Blessings of 2007

Yesterday I starting thinking about all of the blessings that we experienced over the year 2007. Here are some of the blessings that Dave and I are thankful for in 2007.

After an early birth and 4 months of feeding problems Arden took off and is a healthy, happy toddler girl who is into everything.

Our marriage.

Living in this city and our neighborhood.

Dave's job.

My job. I love the fact that I can work from home and the job is an answer to prayer.

Being able to travel to various places over the year...State College PA, Aiken SC, Indianapolis, IN, Boone, NC, Myrtle Beach SC, Wilmington NC, WV, Leesburg VA and a few more places here and there.

Our families.

Our church and small group.

Being able to reconnect with friends through reunions, this blog and random phone calls and emails.

Being able to vacation with Dave's parents this summer.

Arden's christening.

Spending a week in WV with my parents and Arden.

Spending the summer at the pool.

Our friends Josh and Stephanie having a miracle with the birth of beautiful healthy baby girl after a complicated pregnancy.

Our new sister-in-law Laura.

Eric spoiling Arden beyond measure.

Any many more. While there were rough times that taught us many valuable lessons... but we are choosing to focus on the blessings. I hope that you are able to enjoy your blessing from this past year and that 2008 will bring many more.

Question of the Week

As 2007 draws to a close...think back and ask yourself How was I blessed this year?

That's What It's All About

While at Dave's parents Arden was able to spend some time with her cousins Ella and Luke. Grammy has an Elmo doll that does the hokey pokey. The first time that Arden saw it she was very scared. She can running to either me or Janet and wanted to be held.

When Ella and Luke arrived she watched them playing with Elmo and decided to join in to learn what it's all about out. She would dance by bouncing her knees and shaking her hands. She never quite got the idea of turning around but really enjoyed playing with Ella, Luke and Elmo. By the end of our trip Arden was doing the hokey pokey all by herself.

Watching the kids have a great time together is a great Christmas memory. All three of them together running through the house enjoying life. That's what we as adults need to learn to do...enjoy life. We are to live in freedom because Jesus made the way for us to be free. Look at the simple things, soak them in, and treasure them because that's what it's all about.

A New Best Friend

One of Arden's favorite words is Jack. Jackson is my brother's golden retriever. She learned how to say his name this summer when her and I spent a week with my parents. Since then anytime she hears a dog bark she listens real carefully and says "Jack".

Well Jackson has been scared of Arden since she was born. She was so tiny and would scream loudly and he would out of the room knocking people out of his way if he had to. He couldn't get away from her fast enough.

This has all changed now that she can walk. He is a little more intrigued with her. She loves him. She holds out her hands for him to smell her and then she will start to pat his neck. A couple of times while we were there she would feed him by hand his favorite treats. I think they will become pals over the years.

Home Again

What a great week!!! We were busy traveling to our parents for Christmas. We didn't have any snow but it was still a Christmas for the records. My camera battery died so pictures will come soon. A few highlights:

Arden has learned to growl. Her cousin Luke (who is nine months older than Arden) taught her how to growl. So she walks around grunting and growling especially if she is trying to do something and can't figure out what do or how to do it. She might have taught her cousin to get out of his pj's while sleeping. (A post for another time)

Arden was almost as quiet as a church mouse during Christmas eve services. She was starting to get fidgety but then they dimmed the lights and she was enchanted by the room's glow by the candlelight.

There was more traffic on the interstate Christmas Day than there was Christmas Eve which really surprised me.

It gets harder and harder to say goodbye every time we visit.

Arden has definitely been spoiled by her grandparents this week. She has missed them this morning. She got up and wandered through each room looking for more people but only found me.

That's it for now. I hope to have pictures and more stories soon.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas is Almost Here!

This week has been a whirlwind. Dave is on vacation and things slow down and yet time speeds up while you are on vacation. Here are a few things we have enjoyed while he has been on vacation.

Sleeping in. Arden is usually our alarm clock but she has been sleeping in a little longer this week and it has been nice not to have to get up and get moving right away. I love that about vacations.

Arden loves to walk around in circles around something. Yesterday she learned how to sneak quietly up behind the chair and say BOO. It is so cute. She says it in her sweet little voice and then will start walking around the chair again and keep on doing it until she gets bored….which is usually after the 50th time.

We have just enjoyed walking around the mall. We finished our Christmas shopping last week and have really enjoyed walking around pointing out decorations to Arden and listening to her as she talks about what she see. I am also a huge people watcher and I love watching everyone hustling and bustling around the mall.

My friends Candice and Daniel. They are a great couple to hang out with and are just good people. They also love on Arden and really are an encouragement to us. If you are ever looking for a great photographer they have a business The Beautiful Mess. Try them out…I promise you will not be disappointed.

Family. Dave and I are looking forward to spending this Christmas with our family and soaking it all in. I can't wait to see Arden on Christmas morning.

