I'M BACK....

It's been awhile...some of you have checked on me...thanks for that! We are all well, just busy living life instead of writing about it I guess.

First grade and Sixth grade are proving to be great years for both offspring. The 6th grader especially is thriving in middle school. So fun to watch!!

After helping in Camden's classroom today I realized that it's been awhile since I've given a career update. Today he wrote the following for a book his class is doing.

"My dream is to be a cartoonist.  It would be so fun.  I might draw a talking dog.  It would be hard to think of the other characters.  I'm sure I would eventually think of them.  I think that is God's plan for me."

Those of you who have followed this blog will know that this is a great improvement over what he said back in 2009 in this post. 

Claremarie has decided that interior designing is her calling as of this moment.  Of course that changes every time she watches Cake Boss on TV. 

PURE CUTENESS....

When a little boy loses his two front teeth before Christmas, the inevitable happens.......

Learning this song was his gift to everyone this year!

WHAT I'LL REMEMBER.....

Here's what I'm going to remember from Christmas 2011....

due to watching so many suffer, true focus on the things that matter (even if that meant letting some cherished traditions go),
hearing my sweet son sing, in a clear, loud voice, the Christmas carols at our Christmas Eve service,
a relaxed night on Christmas Eve with my 3 most treasured gifts,
the lovely Christmas cards we got from so many of you-thanks for not taking us off your lists!!,
the fun and thoughtfulness of the 12 days of Christmas gifts my hubby bestowed on me,
a daughter who is growing up so quickly and was our chief present wrapper this year,
a Christmas Day prayer that earned a standing ovation,
a Christmas Day sing-a-long with accompaniment by a guitar and a saxophone,
games, popcorn balls, and TONS of laughs during our Hershey celebration,
and
a heartfelt prayer to usher in 2012.

Cherished times.
Cherished memories.
Cherished people.

Happy New Year!

2011 IN PICTURES....

I'm under no delusions of my photographic ability but every once in awhile I capture some good ones....here are my favorites of the year!



The hawk....my hero for carrying off one of the many rabbits that torment me!

The rents and the kids at the rodeo!

Easter egg hunt!!  Love their anticipation!

Sweet Noah....Just a swingin'!

Classic 4th of July...red, white, and blue, watermelon, a picnic in the park and happy smiles!

It was so fun to actually capture a picture of a firework!

We finally got my Dad to go tanking through his beloved Sandhills.

So fun to watch CM pitch last summer.

Oops!

Cam was trying to give his big sis a thank-you kiss after he opened her gift to him. 

GOOD BYE (and good riddance) 2011

This picture showcases two of my favorite things.....sunsets and the beauty of Nebraska!

2012......BRING IT!!

We wish you all a very blessed New Year!

I CONFESS....

I don't have much Christmas cheer this year. Oh I've been trying with these last few posts, and a few parties and my shopping is all done but that is all just surface stuff. In all honesty my heart is just burdened for so many people (plus it has been a rather rough month here at Park Place) this year that it has taken a lot of the shiny and sparkly out of Christmas.

I'm thinking of (and praying for):

friends who lost their 9 year old son last summer to a very rare medical condition,
the families of my Aunt Vera, Uncle Richard, and Aunt Helen,
our pastor and his wife who lost their adult son suddenly and then 2 weeks later her father,
and a family who used to go to our church whose 11 year old son died last night as the result of a brain tumor.

All of these people are facing their first Christmas without their loved ones and I KNOW how extremely painful that is.

I'm also thinking of:

the many couples I know who are experiencing problems in their marriages,
the families I know that are suffering the consequences of divorce, and
the parents I know whose children are sick.

And these are just the major things.  There are many, many hurting people in this world and there are very few that I can help. 

But I can invest my time in things that matter, and I can pray and I can celebrate the ultimate GIFT that was given to all of us. 

That will have to be enough this year.....

TOP 5 CHRISTMAS ALBUMS.....

There are MILLIONS of Christmas albums (cd's or downloads to you millenials)out there, but right here right now you can see the top 5 of all time!

5. Mariah Carey-Merry Christmas
Now I'm not really a fan of hers but I have to say this Christmas album is great! It has a good mix of secular and "church" music on it and boy can she belt it out!!  Just realized she has a new Christmas album out this year....I'm going to have to download that. 

4.  Steven Curtis Chapman-The Music of Christmas
Some familiar and some not but all great lyrics and catchy tunes.

3.  Amy Grant-Home for Christmas
Lots of good songs on this one....especially The Night Before Christmas.

2.  Jim Reeves-12 songs of Christmas
This is an oldie but it has some of the greatest Christmas songs on it including Senor Santa Claus.  Jim Reeves was a country singer with a beautiful voice who died in the prime of his life and career in a plane crash.  My mom used to play this record a lot around Christmas and we always kind of rolled our eyes but it just doesn't seem like Christmas without hearing these songs.  So glad that my sister found it on cd a couple of years back.  The Jingle Bells that is on this album was also used in the movie Elf.  Now stop rolling your eyes and go find this recording! 

1.  Amy Grant-A Christmas Album
Hands down the BEST Christmas recording ever (and I'm not just saying that because Amy and I are best friends)!!  Love every song on it but especially Love Has Come, Tennessee Christmas and Heirlooms.  If I only had one Christmas cd that I could listen to this would be it and I should know since I've been listening to it since 1983! 

TOP 5 CHRISTMAS MOVIES....

This week I'm counting down my top 5 in various Christmas categories. Join the fun!!

Agree, disagree, discussion.....


5. The Santa Claus-A cute movie even if it is "gasp" about Santa!

4. Scrooged-This one is not for the kiddies (unless you have the Guardian on your tv). I like it because I like Bill Murray and it is classic 80's.

3. Elf-"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is by singing loud for all to hear." Enough said.

2. It's a Wonderful Life-Who wouldn't like a chance to see the ways in which they have influenced or changed the direction of another's life?

1. A Christmas Carol-I love, love, love this story....the redemption of a man's life and I'll watch any version of it and there are A LOT of versions!