Family has arrived and it's starting to feel a lot like Christmas...wrapping presents, finishing shopping, meal planning and the chill is still in the air. I was touched this week at a children's Christmas play to remember the meaning (once again) of Christmas...and to think that many people still do not know the true meaning of Christmas. And then there's the others who get distracted by the chaos of it all and forget what the real reason is. That's me sometimes...forgetting the reason we give gifts and celebrate for an ENTIRE month. Christ came to show himself to us as a baby and that we may know life with him forever!

This year I decided to do something a little different with the Christmas cards I've been receiving. Over the past 4 years, I've shoved them in a drawer. Family was just hard to think about without Matt and to be reminded of others families was still painful. As I looked at my entry way door today, I was overwhelmed with how blessed I am. I am truly known and loved by many people and this year as I decided to hang the Christmas pictures to look at and be reminded of this, I was also reminded that it's because of Christ in our lives that we are able to experience sweet intimate friendships. We have some pretty amazing friends and family. The Christmas Story...Grace....these precious friendships, remind me that I'm so undeserving yet very LOVED.

Thankful for sweet friends.

Thankful for good travellers.

These are my parents. They are fun, full of life and love and know how to have a good time. We got to give thanks with them in the Santa Cruz mountains and enjoy fun things. Brady got to go to his first big screen movie showing, they took us on a steam train ride to the top of Bear Mountain where Santa Claus surprised us with Hot cider and candy canes, and we sat around and played, cuddled and laughed. And every night ended in a good game of scrabble where the reigning champion was Eric, NOT my dad for once!

Good adventures are always good story for High/Lows at the end of the day. Brayden who is not the best at reporting his high at bedtime, came up with 5 by 1:00pm. Here they are: sleeping in the same room with his sister, going on a steam train ride, meeting Santa Clause and eating TWO candy canes (the last one counted for two I guess).

I get to hang out with these amazing little people day in and day out and I am slowing coming to love it. Motherhood didn't have a good entry for me so it's been a very gradual progression of loving my full time job.

I am LEARNING to focus on the little amazing moments of watching them grow and learn. Finally, I'm growing into the mom they need me to be. It's taken a while.

Some fun pictures from this season of life!

Took the kids to Yosemite without Eric because he had to work all weekend, but was with wonderful friends. A great weekend, and it showed me what I'm really made of. I've finally embraced the mom thing, letting go of my own agenda, projects, desires and taken on the task of asking God to help me love these two precious gifts more every day. He has given me that love and maybe even a desire for a mini-van (sssshh!!! don't tell anyone).

We went to Washington and Lake Wenatchee to celebrate my 35th bday. It felt like a big one and 2 weeks prior, a dear friend passed away. I wasn't in much of the mood to celebrate. My brother also never turned 35. I didn't want to turn 35.

But nature is healing. It reveals God's beauty. It's part of Him and there is healing in that. So being at the lake was WONDERFUL!

It just hit me, they are growing up TOO fast.

It's been 4 year living without Matty. So we went away to get some space and it was good. Pumpkin patch, beach, ice cream, snuggles, giggles and laughter. The whole in our hearts is still there but time does heal, in a weird sort of way.

Pretty funny....Brady wrote all the captions. We went away to a private lake this weekend with a bunch of folks. Here are some of the photos I got...fishin, boatin, eatin and hanging out. Good times!

Brady Brady flyin in the air

Izzy and Lucy floatin on the boat

Rocco Rocco rockin in the backpack

Rory hiding behind Jenn

Ooh Ooh Scary Bear

Peaceful boat

Gracie peacefully sittin in the pink chair (Gracie Style)

Malia and tatoos

Chad workin at the fishin

A FEW SUMMER HAPPENINGS
The kids and I had Steph's pool all to ourselves today, peaceful


Maddie is growing up

Maddie's best friend, Stella, turned 2