miami

We spent 5 great days with the Smith's in Miami just after Christmas. We stayed in a house and the kids loved waking up and playing in the pool. It wasn't heated and COLD, but they didn't mind:) We saw many different types of animals on this trip! We went to the SeAquarium, the Zoo, the beach, and the Everglades. Chad drove from Tampa to Miami to spend time with us all and the kids ate up all the attention he gave them! We watched fireworks by the port on New Years Eve and enjoyed Grandma's famous Rigatoni together. Oh...and the kids experienced other fine cuisine as well.....they had their first Krispy Kreme donut! Ella announced, "These are the best donuts in the world!" :) Thomas brought excitement to the trip as well... We lost him downtown Miami...YIKES! And he was stung by a Porteguese Man of War at the beach. Praise the Lord, he made it through both encounters just fine, but certainly gave us all a scare. Great times, great memories...thanks Smiths!:)

A Port. Man of War swimming by as we arrived at the beach. Thought it was pretty so I snapped a picture. Didn't know it (or one like it!) would be a huge memory for all of us this day...
Thomas recovering when we got home.



Grandma Sheryl and Great Grandma Freida made beautiful aprons for each of the kids.
Tom and Sheryl take each of the kids on a special trip when they turn 9. They gave Claire a camera for the trip which will happen this summer. She'll go to Yellowstone with them and CAN'T WAIT!




Thomas was THRILLED to get to meet Diego from Go, Diego Go!


Tom gave me a new zoom lens for Christmas and I absolutely LOVE it! Most noses aren't as cute as this guy's...I promise I won't take one of yours:)!!

planting seeds

In an extremely rare moment at our house, I caught the boys holding hands...willfully! "Take a picture mom, we're holding hands and being kind!"

Christmas this year at our house was different. Different in a good way. Well, not entirely different, but in some ways I guess. We always strive to do "less" as far as gifts go. The kids typically get 3 gifts to represent the gifts from the 3 wiseman to baby Jesus. This year, we gave just one gift. Every year, we read the bible, light candles, and talk about the meaning of Advent. This year, we started a new study by Ann Voskamp, The Jesse Tree. We read scripture every night and hung an ornament on the tree to remember the words. Each night, we had a "project" or a challenge...do something kind for someone without words, tell a neighbor about Jesus, sing, etc. Our favorite I think, was planting seeds of kindness. Each time the kids caught eachother doing something kind, they were to plant a wheat seed. On Christmas, just before Tom read the Christmas story, they cut the grass and spread it around baby Jesus as his straw. It's January now, and every once in awhile I'll hear one of them explain, "You just planted a seed!" :)Love it.
Thomas dressed up as the "Innkeeper" for the 3 year old Nativity scene at church.

The purpose of this project was to help the kids focus on all the many gifts we already have. Not the packages under the tree, but rather the experiences that make Christmas what we love. It was titled, "The Gifts of Christmas" and we brainstormed throughout the month what we loved about Christmas. ... decorating the house, grandmas noodles, kid art, parties, nativity sets, skiing, rosettes, krum kaka, cutting the tree, snowmachining, spending time with family, going on a cruise, the story of Mortimer the Mouse, going on the snowmachine, outside activities, the pickle game, Christmas dinner, caramel rolls, homemade gifts, Joy to the World, listening to Christmas music, spending time with family, remembering Jesus, Christmas lights, caramels...
This day was Christmas to me. We had a great time of worship at church. Came home and decided to let Owen skip his nap and play outside instead. We skated on the lake and warmed up by the fire in the gazebo as I read Christmas stories to them. We capped off the evening with games in the house. Sweet together time a week before Christmas that filled this mommas heart to the top.

Happy 4th Thomas!

Thomas is 4! Oh, the anticipation & joy of a birthday! (this picture was drawn recently by Thomas as he was thinking of next year's cake...note the number of candles!) There is nothing much Thomas loves more than a playdate with a friend, so sharing a birthday with his good buddy Noah is just about the best thing ever for this guy:) Thomas is kind. He is thoughtful. He is helpful. He is FULL of joy. He adores his big sisters. Loves the playmate in his brother. Looks up to his daddy. And is my #1 helper EVERY afternoon. He even helps with laundry and sometimes reminds me to do it! What a little man God has given us. You are a treasure to us, Thomas. We love you!

lewis ladies

What a treat it was to have Katie & sweet Mary-Brenna over last week. They are a beautiful team, & I look forward to the story they will write together! Thanks you two...:)

freeze this!

I took these photos just before the first snowfall of the season. It was one of those perfect Sunday afternoons that I wish I could just freeze and replay over and over again. Everyone was content. There was hope & wonder for the season ahead along with a very real feeling that we better soak this up as winter was just moments away. Tom split wood & I made my first pretty wood pile. The kids played outside. We all checked out the new ice, ate it:) and warmed up by the fire. Love Sundays like this! Nothing incredibly amazing. Just the six of us...living life, together.