Christmas Joy!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I just LOVE this time of year. The first snow fell a few days ago and we had fun playing in it:

We stayed outside for an hour and a half just playing, building, throwing snowballs at eachother and laughing. Nothing like coming inside and warming up to a nice warm cup of hot chocolate.
All of our gifts are wrapped and we are ready for fun with our families this week. The most wonderful surprise came EARLY on Monday morning when I got a phone call that my sister n' law (my brother's wife) was in labor. This is their first child, and my first time being an aunt for my own sibling's child so VERY exciting times.

He is so handsome, the birth went well and he is healthy as can be, such a Christmas blessing, so now on Christmas day we will get to visit with our new member of the family, love him so much already!

Yesterday we spent all day baking 5 different varieties of Christmas cookies and we went to visit my grandma and grandpa in their nursing home today and brought them cookies and Christmas Joy and they were so happy to have us visit (and eat some cookies: ) We go to Christmas Eve service candlelight service tonight and I can't wait to celebrate Jesus' birthday with my family.

I hope that each of you have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy this time with your families.

Spreading Christmas Love

Last night I went Christmas caroling with Lauren and her girl scout troop to a local retirement community. They had a list of residents who rarely or never receive visitors (which broke my heart). We knocked on doors and the residents eyes just lit up with the sight of little girls singing carols. They would bob their heads to the music, sing along (sometimes loudly) and complimented the girls after every song.
This lady was asleep when we knocked but roused quickly at the thought of having girls sing Christmas carols (can't you just see the joy in her eyes):

In one couples apartment, they asked us to come in and the girls surrounded his recliner before we noticed he was sitting there in his underwear.... oops! The nurse got him a blanket and the show went on : ) He LOVED the music and was singing so loudly with them. When the girls were done his wife said "where are you going?" and we explained we had a lot of other rooms to visit, to which she replied "ohhhh I would just love it if you could stay longer"..... heart wrenching.
Our final destination brought us to this lovely womans apartment:


She was so sweet and enjoyed them singing so much. As the girls turned to go she said "can I please have a hug", each girl lined up and hugged her one by one. She asked each girl their name and told them how beautiful their names where and to have a very Merry Christmas. Lauren was THRILLED because the lady told her "I have a grand daughter named Lauren, such a beautiful name."
What a wonderful experience and a great lesson for our girls. It did my heart good to spread love this Christmas season, especially to those who needed it most.

I love my dog!

Every December in Cincinnati they have an annual Reindog parade, it is such fun!
If you want to see what it's like, check it out:


We picked up Mickey's outfit today...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I think he likes it : )

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE this time of year. I love looking at the Christmas tree glowing in our living room at night. I love shopping for presents for loved ones, and wrapping them. I love walking to the mailbox and getting Christmas cards. I love driving around with the family at night in search of pretty houses all decorated with lights (we did this last night). I love all of the wonderful things that the Cincinnati area has to offer this time of year.
This morning I went with the kids and my mom to the Shriner's Hospital Gingerbread House Display Contest, it was wonderful. Here are some pictures of our favorites:
They had a Gingerbread house in the Culinary Arts Competition area that was the "UP" House, loved it!


This was a pretty one:



This one was of Findlay Market, the attention to detail was amazing. It was in the professional category.

There were sooooo many houses, they blew me away. If this blogger photo upload was any quicker I would upload them all, but I digress.........

We had such a great time looking at all of the houses and voting for our favorites. Then we got back into the car and headed over to another Cincinnati treasure, Krohn Conservatory. The pointsettas were just beautiful!
The kids and I in front of the pretty flowers:


Mom and the kids in front of the pointsetta tree:


The live nativity scene they have outside wasn't open today,they said it will be on the 11th so we'll have to return.

So much more things to look forward to and displays to see. On our list are the downtown displays, Holiday in Lights drive through at Sharon Woods, Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo, the Reindog parade (gotta look for an outfit for Mickey for this one), seeing a Nutcracker performance and a live Christmas Carol performance at the Aronoff center, and a new one to try: Neiderman farm. Another tradition of ours is sitting around the Christmas tree and sipping on hot chocolate with the kids while we tell Christmas stories. You can't forget all of the holiday baking and decorating to come too, just LOVE this time of year. I hope you are enjoying it with your families too!
-Lesley

Answering Life's Difficult Questions

Tonight Lauren and I went to a local pottery store to create a special gift for someone who will remain nameless in fear they may read the blog. On our way there Lauren talked my ear off in typical Lauren fashion (no radio is required when you are in the car alone with Lauren). As we drove around she started talking about how much she missed preschool. When I asked her why she missed it she of course mentioned her teacher and then she said "I also miss talking about Jesus at school, why can't we talk about Jesus in Kindergarten". Wow, that question blew me away....... I started talking about the difference between public and private school to my inquiring 6 year old (most of which I thought would go over her head) and explained to her that is why we go to church on Sunday, so she can learn about and talk about Jesus because they don't do that in a public school. She did not seem satisfied by my answer, and more questions kept arising.
I didn't want to tell her yet in her young mind that not all people are believers, seems a difficult subject to broach with your 6 year old when she still believes in Santa Claus and what a huge bottle of worms that will open up when she questions that, will she automatically question her belief in Jesus as well?
These are the subjects I wish I had a parenting manual for. Anyone want to write one?

