Just having some fun with my computer the other night - we're not actually sending this pic out or anything.  I think I was just dealing with the stress of the move by wasting some time on the computer the other night.  Updates to come on our move...

Anyways, Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!  God Bless you and yours!!
~In Him~

MommaJoy

~Christmas Pics 2006~

Going to cut down the tree (day after Thanksgiving):

In the Tree Farm Shop:

Putting up the decorations (starting to look a bit tired, eh?):

**I wish I would have gotten pics of Lil' Man up on the roof helping The Pastor put up the lights.  Actually, I just tried not to think about it...

The finished product - our living room!:

One of the best things is Lil' Man will occasionally walk into the living room, call my name, and then proceed to tell me how *beautiful* our Christmas tree looks or how much he *loves* our Christmas lights.  It's acutally becoming quite the tradition for him too!  He got to help his daddy on the roof this year with the Christmas lights and next year, he was told he could help hold the saw as daddy was cutting down the tree.  And trust me, he'll remember!

I also have a few decorations in the kitchen and downstairs, but we mainly decorate in this living room and outside lights.  One thing I dream about is a large "great" room where the kitchen, dining and living space are all together - we will decorate the whole area then!

Ok, time for bed - just sharing photos and our memories.  We had a really great time this year (except for the three tries we made at getting the tree straight in it's base - but at least we were smart and did that part while the babies were all napping) and now I can't wait to start our Advent traditions too.  More pics to come....

~Thanking HIM for the season~

MommaJoy

Even with all the changes happening in our home around Christmas this year, The Pastor and I have decided that our normal celebrations and traditions WILL happen (to the best of our ability).  Traditions are one of the ways we help teach our children about the importance of family and of course, of Christ as our Savior.  It also gives children security to have traditions and routines in their lives (daily, weekly, yearly, whatever).

Here are some of our traditions during this time of year (we also have some plans for other traditions once our children are a bit older):

*Christmas music:  we have lots of music playing in our home on a regular basis.  In fact, Christmas music plays much more often than simply in the month of Dec. 

*A Christmas tree:  on the day after Thanksgiving, we go to a local Christmas Tree Farm and cut our own tree down.  We love the whole experience, riding the hay-ride to the tree field, hot drinks and cookies, a little craft store, the music, the cold weather, the handmade wreaths, getting to know the owners and their family - oh just the whole day!!

*Decorating:  depending on time, we will decorate the tree that night, then the rest of the house, including the outside, that Sat. after Thanksgiving.  My children *love* to see all the familiar decorations come out, as we discuss the meanings behind many beloved decorations.

*Christmas-time Family Devotions:  each evening during Advent, we get together before bedtime and do devotions.  This includes a Bible reading (sometimes just a verse or two), putting up a handmade ornament (like a Jesse tree ornament, except we just use our big ol' tree), a candy countdown (like they NEED candy before bed, right?!), singing of Hymns/Carols and prayer.  It is a wonderful way to end each day!

*The Hymns/Carols:  It is a wonderful time in our musical family to hear the children actually learning the old carols, the new carols, some hymns - and singing them all together as a family.  I can just imagine what it looks like through our front living room window!!   Yet I don't want people to just look IN and wonder what it's all about - I want us to really get OUT there and share the Lord with others as well.  To that end, I have a dream of getting my family all dressed in period clothing and singing old English carols to our neighbors!  It is a dream I can't wait to put into reality - now if I can just birth the correct number of sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, maybe a baritone so we can have the perfect ensemble.....*wink*

*Homemade Ornaments:  Each year, during the daytime, I take the time to make a handmade ornament with my children.  I usually use a Jesse Tree "curriculum" of sorts that I find on-line and use that as my guide.  Each ornament has meaning, will have verses written on the back that The Pastor will read that night and the children will take turns placing each ornament on our tree.  The truly enjoy seeing their own creations on the tree and I enjoy the knowledge that my children are learning about Christ!!

