Merry Christmas

What a morning we had with our crew. It is so fun to have little ones at Christmas. We had a great time opening presents and just being with each other. I treasure each moment.

I will add some pictures tomorrow or sometime soon. I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Lots going on. Merry Christmas!

Well, let me start by saying my new job last Friday was good. It wasn't too hard leaving Brenna with a friend and she had a great day. Hopefully she will nap the next time she goes. I don't want to work everyday, but working 3 days a month won't be too bad. It was a long day since the orthodontist is only in town three days a month. He is a very nice man and seems to really care for his patients and his employees. It seems like God really provided for us in a way I wasn't expecting.

We are now in Houston until Saturday morning. So far we have had a great time. Mom and I went to College Station on Saturday and picked up a new puppy for them. Bella is a Havanese like Riley, and she is so cute. Brenna loves her and Bella is great with Brenna. She loves to play hard then curl up on someones lap to take a good nap. If only she to potty outside, Mom will be thrilled.

I don't think Riley loves his new live-in girl friend yet, but one day he will.




With the an addition of the new puppy, Christmas will be even more crazy. How fun. I can't wait. We will have 2 dogs, 1 puppy, 2 cats, 2 toddlers, 1 crawler, 4 adults, 2 grandparents, and 1 great grandparent. Then on Friday night 2 more grandparents and 1 more adult will be added. Anyone else want to come. It should be loads of fun. I hope everyone sleeps.

We went to Cypress Bible Church on Sunday. It was fun for me to see the church where I spent my child hood growing up. I saw some people I haven't seen in years and I got to see how the church has grown. Before we left for church we were able to talk a family picture. I wish we could have made Brenna smile, but it just didn't happen. Maybe next year.


I hope everyone else has a great Christmas. I don't know what else I will be adding in the craziness of the next few days. I'm sure I will have a lot of pictures after Thursday.

"Christmasisms"

Each year so far, Brenna has learned something new about Christmas. Last year, she learned to say "Santa", only she said, "Nanta". This year she has the real word down but has learned of a new Christmas pop band. Frosty and the Snowman. Have you heard of them? She loves to watch the movie and play their hit song over and over.

We have also been talking about Baby Jesus and that Christmas is celebrating his birthday. I was helping her role play with her little people nativity set when I got called away. I came back to this.

Apparently everyone needed to crowd in closely to see baby Jesus.

I also heard the old familiar tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" wafting from the bathroom one afternoon. Nathan slyly asked me if I knew why she was singing that song.

I responded, "Well, I saw her take the lamb into the bathroom with her. Ohhh, she also had Mary. Now that makes sense doesn't it."

Do you think she knew how true her words were?

Lastly, I have been baking like a mad woman last night and all day today. I think I am finished. I burned one batch of my Ginger Molasses Cookies, and my sugar cookies, though tasty, turned out to be a sticky mess. Hopefully everyone will eat them with a napkin handy. Maybe I should serve them with a warning label. At the end of the night, this is what I had to show for all my hard work.


Luckily I have a husband who is great enough to do all those dishes. I kept telling him he should be glad I had already done them several times today. Yea for Nathan. I didn't have to cook everything and clean it all up too.

So, now I am feeling a bit tired. I think I will retire to bed with a good book for the evening.

An overwhelming amount of information

Well, maybe it won't be too much information, but I am a little scattered in my thoughts and pictures today. First just let me say that Brenna slept okay last night. She isn't feeling wonderful today, but is sleeping now for her nap.

We finally got everything decorated and are enjoying all our decorations. Brenna's favorite decorations are the singing stuffed toys from Hallmark. She wants to play them repeatedly every day.

Here is your annual pose if front of the tree. Can you guess what she is saying?

And one with her cute little smile.


I have a funny story that took place when we were getting the tree ready to bring into the house. Nathan was outside our bedroom window cutting the end of the tree off. Brenna and I joined him and basically just watched while he did all the work. Then there was a movement in the window and I pointed out to Nathan that Westin was standing with his paws rested on the sill. Nathan broke out in, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." If any of you know my cat, he loves to eat the tree, drink its water and get sick all through the Christmas season. He thinks he is hiding, but we know better.


