Snow Day(s)!!!

WOW! What a day! We knew it was going to be cold but the wind chill was actually in the negative degrees! We can't believe it. We tried to go outside for some outdoor fun but that was literally a 5 minute ordeal! It was TOO COLD!! Plus we are off tomorrow too. It is true that we are getting a tad bit stir crazy but I am hoping that we can get out to do something tomorrow- or play with some neighborhood friends...something! We have some art projects planned so that should be fun!

They were double layered, hats and gloves on, huge winter coats and ready!

They thought they could catch snow on their tongues...poor kids. Just ice, not snow.

Justin in his adventurous self got some cardboard and sledded down the driveway with the M's. Feliciti was way too cold so she said no!

I got a picture of Feliciti on her way inside...poor baby...she has a little cold and cough so it was a good thing she was only out for less than a minute.

Madilyn kept slipping so we had to sit her down- so cute!

"It's cold Mommy!"

After our unsuccessful outing today, I am thinking we will not venture out tomorrow either. It's just too cold and its only ice- no snow. The kids can't even pick it up. They remember last year's snow making snow mans and throwing snow balls!
So blessed that Justin is home tomorrow with us so we can have another family day! Everyone enjoy your day!

Christmas 2010

Yes I know Christmas was a month ago but I just downloaded the pictures onto the computer. Haha! Life got busy when I went back to work and then school started (UTA) so whew...

This Christmas we had so much fun spending time with the Ziebarth's on Christmas Eve and then the DeHart's on Christmas Day. What a blessing! We also made a cake with yummy icing to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. We make sure to emphasize to the kiddos that Santa brings them a toy to remind them of the gift of Jesus but the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus coming down to earth to save us. I am truly honored to bring this blessing to my family since I didn't get to learn anything about baby Jesus when I was young.

While they were celebrating Christmas, the kids got some major presents from their family!

This is Mikah playing with his cool motorcycle from Mimi and Papa!

Iron man rocks!

Feliciti got a beautiful butterfly Barbie from Yaya and Granddad which she loves!

Some Granddad love- ahhh...

I like my brother's toys!

Feliciti got a bike from Mommy and Daddy!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

I got 10 free Thank You cards!

Thanks Much Blush Thank You 5x7 folded card

Create personalized greeting cards and invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas really is the best time of the year!!!

Check out my babies! We have had so much fun this Christmas! We went Christmas shopping and the kids were so good! They also got to visit Santa and they loved it. Then tonight we had a blast at the GP Westchester Christmas party where we got to ride on a real horse trolley! Whew! We sure do love Christmas and all the fun ways to celebrate our Saviour! Enjoy the pictures!!!

Pictures of my kiddos are my favorite thing!

BUT my computer has some major issues with uploading that I am working on right now. I will literally sit here for over an hour trying to upload pictures!!!

These are the things I am trying to do:
I am trying to create some Photo Books to put together some memories of my kiddos. I don't have much time to do scrapbooking right now with my Master's keeping me so busy so Photo Books are the best alternative. http://www.shutterfly.com

I am also trying to make some Photo calendars to give away for Christmas presents! http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

I created some amazingly simple and adorable Christmas photo cards last year and everyone complimented my skills! http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

And if we were having a fun Christmas party (maybe next year) we would use these: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations

We are so excited about this year because we have so many fun pictures to share with everyone on these awesome Shutterfly products! Now if I can only get my upload to work!!!!

What a great date!!! 10/10/10

We have been insanely busy!!! I feel like I write that each time I come on here but it's true. Since school started for me, both work and graduate, we've been going 100 miles an hour! Just to be transparent with you all this is our weekly schedule:

Monday- Justin stays home with the kids until 3 when a dear high school girl from church comes over to watch the kiddos. I get home from graduate school Monday nights, the kids are all asleep and Justin gets home from counseling later.

Tuesday- Justin stays home with the girls on Tuesdays and is also the transportation for Mikah to and from his new preschool from 9-2. He is doing great! We are so thankful that we are able to take him to preschool (with the help from the grandparents) because he so needs the school environment to get him ready for kindergarten. Tuesday nights I get home after Glee Club (yes I founded the Glee Club at my school and I love it!) around 5:30 and this is our family night together. We try to go to a park or take a jog/bike ride around the neighborhood. Something for us to do together to reconnect.

Wednesday- Justin works at the church all day while Aunt Richelle watches the kids (all 5 of them including her 2) and I get home around 5:45 from work and faculty meeting (ugh). Then I clean the kids up and get Mikah and Feliciti ready for Awanas. This is a Christian boy/girl scouts and we thought it would be really important for Feliciti to have some social interaction as well as a school-like environment since we can't afford to have her go to preschool. Good idea Mom and Dad! Feliciti really is excelling and I am so proud of her strides in obeying the teachers! Awanas is pretty short: from 6:30 to 8 in which I usually take Madilyn home to jog around the neighborhood and get her in her PJ's. Then we pick up the big kids and bring them home for bedtime. Justin gets home from counseling later.

Thursday- Ditto for Tuesday since Mikah has preschool and also ditto for our family night. Although twice a month we go to a larger family night including all of the Ziebarths and have a blast with the cousins, Yaya and Granddad, Mama and Papa and the aunts and uncles.

Friday- This is the only day that we have nothing set planned each week. Justin stays home with all the kids and I try to get off work right at 4:30. We have various activities planned for Fridays.

Saturday- We really try to take Saturdays as easy as we can to reconnect and to rest up. We do have things planned time to time: for example, yesterday we watched Reagan and Eli and had a blast seeing life with kids with 5! Umm..yeah that's not going to happen! Also next Saturday we are going to head over to the other cousin's house, Judah, and spend the evening with them!

Sunday- We always go to our church in the morning (10:30 service) and then home for nap and lunch. Sunday nights we have life group with our dear friends from church where we get to life life together. This is one of the highlights of my week as I feel so at ease there. We aim to build each other up since life gets so darn hard sometimes!

There you have it Blog World. This is our crazy, hectic world...but it's our world. I will be graduating in May with my Masters in Math and it can't come any sooner! I am trying to get all my classes in, trying to maintain all A's, and trying to write my thesis project...yeah it's not all getting done right now. Also, we do actually take lots of pictures of the kids but we lost the cord to download the pictures so all you have is words right now. Eventually we will get with it...but honestly guys, to be real...sometimes it's enough for us to be able to smile at the end of the day and hold each other. Our busyness has brought Justin and I closer together and we give ALL GLORY TO THE LORD!!! None of this could be done without Him and His patience, His strength, and sometimes Him holding us up!

End of Summer is So Hard!!

My summer is officially over today...we had Convocation today at the Verizon theater in GP.
And guess what?!? Madilyn started walking today!!! I missed it!!! It was so hard! Justin called me and left a message and told me how it happened. She was upstairs and playing with her brother and sister and then she was standing there at Mikah's door. Then she started walking toward the bathroom like she had been walking forever! It was so crazy! Justin said she was so confident and knew exactly what she was doing!

He did manage to get her second walk on camera which made me so happy! My baby girl is growing up ladies and gentleman! I am so proud of her!

We had a really great summer...we got to go to 2 family vacations...Madilyn turned 1...we got to go to Hawaiian Falls at least once a week...Justin passed his national counseling exam...Feliciti is turning 3 this week...and now Madilyn is walking!

No pictures this time...some next time!