no camera latley

My camera is missing, lost in the house somewhere Im sure. There are lots of things to share but no pictures to go with it. I was really bummed about it on christmas. Also, on the the morning Reid and Var met Santa and Reid sang "Jingle Bells" into his fist in front of a crowd.
I wanted to also do a fun News Years card, but dont see that happening either.
Anyway--just a breif update. We are all well and had a great holiday remembering Gods amazing love for us. I hope to get pictures up soon. Happy New Year everyone!

The season begins!

I love the day after thanksgiving..we get started with all the fun christmas traditions!
Last night, we went out at dark and got our tree!! It was fun to bundle up and go out and pick THE ONE. The men at the lot were so nice. All the proceeds went to helping the needy. They also gave Reid a hot dog to enjoy while we got the tree ready.

After we got home and ate dinner, we began the setting up fun. Var missied it, she went to bed early, but Reid really enjoyed it this year. He chose his favorites and hung them too close to the ground and liked the ones from when he was a baby.
The pics are from this morning, as I forgot to take pictures last night (again!!)

Tonght, Mark and I are watching Elf. It comes on in a few minutes so we need to get the boy to bed. Time turn turn on the kettle for hot cocoa!

Thanksgiving

Here are a few pictures from thanksgiving...they are of Reid and Mark flying the airplane after dinner. I didnt think to take any other pictures :)
It was SO funny watching Reid try to throw it. He would hold it steady and then chuck it right to the ground. I included one photo of him trying to catch it...you cant see the plane, just Reid's pose.

Dinner was with Mark's family. Very relaxing and yummy. We are so blessed with our family and friends and church. God's grace is so overwhelming to us, its hard to list a few things we're thankful for. We are looking foward to a new year as our family will be growing into FIVE!!!

Hope everyong had a great day and was reminded of God's kindnesss to them. Enjoy getting ready for Christmas!!!

Thursday Dinner

Vegetarian Chili.
A much loved dish around here. I was happy for a cold night to serve it.
I cooked brown rice in broth to go with it. We topped it with cheddar and sour cream. Reid ate TWO bowls...very good compared to his lack of appetite the past couple nights. Var loved it too. I only took a picture of Reid's dish because I was busy sewing at the table while they ate. Mark and I ate later.

try it on!

Grandma, this one is for you. Look at Reid wearing my old costume! If only I had the hat to go with it. Do you have it somewhere??
Also, Vara trying on her new sweater we found..she gets all spunky when I put it on her. She must really like it. Sorry about the hair in her face :)
Love you!
G

Wednesday's "dinner"

Okay, this is the strangest one I think we've had yet. It's all because Ive been craving this for days! And Mark is sweet to accept it as a meal, instead of an appetizer (which is what it's intended for). The kiddies just had leftover ziti, they dont mind!
Ta-da! Seven Layer Dip...no need for plates either.
Dinner is served!
Oh, dessert tonight was Hot Cocoa...yummmm! (sorry, no pic)

Tuesday's Dinner

I was just about to start tonights meal when I realized I havent posted last night's yet...

We had Baked Ziti(rotoni?? actually) and salad. I havent made this dish since our first year of marriage when I ruined it. I just threw everything into the pan and baked it, assuming all the pasta and broccoli would cook in the oven. Well, it didnt and it was awful!
This time turned out much better. :)

I sauted italian sausage with onions, peppers, zuchinii, and squash. I added a can of tomatos and then pasta sauce(NOT from scratch) Mix and bake .... voila!
Vara still likes salad, so she had some with her pasta.

Recent Projects

We love art in our house...in any form. Here are some of our most recent creations-

Last week at JoAnn's, Reid picked out an ornament to paint. Of course, Vara wanted one, too. So here they are painting away. Reid helped Vara by handing her a new color and putting the other color away in the cup. It was fun watching them make a mess, knowing we'll hopefully have these ornament for years.

Last is my christmas gifts to Reid and Vara. Im making them "Monster Pillows". Reids is stuffed and V's still has to be sewn together. Mark and I saw something like these for sale in Winchester for about $40 each!! We decided I could try it myself.

Monday Night Dinner

This is a little late, but oh well.
I wasn't up for cooking last night. The kids ate Annie's MacN cheese and broccoli. Mark and I had leftover Pumpkin Soup and cheesey cornbread--YUM! (if you are interested in the soup recipe, let me know and Ill post it)

I caught Vara eating like this..I think she was tired but she looks really bored.

Trick-or-treating Chicken Bone

This year, Mark fulfilled his dream of seeing Reid dressed as a skeleton. Vara was a puffy little chicken. We laughed so much looking at her. She was very bouncy and did lose a lot of feathers. She even tried saying "trick-or-treat", something like "dee-deet".
We walked around in Mark's parents' neighborhood. It was a fun hour.

Colorado and a new kitchen

Here's some pictures of us with Danny and Judy last week. The first is of us going out for dinner..of course you all know Judy!

The next day we went to Noah's football game. The weather was amazing and the mountains were so beautiful! It was really nice to sit outside for a while watching these boys tackle.

The last photo is of Vara's new kitchen, courtesy of Nana and Papa. Lori found it at the Homestead. Thank you Nana!

You want REAL?

