December 31, 2009
For Christmas Poppy and Nama surprised us with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. We were so excited and left Monday to spend 3 days there. It is a wonderful place and we had a GREAT time!



Here we are in the lobby waiting to get checked in and start having some fun!

Sellers and Mason sitting by the fireplace.
Noah and Lily.


Every night they have story time in the lobby. All the kids dress in their PJ's and listen to a show and then a bedtime story. It was so cute.








The display in the lobby comes alive at 8pm every night and tells a story.




















This is just part of the WaterPark (indoor), it was amazing and loads of fun!



Sellers playing in the wave pool with family.








Lily posing in front of her favorite slide, she had such a ball going down the slides. The only one she wouldn't go down was the tornado. It was a little scary but fun. If you ever go you have to go down the slides at night. Without the sunlight outside lighting them it is a totally different experience as my big boys and I found out one night.






All this excitements wears you out....










Mason's favorite part of the whole thing.












Poppy and Nama with all the grand kids before our last day at the park.




This area was Wyatt's favorite and of course it was different than Mason's and Lily's and Noah's and Sellers, you get the drift. Thank goodness we had family to help us keep up with all our kiddos!







Lily waiting to try the ropes.







This picture is so funny to me. She was so determined to do it. And she did.





Thanks Poppy and Nama for a Great time with family, We love you.


Thanks to everyone for the Christmas wishes and cards. We had a nice Christmas and Lily truly had a memorable time. We started off Christmas Eve at both grandparents houses. We opened gifts, ate and had a Happy Birthday Jesus party. That night we went home and put everyone to bed with tons of excitement in the air for Christmas Day. Thankfully the kids did not get up for good until 7:45 and we had our family Christmas. It was fun, the house is still a mess but good memories were made by all. Here are just a few pics to share. I haven't downloaded any from my DSLR yet.


Lily and Sellers and I cannot remember where we are going, maybe church?
Lily at her school Christmas Party. She was so excited to have me at school that day.

Lily opening her very first Christmas Present....ever. What was it? A Potholder making kit.
She didn't know what it was but she has been obsessed with making potholders ever since.



Mason is all smiles sitting on Aunt Tammi's lap.

The only picture I caught of Wyatt on my point and shoot, he is very active.

Put your arms up, your under arrest...by the cutest policeman ever!



Sellers looks ready to see what is in his package...

You know you are growing up when you get a desk lamp for Christmas and your excited about it...
Daddy and Lily, a rare moment when they aren't teasing each other.

December 23, 2009
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!










Hoping your holiday and the coming year are filled with Peace, Joy and Love.

He came not to a throne, but to a manger.

He lived not as a king, but as a servant.

He chose not an earthly kingdom, but a cross.

He gave not just a little, but everything.

-Holly Gerth

Proclaimed from the backseat of the car while riding through a Christmas light display...


OoOh, look at that big scary monster!








December 22, 2009
Today I went to a baby shower for a friend. Lily has had a hard time comprehending what exactly a baby shower is after learning where I had gone.

Lily: Mama take a shower?
Noah: No, mama went to a baby shower somewhere else.
Lily: What? We no more water?

I can only imagine what image must have been going through her head with the words;mama, baby and shower.
December 20, 2009
One of my favorite childhood memories...




December 14, 2009
The kids make a big deal out of who puts the star on the tree.

Each year they argue over who's turn it is.

Imagine my surprise when they decided by themselves it should be Lily's turn this year since it is her first Christmas.

She was so excited ....

and I was very proud.








December 5, 2009
December+5 Kids=Busy, Good Busy.

Here are the things that have been keeping us busy.

We started off with a little school program with Wyatt. He did awesome, singing out at the top of his lungs. Noah got to show his percussion skills at his school band Christmas concert. He is fired up about the band this year even though he doesn't look it.
This is the look he always get when concentrating.




Now this is one of the best things I have ever seen. I had to edit it because it was long but here is a little snippet of Mason singing. He cracked me up, he was always behind and well I guess a little bored. You'll see what I mean at the end.



Lily and Wyatt sang at our church's Hanging of the Green's. Lily totally didn't understand what was going on but as always she did her best.




Waiting for the service to begin.






I should have seen it coming with this look on his face.






Oh the embarrassment we felt when he stood in front of the whole church just like this during the whole program. What a proud mama I was. (Sorry the photo is so blurry, none from them singing turned out)





And lastly we started Upward Basketball this weekend. Sellers is playing basketball. Not his sport (well none are yet) but he is learning and I think he was having fun by the end of his first game.




He started out lost, not sure how to play. But started to get it by the end.



And my little girl cheered. Months ago I asked her did she want to play basketball or cheer. She finally decided on cheering. I had my doubts, especially after the first practice. It was bad, she wouldn't do anything. But....
Four weeks later she stood up in front of everyone and cheered.









And cheered.







And later told me, "ma, I like cheer leading, it fun".




I am proud of all my kiddos. I think we have most everything behind us.
Now we can just enjoy Christmas, not that that is not busy too!
































December 4, 2009
Wyatt: Why does Noah have to go to school so long?

Mom: Well the older you get the longer you have to go to school. When you go to Kindergarten next year you will be in school everyday until 2:30.

Wyatt: (making a yucky face) What? I don't want to go to school.

Mom: You have to so you can learn everything you need to know for when you grow up.

Wyatt: I already know everything I need to know about Star Wars from Sellers.

Oh, if it was just that simple Wyatt.
November 25, 2009
Today we took the kids to the local County Museum to take our Christmas pictures. We are fortunate that my dad works there and had scouted out some good photo spots, I only wish I was a better photographer...Here are some of the rejects and some photos of us having a little fun. Mason is so photogenic and loves to be photographed.


I love how proper Lily is sitting in this pic. This was only after I told her I could see up her skirt, she so wants to be a proper lady.




Oh, if only I could get 5 kids to all look in the same direction at the same time.



What a cutie!




Clowning around with Papa and a Boogie mask, we had such fun!



We were going to do a family Christmas photo but mom was not up to it. After 13.5 hours of work all night and only 3 hours of sleep I just wasn't looking my best, can't ya tell?





Again, someone is always looking in the wrong direction. Even bribes didn't work.







Lily was cold, she had on my jacket when Noah picked her up and carried her, I had to capture such sweetness.







Occasionally John really cracks us up.








A few of my favorite things.










Our precious daughter.











Lily had never seen a tree with berries on it before. It is so amazing to see life through her eyes.








I am so blessed.












My big boys looking so grown.













May May our baby.

Happy Thanksgiving!
May you be thankful for all your many Blessings!