Anticipation

It is almost here....and I am getting that same giddy feeling that I do every year.  The anticipation of Christmas Day.  And, now that I have two little girls in my life, the anticipation is here in a whole new way.  I have loved all of the things we have done as a family this Christmas season and can't wait to spend Christmas Day together.  I can't wait to see their reaction to presents under the tree and full stockings.  I can't wait to make a birthday cake for Jesus' birthday and to celebrate together.  We are building a family....we are forming memories....I couldn't be more thankful.  This is the week....we are waiting and celebrating.  We are....

wearing fancy Christmas dresses

 and ugly Christmas sweaters for Christmas parties

 we are staying in our jammies longer and drinking more hot chocolate

 we are going out for special family Christmas dinners.  Here is Kyla enjoying some chocolate after her meal

 and Ashlyn is enjoying her Daddy.  I am pretty sure all Ashlyn wants for Christmas is her Daddy....she is in love!

 we are looking at all of our Christmas cards and thanking God for all of our dear friends and family

 we are staying warm by the fire

We are remembering the birth of Jesus and knowing that His presence in our lives is the greatest gift we will ever receive.  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6.  We couldn't ask for more.

Basically, we are just getting really, really excited for Christmas Day....

It's beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas

I have to admit that there have been moments of stress for me during this Christmas season.  I wish it wasn't true.  I wish it was all just sitting by the fire, making Christmas cookies and keeping it simple.  But, I have had moments of wondering how all of the baking and shopping will get done along with all of the other normal responsibilities.  I have had moments of panic worrying that we are spending too much money.  But, this morning I left our house to be gone for awhile checking more things off of my list and I could feel it....Christmas in the air.  Around here everything is covered in a blanket of white.  The stores are full of people rushing around to get their gifts.  The post office had a line almost out the door to get packages shipped.  And, in true Lafayette, Indiana style, almost everywhere you go you might see someone you know....just like I did today.  The stress started to melt and I got that same happy feeling that I remember from childhood.  I hope it stays because my shopping isn't quite done yet and there is plenty of wrapping to do.......but there is also this.....

Kyla holding the snow we brought inside.  The night before we got a fresh snow, so we decided to bring it in and have some fun.

 Digging right in

 And we made snow ice cream....snow mixed with a little sugar and Christmas sprinkles....a great treat.

 Yum yum....

 Ashlyn going in for a feel....as soon as she touched it she tried to get it off of her hands.  I think the cold was a little shocking!

 Kyla offering her a bite....

 ......and this was the reaction.  Hmmmm....I don't think she loved it.

There is also more baking.  And, it is made even better with my little helper.

 Kyla unwrapping Hershey's kisses for the peanut butter blossoms we were making.  She kept telling me that she just really wanted to eat the kisses....I told her I felt the exact same way but that we had to save them for the cookies. She had already had one earlier, but said that her tummy said she really wanted another one.  Again, I totally understood.

 Rolling the dough in sugar.  Great helper.

And, the best stress reliever for me is our family being together.  We had that today and loved every minute.  We decided to go look at Christmas lights tonight and on the way there Troy was telling me how much he loves preaching at Christmas and that even though the scripture passages that are part of the Christmas story are the same, that God always reveals new things to him.  We talked about how great the word of God is that way and at the end our closing statement was, "God is awesome."  Goodbye, Christmas stress....hello, things that really matter.  And, hello Christmas lights....

Pure happiness as she takes it all in

 Ashlyn taking in all of the lights....and chewing on her sleeve, which is a regular occurrence these days.  Waiting for some new teeth to come in. 

 The lights that welcomed us.  I love it.

And on another happy note, this is what I see when I look out the window over our sink in the kitchen....makes this snow loving girl really happy.

 Yes, there has been stress.  But, there has been lots of joy and love, too.  Joy and love win.  Every time.

