My Holiday Joy

Well, I think I am ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior. My house may not be the cleanest, the beds are not made, the bathrooms could use a little elbow grease and the carpet could use some TLC, but does all that really matter? I am looking forward to spending Christmas with family and reflecting on God's gracious love.

This past Sunday in church, our pastor was talking about "JOY" and what brings us joy. Well, I have to say the one thing during this Holiday season that brings me the greatest joy is going to Christmas Eve service with my Mom. Over the years there have been times when I wasn't able to go to service with my mom but just being at a Christmas Eve service where ever we happen to be living always made be feel like we were together.

Another reason I love Christmas Eve is the singing of the last song, "Silent Night." This song always brings a tear to my eye. It is a beautiful song but for me it is more than that. Growing up I have the greatest memory of my mom singing to my brother and I that very song. I can picture myself on the bunk bed right now with my mom right there. I am tearing up just thinking about it. Mom you are the greatest!!

This will be our last Christmas home for a couple of years as we are heading to Fort Drum, NY. I heard they have lots of snow so I don't think we will be driving anywhere during the holiday season. However, you can guarantee that I will be at a Christmas Eve service somewhere.

God Bless and have a joyous Holiday with your family and make lasting memories!

Merry Christmas!

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

We normally put our tree up the weekend that follows Thanksgiving. This year has been a little different. We actually just put our sad, little tree up last night. The tree is a little joke in our family. I bought this tree in 2004 when Marlin left for Iraq. By the looks of the box it would be perfect, right? Looks like a really full tree. Not even close.

This tree is so sad looking. You can see through every layer and the ornaments make the branches droop. Therefore, we decided to only put the ornaments that my Aunt sends us year after year along with the one Hallmark ornament I buy. The height of the tree is not what is declared on the box. Marlin is 6 ft. and he is clearly taller than the tree. We have decided as a family this will be the last year we are putting our Charlie Brown tree up. He is going to a better place........the dump. Ok, not the dump since that wouldn't be safe for the environment. We will take it to the Thrift Store or find a new home for it. As sad of a tree that it is.....it still serves the purpose with a little humor.
While decorating our Christmas tree we had to take a break and have a little snack. Trey and his Dad made Rice Krispies Treats earlier. We also opened a Christmas present from our friends and put it on top of the treats. YUMMY!

Thank you Sowers Family for the delicious peanut butter. I had to put the jar away or else the family would have licked the jar clean.

This was a great way to end the day after church. Church reminded us what the true meaning of Christmas really is and how important it to make sure that our children know that as well. When I asked the kids what Christmas means to them they all said, "It is the day that God sent his only son to walk on this earth and save us from our sin even though HE already knew Jesus would die in the end." I always smile when Cheyenne says to us, "Think about it...we will never really die and we will live forever.....doesn't that just make your brain hurt. Think about it, we will live forever with Jesus." It truly is Amazing.

Christmas isn't about getting lots of presents for them. It is about something much, more.

Cleaning Up

Well, I am almost done. I have been busy cleaning out every room upstairs in anticipation for our big move. This will be our seventh move with the Army and I have learned many lessons along the way. I started with Cheyenne's room and made it through there pretty quick. The boys, well that was another story. Tyrin gets so sidetracked. I tell hi m to sort, he plays. I tell him to clean something up, he disappears. In the end, we got the room cleaned out and I worked my way to the game closet and my bedroom. The bedroom was all my mess. I had to go through all my clothes. Look at this mess....

I do find myself reminiscing about the past. I find old letters from my husband and letters I sent him when he was in Iraq. You cannot help but stop and read a little of the past. Then you come across old memorabilia and share it with the kids. I love times like these. Don't get me wrong I love to purge as well. This is a benefit of moving with the Army. We are only allowed so many pounds and never have the space to store lots of stuff at our new home. I have learned over the years that if you don't want it, like it, or use it get rid of it. My kids will either turn out to be horders or clean freaks. LOL

Now it is time to direct my attention to the downstairs.

Attention!

I said.......

Attention Soldier!

Looks to me you soldiers are out of mommy regulation with that haircut!

Ahh... That's more like it!

Aren't my soldiers handsome? Girls stay away, These boys are taken!

Weekend Happenings

Friday night our children participated in an all night Missions Fundraiser for BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade) at our church. They were so excited to stay up all night. Cheyenne and Trey were attending as volunteers and Tyrin was going to participate.

Tyrin raised $164.00 to donate to BGMC. He was very active in asking people to pledge money. He was very excited to ask both our Pastor and his wife. See there was an incentive that the boy or girl with the most money pledged and the most sponsors would win a big prize. When I picked Tyrin up the next morning he told me he won the gift card to Target because he raised the most money. I told him he should give me the card since I donated money as well and then it would be like paying me back. He proceeds to tell me, "Mom, I cannot do that it would be plagiarizing". I couldn't help but chuckle.

Tyrin managed to stay awake until at least 4 am and Cheyenne and Trey stayed awake all night. They were exhausted the next day. The funny thing is... Since we are fixing to move we decided to sell the boys bunk beds and it just so happened the lady was coming on Saturday morning to pick them up. So when the boys come home from church exhausted they didn't have a bed to sleep in. Don't worry their Grandma brought some cots down for them. But don't they look happy. LOL They only need to sleep on them for 53 more days.

Today, was very cold on the way to church. However, it still isn't as cold as it will be in NY when we move. I like to check the weather report on occasion and compare it to where we are going to where we wanted to go. Right now the temperatures are:

WHERE WE ARE: Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: 25F feels like 12F

WHERE WE WANTED TO GO: Fort Wainwright, AK: -15F feels like N/A (must be cold)

WHERE WE ARE GOING: Fort Drum, NY: 3F feels like -7F

FORT DRUM ISN'T LOOKING TO BAD!

I told the kids how I started this blog and now they ask me, "Mom, did you blog"? They are so anxious to see what I write about and what pictures I post. Here is one of Cheyenne acting like a nut before bed.

Past to Present

When I was 14, I had a pair low black moccasins and a pair of brown
moccasins that came up to my knees. I loved them. I would wear them to school quite a bit and even aquired the nickname Cherokee.
Funny, how times change and now look who is wearing my shoes.....

Yes, that would be my 13-year-old daughter. She even wore them to church last night and everyone was commenting on how they loved her shoes.

Wait a minute those are MY shoes.

Ready, Set, Go!!

Well, I decided it was time to start my own Blog. I've wanted to do this for some time but could never find the right moment to start. Then I had to realize that if I wait for that perfect moment to do anything, I would never accomplish a thing.

Now, I must figure out how to set up my blog. I already managed to delete all my pictures off my computer. Thank goodness for that "undo" button or I would have cried myself to sleep tonight.