Saturday, January 16, 2010

Much needed RETREAT...


With the CRAZINESS of the Holidays...
Ron and I were in need of a overdue RETREAT.
After dropping off the kids for the weekend...
we headed up NORTH to find snow.
We stayed in a beautiful ski town called...
Pinetop-Lakeside
which is about 3 1/2 hours north of Phoenix.
We ENJOYED this little vacation so much...
and I'm happy to say their is still so much PASSION
that I have for this man...
that I can't wait to do it AGAIN.
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Life Interrupted...

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This is my DREAM man...
and he's pretty darn cute if I do say so myself!
(I'm prejudiced I know...but who can blame me!)
It's been 4 years now,
that his LIFE was interrupted...in the most tragic of ways,
and I SAW for myself
what a man under the most dire of circumstances...
can BECOME.
It must be that it is the month...
January...
that we has me pondering our life as of late.
He is a GEM.
The BEST of the BEST...
and I'm thankful that when GOD tested him...
he arose to the occasion.
Recently I heard a quote by Sully Sullenberg who flew the plane that landed in the Hudson River who said,
"I'm just an ordinary man who has learned ordinary virtues, but ordinary virtues can help us overcome
EXTRAORDINARY
circumstances."
Ron is this man...and I find that quite EXTRAORDINARY!




Saturday, January 2, 2010

BEWARE...

The CHRISTMAS post...
loaded with pictures galore (which I promised would come)
but if these don't make your HEART
warm...
then you aren't sitting here with us enjoying 69 degree weather,
and the love of these CHILDREN
that can make any heart MELT!
Since their are sooo many...
I will post them in Chronological Order!
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Nana comes to visit...and we spend hours working on this PUZZLE!
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Meanwhile, Jacob would rather play video games!
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Kent comes to visit for a FEW hours...long enough to play our Christmas games!
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Since we have NO immediate family in town to do a TRADITIONAL Christmas Eve our family heads to the movies to celebrate.
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With our Traditional DENNY'S dinner or breakfast if you like!
Then off to see Christmas Lights...including our own!
We started a NEW tradition this year...we called it "Story By the Fire".  During the 12 days of Christmas we would turn on our fireplace and share a Christmas story out of the Friend or New Era.  These were special times!  Sometimes we would talk for hours afterwards.  I felt like I was capturing the meaning of Christmas with stories of Giving, Service, Christ and Love.
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Ron read from the Bible the TRUE Christmas Story.  The one of the Christ Child.
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We shared our GREATEST blessings of the last year!
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And we prayed!
Because we knew we were TALKING to Cameron early on Christmas Morning...
we let the kids open ONE gift on Christmas EVE!
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Rachel a MUCH needed new pair of jeans.  (This GIRL grew a lot this last year!)
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Katie a WEBKINZ (well it turned out to be a Shining Star brand...who knew?).
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Jacob a SPY KIT the one and only thing he asked Santa to bring him!
PhotobucketChristopher a BOOK...he already owns!  (Oops...took that one back already!)

Morning BEGAN really early for Ron and I.  We could HARDLY sleep...we were so excited to talk to Cameron.
And the kids were patient...to wait and open presents.
Assuming the START position...while Mom finds her camera!
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Let the PRESENT opening begin:
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Then OFF to play with the gifts...yes, it was a BEAUTIFUL day in Arizona.
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We ENJOYED playing at the park until JACOB asked for help to do this:
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When RON told JACOB he could do it on his own....I teased RON he couldn't do it anymore...and the game was on!
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Ron...trying to PROVE me wrong.  He hangs but doesn't move!
Then he challenges me...and the GAME is really on.
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I MOVE...barely...this REALLY hurt!
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I couldn't MOVE my arms after this!
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It wouldn't be CHRISTMAS without our annual NANA ham!  Thanks Nana...the ham was delicious!
I absolutely LOVED our 2009 Christmas.
No one was SICK.
Nana was visiting.
We got to talk and see our families via SKYPE.
And only ONE injury.
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KATIE...doing tricks on her new SCOOTER!
(Actually they were racing...and Katie just can't stand too lose...she will go faster no matter what it takes!)

These were JUST a few of our December 2009 happenings.  I can't wait to share MORE...but until then
ENJOY!

Kids say the DARNDEST things...(Part 2)

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The kids are with their dad this week...
and while they were gone
Katie called me for one VERY specific reason:
"I want you to buy me apples when I get home...
and mom, make sure they are the good kind!"
Two days later Katie calls me again...
for one specific reason:
"Did you get me my apples?"
This girl just cracks me up...it truly is the Simple things that
make this girl happy!

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Meanwhile...Rachel asks me what I have been doing while
she has been gone!
So I tell her...

then asks me,
"Mom how come you always have more fun without us?!?"

Now that is what I call FUNNY!

By the way...
did you notice Rachel's outfit?
It is her Christmas gift.
Everything she is wearing is...
"I LOVE JACOB".


This girl about passed out when she saw Jacob take off his shirt in the movie, 'New Moon'.
I burst out laughing just watching her!
In fact I would say her face was,
PRICELESS!

Love ya girls! 

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Girls Finished (sort of) Room...

Here are promised pictures of the GIRLS
newly decorated room.

I consider it still a work in progress...
since I still want drapes over the small windows,
pictures on the bare wall,
and shelves above the girls' bed where they can store
books, nik-naks that seem to collect on their bed.

But Ron would say,
"It is complete!"
PLEEEEASE!

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