mere hours from a New Year.

i really want to thank everyone for all of your well wishes and prayers for Lauren.

she is a trooper. doing great! all that's left is a 1" boo boo where the doctor took out the tumor.

i have to say one of my favorite things about Christmas is receiving Christmas cards.  it is so great to see and hear how everyone is doing.  and it was so nice to hear from so many of you that you are enjoying our blog and are able to keep up on our life happenings. we will keep sharing!

we had a wonderful Christmas.  we kept it very simple. one present per person. ask us next year what we got for Christmas and I bet we'll remember. (i'm holding my present from jeff. love it.)

missed some of our family being here, but really felt God worked it out exactly how he needed to. maybe next year.

in other happenings i have mentioned before how i have such a hard time scrapbooking now. time issues. well i believe i may have stumbled upon the answer.  one of my favorite scrapbookers is Becky Higgins (www.beckyhiggins.com) and she has just come up with the 365 project.  my explanation will not be nearly as good as hers. check out her website and see if this is something you might be interested in. i am planning on purchasing this little goody and am planning on using it as she is; for our family albums. 

jack, my sweet little man, is officially potty trained. occasionally, a little mishap, but mostly all his business is on the potty. so excited. he loves to play with his little train set, but mostly wants to play with daddy's train set.  likes to talk about Santa Claus but Santa Claus should not come anywhere near him. good stuff.

jeff and the girls are diligently building their treehouse.  jeff and i are supplying the floor and roof, they need to save their money for the walls, windows, etc.. if all goes well should be complete by April/May.  will post updates as it grows. 

headed to a family new year's celebration downtown in a little bit.

from our house to yours we wish you a wonderful New Year.

be safe.

Happy New Year!

Alicia

lauren's surgery.

lauren did great!

surgery went great!

the hospital was amazing.

they went far beyond anything I expected.

she was thrilled that they told her she could decorate her bed (race car) with crayons. she went right to it. rainbows. hearts. a little girl with purple hair. the sun. birds and the #7. Race car #7.

they got "bessy" all set for her "operation" too.  lauren was so happy that they let her take "bessy" in to the OR.

they gave her some "silly juice" which made her a little loopy.  she says to me, "mommy, I don't think this stuff is working." Meanwhile the nurses and I could plainly see it was working.  

1 hour in surgery.

2 hours in recovery eating teddy grahams, apple juice and graham crackers (she woke up very hungry).

home by noon.

happily eating a popsicle and watching Homeward Bound.

thank you everyone for your love and prayers.

we memorized Joshua 1:9 on the way to the hospital this morning. a great verse for all of life's ups and downs.  Thanks again Elli!

Happy Thursday!

Alicia

prayer request.

edited again: Dr. feeling much better...good enough to perform the surgery.  We will be going tomorrow (Dec.18) morning 6am sharp. Please pray for the doctor, the anesthesiologists, Lauren (who will be a little fearful of the unknown), and me (who will have to be strong for her).  

edited: the surgery has been postponed.  the doctor is very sick.  we will update as soon as we know anything.  thank you for your prayers. thank you for the verse Elli, I will share it with Lauren.

lauren is having surgery tomorrow on her elbow.

we found a bump about two months ago.

the doctor says it's a benign tumor but wants to take it out.

very close to the radial nerve in her right arm.

they have to give her general anesthesia.

not excited about this, but we are resting in God's plan.

please pray for Lauren to remain calm and trust that God is with her.

please pray that I can remain calm for her.

please pray for Dr. Morton to be well rested and precise.

thank you for all your love and prayers.

Happy Monday!

Alicia

a little break.

hi everyone,

once again probably taken on more than I should.

worked really hard with the kids school so we could have the whole month of December off.

God has such subtle ways of sharing truth with me.

I have not been doing what I set out to do.

which is spend abundant amounts of time with my family/children.

been working on the computer on family gifts.

too much.

everything is good.

family gifts will still happen.

I am still going to journal but won't be blogging it.

just going to take a break and really let God take the reins again.

enjoy the Christmas season.

fully.

Christmas cards will be in everyone's mailboxes soon.

had plans to do them myself but plans have changed and I will be letting the kids do them with me, if not all by themselves.

Love and Blessings to you all!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Alicia

day 9.

Q and A about the holidays.

going to try and keep the answers short.

At what time do you open your presents?

one present Christmas evening.

stockings first thing on Christmas morning.

rest of the presents after a yummy breakfast.

How is your home decorated?

wreaths on the doors and windows.

tree in the living room.

holly on the mantle.

a few other things here and there.

Where do you visit during the holidays?

a live nativity.

the nutcracker ballet.

What is "normal" to your Christmas but not universal?

as Charlie Brown would say, "even my baby sister has gone commercial!"

we try not to get too wrapped up in the "world's view" of Christmas.

