Kings of Christmas

Today we spent the day celebrating Christmas with my family (the Kings).   It was an eventful year and with that came new/long lost family members and so our Christmas gathering tripled in size this year!  It was a beautiful blessing of a day!

 

However, along with such a larger gathering came so many presents.  My dining room is filled with stuff--- mostly of new toys for Owen.  So as much as I would love to blog and share all the exciting moments of the day, I have too much to put away!

Santa Claus is One Scary Dude!

On Christmas Eve Night a strange man comes into our homes by coming down our chimney.  If anyone else did this they would be arrested for breaking and entering.  He watches us when we are sleeping....  Stalker anyone?

 

This stranger leaves us presents.  Most people who receive elaborate presents from a stranger would feel weird.

He loves children and encourages them to sit on his lap. 

 

 

Who voluntarily place their child on the lap of a strange old man who gives them candy and hangs old with elves all day?

All I am saying is that I am not at all surprised when children respond negatively to this!

 

I think that maybe the kids of it right and they are sitting on Santa's lap thinking that their parents have lost their minds!!!

Meet Coby

Meet Coby!

He is the newest member to the Gann Family.    Coby is 13 weeks old and a Miniature Schnauzer.  He is also Bill’s Christmas Present.  (And no before you ask, I did not wrap him or put a bow on him.  I, instead opened the front door and handed him off to my husband as I took my 1 year old crab monster into my arms.- By the way the new puppy made him giggle repeatedly.)

I think Coby –I have to keep saying his name because he has been with us for 3 days and had a name for a total of 15 minutes- is adjusting to the move.  Our Shi Tzu, Cash, is showing him the ropes and I can only hope that they become as close as him and Carter were.  Carter was our Schnauzer who was killed in may by a hit and run. 

So here is the sweet little face that will eat dozens of my high heels and Owen’s toys in the months to come.  When this happens please remind me of how sweet and innocent he began.  ;)

Blood is Thicker Than Water

 

"A cousin is a ready-made friend for life."

Author: Unknown

When I was pregnant I was surprised (but excited)  to find out that my little brother was also expecting.  When we realized that they would be born within 3 weeks of each other, I was overjoyed.  When we found out that they would both be boys…. Well I started saving bail money!

 

They will fight.

They will play.

They will explore!

  

Find trouble.

And break a ton of hearts….

Knowing that I get to watch our generation evolve and grow together warms my heart.  I see so much of myself in my son and like wise for my brother and nephew.  

Such amazing little men that they already are.  Cannot wait to see who they become!

And did I mention that they are adorable!!!

Cold November Nights

I always have a love hate toward this time of year.  I love the idea of holidays swiftly approaching and the idea of family memories being created.  However with the warm thoughts this gives me it also sweeps in with a cold chilling climate that i am never quite prepared for and always happy to bid a sweet farewell to it in the spring.

However, the one thing the cold weather does bring, an excuse for sweaters, scarves and oversized coats. 

So I guess I will welcome it in.  The good, the bad and the ugly (did I mention freezing cold?).   Anyone for hot chocolate?

Trial and Error

 

I may never give my husband’s computer back.  I have discovered that I can link it directly to my blog and it will allow for posts and creativity beyond what I have currently mastered.  May I just say-Wow!  So the next few blogs to come will mainly be trial and error.

The funny thing about trial and error is that you can blame your goofiness and wacky decisions on it.

   But then again, isn’t life one big version of trial and error?

I mean has anyone ever met the Master of it all? 

The one who has everything figured out?

Well if you have, I would love to meet her.

Yes I believe she is woman if of course she even exists because most mean can not even find a clean pair of socks.

 

 

I am not bashing men.   I love men!  Preferably my husband.  And he does do so much that I cannot  (and/or will not).

 

But this is not about him.  This is about mistakes and surprisingly exciting results.

Wow!  My house!  How cool is that?  My house, with its multi-colored roof which we plan to finish…. Eventually!

So many projects that we start and eventually finish.

Another example of life.

And this life, crazy, amazing, and full of surprises.  None of which I want to change!

 

A Year Flies by!

I cannot believe that it has already been a year. a year has come and gone since our lives changed. We were living the crazy fun life with little responsibilities when we finally decided to have a baby. We were pregnant before we had a chance to change our minds and it seemed we blinked maybe twice before he was born. And now, an entire year has past and we have just celebrated his first birthday.

It amazes me the person he is becoming. He is so full of personality and almost always excited and happy. Almost! There are those moments when he is mad, and let me tell you- he can really get mad. However, 95% of the time he is wonderfula nd 100% of the time he is PERFECT!

What really Matters

On April 10th, the Middles School in Fredericktown (Town I teach in) was burned down. The fire was so intense that everything was destroyed. All text books, student files, teacher resources... Everything. The fire was thought to have reached well over 2000 degrees because of how it fused so much glass together.

In the aftermath, as a community mourned the loss of a building in which so many memories were obtained from (it was our oldest currently used school), I prayed for the loss that so many had endured. For the students.. Their second home now gone. For the teachers... years of supllies and resources that they had collected-burned to nothing and unrecognizable. For the community... a landmark of their personal history.

It was a tragedy but no one was hurt or injured during or whiel fighting th efire an dthat is a reason to rejoice. All of the tools that were so easily counted on were lost- But the knowledge that those students had been taught all year along was not going anywhere. It coul dnot be burned in a fire. The passion that the educators had, still there!!!

I laid in bed last night looking around my bedroom thinking to myself "What would I grab if there was a fire? What could I not live without?" Nothing. As long as I had my family and knowing that God is there, that is all I need. It was a reminder, yet again, that the material things are definately nice but it is not about that. It is about God and everything he has given me. It is about th elove of my family and about the ease in knowing we are safe and healthy.

Did our community suffer? Yes. Is it th eend of the world? No. Will we be bigger an better with God's help that ever before? DEFINATELY!!!

A Beautiful Easter Break

I left school on Thursday, at 11:15am knowing that I had 5 and a half days of celebrating and relaxing.

This was Owen's very first Easter. The sun was to be shinning and his RSV seemed to be clearing up. And so, we started our weekend out right. We hit the park and we played.

Friday evening Owen stayed with his Aunt so that Bill adn I could have Mommy and Daddy alone time. Of course, we had to invite Jamie because she is a contributing force in our marriage and I do not know if we would be so successfully married if it was not for her. LOL

Saturday, Bill, Jamie, Keegan, Owen and I headed to Engler park where I was hopeful that Owen would enjoy his first Egg hunt. Well, they are definately discriminating ther because they said he had to be one. :( We did enjoy watching Keegan though.

Saturda night we went to church. I absolutely love my church. (Shout out to Meadow Heights!!!) I have heard the Easter service message every year for 30 years an dyet this year I heard something different and I walked away with something new. I love learning about God's love and I love celebrating it.

Sunday we got up and eagerly watched as Owen (with much assistance) went through his Easter Basket that the Easter Bunny had left. So sweet watching him and of course, everything had to get taste tested because we are currently in th estage that everything goes in his mouth. We then stayed around the house in the morning and headed to Robin's in the afternoon. It was a quiet but relaxing Easter Sunday. Very nice.

On Tuesday I opened Owen's first savings account. He currently has $102.50 in there. I was so proud and proud that my hubby and I had agreed to hold money out every month to put in. I want to set him up for success and I think we are really taking the steps to try. So he now has the beginnings of a savings account and he also has his college fund that we have taken from my check every month. He is on his way and he is only 5 months!