"Moo, Baa, La la la" .....a little morning reading

This morning it was very, very cold outside and we spent it inside.  After breakfast the girls stayed in their jammies for awhile (one thing I love about mornings when there is nowhere we have to be) and we played.  Then we decided to go upstairs to think about getting dressed, but got sidetracked by reading some books.

I have noticed that Ashlyn has not been as interested in books as Kyla was at her age, but that is starting to change.  Recently, we have had lots of cuddly moments with Ashlyn in our laps, reading books with us.  As a big sister, Kyla really loves to look at books with her little sister.  And, even better, there are some that she has memorized by this point....."Moo, Baa, La la la" would be one of those (I am sure if you have young kids, you know this book.)  Kyla loved this book when she was really little and now loves to "read" it to Ashlyn. 

I was able to catch all of the reading action this morning.  I love this video showing the sister love.....you will notice Kyla using sign language at some points and my favorite part is where Ashlyn laughs......enjoy a little, "Moo, Baa, La la la" for yourself. 

Little moments that make up a lifetime

I heard someone say in an interview the other day that it is our everyday moments that make up a lifetime.  This isn't really a profound statement, but I loved it as soon as I heard it because I know it is true.  The things we do from day to day, over the years will make up our life.  I think I love the statement so much because it makes me want to cherish and celebrate and make special day to day things.  I also think that because I am watching babies turn into little girls before my eyes, I am seeing that the days can go quickly. 

I remember a time (I think we all have it) when I wanted to get to the next place so bad.  I can even remember when I was younger my parents would tell me to just enjoy the moment because before I knew it, it would be gone.  I know now that they had the perspective at that time to know it and I all I could see was that I wanted the next thing.  Well, welcome to perspective....I have it now.  I am in a place where I know that the everyday things of life are the most beautiful and to soak them up while they are here.  Things like my girls eating breakfast in their jammies, hearing Kyla sing to Ashlyn to calm her down ,Troy and I laughing our heads off about something, watching Kyla in her imaginary world, seeing Ashlyn do a new thing, Troy grabbing my hand in the car while we are driving and the list could go on and on. 

In the middle of this busy Christmas time, there have been some really great little moments that God is using to shape a beautiful lifetime.  Things like.....

Baking Christmas cookies.  There is nothing better than baking with your three year old on a snowy, cold day in December.

Ready to get started

 Time to go in the oven

Children's Christmas programs.  Kyla was in her very first Christmas program the other night.  It was for the preschool she attends at our church.  I bought her a fancy, Christmas dress to wear for it and we had practiced her songs.  When we got there I could tell she was feeling a little nervous and when it was time for her to go in a room with her classmates and wait for their turn to go on stage, she started crying and saying she didn't want to leave me.  At this point, I was thinking either she isn't going to make it on stage or she would cry through the whole thing.  It was at this time that Troy picked her up and took her aside to talk to her.....not out of anger, but as a pep talk.  I have to say.....this man in our lives is our rock and is able to calm all of his girls down, including this one.  After talking for a few minutes, Troy walked Kyla to her classroom to wait with the other kids and we wouldn't see her until the program started.  Well, a few minutes later she came out with a smile and sang her little heart out.  We were so glad she had such a good time and we loved watching every second of it.  Growing up.....it is happening.  Little moments that are making up a lifetime.

Kyla in her dress by the Christmas tree in her room

 Me and Kyla....waiting for the doors to open and for everything to start

 Ashlyn is ready for the show to start....she loved the music

 Kyla after lining up on stage....no tears

 The color is bad, but I love her sweet smile looking right at us

 Back at home

 Christmas for Everyone.  Our church, along with many others in the area, participates in this great thing called Christmas for Everyone.  Churches who participate sponsor families who aren't able to buy gifts for their children for Christmas.  Gifts are bought for the children and then on a designated day the parents come to the churches to get the gifts that were purchased for their children and they are wrapped for them.  Today  families came to our church to get their gifts and we were so glad to be there participating.  Troy and Ashlyn were greeters at the door and Kyla and I were gift wrappers.  Ashlyn was a perfect greeter and Kyla could not have done better at helping me wrap. 