It costs HOW much!?!

This year, my school district switched from traditional medical insurance to a Health Savings Account. We have a 4000 dollar deductable we have to meet (the district threw in 2000 towards that deductable). Up until the deductible is met we pay for EVERYTHING at cost. After the deductible is met you pay for nothing.
This is an interest bearing account and it is YOUR money, so what you don't spend rolls into the next year, etc. I was hoping I wouldn't meet our deductible this year so some money would roll into the account next year since the district isn't putting as much in towards the deductable next year. Well....... now I'm thinking that isn't going to happen. I've gone to the doctor a few times, kids a few times, and each appointment has averaged around $125. Well, today I took Luke to the eye doctor and it was $375!!! WOW!!! I didn't anticipate that. Tim has prescriptions to fill next month and I've been calling around and it's averaging around $375 for ONE months supply. It's funny in this country how when we have health insurance we just blindly hand over the card and don't have a clue what the medical professionals and medication companies are charging us........ well, my eyes have been opened and I don't like what I see.

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and as I sit here my head is spinning with all I am thankful for this year........... isn't that a WONDERFUL feeling.
I am most thankful for my relationship with my Lord and savior and my salvation and his undying GRACE. I know that it is because of him that I so thankful and blessed.

I am thankful for my wonderful marriage of 11 years. Being married to my best friend is an awesome feeling. I am thankful for his constant support and love, for always making me laugh even when I want to cry, his devotion to me and our children, and for just being the outstanding man that he is- LOVE my husband!


I am thankful for my two outstanding children.

I am truly thankful for their health and well being and their individual personalities that make me smile and proud to be their mother on a daily basis. They are AMAZING children and make my job as their mom an easy one.


I am thankful for my parents.

I was blessed by having two incredible parents growing up and they now have turned into friends and there isn't anything better than that. I talk to my mom almost every single day and I am thankful for that friendship and her support and for dad's listening ear and advice whenever I need it. More than that, I am thankful for the examples they gave to me of parenting, marriage and struggles that were life lessons for me that have molded me into the person that I am today.

I am thankful for my brother and his wife (my sister n' law) and the baby that they will have here in the next month or so.

I am already an aunt to many nieces and nephews on Tim's side whom I love dearly, but am SO incredibly excited to meet my first blood nephew for the very first time. I hope a lot of babysitting is in my near future, I desperately need a baby fix!

I am thankful for my extended family. Tim is one of seven children and that is a lot of family, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters in law and parents n' law, or as my mother n' law puts it "Mother n' Love, not law". They are wonderful to me and have always excepted me into their family as one of their own and for that I am truly thankful. (there are so MANY of them, I chose one picture of Tim's mom with Lauren to represent the whole crew below):



I am thankful for all of the friends that I have, the old and the very new. It is funny how with time friends change because your interests change and how some stay true and how you cherish those relationships. We have made very new friendships this past year and it has been wonderful watching those develop and I am truly thankful for what they have already become and how much they will grow in years to come.

I am thankful for the wonderful children that the Lord has blessed me to work with on a daily basis. I am not going to lie, being a special education teacher is a STRUGGLE on a daily basis and takes a every single bit of my time and energy at work every day but I LOVE those children with all of my heart. I know the Lord blessed me with a gift and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for my staff that works with me every day - they are not paid much and they are the most dedicated bunch of women I know and I love them for that and am truly thankful for their hard work daily!

I am thankful for our home, shelter, Christmas presents that are purchased and ready to be given downstairs, our family pets who bring me joy (and headaches at time) I do love them so! Thankful for our cars to drive, money in our bank account and job security.
I am extremely thankful the various trips we have been able to take this past year and have planned to take in the upcoming year.
Disney:

Gatlinburg:

Kiawah Island:

Grand Haven Michigan:



Disney for Halloween:



It boggles my mind every time I think about it.

So yes, I have a LOT to be thankful for in 2009. Thank you for being a part of our lives. I pray that you have a wonderful, magical, memorable Thanksgiving this year and that you take time to remember everything you are thankful for!