Christmas Break Day1...

So today is the first day of break and i was amazed that we did not have any kids come in our room and bug us till around 8 o'clock. I got up at the normal time, thanks to my internal alarm clock, but then i laid back down til 9. Does that count as sleeping in?? I don't know but it was nice. I don't know how much of a break i had today. As i cleaned a much needed house. Well at least 3/4 of it, the kitchen and dining room will be for tomorrow. But just getting this stuff out of the way now will make for a much nicer break when we have family here.
Last night we went to the high school to watch the varsity wrestle because they were introducing the kids that went to wrestling camp. So Landon went and ran around the mat and stood in front of everyone. So he enjoyed that. Plus his two friends Tyler and Hayden were there. So it was nice to meet there parents and get phone numbers exchanged so that the boys can get together and play sometime.
The kids enjoyed there last few days of school and are really looking forward to break and Christmas. I also believe Zane is looking forward to having them home as well. Me?? Well we shall see if i have hair left by the time break is over. Who knows i might be begging to go stand out in the cold and cross some kids before it is even over. Well have a great Christmas everybody.

Our Homemade Winter Wonderland

Today we went and made a little winter wonderland down stairs in the family room. We made paper snow flakes and hung them from the ceiling. Put up a strand of lights we had and kids made other crafty things and hung them up. We then proceded to make some very yummy Christmas cookies. The kids frosted one each and added some sprinkles before they ate them. Now if i can just keep James out of them so there will be more for the kids tomorrow.Oh well had a fun day today.

I also got to make my stepdad Jack really happy yesterday by giving him a early Christmas present. He really likes the song called It's called Christmas with a Capital "C" By: Go Fish. So being the wonderfullest (i know probably not a real word but oh well) step daughter that i am went to my itunes and downloaded the whole Snow album for him and burned him a cd. Becasue him and my mom could not find it any where they looked yesterday.It is a great cd and i now have on my ipod.
Oh i am also looking forward to going out shopping tomorrow and hopefully getting all the shopping i have left to do done. This would be the earliest ever. If it happens we shall see.I want to be able to come home and wrap the gifts. I don't like it that all my kids have to do is open our closet door and see them lying in there. But they are really good about that and have never snooped around before.Must have got that from there dad becasue me and my sister used to go snooping all the time. We even went as far to unwrap some of them then rewrap them.I know we were bad. Oh, yeah, umm ,sorry mom and dad if you did,nt know that already and you just read this:)
But ok that was our weekend. Hope yours was just as great!

Christmas Program & More..

I changed the picture as you can see. It may not be the bestpicture to some people, but it was taken by Landon. Who i think did a great job for just grabbing the camera and shooting it Willy Nilly. This was taken at the kids Christmas program. Just thought it would be a good reminder of what the season is all about.

Today we had our 3rd quiz meet. Sometimes it does not go like us parents expect or want it to go, but the kids are learning about God and that is great. I think that with all of the changes that have been made this year, it's been difficult for everyone. But you know what, the girls had fun today. They might not have won any. But they did great,

I know that Ariel knows the answers, but if she doesn't get the jump, oh well. The last 2 years i was not like that. I really wanted her to do well. Not that i don't want her to do well now.lol But i hope you know what i mean. It is just different this year.

James team that he coaches actually won 2 matches today so they were pretty happy about that. So i say if everyone is acting in a pleasing way to God, then it was a good day! I know i have grumbled today, but at the end of the day does it really matter? No, So Lord I am sorry to have not the greatest of attitudes at diffrent times today. Amen! Ok there it is ,out there for everyone to see. So have a great night or day all. I am going to bed.

Crazy, Busy, Life..

