Critter Barn

Waiting for the live nativity to start.

One happy boy.

In Awe!  Love how her face.

Baby in a manger.

Charley, Lewis, Payton, Adi, Tyler & Grant. (Travis was there too but he didn't want his picture taken. :)

Christmas Celebrations 2012

I don't need a lot of words to describe Christmas at our house. It is our favorite time of year. We get to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and get to bask in the joy and hope that comes with it. 

There of course are parties and gifts which are fun as well. I love seeing and hearing the excitement of our kids as they await Santa coming and as they hold a wrapped gift waiting for me to take their picture so they can ripe it open and find out what is inside. P is very into it as she is four. C was into it this year too which was fun. 

I will stop the rant and let the pictures tell the rest.

Before B's work party.

New jammies for Christmas Eve. Ready to snuggle and watch a movie.

Christmas morning.

New Hallmark ornament.

I think he liked it.

So excited about his new garbage truck!

P and Auntie J.

G with GG

Me & my girl. I got a special pair of earrings she picked out. She did a really good job.

Art box from Mimi

Mr. Big Shot in his new chair.

New dinosaur from Auntie J.

Big Wheels = Big time!

Family pic

My parents and the grandkids. Up 3 from last year. :)

Sleepy.

Chirstmas Lights & Visiting Santa

A few of the highlights of the week before Christmas were our traditional drive around town to see the Christmas lights. We got the kids all in their jammies, made some hot chocolate, packed some marshmallows and the buddies and blankies and drove around to a few different neighborhoods to see all the Christmas lights. It is one of my favorite traditions and I know it's one of the kids.
Another tradition is of course going to see Santa. P was excited but said to me, 'Mommy, I'm a little nervous of Santa. I don't remember him'. I reassured her he was a nice guy and all was well. She was able to tell him she wanted a pink haired dolly (Barbie doll that is). Grant had no problem sitting on his lap or course. Charley on the other hand was so excited about going and said he was going to sit on his lap and be brave, which Daddy & I were skeptical of, but when he got up there he freaked and refused to go sit by him. Maybe next year. :) Although he did tell him what he wanted from a far...a truck. 

Christmas Choir

P was able to sing in the church Christmas choir this year. She loves to sing and it was so adorable watching her up in front of church singing those sweet Christmas carols and doing motions right along with it. 

She does makes my heart smile.

Alisa's Baby Shower

 A few weeks ago I had the honor to co-host a baby shower in honor of my dear friend Alisa and her baby boy. I am so excited for her as she journeys into motherhood and can't wait to meet her little man.

11 Months

So VERY late on this post but better late than never. 

Sweet Boy - 

Almost a year. (Smile & tear...as always. :)

Sleep - Morning nap at 10:00 to around 11:30, afternoon nap at 1:30 to 3:30 then to bed by 7:30 or 8. There are nights you still want your bottle at 6 am but you are still teething. You now have 6 teeth and working on more.

 Eating - Baby food is out...thank goodness (I am not a baby food phase person, I find it annoying). You are not disappointed either. You love big boy food so you get what we get. For breakfast you mainly have smoky links, fruit, pancakes/waffles or cereal without milk. Lunch is whatever P & C have and dinner is what we have as a family for the most part. When we have red meat I do give you chicken of some sort or another meat. We started you on whole cow's milk and you really like that as well. You drink it out of both a sippy cup and a bottle. We are going to start eliminating bottles next month...tear...but for now you are still getting 3 bottles a day (before morning nap, before afternoon nap and before bedtime. I know, I know it's a lot for being 11 months but you're my baby. :) 

Diaper Size -4's.

Clothes  -There are a few 9 month outfits that you can still fit into right now but mainly it's all 12 months. Because the 12 month pj's we have are almost all summer I broke out the 18 month jams. They work but are big.

Activities - You are a master crawler. I said a few months ago I thought you would be walking by the time I wrote this but that is not the case and that is ok. You will walk when you are ready. For now crawling makes you a little more 'baby' in my book. :)
Love you much Little Dude.
Always, Mommy

It is hard to to get you to sit still these days.

