Deck the Halls '16

Well, it's been a year since I've blogged.  That's crazy!  It truly seems like forever ago.  I hope to go back and fill in the last year with some of our pics and memories.  Some of you may have missed us, some of you didn't even know we had a blog, but we like to keep it, if only for us to stroll down memory lane every once in a while.

So, we spent the last week on the Eastern Shore of Virginia where Erin grew up. Thanksgiving with the whole family was great, chaos at times, but great to be together.  Our kids REALLY enjoy time with cousins and they don't get it often so it was a joy to watch them together.

Returning home to Ocala everyone was excited to decorate for Christmas.  We were able to bring a few of our special Christmas decorations back to the states with us.  We have 3 nativities, our tree ornaments, Jesse Tree ornaments, and some figurines.  A few of our local friends surprised us with a tree and lights before Thanksgiving (God spoils us) so we were ready to go.

As I fluffed the tree today my mind went back over the past 5 years and I was reminded of the privilege we had to decorate our home with Central Asian friends, mostly college aged, who had never decorated a home for Christmas.  They hadn't grown up in homes that celebrated the birth of Christ but Lord willing as they get married and grow family theirs will.  We have many precious memories from those holidays spent far from home.  I prayed for them as I fluffed my tree.  And I pray now that this Christmas season we will share our home with those in our community that need to hear the story of our God, who came to Earth as a baby to save us from sin.  Our location is VERY different but our purpose is exactly the same.

We were supposed to all be putting on an ornament but Isaac had a better idea...BIG heart, lots of love.

A Wal-Mart run for decorations got them these.  For $2 a piece I'd say we've already gotten our money's worth! 

Deck the Halls '15

We decorated the house the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Jodie brought us some supplies from the states to make sausage balls and peanut butter blossoms.  That was wonderful!  We all assumed our traditional roles.  Bruce pulled out all the decorations, set up and fluffed the tree, and put the lights on.  I handed out the ornaments and the kids put them all on the tree.  Then I evened out all the ornaments since the kids can't reach the top ;)  Lastly Bruce placed the star (I'm not sure what that thing is but we will call it a star.)  Fun times with family at the most wonderful time of the year.

Thanksgiving and Friends!

My best friend since church nursery, Jodie, came to visit for Thanksgiving this year.  We had so much fun and she made hosting Thanksgiving dinner a possibility.  I would have been a little crazy without her!
After Thanksgiving friends from New Orleans came to visit and we had fun catching up and exploring the 'bul together.

I ordered and it came!!!

giving thanks

Ladies Day Out

when the kids start climbin the walls...
take them to climb the walls!

Lillian turns EIGHT!

Our baby girl is growing up.  She requested a tea party this year.  I was a little nervous to throw a tea party but we pulled it off with the help of some friends.  She wanted a pin the tail on the donkey type game so Bruce created a tea cup version and we decided to do makeup before the girls had their party.  Lillian and I went to the pazar (street market) the morning before the tea and hit the jackpot on makeup.  Bruce took Lillian to get her hair done before the party.  It was so fun to watch the girls discover make up.  Hind sight told me I should have given a little makeup 'how to' but they figured it out eventually.  I think they all did their own makeup about ten times.

The Model Student

Lillian was named Model Student this week.  We are so proud of her!

Kiddos on the slide

I took the kids to the park the other night and they came up with this game.  All but one line up at the end of the slide.  The other kid slides down and bump the one on the end falls off :)

and everyone at the park joined in...

one slid down and another fell off...

We got a pet!!!

We have contemplated this over and over and finally we did it!  In September we got a kitty.  Her name is Perde (Curtain) but honestly we never call her that.  She's Kitty and that's all there is to it.  Here are some of my favorite pics...

The day we brought her home

she will sleep anywhere

watching Mamma cook