Polar Express 2011

This year we spent Christmas at the North Pole.  Well not really, but we went on the Polar Express train ride in Williams, AZ.  Grandma and Papa M came too!  The drive up and back were meltdown free making for smooth traveling.  Roman was just getting over a stomach bug when we left on Saturday morning.  However, after a fun filled day of being able to eat again and splurging on a big cookie Roman woke us up at 3:45am Christmas morning not because he was soooo excited about presents, but rather because he had thrown up.  And poor Grandma was the recipient of some overspray.  Did I mention that Grandma was a really good sport about being puked on?!  Well, she was and she was quite the trooper to not throw up herself.  However, it is probably a good bet that she won't be eating corned beef hash in the near future given it's similar smell and taste to a certain someone's vomit.  Then in true Griswald family christmas style, Brooklyn woke up coughing right after Roman's incident.  Anyone reading this thinking of having children or more than one child...just count on something similar happening to you and it will soften the blow a bit when it actually happens to you :)  We giggle about it now, but I'm sure grandma is still a bit traumatized. :(  Serious props to her.  Oh and Papa saved the day with trains, trains, and more trains...and a "train wagon" aka station wagon car for Roman.  He was a happy camper driving his trains on the sheet on the floor of the hotel room.  Here are some pictures from our trip:

And yes, Roman learned to write his name in the snow tehehe...poor thing did a great job holding it for a long time, but he had to go!

Another page for Roman's quiet book

Check! Another page completed (cover page and memory page) for Roman's quiet book! So excite to take it on the drive to Williams for the Polar Express!

Santa pic 2011

So even though roman knows that Santa isn't real and that it's not the reason for the season, we got our free picture at Bass Pro. We got there at 2:15 expecting to have to wait in line for a few minutes, but to our shock the line was estimated to be 4hrs long! We were about to leave when a random man came up and handed us his 3pm pass. So we ended up waiting only 45mins, just enough time for Roman to walk around the store with daddy! Here's out photo. As expected Brooklyn screamed and Roman spider monkeyed on me. Hehehe! Making memories:-)

Adventures in craftiness

I'm discovering my inner craftiness:-). I made a few pages for Roman's quiet book this week. A wonderful friend's mom made one for her grandson an it sparked my creative wild hair. So I bought material on Monday and by Thursday night this is what I had done

my tiniest reindeer:  Brooklyn 9mo

My most serious reindeer: Roman 2.5yrs

Hoping to keep these reindeer ears for years to come.  Here's a pic from Roman during his first Christmas.

Roman 10 mo

No lights, no decorations

This is the first year in our 11 Christmases together that we haven't put up our tree (instead there is a mini tree on the counter with a strand of lights and a star on the top) or decorated our house with lights, or ran around to find gifts for nearly everyone, or sent out Christmas cards.  

And we are at peace.  

It's the first year we're not stressing.  

We are seeking wisdom instead of sales on material things.

We are content in what we have.

We are content in what we don't have.

Our hope is in the Lord

My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth 

Psalm 121:2

This year has been a humbling year.  Being in the midst of this horrible economy and  being without a paycheck for 6 months has really made us focus on God's provisions.  We look back on all the things he HAS provided for us.

• He has gifted me with another beautiful child, sweet Brooklyn.
• He has gifted me with tubs and tubs of donated clothes and baby items for our kids from countless friends (Ambrye, Mandy, Alisa, TimaSue, Stefanie, Christine, Melissa, and countless more!)
• He has gifted me with encouraging scripture to help discipline Roman.
• He has gifted me with a "Barnabus" in my life, Mrs. Stefanie Jamison-Roman's music teacher, homeschooler extraordinaire, woman of God.
• He has gifted me with friends who are non-judgmental and supportive (my amazing playgroup ladies: Summer, Tarsha, Leslee, Vanessa, Mandy, Krissy and great neighbors: Kelly and Christine).
• He has gifted me with the burning to learn more about Him from Bible Study Fellowship.
• He has gifted me with a church family and Pastor that tells me they miss us when we are gone.
• He has gifted me with a husband who, despite a struggling and what feels like failing business, has grown closer to God than ever before...reading his Bible daily, and multiple times at that!
• He has gifted me with family who brought food to our doorstep and restocked our freezers and pantry.
• He has gifted me with time and energy to get up early to bake to earn extra money.
• He has gifted me with a hubby who will come home early every Wednesday so I can teach gymnastics for 4 hours to earn some cash.
• He has gifted me with generous bosses who have allowed us to continue to keep Brooklyn and Roman enrolled in life saving skill that is learning to swim, despite our financial situation.
• He has gifted me with the ability to make bread, granola bars, pasta, etc. to feed our family nutritious and inexpensive meals.
• He has gifted me with amazing friends (Stefanie & Robert, Scott & Whitney,  Nick & Sarah, Eric & Jena) to babysit for us so Chad and I could go on date.

For a year that didn't earn much money, we sure were blessed.  I have only touched the tip of the ice berg when it comes to blessings.

God did some amazing things this year and we feel blessed.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1