Wow! What a week it has been so far. The crazy winter weather we are getting, but also just life in general. I have spent just most part of the week running around doing errands for myself or others. Grocery shopping for my family,which we were in desperate need of by the way. I could not put off getting them any longer.
Monday night was busy with PTO and Landon's wrestling camp. Oh! By the way Landon is in wrestling camp. I don't think i have mentioned that on here yet. He just started last Monday so this was there second practice time. I will have to add some pics of him doing some of his "moves" as he calls it later. He is really enjoying it and in January sometime they have a little tournament. So he is busy with that and bowling right now.
Ariel is busy with school and Quizzing. She has her next quiz meet this Saturday at Brenneman Missionary Church. She doing really well at it and enjoys it. We just tell her we are happy that she is learning about God and that as long as she is doing her best, we can not ask for anything more.
Zane cant forget him. He has just been busy, keeping us busy. Having fun with mom and dad and playing games. I do know that he enjoys it a lot more when sis and big brother are home though. But he is doing good. Right now though, he has a little cold going on.
Talking about colds, let me tell you this last couple month's we have been in the doctors office for one thing or another. It has been crazy ear infection, sinus infections and so on. So when i called the doctors office today, i told them right away no appointment today just some information. We were all happy:). We will be back in there soon enough. That i am sure of.
Me and James this week are just busy doing the thing we call life. Running here and there trying to get house cleaned up and stay cleaned up. Get Christmas presents made, ordered or bought. Spending time with Family and friends which we really enjoy doing. We spent the Sunday after Thanksgiving with James Aunt and Uncle and cousins and there families, it was fun. We cant wait to see his brother and family. They are coming here around Christmas. So we have that to look forward too.
I did forget to mention that the kids had there Christmas Program at Church this last Sunday. This is Ariel's 3rd year, she has done Dance movement in all of the programs. Then she sings in the Kids choir too. She really enjoys it and did a great job.Landon this is his 3rd year also going on stage they are the cherub choir, it is always cute to see them up there. But this was Zane's first year and he was cute standing up there with his hands in his pockets just looking around. No singing for him, it was all too new.lol
Well, i think i have covered some of the things that have went on this past couple weeks. You know the crazy, busy life, so i am going to go and do some more cleaning (which is never done by the way). So write to you more later.

Silent Night...Ok silent few hours.

I am sitting here in silence right now. No kids, no husband just watching the snow flakes falling, drinking my coffee,wrapped in a blanket, sitting on a heating pad for my ailing tail bone, thinking God is Great! He has provided us with so much that i don't deserve. A loving Husband and 3 loving Children . Which can easily be forgotten sometimes, when life is hectic and full of chaos. He has also provided for us great Family and friends. Plus all the necessities we need. So as i sit here thinking how awesome He is i just cant believe all that He has given to me, but yet he sent his son to be born in a manger. A manger!! How many of us would want to give birth in a barn. I for one am glad that God gave the gift of architecture to those to build hospitals and medical knowledge to those who are doctors. Because Mary and Joseph were on there own in a barn, surrounded by animals. Not up to date medical equipment and doctors and nurses. He sent his son to be born in that situation, so that later on he could die for me and my families sins. Wow!!
So this season as we gather around with Family and friends, let us just keep in mind the real reason we celebrate Christmas. It's not the gifts or food or gathering with one another, it's because God loves us and sent his son to be born for ALL of us!! So let's just remember why we have CHRISTmas. The TRUE meaning.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born
to us a son is given
and the government will be on his
shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For the true meaning of Christmas read Luke 2.
Merry Christmas everyone!!

Fall Fun!

Well lets see. I have come to the computer alot within the last few weeks to sit down and Blog but everytime i did, i only got as far as hitting the new post button. So i am finally able to do a little blogging. So here i go again..

So far the last few weeks have been very busy. We have had various activities going on.We had Upwards Basketball eveluations last Saturday. Which Ariel and Landon did well,as i have said before that this is Landon's first year playing any kind of Basketball. So he is excited about playing.

We have done alot of other various fun activities this Fall, we have visited the Fasion Fram in ligoner, We went to knowllbrook Farms in New paris with friends and over Fall break we went to my mom and Jack's house in Ohio, to spend some time with them. We also went to the Toledo Zoo. Which the kids had a lot of fun. It was a little brisk out but it was also sunny so it was a nice day out. After the Zoo we went to Chuck E Cheese, which wow that was just too much kid fun for me in one day. Us adults were all wiped out by the time we got home. Ahh... to be young again! We also had some of those not so fun activities this fall, like raking leaves. We have raked a lot of leaves this year. That is kind of a first for us. We have had very minimal leaf fallage(is that even a word?)in the past. I think that would be, because we have never had any trees. Ok, so maybe we have had two little trees. But that has all changed. But the kids did have alot of fun jumping in the leaf piles, they would help rake them up, just so they can jump in them. When we were in Ohio, Jack went and raked up there leaves, just so that the kids could jump in them. They had a blast.

