Upward!

Rebecca had her first Upward game today, and it was so much fun! She didn't know anyone on her team at first, but they're all sweet girls. Two of her friends were on the opposing team today, and they all 3 did so well! Rebecca scored the first basket for her team (followed by at least 3 more) and her friend Claudia scored the first for her team. :) Here's some video and picture evidence (keep your eye on number 14):

Did I mention Mike is her coach?

And here's a picture of us playing Quelf at my mom's house:

We have bulls-eyes on our shirts that if we catch anyone looking at, they have to move back a square.
Quite flattering of everyone, don't you think? :/

First week of a new year

Our family traditions for New Year's include staying up 'til midnight playing games, then banging on pots and pans yelling "Happy New Year!" then eating finger foods in front of football on the TV all day. But this year, New Year's Day fell on a Sunday, so things were a little mixed up. Eventually we got it all in, though!
Friday night (Dec. 30) we went to the Lechners' and had finger foods and played "Would You Rather?" and Quelf--laughed a lot, and thought about staying up 'til midnight and pretending it was New Year's Eve, but Mike wasn't feeling good, so we didn't. (He was fine the next day. Thanks for asking.)
Then on the actual New Year's Eve, I wasn't planning on staying up, but Mikayla's big blue eyes talked me into it. So we started playing Life on the wii, which took 'til (past) midnight! We took a Life break a few minutes before so we could set off a loooong firework and bang on pots and pans and yell, then went in and finally finished the game.
We home schooled Sunday School the next day (just kidding...we were sleeping) but made it to "big church," although Mike was preaching somewhere else. When he made it home we had ham and black-eyed peas and cornbread--mmm, mmm! But no football or snackies (we're not into NFL, just NCAA), so it still didn't feel like New Year's until...
Monday, at lunch time, when I decided to make mini-corn dogs, tater tots, fried cheese, sausage balls, and carrots/brocolli with ranch (that made it a healthy meal), and Mike started watching football. The girls, who don't even watch, brought their food into the family room, too, and Mikayla said, "NOW it feels like New Year's." :) I had to agree.
We probably should have started school the next day, since we'd been out since December 16, but you know what? I didn't feel like it. So we didn't. Jessica had a job (!) babysitting all week, which I thought was too good an opportunity to pass up, and Mikayla and Rebecca had sleepovers and play dates--taking care of that socialization people are always worried about. :D
And now I'm getting more football, watching my Hogs in the Cotton Bowl (which may be why this is so poorly written), and at halftime I'm going to warm up some spiced nuts. And Jessica is leaving for a sleepover, too.
A good start for 2012!

Christmas Moments

While I am learning that no Christmas is perfect ;), this year we had moments of...

...peace
Silence throughout the house led me to find my three girls reading Christmas books in the living room.

...excitement
With Christmas landing on a Sunday, we changed our normal traditions in order to go to church Christmas morning. We drove up to my Mom's house the day before Christmas Eve, taking all our presents with us and informing Santa where we'd be. The girls each had one present from us that was huge (and Jessica and Mikayla's were luggage, hee hee) so we let them open that the morning of the day we left. It pretty much just got them excited for things to come.

I hate that this is so blurry, but you can still see the excitement on her face!

Rebecca got a Baby Alive, something she's wanted for a couple of years.

...wonder

On Christmas Eve we have a birthday party for Jesus. We read Luke 2 by candlelight, with a nativity scene and a special dessert on the table, sing "Happy Birthday," and blow out the candles. I have done this every Christmas Eve of my life, and it is one of my favorite moments of the season.

...nostalgia
Another tradition I grew up with is a song I've never heard anywhere except from my mother and her mother. After we decorate the Christmas tree, we sit on the couch and sing (to a tune all its own):
O Christmas tree, O Christnas tree,
the best in all the world to me!
With branches green and spreading wide
to hide our gifts at Christmastide.
O beautiful tree,
please tell to me
the gifts you are hiding, what can they be?
O beautiful, beautiful Christmas tree.

...giving
Christmas morning (when the girls woke us up at 5:20!!) we opened presents from each other, and I honestly think we all enjoyed watching each others' pleasure at what we gave as much as we enjoyed the gifts we got.

Mikayla made this apron for Gran.

