Only a Picture...

...but worth a thousand words! :-)

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
         The fruit of the womb is a reward.
 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
         So are the children of one’s youth.
 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
         They shall not be ashamed,
         But shall speak with their enemies in the gate."
(Psalm 127:3-5)

Happy New Year!

The Christmas season was very busy and full for us this past month with lots of company and family times. We've also been doing some yard work, garden planning, and gopher chasing (rather, digging up). :-) One big item of note is that Kyle passed his final exam and is now an airplane mechanic! :-)

Timmy in the dog house with Tundra... I wonder what he could have possibly done to deserve such treatment?! ;-)

The boys digging holes in the backyard for the fruit trees that we're going to be planting soon.

Philip and his dog. :-)

Timmy digging in the mud. We have to soak the rock hard dirt in order to dig the holes.

The boys doing some woodworking in the garage.

Jonathan and Ally were able to be with us for a couple of hours on Christmas Eve before they went to Ally's family's house. The guys spent some time playing "baseball catch" in the backyard.

Jonathan hitting the ball...

...while the guys wait to see who can catch it.

We had our annual Christmas Eve hot dog roast that evening. Family times like that are very special.

Opening Christmas presents...

We spent Christmas day with Grandpa and Grandma Harrison. We even got to watch some videos of Grandpa when he was a tiny tot in the 20's. That was really fun! :-)

On Thursday, the Munteanu family and Emily Weston came for a visit. Lois M. and Emily got to stay the rest of the weekend with us. We had a really fun time with them! :-) The Townsend family was visiting Jonathan and Ally for the weekend, so they stopped by on Thursday evening.

Playing "Traveling Pictionary".

Crowding around afterwards to laugh at the sequences that we came up with. We got from "The First Lady" to "an angel that needs to comb his hair", and so forth. It can get pretty far-fetched at times, which only makes it funnier.

Lois brought her family's volleyball net, so we spent some time playing volleyball on Friday with the Townsend girls.

That night we had another hot dog roast, and this time the Johnsons were well enough to join us! :-)

It was a very fun weekend--hiking, talking, going for a walk to "the rocks", visiting with Alaska friends who were in the area, and staying up way too late. Yesterday we went over to the Pau's house to celebrate the end of the year, and came home in time to welcome the new year.

It is so hard to believe that we're already in 2012! Looking back over this past year, we can see the Lord's hand in so many ways--leading, guiding, and providing for us. He is such a wonderful, loving, kind Heavenly Father, and He always does what is best. 

"To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5b-6)

Christmas Celebrations

Life has been pretty busy lately--Christmas time really brings it on. But it's also such a special time when we remember what Jesus Christ has done for us by humbling Himself to come to earth to be born as a baby.

Talk about a bad hair day! ;-) All Julie had to do was to rub her head on the couch, and she'd come out looking like this. She thought that it was pretty funny.

Michael and Bethany came over to do school with Grandma one afternoon.

Singing "This Little Light of Mine" with the children during evening devotions.

Rebecca sewing surprise matching aprons for all the girls in our family.

Philip and Timmy doing their school in the living room.

This is where Andrew is during most of the week. He works long hours.

Last Monday night was our family Christmas celebration with Jonathan and Ally and the Johnsons. (They'll be with their other relatives on Christmas.) Becca surprised the boys by making each of them a cookie plate. I think she should win a "Best Sister of the Month" award. ;-)

Timmy and Julie communicating via telephone. ;-)

Andrew looking at a picture book with Julie and Daniel.

Kyle and the girls waiting for the game to begin.

We played "Pin the Star on the Christmas Tree". (Notice Paul's arm in the sling. He dislocated his shoulder a a week ago.)

The girls' reaction to the placement of Ruthie's star. A wee bit off. :)

Is that really where I put it?

The littlest participant had it slightly easier. ;-)

Singing Christmas carols together before opening Becca's surprise gifts.

We're all matching! (And no, Jonathan did not get an apron.) ;-)

Moving on to this last Saturday...

We had the Johnsons, Jonathan and Ally, Grandpa and Grandma Harrison, Uncle Mark and Aunt Raynell, Ryan, and the Ormans (Aaron, Marcia, Carolyn and Joel) over to celebrate Grandpa's 85th birthday. It was such a fun day!

