Happy Birthday Jon Michael!

Today, December 29th, 2009, is Jon Michael's 8th birthday. Since Jonathan was off work we celebrated and had his party at our house yesterday.

Jon Michael helping mix the cupcake batter.

The night b/f his party we told him we needed him to go in the attic and get something out for us. We'd put his present up there weeks ago after we found it on sale.

Impressive gift wrap huh? He's been looking at Tony Hawk skateboards for months now and since he's proven he's actually interested in skateboarding for the past couple of years we got him the one he's had his eye on but he really wasn't expecting to get it. He kept saying, "This is the one I really like, but I'd be happy to get any of them." Needless to say he was happy with this one.

Do you see Jalyn's face in the top of the picture? He's crying so hard b/c he thought Jon Michael was bringing down two boards, one for him also.

This is Jalyn still upset at us! So sad but so funny at the same time! See Samson going down the stairs? He couldn't take the drama anymore either!

The kid's decorated their own cupcakes...it was messy fun.

Icing, candy, and sprinkles EVERYWHERE!

Emma's cupcake covered in pixie stick dust...looked like purple snow.

Colton's "Happy to be at Jon Michael's party" cupcake...in his own words. Such a sweetie....yes, Connie, YOUR Colton!

See the cupcake volcano? His mouth was so full when he took his first bite I thought he was gonna be sick, but no, he set it down and added more icing to the top....yucko!

Jon Michael showing his manly strength by popping the balloon with his bare hands.

Uncle Jonathan hugging/wrestling baby Ariana. She said she saved her ring pop holders for her pacifiers so Uncle Jonathan wanted to hold the baby....of course then she insisted she wasn't the baby.

Setting off the mento pop geyser that was one of his gifts.

We celebrated today by going to the Chipmunks movie with friends.

Christ-mas 2009

The following is lots of pictures of Christmas 2009. Its been busy, but not as crazy as past years. Enjoy....

Jalyn making his christmas cards for his teachers.

Jalyn wanting to "help" make his stocking. I made very quick ones this year but I've gotta make bigger ones b/c that's where I put the boys Christmas cards that they open on Christmas eve and the bigger ones wouldn't fit.

Jalyns "gingerbread house" he made at his class party at school.

This was his dinner that night! He was tearing it up.

The final demolition.

The boys crushing peppermints for the peppermint bark for the guys that work with Jonathan.

This is what the boys were doing yesterday while watching christmas cartoons. They stuffed pillows up their shirts to look like Santa and then were fighting with their bellies.

Jalyn fell asleep on the way to Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Its hard to see b/c I didn't want to use my flash in the church but Jalyn is sitting next to his friend Franco at church....so cute in his Santa hat. He was very polite to the man who asked him if he was ready for Santa to come and if he was gonna get a lot of presents from him.

The praise team leading in Christmas songs.

The boys got to open their stockings for christmas eve. They got to open their christmas cards with money and each got a new shirt and mini skateboards...oh, and a popcorn tin to eat while they played.

Playing with their mini skateboards, with the little bitty shoes on their fingers!

Jon Michaels "eyeclops".

Jalyn's diesel with "hotwheels". I think its the last year he's gonna be the "little boy" who enjoys christmas, he's right on the edge of being the grown up boy who wants video games and more "mature" gifts.

This was hilarious....they opened a manual to an air hockey table...do you see Jalyn's face?!?! They didn't know that we'd put it together while they were sleeping and it was up in the office.

Enjoying their new air hockey table. If you want something that keeps your kids occupied get them an air hockey table, they've played all day.....they did ask to play with the box it came in at one point!

Jalyn playing with his "diesel truck"...he keeps calling it that b/c that's what he calls daddy's truck.

Talking to family wishing them a Merry Christmas.

Playing "Topple". We get the boys one big combined gift (air hockey table), then each a gift, and then I like to get them a game each year, so this year it was Topple, its simple and fun.

I'm sad the "season" is almost over. I love how we say Merry Christmas to the people who check us out at Walmart and the drive thru guy at Sonic, the chipmunks music they boys love to sing to in the car, the christmas praise and worship music I get to listen to during the day at home, the messages at church, candlelight services, parties with friends, and so much more!!! It's such a wonderful season while we're celebrating Christ's birth.

We had a good and peaceful Christmas day. Hope ya'll's was the same.

MERRY CHRIST-MAS!!!!!

December Happenings

Its December so of course a lot has to be going on, but we're doing good keeping it all going at a good pace. Here' lots of pictures of some of whats been going on.....enjoy.

The boys working on their gifts for the girls of the family.

We are making almost every single gift we're giving this year...I have loved it, the boys are really putting an effort into what they think everyone would like.

I walked into the living room and found this going on one day after school...Jon Michael reading Jalyn his library book...one of those few peaceful, scene's b/w brothers! I love that Jon Michael enjoys reading, Jalyn would love to, he's always on the look out for his sight words and he's trying to write so he's constantly sounding out things...which of coures doesn't always work in our english language...we're always telling him, "Yes, thats how it sounds but this one breaks the rule." What's the point of rules that are constantly broken when learning?!