So besides going and showing you some of our fun pics of the zoo and the other various places we have been over the last month, there is not to much to say. But i will say my brother in law is now back home from Iraq. So that is great to have him back in the United States. Also my step brother has actually been at home these past few weeks. All i know,is it is just good to have them both back here for now. So have fun enjoying some of the pics i put on here and i will be back blogging soon.

Thankfulness!

Wow!! I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. Where did the summer go? Did we even have a summer? I don't know. But what i do know is that we have an awesome God and he has provided for me in more ways then i even deserve.
This is the month where most people think about what they are thankful for. That makes me think about all that i have to be thankful for, and i am thankful for my God. That he sacrificed his only son for me. That again he has provided for me a great family and friends he has provided more then i can ever have imagined. What did i do to deserve this nothing,and i never will be worthy of that sacrifice. But yet he did it for me, that is so hard to believe sometimes. But yet why should it be? He is a loving God we all know this, but yet we also love. Would we be willing to make the same kind of sacrifice's that He has? No,I don't think so. So i am thankful for my God!
Yet these past few weeks have been very busy and dramatic ones for me and my family. We have been so busy. That i don't remember the last time we all sat at the table to eat together. Which maybe it should not have been a big deal to me, you would think, since the last four years before we moved in here we could not eat at a table together. Our house was to small. So since we have lived here, we have ate our meals as a family around the table. So i missed that, these past few weeks. So tonight as we finally sit around the table to eat, i told the kids that this month every time we sit at the table to eat we are each going to say something that we are thankful for. My oldest Landon started us off, he said that he was thankful for his Dsi( i think it was because he finally beat one of the bad guys), then James said Family, then Ariel said she was thankful for God sending his son. So i guess that is why i wrote up at the top what i did. But we all need to be thankful everyday of our lives what we have been given because God gave us our precious life and at any moment it can be taken away. So even though this is the month of thankfulness I am reminded that we need to remember to be thankful for everything all year through, not just one month. So that is my goal to not just have the kids go around this month but to try and do it each time whether its November or May. I know it won't happen all the time, but we can make the effort to do it most of the time. So i will end this little post by saying that i am thankful for, once again my God, my Family and all you wonderful Friends!! May God be with you and your family and pour blessings on you, as he has me and my family. So that you to, will have something to be thankful for all the year through.

James and Me

OK, so i have told you about what has been going on in lives of our children. But what about us? It's a lot easier to talk about the kids. Well that's my opinion at least. So let's see... Hmm, i think i will start with James.
As alot of you know James has been out of work for a year now. It has been an interesting year to say the least. God is so good and has provided for our needs in every way possible, except for a job right now:) It is a very frustrating time for James right now, not being able to find work. I think he was fine with it for awhile but i know that it is effecting him now. So if any of you know of any job openings please let us know. He is not sure what direction God is leading him or what he would even want to do. So that has been a challenge that he has had to deal with this past year.
Buts let talk about some good things. Since James has been home he has gotten to experience field trips with the kids and even helping in there class rooms. Which he would have never been able to do if he was working, so i know that he has enjoyed those times.He has been very active in the kids lives even more so this last year then in any of the other years. I think that the kids are going to remember that. I don't know if this is one of God's lesson's that we are suppose to learn right now or what. But it is what it is. James played ball this year for our church league which he so enjoys doing. Last year/season he decided to stop bowling on a league which i know was a hard thing for him to do but i really appreciated that he did it. Which then it turned out to actually be a God thing since he lost his job. So i know how important playing ball is to him. That is his thing.

