Christmas

This Christmas season I feel so blessed to be able to provide for our family after looking at these pictures as so many are without jobs, losing their homes, not eating or just plain struggling to make ends meet. To this we are extremely grateful for Rich and his willingness to take care of our family and also our Heavenly Father who has played a signifact part in where Rich and I are today. We had a fun Christmas this year especially havinge Brian and Mallory and my little sister Natalie here. The kids set a trap for santa with pop cans in front of the fireplace and waited all night to hear him set off the trap. Every year Redden gets more frustrated that they can't catch him. I laughed when he said that because every year instead of running out of their room, Redden has to wake Austin and sit and explain that Santa came and set off the trap before they come running out. We'll see next year if they waiste less time. I truly feel that I am doing a good job at trying to avoid spoiling my kids and giving them everything they want. But I was a little dissappointed this year because my kids aren't that exciteable. I used to scream when seeing my gifts at Christmas and maybe it's just because I have boys, but they never seem that excited. I know they are, they just show it in such a different way than say I would. They loved their Santa gifts and many others from family members. Here's a few pictures of the "Oh so awaited for" day.

A few of the gifts I was really excited about this year were:

I made the boys quilts for their beds using Rich's Tshirts that hold memories for him. they love anything that has to do with him. I was even able to incorporate some shirts that Redden made for him in school. It put them to good use where I guarantee they wouldn't have had any.

I made a a digital scrapbook for my boys called "Oh Happy Day" Full of fun pictures that for sure would never end up in a book

I received a gift from my husband that on many occassions has made me cry (SERIOUSLY). I got a mixer for the first time in my married life. I got a bosch mixer on a steal of a deal and an electric wheat grinder to support my homemade wheat bread habit. I for the last year and a half have been making 100% whole wheat bread by hand. Once I got pregnant and lost the feeling in my arms, I had to start taking my ingredients to a friends house to use her mixer as it caused to much pain to mix it by hand like I was used to. Now that I've had Jessi and the feeling has come back, it doesn't matter because I HAVE A MIXER!!!!! I tell myself all the time that atleast I know how to do it by hand just incase we ever don't have power. It was the experience.