Christmas Lights

Every year whether cold or warm we bundle up, get a hot drink and go driving around to look at Christmas lights.  It is one of those things that we do as a family were it does not matter if you are 2, 20 or much much older you enjoy.  This year we went out to look at lights with only the little kiddos.  Yes, I know we were missing 3 but we still went on a night that worked into our schedule and the girls were not home yet.

It still does not sit well with me to do things without J,K, and L but I'm learning that they are growing up and I am unable to plan every event around them anymore.  This is mainly because if I try to do this we will never go anywhere because they all 3 have different schedules.  This does not set well with me all the time but it is getting easier.

D and C had a great time looking at the lights.  There favorite house was the one where we turned our radio to a station and they told some of the Christmas story and different songs played.  The lights flashed to the beat of the music.  D asks every night to go and see the dancing lights.

Very excited to be going in the Van in our PJ's.  

D was tired of all the pictures and just wanted to go :)

Dancing Light House

It was way pass her bed time but she still was a precious little girl and had lots of fun too.

Christmas Tree

Yes, I know that I'm behind in my blog posts but I really need to finish up before the new year.

Putting up the Christmas tree is something that we have always done on Thanksgiving.  Normally I get up and put the turkey in, fix a big breakfast, clean up and begin setting up the tree while we wait for the turkey to be done.  That has been the tradition since we started celebrating holidays (thats another long story that I will one day share).  Anyways this year I decided that we were going to change that tradition because I was tired of rushing out the one holiday that has nothing to do with giving presents or recieving presents but instead a day we set aside to be thankful for those in our lives.  I decided that although I would like nothing more than to put up my tree after halloween, I was going to wait and start putting the tree up the Sunday following Thanksgiving.

That is exactly what we did, and I'm really glad that we set a new traditions, it made Thanksgiving a whole lot more focused on people and not on getting everything out.  Loved it.

Here are a few pictures from that Sunday :)

D loves his Joe Joe.  They have a very special relationship.  He misses her tons when she is gone.

That little boy loves his daddy!

We had the blessing of being able to keep Nickole's kids for a week during Thanksgiving.  They are great kids.  We enjoyed our time with them.

Cynthia not so happy about D taking things from her!

Cynthia was not sure about all the stuff that was coming out of the boxes but she joined in the fun quickly.  

David setting up the outside decorations

Those are my boys.  I love them so much.  They make me smile. 

Sinning with your Mouth

How many times have you said something and then realized that you should have just kept your mouth shut.  I can not tell you the amount of times I have had "the talk" with my hubby about how I said one thing or another that I should not have said.  Generally, it's not a huge thing but it's just me saying something that did not need to be said...not thinking before i opened my mouth and inserted my big foot in "hey are you going to so in so's party?" Not thinking that maybe that person was not even invited.  Talking to someone "I can't believe that so in so brought their kids sick to the church preschool, my kids will be sick for sure now."  

What is our need to say things that are best not said?

Have I forgotten that the scriptures are very clear about the mouth?

So do I realize that I'm sinning with my mouth every time this happens?

I have notice that my precious son has gotten in the habit of whining lately.  I try and stop him and tell him that he needs to have a happy heart (thanks Lindy for that saying) which he understand.  The problem is that I'm not teaching him that the scripture tells us to "Do everything without complaining or arguing." Philippians 2:14.  What D does not know is that yes we need to have a happy heart not only because mom does not want to hear whining but because this is what is please to Jesus (something his mom needs to work on daily as well).

So we are now beginning to explain to D that when he begins to whine that he has lost his "freedom to speak" and must be silent now because what is coming out of his mouth is not please to his mommy or to Jesus.  This is a time out for the amount of his age which is 3 minutes. 

 I have only done this a few time now and he does not fully understand.  Right now he is wanting to finish his sentence first before he is quiet (a habit that he will be working on for a long time if he is anything like his mother) 

I need to remember that this mouth of mine can get me in a lot of trouble and I do want to obey my heavenly father and not be a friend, wife, or mommy that is know as one who is a complains, argues all the time, or is a whiner.  