Going through the food line at lunch.

The children certainly had plenty of stuffed toys to play with! :-)

The guys playing "Settlers of Catan".

The ladies talking in the living room.

The children acted out the Christmas story while Jonathan read Luke 2. Above are the two adorable little angels. 

The grandmas had to do some prompting.

And the mothers helped with the set-up. :-)

The whole cast. :-)

Happy birthday, dear Grandpa! We love you!

The Johnson family

The Harrison/Orman family

Grandpa and Grandma Harrison

We are so thankful for our dear loved ones, and the times that the Lord gives us to be with each other. 

"'And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.' 

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'" (Matthew 2:21-23)

Happy Birthday, Ally!

"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (I Thess. 5:23-24)

We love you!!

Thanksgiving and More

We've been busy getting into a good routine these past weeks. Tuesday night is "babysitting night", when Tom and Katie go on a date, and we watch the children for the evening, and Friday night is "Family Fun Night", when both the Johnsons and Jonathan and Ally come over for the evening.

Timmy ready to take the kiddos on a ride.

The boys installed the garage shelving system this last week, which is already serving its purpose well.

Sami (Ally's sister) came out for a visit to Jonathan and Ally, and we were able to have her over during that time, which was very fun as always. :-) We all had a fun evening out in the backyard.

The guys enjoyed playing baseball in the back corner. The dogs livened it up by trying to catch the balls. :-)

"Bread, please?" The children bring their plates to this little window in between the kitchen and dining room and we pop the food onto their plates. They love it! :-)

Things are always lively when the nieces and nephews are over. :-)

And now for a couple of pictures of our new home:

This is the family room.

And this is the dining room. I'm sorry there are only two pictures, but they will have to suffice for now until the other rooms of the house are finished. :-)

The boys and Bethany making a puzzle in the family room.

Mama reading a Bible story to Julie and Bethie. (Bethie is dressed up to play "doctor"--one of the children's favorite activities at "Grandma's house".)

~Thanksgiving~

We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with Grandpa and Grandma Harrison, Grandma Stevens, and the Johnsons. (Jonathan and Ally spent it with her family.)

Daniel wanted to give Grandpa all the little toy trains and cars. :-)

The girls had plenty of dolls to admire. :-)

The well-behaved little Indians and Pilgrims...

...until the one little Indian just couldn't take any more of it. ;-)

Rebecca, Timmy, and I were the "turkey carvers".

Mama and Grandma busy at work in the kitchen. Can't you see what good mess makers we are? ;-)

But the guys helped clean it up. :-)

The boys watching football with Grandpa.

Later on in the day, we made the apple pies. The little girls helped Mama cut the strips for the lattice-top, and then had fun with making things from the extra pie dough.

Ruthie and I looking at a book together.

Uncle Mark, Aunt Raynell, and Ryan stopped by in the evening, and we had a lot of fun chatting with them.

Timmy and Michael playing with Grandpa's remote-controlled fire engine.

The house was very lively. :-)

That evening, we served the pumpkin and apple pies for dinner.

It was a very special day. We have so much to be thankful for! Most of all, we are so thankful for our heavenly Father. He has planned out each one of our lives, and His will is always perfect and best.

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (I Corinthians 8:9)

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (I Corinthians 9:15)

Relaxing in the evening...

Tonight we had the Johnson children over again. This time the toy of choice was the big building blocks.

This was just down Daniel's alley.

The doggies are a source of fun, amusement, and fear for the children. But little by little, they all are getting more accustomed to them. So far, Bethany and Ruthie are the bravest.

This doggie is so "meanie-monie"! ("Meanie-monie" is Ruthie's pet phrase for anything that is soft or cute or cuddly or sweet or lovable. What a little ham! What will she think of next?) ;-)

Daniel petting Timber.

Timmy and Michael building a big block castle. It was quite a work of art when they were finished!

Julie setting the table for dinner.

The sunset this evening was so beautiful! We're all very thankful for our new home out in the "country". :-)

"So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." (I Corinthians 5:6-9)