Christmas Card Picutres

Each year, usually near the beginning of December but sometimes later depending on how busy we are, we take pictures of the kids for our Christmas cards. This is always a fun event.....well not really but we can pretend....can't we?!?! I always try to stay calm but about 3 pictures in I am about to yell at a kid. Cory on the other hand is usually always calm (which is annoying that he can do that by the way ;) ). He always gently reminds me not to get to wound up about a silly picture......but it is not just a silly picture.....it is a picture that we will send out to friends and family. I hate to admit it but I always get frustrated because we can't get the perfect shot....or even a decent shot. And in reality.....it is just a silly picture because in the big picture it doesn't matter. Sure, I still want a capture a great shot of all three kids but I do need to relax a little more (or maybe a lot more). Maybe I will do better next year!! :)

So, with all that being said......I want to share some of the shots that we opted not to use this year!


These first few are Hayley being Hayley. I really have no idea what she was doing or why but this is what we got......








Then we tried to get one of the three of them together.......I finally gave up!








Hayden really was trying so hard. He just wasn't producing a "real" smile for me......




Alex's turn......He was in a very bad mood the evening that we took these pictures!! He did not want to do anything that I wanted him to do, which resulted in lots of crying on his part. His crying did not help my stress level but we won't talk about that anymore!





Hey....a candy cane might help.....


Or maybe not.....






Check out the lovely drool on his chin.......


I am going to assume that most of you who try to take your own pictures for something like this end up with similar results (if that is not the case I really don't want to know about it :) ).


I will say that in the end (after I spent time reviewing the pictures, ordered them and then actually saw it in person), this might be my favorite Christmas card we have ever had!! Cory laughed at me because of the amount of stress I put on myself and grumpiness that followed that stress.......to like the card so much. He is right (yes I said it).......I will strive to do much better (not only next year when we take our pictures but all the time). Lord please help me to tackle this issue!!

So......if you haven't seen it yet.....this is our 2009 Christmas Card!

Thankful Thursday

Even though I just did my last week’s Thankful Thursday, I thought I should do another…..since it is Thursday and all!!



Today, I am thankful for getting to go shopping with my mom!



I am thankful for Dr. Pepper (even though I shouldn’t drink as much in one day as I did today).



I am thankful for getting to coach Upward basketball (with my sister).



I am thankful that we have plenty of clothes to wear (I have to remind myself of this as I look at heaping mounds of dirty laundry).



I am thankful for my friends.



I am thankful for calendars and legal pads (it seems as though I am living by them these days).



I am thankful for Christmas lights and the memories they bring (rocking babies in the middle of the night).



I am thankful for my husband who usually knows what to say or do when I need a boost!!



If you haven’t noticed……the things I am thankful for are random and really the things that are coming to mind right now. I like reminding myself to be thankful more often. It sure does help me have a better outlook on my week!




Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Hayley is 5

Tuesday was Hayley’s 5^th Birthday. We did not have a big party because we already celebrated her birthday in November. We had one party for her and Hayden! Really, she thought she was already five because we had her party.

I think she had a good day. She got balloons from both Granny and Nana. She requested Christmas cookies for her school snack (as opposed to me bringing cupcakes). Then she chose Pizza Hut for her birthday dinner. It was really a fun day!! All the kids were great while we ate (they all like pizza).

At bedtime she was acting like she didn’t feel good but I assumed it was the obnoxious number of cookies and other junk that I let her have (it was her birthday!!). But it turns out she had some sort of stomach bug. She felt bad all day yesterday but seems to be back to normal tonight. I hate that she ended her birthday not feeling well but she handled it well.

We did discover that Hayley cut her hair!!! Honestly, I am not sure when she did it but I think it was at least a week ago…..how does a mom not know that her kid cut their hair?!?!?! Apparently, Hayley is pretty sneaky. I already knew she was sneaky but she proved it a little more with this one. But even with her sneakiness, she usually tells me the truth (eventually). Thankfully, she only cut the bangs and it is not too short……I still need to even it out but it is not horrible. We did have a big talk about NOT cutting your hair (or anything else that you haven’t asked permission to cut).

I can only imagine what the future will bring with Hayley. I expect lots of laughs with a little bit of frustration mixed in. She makes it interesting around here!! I can’t believe she is already five!!!

We Love You Hayley!!!

Thankful Thursday.....a little late!!

So I missed Thankful Thursday by a few days......I'm trying!!! :)


I am thankful that last week is over!! I hate to say it like that because there was a lot of good stuff that happened last week.....a LOT being the key word here. We were super busy and I am thankful that next week, while it will still be busy, won't be quite as bad.


I am thankful that Hayden loves reading (now we just need to encourage a love for math too).


I am thankful for Hayley's silliness (I just have to remember that I am thankful for it when she is being silly at an inconvenient time).


I am thankful that Alex can tell me "nuh-uh" for "no" (again I have to remember I am thankful for that when he is being difficult).


I am thankful that Cory not be traveling until some time in January!!


I am thankful for the reminder I got in Sunday school this morning about the true meaning of Christmas and what we should put our focus on.....and not just now but all year!!


I am thankful that I have all the things that I take for granted but I pray that I would appreciate them more and that I would have more of a heart for those who don't have the things they need!


I am thankful for so much more......


What are you thankful for?