...joy
Although I don't have any pictures of it, the church service we went to was a perfect celebration of the Gift of Christmas. We read Scripture prophesying the Messiah and telling the whole life of Christ and His return, with hymns and carols between. We saw old friends and had a wonderful time.

...family
My Aunt Sue, my brother Mark, and those of his family who were able came after church. We took pictures, ate a feast, talked and laughed, and played games.

Whitney painted Gran a picture!

...silliness!
We played "Would You Rather..." and Wii "Just Dance 3" on Christmas day, and "Quelf" the day after. I laughed so hard!

My niece Sarah had to keep this spoon in her mouth 2 turns.

Just Dancing "The Mermaid Dance"

I don't have any pictures of Quelf, but in that game I had to remove an article of clothing, swing it around over my head yelling "Rawhide;" Mike had to give himself a wedgie; my nephew Jason had to say, "I command you to be silent!" whenever anyone laughed; my mom had to keep one elbow on the gameboard at all times; Mark and Whitney had to say, "To ancient times and distant music" every time they took a drink---oh, it was hilarious.

In the words of Laura Ingalls Wilder (again!) "It was a rich Christmas."

Links to profound Christmas thoughts

These posts by Ann Voskamp have really made me think this year--and she says things so much better than I could.
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/3-gifts-you-really-need-to-open-right-now-love-comes-down-video/
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/why-you-need-to-go-look-at-the-stars-tonight-and-become-one-of-the-wise-men/
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/10-ways-to-celebrate-christmas-morning-regardless-of-whats-under-the-tree/
This blog is written by some Portuguese missionaries in Mozambique whom I got to meet on our mission trip there. The picture broke my heart.
http://mozambiquechronicles.blogspot.com/2011/12/there-was-no-room-for-them.html
And this last one is far from profound, but we had fun and I hope it makes you smile!
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/udBrpdwOAOW3TumDD0qk

Christmas in our new house :)

Mike and I LOVE to decorate for Christmas!! We may even go overboard a teense. Here's how it all landed this first Christmas in our new house (so my Mom can see it):

Entryway

Family room

The picture above the red "count-the-days" felt hanging is a Slovenian bee hive cover with a nativity painted on it.

Snowman collection, stacking dolls collection, Guatemalan Noah's Ark and Mozambiquan carved nativity

Willow Tree nativity on Polish embroidered tablecloth on piano (I love this one)

Kitchen--but the table had a jig-saw puzzle on it all this week!

Dining room
(My picture of my angel collection and other favorite nativity won't load for some reason)

Living room

24

*Thank you all for your encouragement. I guess the good news is whatever good comes out of our lives, we can know and say that it's all from God ('cause it sure ain't from us)!*

In the last 24 hours I have...

• watched "The Polar Express," complete with hot-hot-hot-chocolate!
• slept "late" (got out of bed at 8:00)
• cooked and ate pecan waffles for breakfast
• wrapped 3 presents
• washed that gray right outa my hair
• made goodies for goodie plates (reindeer chow, white choc. dipped pretzels, red velvet cake balls, fudge, peppermint bark) while listening to Christmas music
• started cooking supper, then ran to Walmart where I made Jessica go in for sour cream, then finished cooking supper
• looked at Christmas lights and a live nativity
• had candy cane milkshakes (our Christmas light tradition)

Church and a Survivor party with some local friends, and then a whole week to relax and enjoy Christmas. Yay!

Blue

I feel sad tonight and don't really know why.
Sad may not even be the right word...maybe it's anxious...inadequate...discouraged.
Maybe it's because I'm still trying to live in a Hallmark commercial, but I can't.
In my world sisters are sometimes mean to each other for no reason. But if I was a better mother they would get along and love each other and be sweet all the time and be grateful and generous.
And my spending would stay under budget.
And everything I cooked would turn out perfectly, and my house would be clean--all of it, at the same time, for longer than 30 seconds.
And we would give more money to missions and the needy than we spend on ourselves at Christmas time.
And I would get involved in people's lives and share Jesus with them, confidently and lovingly, even if they didn't accept what I said.
And my hair would be neat and attractive, and I would remember to buy birthday cards and send them on time.
And I would be patient and fun and wise and consistent.

I almost didn't post this, but I figured somebody out there might be thinking they were the only imperfect ones with imperfect kids, so here you go.