Hebrews tells us that we need to be encouraging one another as we see the Day approaching.  In a time when much of what we see is negative we need to make sure that we are the salt and the light to this world and that we are not blending in more than we are standing out.

50th Anniversary of David's Parents Part 4

The happy couple has been married for 50 years now.  They are still very much in love and want to be together every moment they can.   We are very fortunate to have such a great example of marriage.  They have put God 1st and then each other from day one.  It is so good to have them as in-laws.  Our children are blesses to have such Godly grandparents.  Here are a few pictures of the happy couple.

   Oh, this is another happy couple.  We hate to be apart too.  I love you baby I can't wait to celebrate our 50th anniversary together.  

50th Anniversary of David's Parents Part 3

During the party we snapped pictures to have to preserve the day.   We just snapped pictures during the party of misc. people and then took family pictures.  We had a great time hanging out with family and the kids loved playing with their cousins.  Here are some pictures from the party.

50th Anniversary of David's Parents Part 2

One of the things that the kids enjoyed most was when David's brother in-law, a fire fighter, let the kids go into the firehouse and climb, play with all the equipment, and hear about different procedures of the fire house.  Here are some pictures of the kids in the firehouse.  Darius is finally old enough to understand the Uncle Paul is a firefighter.  Uncle Paul has now moved up on the list to favorite uncle now.  

50th Anniversary of David's Parents Part 1

We got the chance to go up and spend some time with David's parents.  We love the chance to let our kiddos play, love and be loved on by Papa and Grandma.  We had 2 extra kids with us to who seemed to have a good time hanging out with all the cousins.  None of the big girls were able to go with us.  It was very different for us to be split up during thanksgiving and for Mom and Dad's Anniversary and all our pictures where missing my 3 beautiful girls in them.  

One of the things that I hate is that before my dad died we did not take any pictures of him with the little kids.  The one that I want is to make sure that we get lots of pictures of the kids with the grandparents that they still have.

Here are some pictures of our time together.

GOOD INTENTIONS

Yes it's been awhile I know.  

I have had tons of things to blog about but just have not been able to blog.

WHY

Writers block...NO

Not enough time...NO

No pictures...No

It's strange but I have been struggling with something much bigger than that....WHAT DEFINES me.  As I talk to friends, read other people blogs I am finding that I'm not the only one.  

 At the beginning of October I begin to make plans about all the things I was going to do with my family.  I had tons of crafts to do with my kids.  We were having other kids come and stay with us during Thanksgiving and I went out and purchased all the things needed to make Thanksgiving garland.  I purchased 2 books last year and was given one this year, that had tons of activities for advent.  

How many things have I done to date....none.  

Have I had quality time with my kiddo's~YES

Have I wrestled, tickled, kissed, hugged, and played games with them~YES

But no I have not done one planned out event with them.  I have this idea of what I want to do~and yes I really want to do them, but something happens.

I have a good friend, Mr Jay Julian who since I meet him many moons ago has said "we are not defined by our intentions but by our actions"

I think Satan would love nothing less than for me to just continue in the same cycle that I'm in now.  Satan would love for me to throw up my hands and say I guess because I don't get to stay home with my kids everyday, or because we can't afford to buy this or that I should not be held accountable for my actions toward my kids.  

I am not defined by my intentions but instead my actions.  

I'm blogging today because it stops now.  I no longer want to be defined by what I think about doing but by what I do.   No this post is not about crafts.  This post is about me doing what I know I need to do and being OK when somethings don't get done.  This post is about me not allowing Satan to get a foot hold in my life and not allowing him to bind me in the pit of guilt. 

I have to move on from this pit I've been in.  I need to climb out and start being the women, mother, and wife that God intended me to be. 

I serve a God who came to set me free and those who He sets free are free indeed.  Amen