Here's pictures of the Houston Blizzard of 2009!! Samson standing on the back porch looking at me thru the door wondering whats going on..see his hair blowing in the wind? I put our christmas party drinks outside to be cool instead of taking up my fridge space!

Snow (sleet) on my hoodie after walking back from the neighbors house.

HERE IT IS!!!!!! YES, THE BLIZZARD!!!!!! THOSE ARE TEXAS SIZED SNOW DRIFTS!!!! Well, not texas sized like bigger than life, texas sized like we don't get snow 'round here!!!!

Really this is as much as we got, we actually got more in our few hours of snow last year, it all stayed down south of us, so the pictures you were all seeing of Houston on the national news were just frustrating my boys!!!!

Pictures of our "non-small group christmas party"! This is a group of friends that were originally in a small group together but we're all in different places and churches now but we're still family! I can't imagine having Christmas w/o these guys. Mr. Jeff is checking out Jalyn's toolbox that holds art supplies.

Jackson and his nerf sword.

Chris and Nathaniel playing with his gift.

The boys checking out Jon Michaels shotgun....Mr Rob knows him well, from all of those nights of bible study at our house when the kids would all come downstairs with some kind of weapon!

The kids all draw names for a gift exchange and here they're ripping into them.

The adults play white elephant gift exchange...this is Rob with his coat they had unwrapped. Sarah had brought it wrapped up as a gift, he had left it at their house. It was so funny.

The boys working on more Christmas gifts.

Jalyn using some of the paint that came in his art toolbox.

This is the picture he's working on...can you tell what it is? Its HURRICANE IKE hitting our house with a lightening bolt!!!!! I'm not kidding, thats exactly what he told me when I asked. Maybe he was working thru some issues he still has left from the storm...I know I am...seriously, I don't sleep when it rains now...that's a whole 'nother story.

And this is Samson during the blizzard and cold weather warning...such a hard life!!!!

Ok, we'll have more later as the business continues!

Holiday Time = Busy But Good Time

Yeah! The holidays are here in full swing! Its a busy time but its also a great time. Below are tons of pictures of all the things we've had going on.

The boys have been wanting roller blades for a long time but I told them I wouldn't buy them new ones b/c they might not like it once they got them and I wanted them to fall and scratch up used ones first. So I found them some at Goodwill for $6.99 and $4.99...within one day they had mastered skating and on this day I found Jalyn asleep with his on!

Up at the school parking lot learning some more.

Jon Michael loves his, I'm constantly picking them up out of the floor. It was so funny watching Samson pulling him like a sled dog.

Jalyn had his Thanksgiving play. (you can't see him behind the little girl)

Doing some motions to a song.

The boys made turkeys and sent them to all the grandparents. They LOVED getting their hands covered in paint.

A rare quiet moment when I wasn't the one with the camera.

We had a craft night at my house with some of my friends from church...it was great! We all worked on different things, getting a headstart on Christmas crafts. Chrisitine brought her sewing machine and some super yummy cupcakes.

You can't have a craft night w/o lots of snacks, so we had cookies, pumpkin bread, homemade salsa, stuffed jalapeno's....so yummy! You have to have something to do while all the paint and glue is drying!

Sarah caught up on her daughters kinder. pictures in her scrapbook.

Look at that skinny girl!!!!!!! Tammi and her super cute fleece blanket.

I couldn't post pictures of the crafts that Connie and I worked on b/c that would give away our Christmas gift ideas!

The boys wrestling with Daddy...they still can't team up on him and win...one day...

This is Thanksgiving Day, on our drive to C.S.....eatting donuts for breakfast.

You would think it was a long haul trip or something!

Its my tradition to decorate for Christmas after Thanksgiving dinner. I really wanted to go with a new Christmas color this year around the house but I didn't think Jesus would to happy with debt just to decorate for his birthday!!!!

The boys always love decorating their mini trees, every morning the ornaments are in a new spot. They can't seem to keep their hands off since they're allowed to actually touch them.

This is the first year I've brined our turkey....SUPER SUPER SUPER YUMMY!!!! Jonathan said the white meat was juicier than the dark meat...it really was the best turkey and leftovers we've ever had...I'll always use a brine now.

Jalyn LOVES his elf hat. It was the first thing he wanted out of the Christmas boxes when I got them out of the attic.

Jon Michael has really been into making paper snowflakes...so everyday we get to vacuum up "snow" pieces...but he's loving it.

This is what the boys were doing while I was decorating the porch the day after Thanksgiving.

The boys and a neighbor took turns doing dangerous but fun things together....I kept the front door open while I was working in the front room and I kept going out to check b/c they were just laughing hysterically from all the fun the were having.

It seems from here until Christmas we have some activity every single week. I love it!

This holiday season has already been so much fun and I loved hearing the boys conversations turning to deeper things this year. At church they are saving their change to help give Christmas to 100 families and they are really into it. Jon Michaels heart is really understanding more this year, its great to see him grow and have loving thoughts of his own, not ones we've just put in his head.

Ok, we'll post more soon, have a great time celebrating OUR SAVIORS birth!!!!!