Enjoying the Christmas Season

Arden has not been to fond of Santa this year. She love to wave at him from afar and talk to him up close but does not like sitting on his lap. Well tonight she was waving at Santa and decided to get a little closer to him and she was rewarded with a lollipop which she thoroughly enjoyed.

I'm interested in seeing if she remembers the treat the next time we see him?

She also discovered these great bears that were singing in the mall. She loved it. She was dancing in the isles and jabbering up a storm with them. I just wish that I had brought my camera. She was having a great time.

She has also discovered all of the holiday goodies that you can eat at Christmas. She is really likes chex-mix and loves pumpkin bread. It has been great so far watching Christmas from her perspective and we still have 6 more days until Christmas. There is more good stuff to come. I better remember to bring my camera.

Top 10 of Christmas Music

Dave and I have a love-hate relationship with Christmas songs. I love to hear the old hymn carols and then a few of the older songs from back in the day. I am just not a fan of the modern day Christmas song that have nothing to do with Christmas other than the word Christmas is worked into the song.

So in honor of great Christmas music and the not so great Christmas music here is our list of favs and not so favorites.

Best in our book
1. O Holy Night
2. Sleigh Ride
3. Winter Wonderland
4. The First Noel
5. Do You Hear What I Hear

Worst over played songs in our book
1. Santa Baby
2. Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas (Paul McCarthy)
3. This Christmas I gave you my heart...(not sure of the title)
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas Time
5. Dogs Barking Jingle Bells

Help Wanted

Dear Lawn Care Services,

I am looking for a little extra work during the holiday season. Do you think you could use the extra help? I'm available to help out with all your lawn care needs. I've been trained by the best.

Sincerely,

Arden

Question of the Week

Can you begin to fathom what it felt like to be 8 1/2 to 9 months pregnant, having to pack for a three day one way trip (where your choices of transportation was either to walk or ride a donkey), then stand in long lines to pay your taxes (I'm imaging the DMV only worse), you can't find a hotel room anywhere, then you go into to labor and end up having a baby in a barn?

I'm Not Ready for My Close Up

Today Arden got into my makeup drawer. She knows how to open the bronzer case and well...she decided that she needed a kiss of sun on her checks and nose. The results were not pretty. I got a good laugh out of it but will make sure that the drawer is closed all the way so the child lock engages.

Scattered

This week has seemed to be scattered around for me. Dave's work scheduled changed on Monday and it has thrown me for a loop. Tuesday felt like Thursday and Thursday (today) feels like Tuesday. I have no idea if I am coming or going. Dave used to go in late on Mondays and Tuesdays but now he goes in late on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It will take all three of us a couple of weeks to get re-adjusted.

So to go with how scattered I feel here are a few scattered thoughts or things I noticed today.

I don't like it getting dark at 5 pm. My day has been cut in half and I miss the long days.

Arden has been using her bed to teeth and has wore a small whole in the railing which is now covered by a towel.

I am looking forward to the Christmas parties we will be attending this holiday season.

Arden pulled the plug-in air freshener out of the wall and brought it to me saying "uh-oh". I just hope she keeps confessing to me the things that she does that she knows she shouldn't do.

I caught her eating the swaddling cloth that was covering the baby Jesus she made Sunday at Church...

I think I might have given birth to a billy goat.

Life is Good

Arden and I decided to get out an enjoy the heat wave that we are currently experiencing. I still can't get over how hot is has been the past couple of days. I am starting to get use to it...it is going to be hard when it gets cold this weekend. I love warm weather and being outside and enjoying the fresh air. I love airing out my house and walking in the warm sunshine.


This afternoon Arden and I went to the local park and ran into some of our friends from the pool. Arden had a great time swinging and sliding down the slides. She is very brave and adventurous. She loves to slide head first down the tube slide. She laughs all the way down. I love watching her enjoy herself. She also enjoyed playing with the bigger kids.

As we walked back she would jibber and jabber looking back at me telling me about her experience at the park. I must say it was a great day full of warm December memories.

Arden decided to get in her stroller without any help today.

Trying to climb up the slide.

Arden does not like to touch the grass. She will just sit there with her hands in the air trying to figure a way to get up without touching the grass.

Christmas Thoughts

Today I was reflecting on what I like best about Christmas and here is what I love about the Christmas season...in no particular order.

• My mom's homemade chex mix


• Dave's mom's homemade ribbon fudge


• Christmas in the mountains...where there is always a chance of snow for Christmas


• My dad will have a very warm fire going in the house.


