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ONE THING

Im sitting here listening to a free webcast and Im getting totally inspired.
There is only ONE THing that counts in this world...ONE THING!
It's actually called the One THing Conference- thousands are in attendance right now In KC but even more get to hear it FREE on line...
www.ihop.org
you have to fill out a quick registration page but it's free- and will be going on until midnight newyears eve....check it out...right now it's just music but later will be awesome teachings that I Promise will change your life! If your reading this and it's past new years- click on it anyways because I think there's archives....it's worth it.

Christmas 2008

wiped out and only 1/2 way done w/ the day!
The Fam!
Sisters!
Caleb at 10pm Christmas Eve dreaming of sugarplums
6:40 am...Sova's stilll trying to figure this whole 'wake up early and open stocking thing' she wasnt too fond of the early morning comotion...
...well, until she found some goodies inside the big sock.


Merry Christmas!
What a day- Im in my pajamas still and the house is still a whirlwind- but hey thats what the 26th should be like right?
We had a very busy Christmas- like all if our holidays- but Im not complaining- I like it that way. Sova got the hang of the whole present thing pretty fast. Although in the midst of being spoiled at grandma's she took a deep breathe and said, "no more presents." In the morning she wanted to "Save her stocking for later" but Jacob just wouldnt have that- so he coerced her into opening it. Naturally she took her time (typical) opening her gifts, Jacob wanted to tear throught them in the speed of light (typical Jacob) and Caleb was content in his own little world happily playing with a peice of fuzz on the carpet (typical Caleb) until we called him over to open another gift.

Im blessed w/ a rare oppurtunity to take a nap as wonderful husband took Jacob to exchange non- working gadgets.

bonding

Snowed in

I feel like it's Christmas every day this week! With us all being snowed in and aunty jocelyn and uncle Ian here- we are having so much fun. We even had a big family sleepover complete w/ pancakes and sledding in the morning :) Actually I just pretended to be scared to drive home...w/ both of my sister's and their families sleeping over my mom's I didnt want to miss any fun . Mike had to go plow and said the roads were too bad to come back (I just think he didnt want to sleep on a couch w/ a cat) Jacob was on Jacks floor, Sova started out sleeping in nana's bed but she is such a snuggle bug that my mom couldnt sleep- so at 2:30 am she was escorted to the couches that were pushed together that Caleb and I were sleeping on. Baby Eli woke bright and early- launching uncle nate out for a 'box of Joe.' Mike showed up at 7:30 w/ snowtubes attatched to the back of the quad...and then the fun began :)

Butterfly Man

I hope your packing Aunty Jocelyn & Uncle Ian...we got some excited kids in Connecticut!
As you can see your on our Christmas chain countdown- 4 more days!
Jacob saw an airplane today and thought it might be you guys...I told him I sure hope not cuz their not landing until Thursday and that would be a long flight.

I wish I had my camera this weekend...it was the biggest Kodak moment I've seen in a long time.
Saterday we took the kids to a Butterfly sanctuary...it was realy cool- the best part was that you felt like you were in the rainforest even though it was freezing outside.
Anyways- a particular species of butterfly were very much attracted to Michael. It was hilarious- they were kind of attacking him- they were on his head- on his nose- is stomach- his back- his legs...
It was only the black and yellow kind. At first he was freaking out and waiving them away- but this was making the kids very nervous- they then began to scream at butterflys and we were getting some irritated looks by the fellow butterfly observers, so MIke deciede to embrace the butterflys . He stood in the center of the sanctuaty and posed w/ his arms out standing very still...and then they came- they were fluttering all around him- people came and watched...It was hilarious- I was crying...I cant believe I didnt have a camera!
I call Sova-Grace, 'my little butterfly' because she is so delicate and she kind of walks like she's fluttering around- and she loves butterflys...but strangely now when I see a butterfly I will be reminded of my large husband ducking in the bushes from these dainty little creatures- that he swears were spitting on him!

1st Snow

The Return of the Gingerbread House
Stringing Popcorn
Sova's 1st snow:


upon opening the door to get a better look she turns around w/ a disappointed look on her face and says, "mommy...snowman? snowman no?" with a shrug.

Upon touching it she said, "mommy- icecubes!"

I think all of our picture books of snow have snowmen in them and she assumed they must fall w/ the snow!
When she came in the house and some snow fell on the floor and was on her coat- she said, "Oh my gosh! snowman in the house! get out!"

This morning (one day after after the snow) she opened the door and said, "no...no snowman."

The Giver

Future BFF's cousin cubs- Caleb & Eli
HUH? Ok let me explain...Princess Sova-Grace made me do it...
SHe was pretty thriled elastics fit in her hair- Im not gonna lie- Caleb was too ;)
Jacob's not in the picture because he ran away very fast.
This is what happens after dinner in the winter I guess.


Last night while tucking in Sova, she told me that she wanted to give "tuchimayo' some coffee. That is her old caretaker in India. She told me that Tuchimayo does not have coffe and that she would like some. I got such a kick out of that- she must see how important it is to Mike and I and she thinks Tuchimayo must be missing out on some good stuff!
My friends and I are in the midst of sending care packages to India and Nepal so I told Sova that we can send some coffe to Tuchimayo w/ a picture of Sova. She seemed pretty satisfied but then she decieded to ask for more. She thought that her friend Shandhya would really like 'cream' (Im assuming whipped...the kind she eats off my Really good coffees:)
And then she said she wanted to give her extra red mittens to her friend Shasmita because her hands are cold! I think she has the Gift of Giving!