Thanks Oma and Pepere for the gingerbread house. It has been a big hit. Yesterday we invited one of Brenna's friends over to decorate. They both had a good time and most of the candy was put on the house.

Brenna wasn't done yesterday, so we finished it up ourselves today. I think she ate almost as much as she put on the house today. I guess one day of solid decorating with candy is more than a mom can ask for.


You can tell in the next picture that she just tried to lick some of icing of her finished product. The temptation was just too great.


Finally, I never posted pictures from last weekend when Mom and Dad brought Tanner and Avery to our house. We had a great time. Santa was at the park taking pictures with kids. As you can see, Brenna and Tanner didn't really want anything to do with him. Mimi had to be in that picture. I guess I was lucky to be back at home with Avery. I was the one in Brenna's picture last year.

I eventually made it to the park with Avery. She really enjoyed the backpack. Maybe I should let Aaron and Liz borrow it.

At the end of the day, Mimi was very brave and wanted to rub a dub, dub with all three babes in the tub. I don't think any of them were happy about that. Brenna horded all the toys, Avery was crying to get out, and Tanner just wanted more room. I'm glad I was making dinner.


I think I am all caught up on pictures and stories for now. Although, I'm sure I will have more to share very soon.

I feel like a really mean Mommy!

This morning, Brenna woke up again early looking for her paci. This has been going on for about two weeks now. Many mornings she woke up as early as 5am. This is very early for my child. Anyways, when I went in to help her find her paci this morning, I couldn't find it. Nathan and I both looked forever and finally gave up. I started explaining that paci was lost and Brenna is a big girl now. She doesn't need her paci when she has Bear and Be-Be. She didn't seem to take it too hard and eventually got out of bed. When she did, I looked down and there was that paci. I made a quick stash and decided to leave things be and end the paci now.

Well nap time came as it always does. Of course she wanted the paci, but it was lost remember. Now she is in bed crying for all kinds of things, and I am praying that she will just fall asleep. Will someone out there help me to be strong? I can't give in. I just can't give in, but I don't want her to stay awake for the rest of her life. Tell me it will get better than right now.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

First let me say that I am completely procrastinating on what I really need to be doing right now. I still don't have a talk written for Sunday night, but I did figure out what my topic will be. So, I decided to reward myself with a little blogging. I was also smelling the wonderful scent of our Christmas tree mixed with the scent of a newly baked loaf of bread and couldn't resist sharing them both with everyone. I did bake a wonderful loaf of bread. Did you notice all the grainy texture in it. Grainy textured bread is one of my favorite things. I even waited on lunch just so I could have fresh piece. Mmm.

I do love Christmas time. This year I am constantly being reminded the real meaning of Christmas. Maybe it is because I am teaching Brenna more this year than she has learned in past ones or maybe I am just more reflective this year than past ones. Either way, I am thinking a lot about Jesus and his birth. Oh, you will still hear your fair share of Santa Clause in our house, but we are also talking a lot about Jesus' birthday.

Nathan, Brenna, and I haven't really formed any formal traditions yet because this is really the first year Brenna has actively participated in Christmas. On Tuesday night, we went to Walmart and Brenna helped pick out the tree. Then last night we all decorated it together. Decorating was even more fun as I watched the amazement and wonder surface on my daughter's face.


Pepere and Oma, you might recognize these some of the next few ornaments. The beads were part of the decoration on the bag that they used to wrap this years ornament. Brenna wanted to put them on the tree. They were the first she ever hung.

Here are a few more of our favorites. They all have special memories.

This one looks ordinary, but is from our honeymoon.

Brenna was particularly fond of this one. Thanks Nena.

We all got ornaments at the Christmas concert this year. Nathan had all the singers and band members sign ours. It is a new favorite.

This is a representative of many that Oma and Pepere have given us. This was in box full of ornaments that we got the first Christmas we were married. Each year they send us a new beautiful ornament. This years said "Let it Snow". I couldn't help but see the irony of that one.