• Great Christmas parties with friends


• Amazing food


• Anticipating what a joy it will be watching Arden open her Christmas gifts


• Turing off the lights and just enjoying in the lights of the Christmas tree


• Looking for the perfect gift


• Trying to fit everything in the car


• Seeing old friends at the churches where we grew up


• Walking in the snow while enjoying the lights


• Wrapping gifts


• Hot coco with marshmallows


• Driving around looking at Christmas lights


• Christmas Eve's services


• Teaching Arden about the baby in the manger


• How generous our families are


• Getting Christmas cards in the mail


• Great memories of past Christmas'


• Dominoes with Dave's family


• Relaxing in the hot tub with the snow falling


• The anticipation of giving and receiving gifts


• Still laying in bed listening for sleigh bells


• The stillness of Christmas Eve


• How the world stops for this one day


• Knowing that all of Christmas is because of a tiny baby who was born, who came to be the Prince of Peace.

White Christmas? Keep Dreaming.

80 degrees in December? I guess our dreams of a white Christmas are only dreams this year.

Question of the Week

Which is better a pre-lit Christmas tree where all you do is plug it in and add your ornaments or a fresh pine filling your house with the smell of Christmas?

Eating like a Lady

This week Arden has learned how to feed herself with utensils. I've been working with her for a while but this week she really started to get how it works. It takes her a while to eat but she is determined to do it all by herself. She gets very upset if you try to help her. So sometimes she ends up eating noddle by noddle of her mac and cheese. There are times that she figures out others ways to get that little bit left in the bottom of the bowl.

Little Santa

Arden loves this Santa hat. She carries it by the pom-pom around the house like Linus carrying his blanket around. We enjoy putting the hat on her and watching her take it off. Well yesterday she tried to put the hat on herself. She doesn't quite understand holes in clothing like socks and hats. So the results are very amusing and she seems to enjoy making us laugh.

Enjoy the pictures of our Little Santa.

Now for Arden's version of how to wear a Santa hat.

Getting in on the Hustle and Bustle of Christmas

Yesterday Arden only took an hour nap. She usually naps about 3 hours in the morning and then another 2 hours in the afternoon. She is teething and just couldn't get comfortable. So I decided that we would head to the mall to get out of the house and enjoy some of the scenery. When we got there I decided to let Arden walk through the mall instead of pushing her around to try and get some of that energy out of her so she would go down for her afternoon nap.

She loved the freedom of walking around and even held my hand through the entire trip. She is already a shopper by making a bee-line to Pottery Barn Kids, Janie and Jacks, and Claire's. I must admit for a 15 month she has some great taste in clothing and home decor.

She loves the displays in front of Front Gate. It is great watching her curiously explore all of the Christmas decorations. She likes to wave at Santa from behind the velvet ropes but that is as close as she wants to get to him. She even sang along with the piano player at Nordstrom's who played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the Itsy Bitsy Spider especially for her.

As we started to head out she wanted me to carry her and she put her head on my shoulder. I thought to myself what a great idea and she is now ready for her nap. Well I counted my chickens before they hatched because she was full of energy when we got home and did not nap. Even though I didn't get as much done as I wanted to yesterday we had a great day of memories.

The One Tree in the House

When God created Adam and Eve and put them in the garden of Eden he gave them one rule and that was not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Well right now we have a similar rule in our house...Do not touch the Christmas Tree.

The Christmas Tree has been up for over a week and Arden has done a great job of not touching the tree until tonight. Dave and I decided to decorate the tree while Arden napped so she would not see us touching the tree. It worked and for over a week but tonight she decided to see what would happen if she touched the tree. She got brave and reached out and grabbed a red ornament off of the tree. She will normally walk by the tree and look at it or point to it. She hasn't even really gotten close to it. I addressed her touching the tree and she left it alone the rest of the night.

Why do we struggle with limitations that are put on us for our own good? We all struggle with this. We want to set our own rules and make things about us to fulfill our selfish desires instead of doing what is best for us.

Thirsty

Today was a great day. The weather was fairly warm for a December day. There was a shower of leaves that fell from our trees, my front entry and side walk were ankle deep in leaves. Arden and I hit the neighborhood for a mid-afternoon walk.

I had a great day at work, got a lot of stuff done around the house and felt like I accomplished more than I thought I would on this Monday. But something was missing...I felt empty. Then I realized I what it was...I hadn't had any real deep meaningful interaction with God in a while. I pray and I try to spend time with Him but what I realized what I was needing was to be drenched with Him.

So I broke into one of my Christmas gifts earlier and started my new bible study, listened to a little Travis Cottrell and I felt refreshed. I did it because I wanted to not because of obligation or guilt but because I need Him to be real to me. Sometimes all we need is to come and spend our time on what is good.

Question of the Week

Do you think she will take the trash out when she is older without us asking since she loves carrying the trash can around the house?

A New Place to Hang Out

Arden discovered a new place to hang out today. At first she got stuck between the table and couch but once she got comfortable it was hard to get her to move. I guess if I can't find her in the house I need to look under the sofa table where she will be hiding.