Kick-Off To Christmas

It has been tradition for years now to start the Christmas season by shopping for and putting together shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

Is it just me, or are things sneaking up on you too?

Like November, for instance?

The kids and I snuck out one afternoon to head to the Dollar store to purchase our shoe boxes.

It is so fun to select gifts for these shoe boxes!

We bought a box for Kayla too, and then a couple of nights later we all got together to pack the boxes and make cards to send inside them as well.

We never need a reason to be all together, but it was fun to have a project to work on!

I helped Tate while Blake helped Eliza.

Someone’s box got sent without a pink slinky!

But this blond hair blue-eyed boy is pretty hard to resist.

Ellie Joy sang to us while we worked!

I know, I know.

I will kiss her for you.

Your welcome!

We had dinner together before we packed the shoe boxes, and then we played a lot too.

I am sure I do not need to mention who the biggest kid is?

This tradition and our cookie baking tradition are two of my favorite things to do all year long!

I never have to be reminded to schedule these things to make sure they get done…but I know some kiddos who would never let me forget!

We are so excited for the Christmas season!!

It is just full of SO MUCH JOY!!

Christmas time kick-off, you were a success!

A Beautiful Place

This sweet little home we call Twin Oaks suits us SO well.

It does not look like we will work on the land this year…but even without the yard being graded or having grass planted, Twin Oaks is still SO beautiful.

The kids and Sadie have a blast outside in the late afternoons!

I love watching them run around out there – and I LOVE, love, love that I can see them from the kitchen windows!

The views off the deck are another thing to LOVE.

This ridge is SO beautiful!

We are enjoying our new normal here at Twin Oaks more than we ever could have imagined!

It will be SO fun to see that land come to life in the spring when we are able to work on it!

Until then, I bet these kiddos play out there every chance they get.

A Change In Plans

Without sharing all of the complexities of this decision, we would like to share that Eliza’s upcoming surgery has been cancelled and will no longer be happening.

We are still in the process of learning what and where a follow-up schedule for her care will look like.

You can only imagine the immediate weight this change has taken off of our family, but especially off of our precious Eliza.

We still have much to lay at Jesus’s feet, because her medical condition has not changed.

As always, we are trusting in the Lord!

And excited to watch Him work in our precious daughter’s life!

So Long Crazy Season

We relished in these past two weeks so much.

Things are slowing down!

I feel caught up on things I haven’t been for months!

It’s been super sweet.

Our school and chore schedule is working nicely!

Me and my crew of four enjoy our days together SO much!

We have been able to spend more time with our favorite people!

Which we all love, love, LOVE!

The kids have been able to enjoy some down time and just play!

We are never too busy to enjoy what the Lord blesses us with!

The colors right now are BEAUTIFUL.

The guys have been able to work on some house projects!

The piano movers came over a week ago and moved the piano downstairs.

And then my guys worked on getting the music nook put together!

This weekend I actually SAT down in the afternoon and read a BOOK!

I know, I know.

Saturday I even wrote down some goals.

And read some goals I wrote down in the spring.

Before the farm sold.

Not one of those goals has been met!

One of my new (and old) goals is to learn more about photography and take photos with my camera instead of my phone.

Cause these photos are GREAT memories to have….but their quality is lacking!

So sorry, little blog of mine.

This week looks lovely as well!

I spent some time planning school today, the house is tidy, the meals are ready, and I am excited to start a new week with my crew!!

Hope you all are excited about this week too!

Happy Monday, everyone!!