Christmas 2013

We had an awesome Christmas! I've never felt the Christmas spirit as strong as our family did this year.  The generosity of others was amazing, and I can't wait until Andrew has graduated and has a real income so that we can help other people the way others helped us this year.

2 awesome events.

One of our trips to the Columbus Zoo lights was on a particularly warm night.  McKenna was only a couple months old, so she was eating often.  Because it was warm enough, I sat outside at a picnic table to give her her bottle while Andrew and Jake looked around.  I ended up sitting with a cute little family of 4. They had a boy and a girl with a similar age gap as our two kids, but they were a few years older.  We got to talking, and by the end of the conversation they had offered us their little boys' old toy cars that he didn't use anymore.  Multiple boxes full of cars!  Jake LOVES the cars, and I am amazed at the generosity of complete strangers.  The world might seem hard and cold sometimes, but there really are great people out there! Thanks to that sweet family, we had some fun toys to put under the tree.

Just a few days later, we were packing the kids in the car after church and found a Christmas card with a sweet note and an anonymous Visa gift card that was extremely generous.  I definitely teared up with gratitude.  I saved the card and the gift card wrappings and we'll frame them to put out with our Christmas decorations to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas every year.  

How awesome is that!?  Definitely something you hear about and read online, but both events actually  happened.  To us.  And I'm so grateful.

Christmas day was a lot of fun.  The kids were spoiled by their grandparents and Aunt Kim and Uncle Darrell.  Jake is starting to really understand gifts and unwrapping presents, and he LOVED it.

We spent the night Christmas Eve at my parents house and woke up to Santa's gifts under the tree where I remember my Christmas mornings growing up.  It was a lot of fun- kids definitely add a fun dynamic and a great excitement to the gift aspect of Christmas.

We spent the afternoon and evening at my Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Tom's house eating yummy food and having fun with my mom's side of the family.

I am so grateful to celebrate my Savior Jesus Christ and to focus on Him during the Christmas season.  I definitely love the love that is shown by the whole world more fully during this time of year.  While the presents and cookies and Santa are a lot of fun, the Savior is the true meaning of the season.  I'm thankful for the great gifts that He has given me, especially for the perfect life He led and His example.   His atoning sacrifice that allows each of us to return to live with Him if we will follow that perfect example He set for us is the ultimate gift.

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year!  Jake's Christmas number 2 and McKenna's first.  I am already excited for next years Christmas season!

Cleveland Trips

We spent quite a bit of time in Cleveland during our Christmas break, between a trip to the market, a family trip downtown, and a Cav's game.

Andrew went with my dad, Kim, Kory, and my grandparents to his first NBA game.  I was at home with my mom and the kids and poor Darrell, who was sick. 

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is meeting up with my mom's side of the family to see Santa and shop around downtown Cleveland.

Everyone's favorite part of our downtown trip is Hard Rock Cafe.  Jake and McKenna were a little grumpy by time we made it to lunch, but it was fun and delicious!

Zoo Lights

One of my favorite Christmas traditions that we've started since living in Columbus is visiting the Columbus Zoo for the zoo lights they put on.  The lights are extremely impressive, and I'm pretty sure Andrew and I enjoy them at least as much as the kids.

Poor McKenna was only a couple months old, so we bundled her nice and tight and she slept most of the time.  Jake was in awe.  At first he kept saying "cool, lights!" but the majority of the time we walked around, he was very serious and looked around like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.  

We made a few trips this year, and a couple of the days were pretty warm, and a couple of them were pretty cold.  We had fun whether we we were all bundled up or if we didn't even need a coat.  We love all things Christmas!

Cleveland West Side Market

December 23rd, Andrew and I took a kid-less trip (thanks Mom!) with Kim and Darrell to meet my grandma at the West Side Market in Cleveland.  As kids, we'd meet up with my grandparents there every summer, and it's such a fun atmosphere!

We bought a few little things here and there, but the best part of the day was definitely lunch from my grandma at Steve Gyros, which has been recognized on the travel channel for how good they are. Mmmm!

Our trip to the market was definitely a Christmas highlight!

Joy

Today my heart is full of gratitude and love.

Recently I told Jake that I love him, and he responded with a cute grin, "love you too."  Wow.  For a boy who just learned to put two words together recently, that's a big deal.  His first sentence with 3 words.

I've been thinking today about how he picked up on saying "love you too."  Everything else Jake has learned to say, we've taught him, saying it over and over and encouraging him to mimic us.  This time was different, though.  We hadn't taught him to respond to us telling him that we love him.

I'm so thankful to have a family full of so much love that even our little man has clearly noticed.  I'm so grateful to have a husband that constantly tells me how much he loves me.  I'm grateful to have so much love for the amazing man I married and for our beautiful children.

I'm also incredibly grateful to know that God loves me.  He loves each of His children no matter what.  No matter what we do, what we look like, or the mistakes that we make.  He loves us perfectly; more than we can possibly fathom or imagine.  I'm thankful to know that He loves me and to feel that love in my life every day.

My heart is overflowing with joy!

Thanksgiving 2013

We had a great Thanksgiving.  Aside from McKenna, who was stuck with the same old formula, we all ate VERY well.  We had a relaxing morning and a fun afternoon and evening with my mom's side of the family at my Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Tom's house.

Jake was quite the handful for Andrew, who followed him around to keep him out of trouble all day.  McKenna may have even topped the turkey in popularity and enjoyed being held the entire time.

While this has been our poorest Thanksgiving to date, we have more to be thankful for this year than ever.  We have 2 beautiful, healthy children, so much to hope for and to look forward to, and more love than I could have ever imagined.   I enjoy this time of year because everyone's hearts are filled with more love and gratitude, especially for family and for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was a perfect first Thanksgiving for McKenna and 2nd Thanksgiving for Jake.

Boo!

(First of all, I realize this post is WAY outdated already- sorry!)

Holiday's are starting to be more and more fun as Jake begins to understand traditions and can participate.  Halloween was no exception (aside from the fit he threw prior to going out when we tried to take pictures of him).  He didn't quite get the dressing up and was not thrilled about the pouring rain during trick-or-treat, but boy did he enjoy the spoils he gained!  The boy LOVES chocolate!

We dressed Jake up as a cute monster, which seems to fit him quite well.  He can be quite the stinker, but he is adorable.

We put McKenna in a cute "first halloween" shirt, but didn't subject her to any crazy costumes since she was barely a month old.  We did bring her out in the rain to trick-or-treat with her brother, but covered in blankets and with an umbrella.  She had no idea we even went since she slept the entire time, and luckily no idea on the candy she missed out on.  Next year she'll enjoy it more!

I'm already excited for next Halloween- I even have the kid's costumes already!  McKenna will be Belle and Jake has his choice between Woody and Buzz.  Hopefully the next time we trick-or-treat there will be no rain and no temper tantrums, but even with the elements against us, it was a great day!