Thank You...

It's a good thing this is Wordless Wednesday, because there are no words....

Merry Christmas

Celebrate the Savior! Merry Christmas to you and yours.... From the JCrew

The first time that you opened Your eyes

Did you realize that You would be my Savior?

I celebrate the Day, that You were born to die...

So that I could one day pray for You to save my life.

My camera didn't last long on Christmas morning... but I did get a picture of each of the boys! We had a great lazy day. We just opened our gifts from Santa, then from each other... That night we went to the movies to see the Tale of Despereaux. It really wasn't very good, but it was nice to get out of the house for a while!

Here's Jadeth Christmas morning with his IPod Touch...

Santa brought Jacen and Jory each a RipStik and mom and dad came through with the Nintendo DS's they both wanted! Here's Jacen with his DS...

And Jory with his RipStik....

My Centerpiece

I got this idea from the Creative Ideas magazine that Lowes sends out. It's a 4X4 with furniture casters glued on top that hold the votive candles. My husband stained and sealed ours, but you could certainly paint it however you want.
I thought it turned out wonderful. I really enjoyed having it on my table during the holidays. The pine branches and pinecones came from my Mom and Dad's trees.

Christmas at Mom and Dad's

We always get together with just my parents and my brother the weekend before Christmas. Christmas gets so busy and crazy, we just like to get together with just us

and enjoy a relaxing and messy evening!

My brother bought this huge blow up snowman on Ebay. It was too cold and windy to put it outside, so we set it up in the spare bedroom! Jory loved to watch it 'melt'!

I got all sorts of kitchen things I wanted, new casserole dishes (which I love), an electric teapot, a thing to make bloomin' onions and a slicer/grater thing!

Jack can never have too many tools! Unfortunately, Jacen tends to wonder off with them, so each Christmas, he really needs the tools. Yes, we've gotten Jacen his own tools and tool box before, but for some reason - Dad's are better!

This is my Dad... He got a new fishing boat this fall, so he got all sorts of fishing stuff and things to cook fish. He also shoots trap so lots of stuff for that as well.

Here's my mom. I love this picture. This gift is bathtowels! Such excitement! We also got her a swiffer and a digital photo frame, but the bath towels got the biggest grin!

Here's my brother, Rob.
He is still a bachelor and spoils my boys rotten.

Jory being a cool dude with his new skateboard!

He's so excited over his new hooded sweatshirt!

I love this smile!

Uncle Rob got Jacen a unicycle! Jacen is so into skateboarding, he needed a new challenge! I'll let you know when he's taking the unicycle down the 1/2 pipe!

Jacen loved this!

Jacen modeling his new Tony Hawk coat and gloves! Another priceless smile!

Jadeth always wants the new FIFA soccer game!

Uncle Rob got Jadeth a new GPS for his car.

Did I mention how much my brother spoils my kids!

Jory's School Program

Tonight Jory had his first school Christmas program! It was really cute and he did such a good job singing!
Afterwards we went to McDonalds with our friends Jeremy and Cindy and their son Cole. Jory was the one snapping pictures there!

This is a little like 'Where's Waldo'! Can you spy Jory?

Here I am Mom!

My cool dude after his first Christmas Concert!

Jory and his friend John. John's mom is Mandy who has been gracious enough to teach me some Madarin. She can't wait to meet our daughter!

This is Jory at Cole at McDonalds after the concert! They did so well, they deserved ice - cream!And don't they look absolutely adorable?!

Jeremy, Cindy and Cole

Jory snapping pictures... Jack and I

A little closer now...

Our Official Christmas Picture

Here's the 2 pictures we used for our 2008 Christmas card.

We built our front porch this summer and absolutely LOVE it! So of course that was the place to take our picture!

And of course you remember my post about my new porch swing!

I think it turned out fabulous and I was thrilled to get a good picture of all us in it!

Happy Holidays from the JCrew!

Celebrate the Savior!

Apologies!

Okay, I've been a very, very bad blogger! I just downloaded the pics from my camera for the last month so I will play catch up! Let me explain my absence....













'Nuff said, right?!!!!

Okay I admit it... I've been on the Twilight bandwagon for the last few weeks. I read Twilight in 2 evenings at home, New Moon in one Saturday and Eclipse in just a couple of evenings as well. I'm just starting Breaking Dawn and I know I won't be able to put it down either.
What is it about these books... more precisley, what is it about Edward?! Ugh!

Thanksgiving with the Germanns!

Our best friends, Dan and Sherri Germann, joined us for Thanksgiving dinner! Sherri's family is in Texas and Dan's is all over, so we had dinner together. It was so much fun! Dan and Sherri are the kind of friends you don't have to entertain... we can lay around on the couch, not talk, take naps... whatever! They are also the same wonderful friends who introduced us to adoption. I almost said they're the ones who convinced us to adopt, but I truly believe God did that! Only He could change our hearts to welcome one more. And boy are we ever glad He did! But Dan and Sherri were prayer warriors I tell you! The interceded on our behalf for many months! When they begin to doubt their reason for being in Trenton, I remind them of Jia!

Anyway, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We went around the table and shared the many things we have to be thankful for this year and it was so nice to hear!

Here's all of us around the table, well the men hadn't sit down yet! I felt so entirely blessed to have a full table of family and friends!

This is me and Sherri!

Dan and Melaine carving the turkey!

Jack and Dan... Dan will come by and say "I needed some Jack time."

Their daughter Heather has been blessed with such an AMAZING voice! We asked her to sing for us and after she began, Jory darted to his room coming back like this! He got their Rock Band guitar and started playing for her! It was so cute!

