Happy Birthday Jeff!

Jeff turns 32 today! We had a few moments together before going to work....

nothing like a round of candy land before the office! (and noah ALWAYS wins..what is up with that?!!)

Bento Box

so the long email about our trip to the northeast is never going to happen, but i'll shoot some photos up here and there.
uncle rich made noah's first bento and he actually ate alot of it! rice balls, edamame, cheese on toothpicks, etc. we're gonna get some japanese culture in these little guys thanks to jeff's family....

Happy New Year!

more to come. but wanted to show you what the boys were up to today...watching football!!!

Merry Christmas!

our Christmas boys

We are revving up for a fun holiday and a major road trip to the northeast, so i thought i would post some photos of the last week or so before we leave. We hope you all rejoice this Christmas season in Christ Jesus, the one we NEED and that we HAVE thanks be to God!

our Christmas mantle

we said goodbye to our dear babysitter who studies in france next semester

we celebrated a friend's wedding in raleigh

'gran' (becky's mom) entertained our kids

our boys...

...are getting so big!!! what lucky parents we are! joshua is learning to play baseball and soccer and it's a trip to watch him.
nighty, night.

our first gingerbread house

i have always wanted to make a gingerbread house, and finally my dreams have come true (thanks to costco!). amazing that they now sell kits and you don't have to make homemade cookies or anything. it was fun to hear noah asking for candy with each application. argh! Here is our finished house.

we're in the throws of celebrating Christmas in our quiet little suburban way. singing 'jingle bells' often, thanking God for baby Jesus each time we pray, and trying to get cards out, gifts bought, and the house cleaned for this and that. it's cold again in the south, and that makes drinking hot cocoa all the more appealing. i'm ready for the smell of sausage balls to fill the house, and to sit in our pj's all morning as a family.

i'll sign off with our prayer each night over the advent calendar (and then Noah gets a candy cane).....'Thank you God for Jesus. We need a Saviour.' Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.

the weekend...

we had a most busy weekend, raking leaves and getting our home prepared for the Christmas season. i feel so lucky to have a husband who is constantly reminding me WHY we do all of this...to remember the baby Jesus, and the excitement in the coming of the Messiah! we are reflecting these days on how desperately we need a Saviour. and what great news that He is come, God with us, Emmanuel.

i have never seen jeff work so hard as he did this weekend! he raked so many leaves (this photo of the 32 bags plus the huge piles doesn't do it justice!) and he and noah decorated the tree.

let us remember what great news Christmas brings. "Come thou Long Expected Jesus..."