But this past summer James got his first chance to coach his son. Which i know that he was really happy and excited to do. Now don't get me wrong he liked coaching Ariel, but we found out that she does better at listening to someone else then to dad. But this is his first born son who loves to play ball so it was just a different experience for James. I know that he wants to continue coaching his kids for as long as he can. He has also taught Landon how to ride his bike with two wheels that has been a huge ordeal this summer. Last year Landon wanted nothing to do with learning but this year after one day he was riding it on his own and by the end of the week trying to do wheelies.

James has also accepted another challenge this year. He is now one of NMC's quiz coaches for the year. He coaches an all boys team. So along with Ariel studying and learning God's word in Luke 1-11 James is doing the same. James has done many things this summer helping other people and such. Right now he is at the church helping to build a stage for the kid blitz tonight. He would also help the preschool where Landon had attended last year with anything that they might need help fixing. He has become quite a little handy man for people who need help. Even during the summer he helped fix up the house that we moved into. I am not sure what else James would like for me to put in here. But i am thankful for him in many, many ways he is a wonderful husband and father, even if i do complain about him. I know that he miss seeing his family and loves you guys very much and wishes just like me we could see you more often. He is also looking forward to his brother being back home from Iraq. That goes for me too:)

Ok, here comes the hard one to write about . So lets just jump right in.

Well i am still a crossing guard for Goshen schools, i love being able to do that and be home for Zane. He is my last one here at home. That is a little bittersweet. I love being able to spend time with just him,but then he is my last one, my baby so...

Anyways, lets see. This summer just kind of flew by with getting this house ready to move into, the fair and ball games we were constantly busy and on the go.

Wow, this is alot harder than imagined it would be, so don't be expecting me to post much about myself in the future:)

I guess i am involved in alot more now then i am in the summer, even though during the summer i was the team parent for Landon's t-ball team. Which i enjoyed doing and meeting new dad's and mom's. Also one thing we did this summer on a spur of the moment thing, was go to Pokagon State Park for the afternoon. We biked the trails, swam in the lake and the kids and James fished. They had a lot of fun. We made hot dogs on our two dollar grill, which by the way was not even big enough for the whole package of hot dogs. But other then that we stayed around home being to busy with things around here.

Right now in my life there is a lot of chaos going on, but besides the chaos i am involved in many things that i enjoy. I attend a MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group at Zion church, which this is my third year in that group. I really enjoy going and talking with other mom's and listening to the speakers that we have, i have taken away at least something from everyone of them over the last three years. But this Thursday is our spa day i am soo looking forward to that. Just a little quality me time. But besides MOPS i also started to attend MITI(mom's in touch international) this year when i do not have MOPS. I like going there and praying for my children and people's children and for the school s staff too. The power of pray is remarkable. I also help out in the Zoo one Sunday a month at church, and i do a bible study with a friend of mine. Really i just love getting together with family and friends and hanging out and having fun. I am just thankful for the friends and family that i have ,and this is the time of year to be thankful for all the many things that God has given you. Because he has given you everything and everyone in your life for however long that maybe and it is all for a purpose HIS purpose. So let just be grateful for everything and everyone.

Zane

OK it is day two of trying to catch up on my blogging . So today we are going to start with Zane...
So what should i tell you about our Zaners? That he is now three years old for those of you that don't know. He is full of energy and keeps us busy with out any sports activities. He loves his big brother and big sister very much. He plays with them no matter what they are doing, whether he is big enough or not. Because in his mind he is not little. He just has this personality that just makes you smile and want to laugh with his funny, quirky, dimply looks. No wonder it's hard to get mad at him.



Zane likes to be read too, play games and do puzzles. He likes to watch Blue's clues ,Diego and Dora. I find him yelling at the T.V. a lot repeating what they say and trying to keep those fingerprints cleaned off the t.v. is a challenge too. But you know, you need to go up and touch the screen to help Blue's, Dora and Diego out. They really need his help.Lol Yep, that's my Zane. Sometimes i find myself yelling at the t.v. with Him" Swiper no swiping, Swiper No swiping." "OH Man!"