My little ROCKER!

Be Thankful

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my Uncle Wesley and Aunt Jeri's. Then we had our friends over for supper. That will be another post!

I have so much to be Thankful for... Here's an email I got that puts things in perspective!
THANKFUL:
FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING. BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR. FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

Toby Mac!

Last year I went with some girlfriends from church to ROCK THE LIGHT. RTL is held at Starlight Theater in KCMO. It was so awesome! The night we went, Toby Mac was there. I had heard a couple of his songs, but wasn't really familiar with him. Well, let me tell you... that was the best concert ever!!!! He is THE BEST! I was just stunned. The entire time, I kept thinking to myself, Jacen should be here, Jacen would love this! I promised myselt that when Toby Mac came back to our area I would take Jacen.
Well, fast forward more than a year later... I find out he's coming back to KC. You know how it is, when you begin to doubt that something was actually as good as you remember... that's what I did. I looked up tickets and thought it's so close to Christmas, we really can't afford to buy tickets, was it really all that great? So I decided against it.
On the way to school one day, our local Christian station was giving away tickets. The trivia question was "Who buried Moses?". I called, but was the 2nd caller... Ean said 'try again tomorrow'. I will never forget that day because when I dropped Jory off at school he called me a 'loser' when he shut the door. Oh and he had been planning it all the way there. He even waited until he was out and shutting the door so I couldn't respond. Not that I could with my mouth agape anyway!
So the next morning, they were giving away tickets and all you had to do was be the 3rd caller. I WAS! I won 2 tickets to TM! I was dissapointed the rest of the family couldn't go, but I was taking Jacen!
Well, the concert was at Municipal Auditorium and I had a really hard time getting there. Once we were there and began to walk to the concert, we were turned around and going in the wrong direction. It was already dark, we were in unfamiliar territory, we ran across a guy asking for money, someone hollared from a hot dog stand and Jacen and I were ready to turn and run! But we made it...then when we went into the auditorium, we were ready to turn and run again! It's just to huge and unfamiliar. I've gotten to know Kemper Area like the back of my hand. I've taken the youth group to so many events there, it's so comfortable. MA was nothing like Kemper. We got there during Family Force 5 and they totally stink. Not my thing at all. I was still debating getting the heck out of there and going home. Then Relient K came on and they were better. Jacen knows some of their songs, so he relaxed a bit, but still could've left. All the while, I was questioning myself, was it worth it? Is Toby Mac as cool as I remember? The answer is YES!
After Toby Mac came on, we finally relaxed and didn't worry about getting out of there, to our car and getting home. He ROCKED! I love all of his songs. And it was a Winter Wonderslam Tour, so at the end, all the bands came out and there was snow, and they rode bikes and threw candy canes! Oh and Toby Mac actually dove into the crowd! It was just so awesome! I told Jacen we were definately coming again! I won't forget how awesome it was ever again!
We had a no trouble getting to our car, but getting to I35 proved a little difficult due to road construction. But the awesome concert outweighed all the negative things by far!
So, since Jacen and I were having a 'date' I asked Jack to snap a picture of us. Of course Jory had to have one too! Enjoy!

Rare Sight!

Something you don't see everyday!

Family Visit

This weekend, my cousin Amy and her 3 kids, and my cousin John with his wife and 2 children came up for a visit. Growing up, Amy's family from Overland Park KS would come up and spend weekends with us in the country. We were always together and swore our kids would grow up close as well. That did happen for a few years! They would come up and stay with us at Thanksgiving... we'd go stay at their house and hit the city. But things change and people get busy. It's been at least a couple of years since I've seen Amy and her kids.

So I was so excited when she said she was coming up! Also, a bit nervous as to how the kids would get along. They hardly knew eachother. Well, my worrying was in vain! It was like we'd all never been apart!
Jeff and John came up Friday night and Jory really hit it off with Jeff. They played I Spy together and Jeff was so good and patient with Jory. You can tell by the way Jory's standing he was trying to lean in closer to Jeff! He adored him!

Jacen and Emily are only 2 weeks apart in age! They were so funny together. The discovered they had much in common, including F's in Social Studies! Amy and I are so proud! Really, they were so cute together!

This is Lauren. Isn't she gorgeous? When Lauren was a baby, I knew if I ever had a little girl I wanted the dark hair and eyes! No blue eyed blond for me! My parents had kittens that were 5 weeks old and they were the hit of the day! We hadn't seen them yet either and each family became attached to one! Lauren fell in love with this one! They decided to take her home and she is now Lucy, or Lola or something like that! This is the day we got Ming also!

Lauren carried the cat around in her front pocket all day. I think even if Amy hadn't agreed to taking the cat, they would've found her in Lauren's pocket about 1/2 way home!

This is John, his wife Paula and their new daughter Avery. Paula and Avery both adored this cat, but John gave a firm 'no'. He's allergic! They had been home a couple of week before he called and asked if he could come up and get the cat! It seems Avery was enjoying Aunt Amy's cat so much he could no longer refuse! We see who runs that house!

This is my mom and Avery. Avery is such a doll! It was fun to play with a little one again!

Jory was facinated with Avery and didn't get too far from her!

This is Amy and I! We had so much fun growing up together and at times were such little brats! We once hit our other little cousin over the head with a garden hoe and didn't even feel sorry for it! Yes, it was an accident. The time we shoved her down the stairs wasn't though. She always wanted to play with us. How terrible we were!