Mom has been making us ornaments every year since we were married. They are beautiful and treasured, but none of the picture I took of those turned out very good. I'll have to try again on those.

Now you have had a glimpse of our tree. Here is one last of Brenna admiring our work last night before she went to bed.

Welcome to the Christmas Season

What a great way to enter this season. The Casting Crowns concert was so much fun. I loved how I was reminded about what this season is really all about. I was reminded how Christmas songs are worshipful. I was reminded of how blessed I am. I was reminded of all the jobs God has saved for me. I love that he chooses to use me when he could really do it much better on his own. It was a good night.

There were several groups that were a part of this concert, but I enjoyed Casting Crowns the most. I think my favorite part was being able to meet everyone and have a chance to talk with the groups. We were able to shake their hands and ask them questions. I loved being able to tell everyone how much I appreciated their music.



It seems as if the craze of Christmas has hit me early this year. I can't seem to get it together enough to just enjoy December. Hopefully this weekend will help. I am hoping to get all the decorations up this weekend, but it will be busy. Nathan has two concerts, Mom and Dad are bringing Tanner and Avery here on Saturday, and Sunday is Youth Group without Nathan. It should be crazy. Hopefully we will all survive.

So here is the rest of our week last week after Thanksgiving. Mom and I shopped all day Friday and a good portion on Saturday. I am happy to say that I am exhausted but almost done with all our shopping. It was fun to be out with the crazies on Friday, but I wouldn't want to do that every day.


On Saturday, Nena wanted to take Brenna to feed the ducks. She loved it, but those ducks were a little aggressive for a two and a half year old to manage alone. Mom had to hold her and Nena kept getting pecked. I was lucky enough to be the photographer and therefore had no bread in my hands.

This picture makes me laugh because it looks like Brenna is running from the ducks, but actually we had just arrived. She was running to the table behind me and all the ducks were following to see what kind of luck they would have that day.


Dad and Brenna had a little time to catch up on their morning newspaper.


We all had a great week, but I think we all left a little more tired than we began. The animals tell it all.

Happy Thanksgiving

The Jones/Collins festivities began last night after dinner. Brenna had to help Mimi make the cornbread. She is so cute helping. I can't resist taking pictures of her cooking.


Apparently it takes 4 to make good dressing.

Brenna went to bed shortly after that and we spent the rest of the night baking cookies and getting ready for the big day.

Thanksgiving day came. We didn't eat until 3:30 so there was a lot of time for important activities before the food.

Brenna is saving the world one fire at a time.


Brenna missed Thanksgiving dinner. Those darn naps. (I actually hope she misses the late afternoon dinners for a few more years.) However she did wake up in time to help blow the candles out.
Step one: Take a big breath

Step 2: Blow hard

Step 3: Register your shocked look


I guess everyone needs to catch up on computer skills with full tummies.


And of course you have to take a bath at the end of the day.


All in all we had a good day. We missed family that wasn't with us. Unfortunately everyone doesn't live in the same state. I hope your families all had a good day and enjoyed each other's company. I hope you were able to thank God for the your blessings and His care in your lives.

Now for tomorrow. Mom and I are joining the crazy people early in the morning. We have never done this before and we will probably know why tomorrow. Then there is the big concert tomorrow night. It should be a great day too.

Thus begins the Christmas holiday's of 2008.

Another fun Saturday

We had a great day today. Aaron brought the kids down to our house for the day. Brenna and Tanner played together all day and Avery tried to play with them. Liz was at a retreat and was not able to be a part of our day. It was fun to be able to spend this time with Aaron and the kids.

Aaron and I took the kids to the park down the street. He chased them while Avery and I laughed at how funny they were. For the most part, Brenna and Tanner play well together.

But there is the occasional argument. I'm not sure what this one was over, but they worked it out between themselves.








Brenna, Nathan, and I also went to have Brenna's picture taken with Santa today. It was really quite a busy day. Brenna did better this year than she did last year. She actually sat on Santa's lap. It took a little coercing from Nathan and I, but she did finally smile. She didn't say a word when we were in the room with Santa, but wouldn't stop talking him all the way home. What a silly girl.