Christmas with Kids

Christmas is so different for kids than for us adults. I remember Christmas when I was a child. It was so care free. I didn't have to think (much) about shopping for presents. I would typically take one trip to High School Pharmacy and figure out a way to spend my hard earned dough on a little gift for my mom, dad and grandparents. Those items were simple, a bottle of bath bubbles for mom, a can of cashus for dad, you get the picture. But the feeling of Christmas was created for me, mom made seasonal favorite foods, we sang carols around the woodstove, we all got excited about getting the decorations out. It was magical…it just was.

This year, my kids are still so small, I don't know how much they understand but I know they enjoyed it. We didn't do lots of gifts, just a couple. We hung out with the cousins on Christmas Eve and watched them open their gifts. Playing with ballons was just as fun as opening 20 presents. I love that!

I always get excited when I see our kids discovering new things and having new experiences. I know they likely won't remember this Christmas when they are older but I will have captured the memories on camera to show them.

Our Christmas was simple, yummy food, Christmas music and movies. We honestly had a unforgettable time on Christmas morning enjoying the simplest of things.

Fun to see three girls trying to get on a motorcycle together.

Hope your Christmas was lovely all!

Tis the season for - taking family photos? I guess so because it seems like everyone has. And I love it!

Enjoy the simplicities of the season my friends. Eat, laugh, celebrate Jesus and spend time together. We send our love and warmest thoughts to all our friends all over the country this Christmas.

XOXO - Jen

Holiday Happenings

This might look more like fall than winter but we are just now getting fall - a cold one and it has turned the trees with the capacity to turn, some pretty nice colors for Texas. I have gotten back into running and this is one of my favorite trails. Running has always been something that challenges me, gets me out on my own and now gets me inspirited.
Last weekend I ran the RunGirl 1/2 marathon with my new friend Jenni. Now we did it relay style so each ran a 10K but after the race we felt so great that we said we will train to run the whole 1/2 marathon in April at the Houston Space Center. I am psyched. 

When the race started it was only about 40 degrees and really chilly. We were bundled up and ready for a cold run. I was committed to running the whole 6.7 miles and did! At my best time, no less. 

Mike and the bundled up kiddos met me at the end.

By 10am it was 60 degrees and sunny. I am so blessed to have found a sweet new friend here.

Christmas Traditions 

Now in Houston, there is no going out to cut down your own Christmas tree. In Oregon (ironically) we always had a fake tree but this year we decided to go get a fresh pine smelling (ironically Oregon grown) tree. No one wanted to help pick out to ONE except Amelie.

Even she wasn't really into it. It was raining and a little cold.

Mike and Jack were too busy exploring the tree farms many tropical trees. If they had there choice we would have come home with a palm tree. Wouldn't that have been funny.

Look Mommy, a big wired pine cone looking thing.

Tromping around in the water.

I had to go really kid friendly with the ornaments this year because of Amelie but also Jack too. I had some pretty glass "Dr. Seuss" style glass ornaments which somehow were the only ones that made it through the move to Houston. So I got some plastic kid friend ones to match for the bottom 1/2 of the tree. Amelie pretended to help me decorate the tree.

As you may notice, there are no ornaments below the silver fluffy thing. They are all in the basket below the tree because after Amee pulling them off and be putting them back on for the dozenth time, I just gave up and said, you can play with them. :) 

The days are rainy and sometimes cold so Jack loves to read and drink his hot chocolate. He says on a regular basis, "Mommy, can I have some hot chocolate, and make it HOT Mommy, PLeaSE".

Walking around the neighbor to look at lights at night is one of Mommy's favorite things. And the kids loved it with the cousins.

The only 2 of the 4 who would pose for the picture. Merry Christmas to ALL!

Jack loves to take pictures. He is a rascal about it. I had to post this one since I have finally gotten my computer back after the kids broke the screen watching a movie. Lesson learned the expensive way. ;( Oh well, I am back online!

