Christmas 2013!

It looks like he needed his two front teeth instead of the present :)

Digital drum sticks . . .

 A telescope!

 

Thankful for the presents . . .

Mini-muffins and Kit Kats from Noah!

A Target gift card from Nathan :)

 

He loved the wrapping paper!

Ahhh, an espresso maker - Miami style :)

The long-awaited electric blanket!

 

A Ninjago Cole clock!

Some of the Christmas cards we received!

 

Making a braclet on the Rainbow Loom :)

Noah and his new bike!  He was the 4th owner of the one he had been riding :)

 

 

Our Christmas this year has been wonderful and restful :)  The boys loved all the presents they received and got the things they really wanted.  They used gift cards given by others to buy the things they didn't find under the tree and ended up with everything on their lists.  The best gifts of being together and sharing life, however, are gifts we have each day and we are thankful for Jesus and that He made us a family :)

 

 

 

Christmas fun :)

Brotherly love . . . waiting for cookies

Eating the cookies :)

Snowman cookies!

 

Chocolate spoons!!!

Grabbing a hot one!

 

Christmas movies!

Spending time together :)

 

Waiting for the movies to begin . . .

Simple decorations . . .

 

A tree to remind us of the Great Light that came to us at Christmas :)

 

We had a wonderful time leading up to Christmas as we had many parties to attend, gifts to share, food to eat, lights to see, concerts to hear, things to decorate, and time together.  However, we always try to keep the focus where it belongs, on Jesus and His birthday so many years ago.  He is why we have Christmas and it is Christ that we proclaim at Christmas!  So thankful for that truth :)

 

 

Christmas Concert

Two good friends and two great brothers came out to support him.

Nathan playing percussion :)

 

This is Nathan's first year in the Capital Christian Homeschool Band and he is playing percussion.  That can mean a lot of things: snare drum, suspended cymbal, wood block, xylophone, triangle, and bells.  He has been learning all those different instruments and learning how to play as part of a larger group.  Those five years of piano lessons have definitely come in handy in keeping rhythm and reading music. It was a joy and a great moment of pride to see him do such a great job!  We are thankful for such wonderful homeschool opportunities we have in the area :)

Steph's Birthday

I spent the majority of the day with my three sweetest blessings :)  We played games and laughed together :)

At night, my wonderful husband took all of us out for dinner and it was wonderful!  Thankful to God for incredible mercies over me and His goodness to me :)

Nathan's 12th Birthday :)

His favorite Oreo cake :)

Chick-Fil-A dinner with the boys!

 

Our 12 year old!  He seems quite happy :)

Good friends and brothers

 

Carrying it over to the Happy Birthday Jesus party!

Making birthday presents for Jesus

It was a great birthday!

 

It is so wonderful to celebrate our sweet boy's 12th birthday, bittersweet actually. He's growing up so very fast and is such a smart, funny, and crazy kid that we love so very much :)  His birthdays are always so much fun and filled with wild boys having lots of fun! Hard to believe he's 12, but he's still our baby boy!