What colors symbolize Christmas for you?

my favorite color is green.

How long did you believe in Santa?

i'm not quite sure.

mom, do you want to take this one?

What do you eat for dessert at Christmas?

pumpkin pie and usually a cheesecake of some sort for my honey who does not like pies (usually).

Where do you hang your stockings?

our fireplace in the living room.

Do you watch any films during Christmas?

the list is long, but my favorites are Little Women (Winona Ryder) and Miracle on 34th Street (Natalie Wood).

What do you miss about Christmas from your childhood?

getting together with the whole family (Maddens, O'Briens, etc.)

my grandma.

What things from your childhood Christmas have you brought into your adult life?

good cooking.

like my grandma.

Is there anything you do everyday in December.....besides journal?

my mom gifted us with a wonderful Story of Christmas Advent Calendar a few years ago and we read one part of the story every day and then hang it on the tree.

we also have an advent calendar for the kids and they open a box each day (a little note, a goody, a fun thing to do for the day, etc...)

Happy Wednesday.

Alicia

day 8.

decorations.

goodies.

our manger scene. i put it together. jack takes it apart.

jack's angel that he made. great hair.

joy to the Lord.

karen's surprise. a trip to the Billy Graham Library.

they have all kinds of fun Christmas events going on now.

we arrived a little late and couldn't do much. 

but decided we would come back.

still had fun together. 

the camel was a hoot (this picture is the only one i got of

her sitting up, the rest of the time she was laying down).

we think she ate something that didn't agree with her.

jack loved "bessy" the cow.

the girls enjoyed some hot apple cider.

can't wait to go back and get the whole story.

an amazing man.

Happy Tuesday!

Alicia

day 5, 6, 7 and birthday.

Today is Karen's birthday.

We are very excited to be able to celebrate with her.

Can't say what we have planned it would ruin her surprise,

but will have it here tomorrow.

day 5,6,7

(click picture for weekend album)

Had a great weekend!

Friday started with Proverbs 22:9

"A generous man will himself be blessed,

for he shares his food with the poor."

Our interpretation....grandma needs a Christmas tree.

Grandma is not poor and she has food, but we were 

so happy to bless her with a Christmas tree.

While she was at work and actually on the phone with Jeff

we were secretly setting up a Christmas tree in her home.

Needless to say, we got a very excited phone call later.

Friday night, Jeff took the kids to stuff stockings for our churches

Christmas village.  

Mommy checked a few "to do's" off of her list.

Saturday a haircut for mommy. 

and I came home to crepes.

yummy!

The kids helped grandma decorate her tree and home.

I was able to check a few more things off of my list.

Karen came over for dinner and then we all went to Bethlehem.  

A church in Matthews set up the whole town, 

animals, sheckels, jewelry, pottery, meat market,

and the star pulling us closer and closer to the barn with a

baby in it.  

a joyful feeling.  

Just knowing this is what it's all about.

There is no Christmas without Christ.

Sunday we headed to church and our pastor began a series

on The Shack.  

today he spoke about the fact that we are all broken, that God wants

to meet us in our brokenness, "our shack", and heal us,

because He loves us so much, and we can never DO enough to make

Him loves us, He already does.

Came home from church and played.

We baked scrumptious caramel squares.

I worked on Christmas cards.

We took our Christmas picture.

Happy Monday!

Alicia

day 4.

played around on photoshop.

errands with all the kids and gamma and pop pop stark.

(including library and trader joe's).

new favorite drink starbuck's peppermint mocha twist (ok, so I

like my coffee sweet). 

leftover turkey sandwiches.

gamma leann had sardines (sorry mom, had to spill the beans......

we love you no matter what, although, this pushed it pretty hard).

kids resting for the choir concert tonight.

girls dressed in their beautiful dresses.

choir concert at 7:00.

AMAZING voices, beautiful songs.

jeff left with jack and lauren.

megan and I planned to go to Fuddruckers for post concert fun.

left keys in jack's bag.

jeff had the bag.

jeff did not have his phone on (concert courtesy).

jeff all the way home with keys in bag.

jeff's mom (hi karen!) drove to the house picked up keys and

drove them to megan and i at the church where the concert was.

thank you karen!

megan and i to Fuddruckers.

shared a cheeseburger, orings, and a vanilla shake at 10:00 pm.

gamma and pop pop left for home.

really enjoyed having them here.

jack will miss pop pop's "moon pies" (last bite of his protein bar).

see you in a week mom.

have a blessed night!

Alicia

day 3.

learning to crochet with gamma leann.

knitted a red sweater for macs.

jumping in the leaves for a "treasure" from sissy.

lauren lost a tooth.

box 3 in our advent calendar...warm fuzzy jammies and a dove candy.

favorite dove saying..."your presence is the best present of all".

happy thursday!

Alicia