Just one way...

This is just one way to give during the Christmas season.  Christ came to give all and it humbles me so much that he allows us to give to others.  This is one of our favorite things to do as a family...sit down and read the catalog out loud.  We love to let the need of others soak up into our boys' ears and hearts.  We need them to know how blessed they are.  We need them to feel compassion and be moved to action.  This catalog provides an easy way to do that for them. You can view it online or request a copy to be mailed to your home. And for the record, I can't get through the catalog every year without bawling my eyes out.

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/?&utm_source=GiftCatalog&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gc12

It is the Samaritan's purse catalog.  Each boy gets to pick out something they want to give towards.  It always delights my heart to see them do this, because it always lines up with who God has created them to be.  {Don't you know our animal lover had to give a goat...}

I know your heart is overflowing with gratitude this season like mine.  Pray and let the overflow spill into whatever God leads you to!

Gender Reveal Party!

 

Our first gender reveal party!  What a fun way to tell people in person!  We sent out invites, telling everyone to wear the color they represented...either Team Pink or Team Blue!  We served pink snacks and blue snacks...to each team.  We had a sweet tree decorated with pink and blue ornaments, ultrasounds, and baby pics of Eric and me. 

 

The only thing I would do differently is fly out of town family in and buy a larger home so I could invite more people! 

 



It totally made my day when baby (boy) Ty showed up totally representing Team Pink!

 Everyone getting ready for the big announcement...we decided to open a gift that would reveal the gender.

It's a....BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We had a drawing from the names in the Team Blue bucket...Luke won a gift card to Target and then sweetly handed it over to his wife. (Cause let's face it, girls love Target and boys could care less.)

I've got all my boys represented by the cupcakes...my cup runneth over...with testosterone...ha!

Thank you, Lord, for this sweet boy you are gifting us with.  We believe you have set him apart and have special plans for his life.  We can't wait to see what You have dreamed up! {Now, if you could just help us with a name, Jesus!}

Cream of What??

This baby likes its grapefruit juice, cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, and big fat hamburgers...specifically from David's.

Cream of what-the-heck soup.  That is all I am saying. Pregnancy has taken over my mind and taste buds.  A true invasion, it has been.

Let's see, since we last chatted, I had the stomach bug.  Eric was out of town, so I packed the boys a bag, set it outside, and pretty much told my sweet inlaws to keep them til I was in the clear. It was the nastiest bug I have had in a long time.  I lost three pounds in one day. Now normally, this would be cause for excessive celebration, but it made me a tad nervous due to little bit.  I couldn't hold anything down whatsoever.

Apparently, the aversion to pregnancy multivitamins is never going to go away.  I tried to get one down yesterday.  I tipped the water bottle up, spewed water up my face, into my hair, and all over the counter.  I still haven't found that blasted horse pill.  I spent the next few minutes reapplying all my makeup as my face was dripping with black mascara.

Pregnancy makes for great storytelling.  You know, when you aren't sobbing due to hormones, nausea, and exhaustion.

And will someone please tell me why I think every.single.pregnant.woman out there is simply adorable but I can't stand to look at myself!??  I haven't taken a single preggo pic yet!

Photography has exploded!  Everyone wants Christmas pics, so November is always my busiest month...which makes my kids happy since they figure it helps the Christmas gift buying budget.

We are turning in our Operation Christmas Child boxes tomorrow!  We are going to the church tomorrow night to help collect others' boxes.  It is always one of our most precious family memories...packing them, letting the kids pray over them, and then packing them into huge cardboard boxes at the church.  If you haven't packed a box yet, there is time!  The boxes aren't due til Sunday or you can always go online and give towards the shipping of the boxes.  What a simple and yet profound way to get the gospel message into the hands of sweet children...all created in God's image and in need of a Savior.

Well, we find out the gender of the baby next Monday!  The kids will be out of school, so they can join in on the celebration!!!  Taking all guesses...GO!  Are you Team Pink or Team Blue?

Oh, baby is now fluttering around all the time and says hello!

Oh, and here is Sam's latest prayer:

Dear God, thank you for giving me a baby sister.
Dear God, please let it be a baby sister.
Dear God, if it isn't a baby sister, then please turn it into one.
Amen.

Let's just say he is the captain of Team Pink.

Halloween

I almost peed my pants this year.  I really did.  I made sure to use the restroom before we went prowling through the neighborhood, but a block over, I knew I was in trouble.  My only consolation was that I was going to highly tax my kids in candy for walking with them.  Since they are older, they like to go longer and farther.  I kind of started making them sprint in between houses.

 

Well, this year, we have Cade the basketball star, Sam, "Obi -Wan Kenobi," and Eli, who was either Squanto the Indian or Daniel Boone, depending on the moment.  Halloween is just too short to narrow it down to one character, anyway.  Joining them in the first pic is their sweet bud, Kamryn, who was a little kitten.

 

Now, where are those Junior Mints my bladder earned?