Children's Christmas Party

Christmas has passed but I am not ready to let it go! 

So today we invited over our cousins and a

few friends for one last Christmas Party!

Up go the poms!

Stools make perfect little craft stations.

We started with a little scavenger hunt.

They found all the clues :)

Then they got busy crafting!

A little hot chocolate with Mrs. Clause.

Of course there were cookies!

Best of all was time spent with good friends.

Oh & I almost forgot..

The favors.

I got this idea from Sarah over at Light.

I have to admit....the first idea that I pinned that I actually did!

Homade candycane play dough.

So now Christmas....I am officially saying "See you next year."

:)

Ready Girls?

Carols sung,

Stockings hung,

back up for about the 5th time.

(Bo!!!)

The trees are trimmed with lots of homeade decorations.

Annie's Cards are made and delivered.

My elves are busy at work,

...and they just left to

deliver some cookies to the neighbors.

Of course, the gingerbread man is already eaten.

And we just wrapped up our early morning baking session.

Orange cookies from

The Chew

We're ready...

Just need to crank up the Christmas music

& put out the milk & cookies tomorrow.

Are you ready?

~Thanks for all your love on my last post~

It was hard for me to share but

You girls make me feel sooooo blessed!

Finding Joy

As I share our lives with you I feel as though I can't let this moment slip by unoticed.  This weekend was very hard.  We had  a loss that completely broke my heart.   We lost a babe at 13 & 1/2 weeks.  But we have been completely surrounded with love, care & prayer.

Because of complications we spent a long scary night at the hospital.  But driving home the next morning I found myself thinking "I simply remember my favorite things & then I don't feel so bad."

So I did.

I thought of my prayer pal, a sweet 5th grader dear to my heart.  On Sunday she handed me a crumpled up wad of tissue paper,
"Merry Christmas," she said shly. 

I remember the joy that little package brought me when I opened it to find the tiniest jingle bells that she had strung onto green thread for me to hang on my tree.

I remember the joy I felt when just a week ago

Annie got to play Mary in the church nativity....

D. Chua Photo

....and how Bo the white cow spun around the

entire song and made me laugh until I cried.

D. Chua Photo

I found joy in returning home to a house decorated for Christmas

full of people who love me and each other.

And I knew...I needed to keep seeking joy.

So that very night we found joy jumping into the Christmas jammies Beth sent, and we jumped into our big ole' car

(my parents in there too :)

to ride around and look at Christmas lights.

And my kids favorite display of all is a

church nativity display by our home.

...and that fills me with joy.

Remember dear friends,

even on the darkest nights.

There is light and joy all around.

Be sure to find it!

P.S.  Thanks to my parents & husband who are taking the best care of my family and me!

Our Christmas Miracle

See this book:

It's my favorite.

It's where we record our family faith stories.

I started writing it the night Annie asked Jesus into her heart.

I took a picture of her that very night & wrote about what happened.

I also wrote her a special blessing prayer.

It starts with a page for each memeber of our

family where I can record special dates.  

Then, Annie's faith story.

That is followed by Kelly's & my faith stories.

I love reading about how my husband

accepted Christ in his own handwriting.

It has stories of famlily miracles and God's faithfulness. 

I am also going to ask our parents to record their faith stories.

And on my birthday...

I got the best gift ever!

I got to add Bo's faith story!!!

We were waiting in the car for Annie to come out of school, Rocco was singing at the top of his lungs, singing nothing at all.  Bo stopped him, "Rocco, you should sing 'I love God!'  Like this."  And they did.  When they were done Bo said, I want to ask Jesus into my heart and be a Christian. 

WHAT!!!

We talked.

He was ready.

We prayed.

I cried!

And when we got home I took his picture.

(Much longer version in our book :)

Is there any better Christmas Gift than that?

Eternal life and a personal relationship with God!

I hope you've received God's gift!