I also think that he might be are little technotronics guy. He loves to be on the computer, play his leapster which he calls his Dsi because brother and sis having them, he plays on the Wii, which he likes playing the regular golfing game.I would have to say i don't think he plays to bad for a three year old. Hmm! Do we have the next Tiger Woods? :) I just know that he can golf better then me. He also has now discovered my ipod touch and loves to play with that. So yes, he is not Technically Challenged likes some of us might be. But i have to say what do you expect when you have a older sister and brother. He has never been one to play with age appropriate toys. Remember in his mind he is a big boy, invincible just like he thinks his brother is:)

Also this summer/fall he has learned to use the petals on his bike. But has yet to learn to use the potty. We need to work on that one. But when the kids went back to school this year he cried, because he said that he wanted to go to school. I tried explaining that he was not quite old enough to go, but then that just added more drama. Yep, we have a Drama Queen and King in our house. It can make for an interesting day. Sometimes! But i do have to say that the three year old drama king is a lot cuter sometimes, then the drama of the almost 10 year old Queen:)

Well i know this post seems so much smaller then the others. But that is Zane in a nut shell. Our quirky, fun loving, dramatic, dimple, loving little boy. What would i do with out Him? I never want to find out. So instead of writing anything more i will just post some pics and you can see for yourselfwhat we see and love about him.

P.S. He also is attracted to every mud puddle and dirt. But like i have said before" BOYS will be BOYS!"

Landon

OK, like i said in my earlier posts today, Landon is in Kindergarten this year. He is really enjoying it and yesterday he told me "Mom i really like school. I have lots of friends and I like recess (of course), art, and learning centers the best." Which i was thrilled to hear. He has come such a long way since the beginning years of preschool. He is breaking out of his shell a little more and his confidence is shinning through more and more each day. He does have the speech issues still, that we are working on. But other then that he is my typical boy . Doing well in school and liking it. He is also very active like his sister. Those too keep us busy already, so i am not sure what we will do when Mr. Zaner's starts doing sports and stuff. One of Landon's accomplishments this summer though, was riding his bike with just two wheels.Once he did that he turned into a bike riding fool.Wanting to go on bike rides everyday all day. By the end of the week he was trying to pop a wheelie and give me a heart attack. Yep, Boys will Be boys!!





In September Landon went on his first field trip of his kindergarten year. We went to Kercher's Apple orchard. This was actually his third field trip to the apple orchard because we went there every year in preschool. But he enjoyed it, as did me and James. But i think that i could get a job there now and give the tours myself. So we picked our apples and gourds,got to go on a hay ride and had apple cider to drink. Yummy!! Then we had the bus ride back to the school. It has been a long while since i have been on a bus.



This was before school started but during the summer Landon finally got to play t-ball for the first time for Goshen Little League he was so happy and excited.He did a great job. He has been waiting for forever to play.He has had to watch his sister play all those years, without being able too. So it was finally his turn. He still says he wants to be a baseball player when he grows up. (Oh yeah and a crossing guard too. I find that totally too cute.) His team was called the Blizzards and James was his coach. I never knew who was having more fun, the kids or James oh well:)


So Landon as you can see is doing well in school and loves to play baseball. But that is just one of his activities. Right now he is bowling. He is our bowler. He has been bowling since he was 2 the first 3 years/seasons he was in the Pee-wee league(bumpers) and this is his 2nd year/season on Bantam(no bumpers). Which he has already received his 75 pin patch. WAY to GO!! His friend Jacob is on his bowling team this year and they are doing really well. Jacob has not ever bowled before. Well not on a team i should say, he was a casual recreational bowler. Is that even a type of bowler? Oh well sounds good to me. :) I will have to post a pic of him bowling i am sure i have some from last year. But not this year yet.
Ok i am trying to think of other things that he has done and i am drawing a blank.I do know that along with starting school this year we are going to be having a lot of firsts.Landon like his sister is also going to be playing Upwards basketball this Jan. when that season starts. So we will be juggling basketball and bowling for a few months.Along with Ariel's quizzing. Ahhh!! Life in the fast lane.
He will also get to go to over night church camp this next summer.
Besides activities Landon just loves to play and to be the boy that he is and to scare mom to death. Doing things that i think he should not be doing. Because he could get hurt. But i have learned that i need to let him be himself and be a boy. Because time goes by way too fast. Boys will be boys! That is my motto for Landon and Zane.