I rejoice right now because I cry out to the Lord and he hears me. I, for the first time in weeks, feel somewhat normal. God has graced me with energy to do all I need to do and be all I need to be to my babes. He is my strength when I am week, and He is so quick to be that for me! Thank you lord for hearing me and helping me when I owe my all to YOU!
I am thankful for all these REAL posts. Its just another opportunity to think of the Lord and what He wants to do in me. I mentioned I am a complainer, and boy am I! I was thinking about it more since the other day and God has revealed more of my heart to me. I am the queen of ease and "my own way"..I say I love my life and my boundaries but when things aren't just so, I really dont love them. I really dont believe my boundaries have fallen for me in PLEASANT places...not by my reaction anyway. I see more now of my automatic reaction to think "GEEZ!". I am thankful for this conviction. I am excited for God to show me more of how to die to myself. My hope is in Him to change my deserving heart, and to think of myself less. He endured the cross for me and didnt complain. I hope I can be more like Him, and with His help, Im sure I can. Thanks be to Him for our hope!
I am a bit embarrassed to say all this (pride!), but it's fine. Im probably worse than I even portrayed. I am a real sinner. My heart is true in its ungratefulness. Thank God for my Savior!

Here's something REAL for you (click above picture to enlarge ::at own risk::)
Yesterday, I was about to enjoy my much coveted 2nd nap of the day. Reid came out of his room and his feet were squishing on the floor. This is what I found.
My reaction? I cried. Not of a happy heart(simple but true), but of frustration, distrust, anger, and hopelessness. I didnt believe God would sustain my energy or stomach to tackle this, I was afraid. I wasn't patient with the situation, but angry I had to deal with this. I finally realized my sinful heart and took this picture to show what my REAL was yesterday. And, He did sustain me. (no surprise)

Surprise...and SURPRISE!!

We are here in Colorado, visiting Judy for her birthday. It was a secret and she was so happy to see us...whew! Anyway, more on that later.
There's another surprise...Im pregnant! Baby #3 is expected in June, probably around Vara's 2nd birthday. We are happy to know another beautiful child. I just keep thinking of doing "that" again (birth). Well, when we get back to Virginia, its time to plan plan plan.

Hope all is well with everyone!

Gifts from Grandma

My Grandma is always thinking us us. Here are just a couple of the many things she's blesses us with.

Grandma, I hope you take joy in the fact that we use and love our gifts!






Here is an old rocker she gave to me before Reid was born. I actually used it when I was young. Vara has recently adopted it for herself. I find her scooting it around the house and propping herslef into the seat. Sometimes she just sits there and watches us, rocks, or looks through a book.










Here's a great find my Grandma made about a week ago. I mentioned to her that we have more books than shelving, and she found this wood shelf for $15!! I wish I had taken a "before" picture.. it was a dark brown, with some funky knobs. With a little paint and new hardware, its perfect for our home. Thank you Grandma! Love you!

Dusting for the glory of God

I was dusting my house this morning. I really love to dust. The spray is fragrant with lavender and peppermint, everything gets put in it right place(for the time being), and there is plenty of time to think. All you moms know that there aren't many moments in the day for thinking. So, I am glad that dusting is one of them.

Well, I was just wiping and thinking and God crept in and spoke to me so kindly. He reveiled my hidden heart to me. He reveiled my self-sufficiency the last few days. I am sober now to how I have treated Him. He, who gave His life for me, has been treated as a servant. How arrogant!! I am so unthankful and proud towards my loving father. I have prayed to Him the past few days, but only with requests for help and clarity. And really, my prayers felt awkward. I know He is honored by this reliance, but not honored by my prayers of fear. I have been truly forgetting Christ. I have been forgetting to read and think about His words. I have been forgetting to live for Him. I have only grown in my self-sufficiency and knowledge of my "needs". I have been trapping myself in this sin, and He was kind to lift me out and remind me again of the TREASURE that He is.
Lord, you are my beautiful inheritance. Thank you for forgiving my so quickly! Thank you for being so attentive to one who deserves nothing. Thank you for the unending mercy through the cross. I rededicate me days to you, please help me to do this. You are me strength and my help. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you. Help to not lean on my own understanding but in all ways acknowledge you. I love you Lord. I am thankful to call you father.

random..

This week Ive been creating little stuff. The first are of magnets. Then one of the many bows for Vara and some other girls.



The Alkire's came!! (well, most of them) Here we are one our brief, but very sweet visit.








Vara coloring for the first time. She was really into it for a few minutes, but then just ate the crayons.

Reid showing off our DAILY stacking and knocking over of blocks.

I posted this because we got all dressed up and Mark was nothing but goofy! I was laughing pretty hard. (This was Jason and Katie's wedding) I took pictures of the ceremony. It was outside and very nice, but none of my photos came out.

-Winchester-

Last weekend we went to Winchester with friends. It was VERY fun and beautiful there. The house we stayed in was built in 1802 and was filled with antiques. The first photo is our front door. ( There were so many amazing doors in that town!) Mark and I are so thankful we got to have that time with our friends. Cant wait to reunite and do it again!
Walking around the historic part of town, just a few steps from our house.
The kitchen's original fireplace area.. Mountains outside Charlottesville

Front View One day we went Tubing on the Shenandoah River. The water was perfect, and it was so funny to see each other in such a vulnerable-"Im floating away!"-state.

OH! Ha! The boys decided to dress up for the occasion. Dont be fooled, all their clothing and hats were purchased the night before.

The boys fighting the river

some recent pictures..

I love Reid in his rash guards. He and Mason have gotten closer the past 2 weeks. I often find them playing together..or Mason just following him around. I finally get a break from being followed by him..
Vara is getting in her Teeter-Totter all by herself now. She climbs up and hangs out for a bit. She's getting better at rocking and bouncing herself, too.
Court, here's one of the new diaper covers I found. Like the puff balls? Talk soon, love you!