Christmas

Christmas this year seemed so different. There was no snow on the ground for starters and my little brother Caleb and his wife Danie couldn't be here. It was just unusually quiet. I think part of it is when we are little there is so much magic and mystery around Christmas and now that I am older I haven't been able to re-create that. I think my kids feel it is that way but it has lost the dazzle for me.

We were blessed to have my sister Leah home this year. I think it is only her 2nd time joining us since I've had kids. My grandparents came up too. My grandpa and grandma Seger both in their 80's and my grandma Pearson all were able to come. It was great to spend that time with them.

My mom does such a beautiful job decorating that I always feel spoiled at her home. The kids really had fun with their cousin Tucker. All in all much fun was had by all.

Here are some pictures to remember it by;



Leah with the kids on Christmas Eve.

Here are all 4 of the Pearson kids. I think this was the day before Christmas eve maybe...

Abby and I on Christmas--

I have to tell you the story of her dress. I've been looking and looking for Christmas dresses for the girls. Everything I was finding was just too much so I decided I would have Abby wear hers from last year and Emily was just going to wear a skirt and red top. I was very bummed about this though as I remember clearly as a child being so excited for my Christmas dress each year and wanted my girls to have that same delight. I had resigned happily to the fact that it wouldn't happen this year and lo and behold a friend gave me a beautiful Christmas dress for Emmy because her parents had bought her daughter a new one.

I figured that was perfect.. Abby could wear her old one and Emily could have a dress instead of a skirt and shirt. Well.. I happened to be out at the thrift store in town one morning and the back door where they have their new inventory was open and there was a BEAUTIFUL little girls Christmas dress hanging up back there. I was talking to my sister and telling her I wish it was out because maybe I could get it for Abby and a little while later a lady walked up to me with the dress and said there were some stains on it so I could have it for 2.00. 2.00!!!!!!!! I came home and spotted those stains right out and she had a beautiful size 6 dress to wear.

I felt so spoiled rotten!

This is Kenan's "face"!

The kids had a fun wrestling match with Grandpa. My dad was gone for most of Christmas as he had ranch stuff to do but the few hours he was there the kids had a blast with him.

Kenan gets nervous when people are wrestling. I think he is afraid they are hurting eachother.

Kenan got his first tractor ride the other night with Grandpa. Every time you even mention the tractor his eyes get big and he gets a huge smile and says, "tra-tor.. bumpa...moo" They went to feed the cows. I think it was the hilite of his little life thus far.

Kenan

I am so in love with this little almost 2 year old!

Merry Christmas from our family

Merry Christmas 2011

2011 has been a year of crazy new beginnings for us. After moving in August of 2010 and living in a living room for nearly 10 months we finally had a room finished in the basement this spring. It felt like honeymooning all over again to have our own room. Since then we have the basement nearly finished now which has added some much needed living space for us. We are very grateful to everyone who has helped to make it happen.

Joel is working full-time at Ford while also pursuing a degree. He started college this past fall and right now is looking at an engineering degree but currently our future feels very unsure so this could change. He keeps really busy; he has been doing vehicles on the side for family and friends. It seems all spring/summer/fall there wasn’t a weekend that we weren’t chopping or hauling wood to heat our home this winter. He is also always doing some kind of work here on the house. I’m just dreading next semester when he’ll be gone at class every Mon., Tues., and Wed. night.

I have also had some new starts; I recently got my life insurance license so I can sell pre-need insurance at my dad’s funeral home. As a mom we wear so many hats that sometimes it all can feel a bit overwhelming. Not only are we worried about the welfare of our family but also training and equipping these children God has entrusted to us. I have learned more about the art of juggling this year. I’ve been watching a sweet baby girl named Ella, my kids love her and call her “our baby.” I also have still been doing some wildtree parties, and I do lots of hair-cuts and color, it has actually become a ministry for me and I’m very grateful for this skill. I’m also in my 2nd year of homeschooling. Life is very full at the moment.

Abigail is now 6 years old and in 1st grade. As I write this she is now reading fluently and loving it. She is an avid learner and has been relatively easy to teach. I think my teaching job may become much more difficult next year when I add Emily into the mix.

Emily is now 4 and loves to do preschool. She is my imaginative kid and can keep herself occupied for hours in her pretend world. The girls are great at playing together and I am so thankful for that. They are also great helps to me with both Kenan and Ella. We are so blessed to have such sweet little girls to raise.

Kenan is the exact opposite of our girls. He is Trouble! He is incredibly curious about every little thing and won’t stop until he knows how things work and what happens when he does certain things. We can count on most days walking into the bathroom to find the duckie floating in the toilet. All curiosity aside this little man is amazing. We are totally in love with his friendly personality and the humor he adds to our family.

Through all the busyness we really have to be intentional to direct everything to Jesus and to model to our children that He is the one we live for. He is the reason for this season and we are eternally grateful for his handiwork and provision in our lives.

Thank-you Jesus for loving us so much that you came to Earth all those years ago to be born and live in amongst humanity to suffer and be tempted, to be like us, and then to give up your life for us that we who believe in you can live with you forever. We are humbled and so grateful!

May God keep you in perfect peace in 2012

Emily's part

Both our girls where in the church Christmas program this year. Emily was an adorable little star and said her part so perfectly. Abby was a traveler and just sang. I loved this part of growing up. I was even Mary in one of our plays. It was fun to watch my kids and I'm excited to next year have Kenan be a little sheep in it! :-)

Jesse Advent Tree

This year I really put a lot of thought into how I want to spend the time leading up into Christmas. The kids are at a new age of understanding and I want to be very intentional about why and who we celebrate Christmas for. After much searching.. and having a very limited budget, I was thrilled to come across this from www.aholyexperience.com.

Every day we have a bible reading and then we read a devotional on the reading and put up an ornament that symbolizes what we have read. It is maybe a little deep for the kids to understand so I try to simplify it for them. This is a tradition I would like to keep for every year so I hope to over time replace the paper ornaments with real ones that I find.