New Year....New Things!

So today started a new topic in LINC (a women's bible study that I belong too). We are studying "Cultivating Contentment" which is something that I feel we all struggle with from time to time......do I give enough of myself to certain areas, can I have what they have, why can't my husband, kids, family act like theirs??? and so on. I am really excited to see how God speaks to me during this study because I was just having a conversation the other day with a dear friend and I said, "Although I am blessed with a husband that provides and is a great help in our marriage and family and all of our daily things are taken care of.....food, bills, house repairs, etc. I sometimes long for what others have, why can't we just be content with what we have?" Luci Swindoll from Women of Faith states that "Learning to be content is an education process, as is all learning...It would start with the acceptance of present reality and hopefully move toward genuine contentment." So, I am excited to start this learning process!

Jimmy and I are also tackling the 3.6.5 Challenge at Pequea Church. A step forward for both of us! What an exciting thing to tackle together and with our church family!! For those of you who are not aware the 3.6.5 Challenge is reading through the bible in one (1) year! We have our Bibles and are ready to read! Pray for us as we begin this task and that we will be able to stay the course and not let busy-ness take over!

Happy New Year!

Birthday Fun!

The BIG 7!
Riley - "Mommy, I can't believe that I am 7 already."
Quietly I reflected the past 7 years after she said that and I honestly can't believe she is 7 either! It is hard to imagine my life before kids! Our journey began w/ 4 years of infertility and a year of treatments before becoming pregnant with JD and then God blessed us with another child 14 months after he was born!!
Oh, how I am loving being her mom! I see her grow a little more every day and just the joy she brings to us!
Riley has this contagious laugh...a deep, down belly laugh followed by fits of giggles! She has had this laugh since she was an infant. She is always smiling and requires little sleep!
Her birthday was spent over two days....Wednesday her Nana took her shopping and for lunch and then Thursday we had lunch at Willow Valley w/ Maw Maw & Paw Paw, Dinner at the Olde Greenfield Inn with Sherri and Eden and then the four of us girls went to see "The Sound of Music" at the Fulton!
Here she is ready for her big night out!

Happy Birthday Riley!!

Uncle Ryan Is Home!!

The kids have been asking for weeks (well, for about 51 weeks to be exact) when Uncle Ryan is coming back home!

The big day is finally here, he made it home safely from the UK on Monday, 12/13 and we have been enjoying time w/ him ever since! The kids think that he is the funniest guy ever....being his sister, I don't think he is as funny as they do but I LOVE watching them spend time w/ him!

Here's to a Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Traditions...

Every year we ride the Strasburg RR for the annual Santa Train, it is a tradition I started w/ my best friend and her family back when the boys were like 6 weeks old. We can't imagine when the day comes (which I am sure is sooner than later) that our kiddos will think riding that train is to "baby-ish" for them.

Riley contemplating Santa...

Uncle Ryan was home for the fun this year (although I think they enjoyed his I-Phone the most)...

The boys...

This was our crew in 2009...
..

Christmas Blessings!

Mountain Retreat...

Thanksgiving weekend was spent at this great little cabin in Wellsboro, PA. (www.whitebirchcabin.com) We really just enjoyed spending time w/ the kids, riding the Santa Express at the Tioga~Wellsboro Junction Railroad, watching Christmas movies, playing games, seeing the PA Grand Canyon, hiking and going for drives. Here are a few shots....

Riley really seems to be contemplating what Santa has to say....

Hiking....

There was an awesome cable swing in the front yard....comical to get on because it sat so high off the ground...

Pippi Longstocking and Frankenstein and turning 8!

Enjoy some pictures from fall~~

JD on his 8th birthday w/ his best friends!!
Parker and Riley (front row....and of course Riley is holding her "Carter")
Tylet, Isaac, JD and Jackson (back row).



Halloween this year was a time for homemade costumes!!

So by now, you have all figured out that I am not the world's best blogger.....I am going to try and get better at this~I promise!! This fall has been a whirlwind of activity......school starting, soccer practices and games, work, Halloween, birthdays etc. I know, we are all busy but I have not been able to get a grip on everything lately......I think it is the change in "season" of my life. My kids are now in school fulltime, friends are going back to work and I am left wondering......what am I to do? Well, things are starting to fall back into a routine now and I am enjoying some "me" time as well as time found w/ some new friends (don't worry, I won't get rid of the old). Also, I have found that I needed to re-focus on God and getting him back at the center of my world. When He is there, everything else seems to be in place and I feel as if I can conquer the world......in LINC last week (that is a Women's bible study that I help to coordinate) I was again reminded of this verse:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under Heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear down and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace."

Happy fall everyone and may you all enjoy the "season" you are in now!!

Christmas Tradition!

Yet another year has flown by so quickly that I my head is spinning! I cannot believe that it is Christmas already and my "baby" is going to be six soon!

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to ride the Santa train each year with my parents, Jimmy's parents and our best friends The Hostetters! This started when JD was just about 2 months old. (Jackson was one and Isaac was almost 2 months old) and has continued. Although I don't have any pics (on my computer) of the kids when they were that little~I have captured some from this year........we have added a girl and two more boys since that first trip!

I am sure that Santa was telling them that they better not pout, better not cry.......


Parker ate all of Santa's cookies.........

(L to R) Riley, JD, Jackson, Isaac, Tyler and Parker.....

(L to R) Parker, Tyler, Riley, Jackson, Isaac, JD......

After the train ride it is usually lunch and a fun craft. This year we had lunch at our house followed by ornament making (or gift tags~I think Nicole had more fun than the kids....) and snowman finger puppets! After crafts Nicole and I actually got a little shopping done.......

I think this is a tradition that we make them continue until they are 18..............

Beyond our annual train ride, Riley and I were able to visit our first ballet and saw "The Nutcracker" this year. She was entranced by all the "sparkly" costumes and crowns. What fun we had!

We are now just anxiosuly awaiting the arrival of Santa and UNCLE RYAN! I am not sure which one the kids want home more.......they both bring gifts, but their Uncle actually sticks around and plays with and isn't gone in the wink of an eye!

Have a joyous holiday season!

God Bless!

Chrissy