Let the Countdown Begin!

So, I am basically using this as my outlet for my excitement. In only 12 more days we leave for our family vacation. The reason I need an outlet? The kids don't know. We are surprising them and going to Disneyland and Legoland the week after Thanksgiving! I love planning and looking forward to things so it is really hard not to be able to talk to the kids about this. They would share my excitement and we would look at the Disneyland map and discuss what we were going to do, etc. But they don't know...so I am left to be excited alone and countdown in my head. Scott is excited but he does not want to hear about it all the time--he is not quite the disney freak that I am:) However, he is tolerating more than usual:) I love vacations. Not so much because of the destination but because it gives our family a chance to get away and focus on each other and enjoying our family. Life can get so busy and family time is definately a high value/priority of mine. So join me as I countdown the days. Later, I will write more about my obsession with planning and getting the best deal and the high that it gives me:)

Family Pictures Nov 2010, by Christine Stubbert

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

My Montage 6/30/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

Inspired by friend Robyn's slide show I decided to give it a try. This is from our recent trip to Brookings, OR with my sister and parents.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Well, Christmas is over. I am always amazed how quickly it comes and goes. We had a great Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at my sister's new house and enjoyed delisious tamales after attending the Christmas Eve service at our church. It was a fun evening with of course lots of noise--how can there not be noise with 6 children!

The next morning the kids woke up at 3am ("go back to bed"), 5am ("go back to bed") and again at 6am ("ok, get up on the bed and we will get started"). We start every Christmas morning by Scott reading the Christmas story with all the kids on the bed. Then it is in to the living room for presents! We had to wake Ezra up as he was still sleeping. I thought about letting him sleep, but then worried about the fact that he would miss all the "present opening" pictures and then how would he feel years later. Ok, so he would probably understand but I would feel bad...so "wake-up Ezra." I always enjoy watching the kids get excited over their gifts. For Silas I believe the highlights would have the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary and Lego Star Wars watch; for Mary her Princess Vanity (a hand-me-down from a friend, but don't tell Mary), the boys received a joint gift of a bike trailer to ride in when Mommy goes for rides (hopefully, more often). My favorite part was Scott opening his gift from me--Love Boat Season 1--in case you are wondering, he doesn't like Love Boat, but this was my way of tell him we are going on a cruise in April. I have been keeping that secret for months and was so glad to finally tell him. He is very excited as am I!

After presents it was breakfast consisting of Giant Breakfast Cookies (made with whole wheat and honey--a new change I am making), sausage and eggs. We then relaxed and hung out until that afternoon when we went to Scott's brother's house. Ok, so the kids relaxed and I kind of relaxed--outside of making green beans and a salad and getting everybody dressed.

We had a great time with Scott's family. Ezra got a Dirt Devil Jr. vaccum that makes real-like noise. He LOVES it and likes to just turn it on and sit next to it...when he is not pushing it around the house. Too bad it doesn't really work because then my house would be much cleaner:)All in all it was a wonderful day! I will try to post pictures later. Right now I have to get ready for Celebrate Recovery. I am loving having the kids home from school...it makes it a little easier to think about going places at night:)

Okay, so it has been over A YEAR since I have last posted. Good thing I do this mostly for myself and that no one is relying on it for up-to-date information:)

It is Christmas time and we are all enjoying the season. Yesterday, we went to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. Why Bass? Because they have a real looking Santa, activities for the kids, and most importantly---FREE photos with Santa!! Yeah Bass Pro. This was our second visit this year because I forgot to check Santa's hours and the first trip turned out to be when Santa wasn't there. Oh well, we had fun anyways and went back last night for actual pictures.

Nehemiah is at a great age for Christmas. Anytime we see lights or trees he yells out "Christmas", which sounds more like "Missmas". Also, we kept asking him to say Merry Christmas and he kept saying "No, my missmas." At first we were confused, then we realized he was confusing Merry with Mary (his sister). He obviously thought we were saying it was Mary's Christmas and he wanted to inform us, that no, it was his christmas, too!

Laundry is calling, so I will try to post more later.

An Evenings Reflection

I just realized tonight, when I noticed that Ezra had lost his pacifier and was trying to suck his thumb, that my little girl doesn't really suck her thumb anymore. Now although in the long run this is a good thing (I can remember all the "remedies" my mom tried to get me to quit) it made me a little sad. She is growing up so quickly and becoming such a little girl and almost all the toddler is gone. I work at enjoying all the times I have of rocking Ezra and just holding him because I am realizing how fleeting that time is. So although the cleaning may not get done or I may lose sleep I remind myself it is all worth it and I try to soak up everything that goes with those moments--the sniffly sounds, the little cries, the deep breathing, that great baby smell, the feel of their skin. I pray it stays in my memory forever. It is so difficult to remind myself to slow down and enjoy each stage of my childrens' lives. Silas is a wonderful 6 year old that I can have great, deep conversations with. Mary loves her girl time and playing that we are friends getting together with our babies. Nehemiah is my cuddly little monkey that loves to get us laughing at him--even if it means putting a blanket over his head while walking, and therefore running into things. Ezra is my sweet little baby boy who is starting to smile and loves to be held and rocked.

Thank you Lord "my boys" and my princess and for "forcing" me to quit my job so that I can enjoy these moments. Help me to trust that you are going to provide because you have guided us to this place.

Pictures for Fun

The kids love it when I take pictures of them, so here are a few:

Mary is trying to keep the sun out of her eyes--her solution is to close her eyes and to have make sure and tell her when we get there--is she worried we will leave her in the car?


Here is our little space cadet with a colander on his head.

This is what happens when I try to take a picture of myself--my arms aren't quite long enough. Believe it or not, it took three tries to get it this good.

I am trying to remember to take pictures of me with the kids, so years from now they see that I was around, and I can lament on how young I was:), even though I always dislike pictures of me :)

Grandpa Stubbert and Nehemiah on Saturday when we celebrated Uncle Brian's and Scott's birthdays.