*Cooking/Baking:  of course!  We don't necessarily have certain dishes was always make, although I'm sure that will come.  Right now, we are just trying out different dishes each year, finding what we like/dislike, etc.  We have a turkey at Thanksgiving, a Ham at Easter, an "appetizer FEAST" on Christmas Eve and well....usually a Ham on Christmas Day I believe - although it can be other things too.  I enjoy making and decorating cookies with the children, pies, sweet breads, candy, etc...

*Christmas cards/letter:  I enjoy making up a quick Christmas letter (trying not to get long winded) and taking the time to make it look festive and bright - then sending it out to loved ones and long-lost friends too.  This doesn't always happen, due to time or money constraints, yet we do enjoy it.

Dreams I have for the future:

*Getting OUT there more:  I need to make the effort to plan community involvement with my children as much as possible.  I have been blaming my young children, my lack of time, for not really 'getting out there' - but I realise now this is only an excuse.  We have little money, but we have talents and creativity!  I need to work on making sure my children (and myself) understant the importance of helping others, of showing the love of Christ to others (during all the year, but especially at this time)

*Christmas Productions:  I'm not sure this will happen, as I can't "force" it.  As children, my sister and I used to put on a Christmas Eve "production".  It would vary each year, perhaps one year it was the telling and acting out of "The Night Before Christmas".  One year it was celebrating Christmas through the eyes of other nations.  As we got older, we began using our musical abilities as well.  We also got the whole family involved (one time having our father, uncle and grandfather dressed up spontaniously as the 3 wise men).  This is something I dream about.  I really do hope my children will hear about this family tradition in MY family and desire to do something like it themselves.  We shall see......

Ok, I guess that is enough sharing for the day.  Please direct me to your blog if you too want to share about your own family's traditions and fun during this wonderful time of year.   Hmmm.....we honestly don't "skip" Thanksgiving - we do concentrate on being thankful to God for His blessings, all the time but especially emphasized on that day.  I wonder what else I could do to help my children better experience and understand and give thanks to our God????  Any ideas??

In Him

~MommaJoy~

Hello,

Well, progress has not really been made on my scheduel as of yet - not to mention I turned off my alarm this morning instead of getting up to go exercise.  Not the best start to my day.  Oh well.

What *is* happening around here is our house is getting painted.  Who would have known how difficult is could be to pick out two simple paint colors??  We ended up deciding on a Crisp Khaki color as the main with a Peppercorn green as the trim.  It looks nice (at least the test patch looked nice).  We were origianally thinking about some sort of brick red or brownish red but our house is really too small for such a dark exterior color.  Even though we have over 2100 sq. feet (that comes from a nicely finished basement that the previous owners did) from the front, our house looks pretty small. 

Anyway, I snapped some "before" pics this morning and I'll share the transformation later.  They are scheduled to come today and tomorrow - hopefully finishing up tomorrow.  That's pretty quick!  I'm really praying this will help the sale of our home, should The Pastor get another job anytime soon.

While the painting is happening, I will be using my non-scheduled time to finish crocheting a baby dress for a friend.  She actually had her baby this past Saturday, a few weeks early.  I only have a few rows done on the dress, but it will be adorable!  I already made her a blankie (my first ever ROUND baby blankie) and a cute hat with tulips  crocheted right into the pattern.  Maybe I'll take some pics and come back and add them to this blog.

Ok, time to finish my breakfast, clean up the kitchen, get everyone dressed - then settle into my big ol' crochet chair for the day. (well, in and amongst necessary child care).  My children will get a day of free time, with lots of t.v. (bad momma) and lots of playing downstairs together(good momma).  They can't get outside due to the painters anyway - not to mention the intense heat today.

Just another hot, hot, HOT summer day around here.  *sigh*  I need a more northern climate......

In Him~
MommaJoy

p.s.  Here ya go.  I was able to post some pics of the blankie and the hat.  The blankie is called "Ring Around the Rosie" - my first ever round baby blankie.  The hat is called "Sweet Tulips" and you crochet the flowers in as you are making the hat, not after.  When I finish the dress, I'll share that too.  How fun!! ~MJ