need a knife!!" "You WHAT?" was my response, to which he replied, "I got to cut this tree box open. We NEEEEDDDD a Christmas tree!" And that pretty much settled it-we set the Christmas tree up that afternoon; I think it may have actually been up before we ate Thanksgiving lunch!

Michael and Savannah have grown noticably closer these past two months. They are constant companions, but also constantly annoy eachother. One minute they are having a great time and the next someone is screaming. Here is one of the better moments, but do notice the near headbutt midway through;)

November, yeh I'm behind (i know!)

A TON more pictures and video!



Michael singing at his preschool's Thanksgiving party. I know the quality is terrible, but we really need to invest in a new camera!

Thanksgiving supper...mmmm sweet potatoes!

At school on his FOURTH birthday!!!

Party at the McDonald's Playground...it was cold and rainy!

Oh October...

Oh October, how you have flown by...Really doesn't seem as though a whole month has passed, but clearly October has come to an end and we are on to the very busy month of November!

Believe it or not (I have a hard time believing it), this little man is about to turn FOUR! It truly does not feel like four years have passed since he was born and I am amazed at the awesome little person he is growing into!

I pray that I can sit & play games with the kids without thinking about all the things I need to get done...

I pray that I can walk by the laundry and not feel overwhelmed...

I pray that I won't complain when it's time to make dinner...

I pray that I will never forsake my time with the Lord because I'm a better mom when

I start my day with Him...

I pray that my husband and I will always make time for each other & that our love for each other would grow more and more each day...

I pray for His wisdom daily to raise our children...

I pray that all of our children would come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior...

I pray that the people who surround me would know how much I love them...

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

Belvedere Plantation (and a ton of pictures!)

Fall is definitely here in Virginia and the weather is BEAUTIFUL! I think we start planning what we are going to do on the weekend Monday evening because we can't wait to be outside together enjoying it before the cold East Coast winter hits. We spent last Saturday at Belvedere Plantation, a 645 acre farm built in the 1760's. They have hay rides to the pumpkin patch, a corn maze, zip lines, playgrounds, inflatables, pedal tractors, giant slides, animals, food, a barrel train...and so much more! We had an awesome day and the kids were wiped out by the end. I think they have a big after Halloween Harvest Festival in November that we may try to go back for. The kids had a blast and we love finding places like this where they are able to just run free outdoors!