 Bring on the gifts....we are ready to wrap!

 While I was wrapping, Kyla would get scraps of paper and wrap pretend gifts....they are under our tree right now.  She was such a great helper.

Going to see the big Christmas tree at Purdue.   When we moved to Lafayette, people would tell us that we should really go see the Christmas tree in the union at Purdue.  We listened to them and are glad we did.  Every year, a live tree is brought in and placed in the union at Purdue...and every year, I am amazed at how big it is and that it is a real tree.  The tree this year looks like this:

 
Upon seeing the tree Kyla said, "I can't believe the tree goes all the way to the sky," and Ashlyn made the sign for tree with a "t" sound.....my heart was rejoicing over that one!  I loved this years tree because it had silver tinsel draped all over it just like my Grandma and Granpda Thurman's tree did every year when we went to their house in Ohio for Christmas.

Kyla by the huge gingerbread house that is next to the tree

 Ashlyn loved hanging out by the tree

 Daddy and his girls

 Christmas moments that are making up a lifetime.  Soaking them up and thanking God for the girls He has given to me to share them with and the husband who I am so blessed to partner with in building a lifetime together. 

Cozy, snowy days

It seems to me that there are two types of people.....those who love snow and those who hate it.  I happen to fall into the "love it" category.  A lot of people think I am crazy for this....those would be the "hate it" category people.  I think what I really love is living where there are four different seasons, because I love all of them and what they offer.  So, when it is wintertime I say, "Bring on the snow!"  Now, I will admit there are some downfalls.....you can't take your kids out of the house as nearly as easy as when it is warm (example....the girls and I didn't leave the house today because I didn't feel like getting them in and out of the car in the really cold temperatures) and it is a big pain to get kids into their coats and buckled into their car seats.  Other than that, I love everything about it.

So, I am one happy girl these days because everything I see is a blanket of white.  One day last week was the first snow....not too heavy but flurries all day and the ground was covered.  The girls and I had a cozy day at home.....Kyla kept asking if she could go play in it....there really wasn't enough to play in, but I told her we could go outside to see the flakes falling.  I think she is inheriting my love of snow.  Here she is all bundled up, checking out the first flakes of the season:

We came inside and cuddled up under a blanket to read.....

The excitement level went up a few more notches when we woke up later in the week on Saturday morning to this:

We all huddled around our kitchen table and enjoyed a nice, warm breakfast while the snow fell (we have pancakes on most Saturday mornings, but a snowy one makes them even better):

Kyla immediately started asking if she could go outside and play in the snow, so later on in the day, her and Daddy headed out:

And there was a lot of this:

 Kyla had the best time.....and I think Troy had a pretty good time, too.  :)

I love this picture....this shows perfectly the fun she was having.  I am so glad she is making these memories.

Ashlyn and I were inside staying warm, but I decided to get her bundled up to see how she would like it......

Turns out she liked it much better from the inside....here she is watching Kyla and Daddy......

 Kyla throwing snowballs at the window where Ashlyn and I were.....Ashlyn thought this was funny:)

 Our sweet girl....taking it all in

Before Kyla and Troy went outside I told them when they came in I would have hot chocolate ready for them.  Another cozy thing I love about snowy days.

Kyla about to enjoy her cup....

 taking a sip....

 and the chocolate mustache at the end

I love these days of making memories with our girls and seeing them experience all of these joys for the first time.  I know to some it might seem crazy that I get giddy when it snows, but I really just love taking in all that a season offers.  Believe me, when spring gets here I will be giddy about watching our tulips bloom, opening up windows to feel the breeze, and going out for a walk with the girls the first time it is warm enough.  But, for now, I am loving these white December days and getting ready for a nice, cozy winter with the people I love the most.