 (So many tears...)

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

A Good Reminder

I ran across this today as I, ironically, was checking Facebook. It was a great reminder for me especially at this time of year when my 'to do list' is a mile long. I hope it reminds everyone else how quickly time goes and that every moment counts. I am posting this and headed into snuggle with my girl while my boys sleep. Thanks Hands Free Mama for this today. I really needed it.

"The lesson of the little pink dog …

There will come a day when she no longer wants to hold my hand. So I will hold it while I still can.

There will come a day when she no longer tells me what’s on her mind. So I will listen while she still wants to confide in me.

There will come a day when she no longer says, “Watch me, Mom!” So I will observe and encourage while I still can.

There will come a day when she no longer invites me to eat school lunch with her. So I will join her while I still can.

There will come a day when she no longer needs my help to bake cookies or hit the tennis ball in the sweet spot. So I will stand beside her gently guiding while I still can.

There will come a day when she no longer wants my opinion about clothes, friendship, death, and heaven. So I will share my views while she still wants to hear them.

There will come a day when she no longer sleeps with her beloved stuffed animal. And that day may come sooner than I think. Because sometimes unexpected events happen, causing the days to rush by, the years to tumble ahead.
And perhaps what I thought I would have time to do
Like listen to her laugh,
Wipe her tears,
Breathe her scent,
And hold her close,
Will no longer be available to me.

The little pink dog that my child must now learn to sleep without after eight precious years reminds me that tomorrow may not allow for all the things I planned to do.
So instead of being too busy, too tired, or too distracted when she seeks my love and attention, I will be ready and waiting ...
To make her a well-loved child
While I still can.

-Rachel Macy Stafford©"

Christmas Tree Farm 2012

 Another year, another day at the Christmas tree farm.

Thank you Coldwell Banker Woodland-Schmit for another fun day at Teusink's Farm. 

Hayride Time!

It was a beautiful day and we took full advantage. Well, most of us that is. :)  Daddy worked hard helping all the other families find their perfect tree while we enjoyed the ponies, hayride (with bunnies to hold), feeding the animals, hay bale maze, donuts and hot chocolate. Oh, and while we were there we 'picked out a tree'. Ok, so we picked from the two trees Daddy had layed aside for us in the morning. 

Someone was a little sleepy on the hayride.

There was a tractor which C was excited about.

This year there were bunnies on the hayride...Nice touch Teusink's

Annual family picture by our new tree.

*Note: I did not realize how nice it was when I dressed my children. That is why they are wearing snow pants. :)

10 Months - G Money (Wrote this last month and never posted...oops!)

Baby Boy-

I have to smile when I write these posts because you are such a joy and are learning and discovering so much. You love life and love learning new things. With that said, you are also slightly naughty. You are into everything and when I say everything, I mean everything! If you can touch something you will, if it fits into your month that is where it goes, if P or C have something you find it interesting. Totally trouble. In our house we spell trouble G-R-A-N-T. The problem comes with the fact that you always have a smile on your face so it's super hard to get truly 'mad' at you. I think you know this too. Like I said, trouble. :)

Sleep - Sleeping habits have not changed much from last month. You did get another tooth this month so you were again waking up early for a bottle but other than that bedtime (8pm), nap times (9:30/10, 1/1:30 & 5:30/6) and wake-up time (8 am) are all the same.

 Eating - We are phasing out baby food slowly. You still get it but not at every meal. Other than that not much has changed her either. Still loving meal time, still taking the same bottles for the most part, other than the one after your afternoon nap. We have eliminated that one. We did start giving you sippy cups of water which you really like.

Diaper Size -4's.

Clothes  -You wear a few 9 month things but it's mainly 12 month stuff even a few 18 month items.

Activities - You started to pull yourself up on things. Just another thing that marks your trip out of babyhood and into toddlerville. 
Love you much Little Dude.
Always, Mommy