Gratefully Days

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Our healthy, happy family for one. All the simple peasures of life, great food, warm house, cozy bed and hot (double showerhead) shower. Then there is the biggest one, God's unconditional love and the big blessings he gives us in our lives, wonderful husband, amazing kids, loving family and fun friends.

We spent our thanksgiving, quietly. Eating the traditional feastlike foods and then taking a nice walk through the warm and wooded Kingwood forrests.

By evening it was cold enough for a fire and roasting some marshmellows for the kids.

 We've spend the last week nursing a lot of sickness in our house. First Jack got the croup and we ran one late night to the ER because he was having trouble breathing. Then and ear infection (first one) and fevers, coughs and runny noses. Being sick is no fun but I guess it happens to everyone, it just seems to be happening to us more often lately.

I love this picture of Jack. I found he sleeping with his animals all around him, litterally he was sleeping on them (ouch). He is at the age where he loves to be naked. I guess that will continue to awhile I've heard. But I literally can turn around and he has striped his clothes off. Or like in this picture, he takes his pants off before going to sleep. What a kid!

 

These are some fun pictures taken after church in the park. We are getting ready for Christmas this weekend. It is colder in Houston now, still sunny most days (love it) but chilly at night and in the morning which has put me in the mood for the Holidays!

The giraffe and the bee

When we went to Old MacDonald's Farm the kids got to pick out mini pumpkins. So we brought them to the cousins house and carved them. Amelie was totally into it even though she only watched. Jack on the other hand wanted nothing to do with the pumpkin carving and was no were to be found the whole time.

Inquisitive little thing.

Cousin Meghan is a little photographer and grabs my camera to take pictures all the time. She captured Amee "getting" mommy.

Mattie and Meghan are such cutie girls. I love that they were totally into carving their pumpkin.

"Look! My pumpkin brains."

 The BEE

The GIRAFFE 

Jack wasn't all that into his costume at first in fact we had to bribe him (which we never do) to wear it at first. He said (of all things) "it's scary". But once we told him that if he put it on he would get to go ask for candy, he was sold. Here he is getting ready to go.

We treated with our little neighbors who were snow white and the little mermaid.

Honestly the kids caught on really fast to the routine.

After about 20 houses, we were done. Jack wanted me to "open it" each time he got a candy and Amelie was the most friendly bee I've ever seen. Something about this age and the discovery of it all made for unforgettable memories.

Jack holding Amee's hand on the way home.

Houston is a very friendly place. We have already found a great church called Journey Church and hopefully in the next few weeks we will find some new friends. Making friends is hard though. Even for the kids and so I am so glad that we can all say, We have each other!

Hope you had a sweet and safe halloween.

A PARTY DAY!

Amelie's Birthday Party 

PJ & Breakfast Birthday Party for Amelie's #1

Nothing like Hood Strawberries and fresh whipped cream to inspire sweet fun and memories with the kids. Mike made strong Stumptown coffee and his special batter waffles on Saturday for our friends. 

We are thankful that these two are so close and easy going with each other. Mostly always just wanting to be close and doing the same things. While Amee loved her cakey muffin with cream, Jack was Mr Meat.

Miss Pajamin' Fun


At the Wedding

After our morning of birthday partying, we headed out for my cousin's wedding in Molalla. After the ceremony the kids played with the peddles that were spread down the isle. They could have made really cute ring bear and flower girl - maybe next time.

Jack worn his hansom little man suite for the first time.

He is Mr On the Go - as 2 1/2 years are. At the reception he found the sand box and spent more of the time getting his little suit filthy dirty - which is what he was suppose to do? Oh well, I'd rather he discover and have fun rather than just keeping his clothes clean. 

The wedding was in the country on a ranch. Jack spotted the cows and horses immediately and asked Papa go to with him to take a look. Of course, Papa agreed.

On the way back.

Daddy & daughter on the dance floor.

I absolutely love watching Amelie. She is full of a sweet and personable little personality and is so fun to be around. She is still not walking but will occasionally step out with 5-6 steps. More of the time you will find her bear crawling away at lightning speed.

Though the weekend has been dreadfully rainy we still have lots of fun and made some new memories together as a family.