Ariel

I can not believe that it is fall already and that the kids have been in school for 2 months. Yep kids, you read right. Landon just started Kindergarten this year and really loves school.But more about him later. I think i will start off with what has been going on in Ariel's life right now. Ariel is now in 4th grade. I just can't get over that, 1 more year in elementary and she will be in the middle school. Which by the way scares me to death. Why can't we keep them little? I have asked God that many times.I just have not gotten a good answer.OK, maybe i have gotten a good answer but just not one i want to accept.:) Anyways she is enjoying school i believe and is trying her hardest this year. It has been a very different year so far then in the past years. Things are getting a little harder for her and we might be dealing with some attention issues this year. But other then that she is doing great.She has been very active over the last few years and has started some new things this year.


This past summer she started playing softball,the real deal no tee ball or rookie league this year. She really enjoyed it. Even though i don't think she hit that ball at all. But she is a very determined person and did not give up. She had a good time and that is all that matters to me. I just want her and the boys to enjoy what they are doing. She says she wants to play again this coming summer.



Also this summer Ariel had her first ever 4-H experience. Like i said she is moving on up, no more exploring 4-h. It is the real deal. She wanted to do rabbit club. So last year at the fair we got her a black otter mini rex which she named Hopscotch. Hops for short. She was only 5 weeks old when we got her. She is a very pretty rabbit with velvety black fur with some butterscotch color in places.They did very well at the fair this year they took B.O.V.(best of variety) and B.O.B(best of breed.
We were all very proud of there accomplishments.




During the fall she used to bowl, but decided last year that she wanted to play basketball. So she did through school and then with Upwards through our church. She enjoyed doing it and gave it her best. That is all we ask of them. She is also going to play Upwards this coming Jan. but decided not to play for school.But the activities do not stop there.
As of right now Ariel is in her 3rd year of quizzing for church. They are studying Luke chapters 1-11.Next year they will finish the other half of Luke. Her first year she did the study on Joseph in Genesis 37- 50, then last year it was Moses in Exodus 1-20. I do not know how there little minds hold all that information. I have a hard enough time remembering what i ate for breakfast.:) But they do remember and that astounds me.She does such a great job at it and really enjoys it. Which i love that she is getting into the word of God and hiding that in her heart so that she will be able to remember, follow and use it in her life. What can be better then that. Nothing!! She has a great group of girls on the team. So i guess this raps up Ariel's past months for awhile. There will be much more for me to post in the future.

Back at it!

Wow! It has been a long time.I have not been on here to work on anything with my blog since i started it.But here it is November and a friend said i really should get my blog done.lol But i guess i have found it so much easier to post something on FB and be done with it. But i am going to try and post what is going on in our lives once a week. So those that we love can get a feel of what is going on in our lives and what God is doing for us and through us.
So here i go....

Sledding Fun!

We went sledding at Abshire Park today with some friends. Everyone had fun. I think the kids were glad to get out of the house and burn off some energy. It is nice to have a sledding hill not far from your home. It makes the half and hour that it takes to get ready to go worth it. We have been there twice so far this year. We went last Monday it was definitely warmer today, then last Monday.








We need to get another sled so all the kids have one. Big and small.















Here is Zane and dad. They just came down the hill. Zane had a smile on his face the whole time. He likes to play in the snow just as much as his big sister and brother. He is wearing mommies big scarf to keep a little warmer. But you can still see his big smile.













Here's two of my favorite boys. At least i believe Zane is under that hat.

Ariel landed in one spot while her sled landed in another.

Ariel is having fun on here last day of no school. She needs to relax her brain after a long weekend of quizzing,where she and her other two teammates did awesome.They got second place. Pictures to come soon on that event.





Landon he is are little energizer bunny.He just keeps going and going and going. He loves to be outside.He just flies down the hill. There is one place were there is a bump or little snow ramp, he loves to go over it and get a little air. He holds on tight though. I think he has fallen off once,but that didn't stop him.





Here is the whole gang afterwards by the log cabin.


Here we are the Fabulous Five!