Every year we tend to send out 100-200 Christmas Cards. It varied from year to year, but Id say a solid 100 every year. With moving so often, Pastoring at 3 churches in just 7 years… we have run into lots of people :) built lots of friendships… and Christmas cards is just a small way we are able to stay connected to some people we wont see at Christmas.
This year though with the job-loss… we made the decision to cut back on the cards.
Despite our wants :)
So, if you have yet to get a Christmas card… there probably is not one coming in the mail box… it does not mean we love you any less… it just means we have 25 cards… family on both sides… and not enough to send to everyone.
For those who did not get a card though, I thought an easy way for you to get one up on your fridge ;-) – would be via digital file.
So here is our Christmas Card 2011 – it btw is not the same one we shipped out ;-) – so see, those who didn’t get one, get something different. Whoot whoot.
We love you all… and hope that everyone understands and knows we are still thinking of them.
To download full res file go to THIS LINK.
Am I the only one with unkept nails?
I kept admiring their unkept look the other day while out with the kids. I of course barefoot. Yeahhhhh I think they are in need of some love. Maybe later? :)
Have I mentioned that Taite on Sunday turns 5?
Crazy huh?
We debated throwing a party for him… just because money is tight… and they tend to stress me out. I knew though that Taite would compare Calebs 7th birthday before moving with his… Calebs 7th happen to be a “farewell” party too in ways… it was a week or so before our big move to GA… so it was a big deal. I didnt want Taite to feel left out.
So since its the #5 birthday :) – I figured we’d do it. Even though I am not expecting epicness HAHA… it will be a sweet gathering with some friends for him.
For his party I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to bake a natural cake.
Chocolate preferably.
I was going to make my friend Lis’ Zucchini cupcakes, which our kids love… but Taite has requested “a real cake” :) – meaning a sheet style cake.
So I am posting here in hopes that someone can help post a natural cake recipe they have tried and tasted ;-) – I am hoping to avoid re-bakes here.
It doesn’t have to be with wheat flour, which is what we use for almost everything now… but I would love that it contain sucanat or honey, instead of white sugar.
Thanks everyone! Oh and icing recipes too ;-) – post those! Id love a creammmmyyy fluffy icing.
You all rock!
Doesn’t Taite seem grown helping with Owen?
He is a great big brother to him.
Owen today had a first at potty training.
He woke up & because my cloth diapers were in the wash… I had to put him in a disposable. Which isn’t uncommon these days (I just cant keep up!).
Owen kept tugging at the diaper however, so I ended up just taking it off. Instead of risking Owen dropping a bomb on the carpet, we put him in Taite’s underwear and was hoping for the best.
I had to leave for the morning to go to a COR GROUP at the church… and the entire time I was away Owen stayed dry! At 1:00pm or so I put him down for a nap (with a diaper) & then once awake, I put him into these “Little Beetle” cloth diaper underwear I got when I trained Taite (on sale of course). They are a bit thicker than traditional underwear… yet not so thick, that Owen couldn’t tell he pee’d if he did have an accident. They work really well for training for that reason, but also because the sides unbutton incase they have a really bad accident ;-)
Owen to our surprise stayed dry throughout the entire evening. Occasionally taking breaks to SIT on the potty… but never actually going. That boy can go a LONG TIME without using the bathroom.
Towards the evening, after supper he did however have an accident… and pee’d. He immediately let us know though and was very aware of what happened. I told Travis this needs to actually happen a few times so he can become familiar with what he is doing. So its not a bad thing that it happened.
I just thought Owen looked so cute in his trainer… although, I think he is almost to old for pictures without clothing… At least for online :) – They grow so fast, don’t they?!
We btw will not push training Owen as of yet. If we have a day at home like today, and it works, great… but with the holidays coming and lots of traveling… we would prefer to just wait until after our travels :) – but it never hurts to dabble!
Note: To those curious about Owen’s necklace. It is the Hazelaid’s new unpolished Baltic Amber Necklaces. I just posted a discount on She {hearts} It for them. You can save 10% by using the promo “sheheartsit10″ at checkout :)
One thing we have always enjoyed with our boys, is a good board game. We of course started with all the traditional“toddler games”- such as matching, candy land and so on. With time however, our boys are growing up & loosing interested in those other games… So we are always on the look for a new family interactive game for them to enjoy.
One of those games happens to be a LEGO game. When I saw these advertised in stores, I immediately thought they’d be lame. Not sure why… I guess maybe because I felt like lego’s should strictly stick to building toys, not gaming…
I can humbling admit how wrong I was to judge it at first glance.
The LEGO game MINOTAURUS is fantastic!
We have enjoyed many games together using this game as an entire family. Both our boys get into the strategy of it. Its fun to watch… and is so much more entertaining than the classic roll of a dice, draw a card style games we were use to.
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