Church Music

Today at church all the sunday school classes were cancelled (except for the preschool and under crowd), so Noah came to the worship service with us. We were singing and he was standing on the chair in between us and I can't even tell you how sweet it sounds when my baby sings songs of worship in my ear. I loved it!! He was so focused and serious, it was awesome. He brought his new Bible (thank you papaw!!) to church with him today and looked through it when the sermon was going on. They knew the kids would be in there so they had them come up to the stage and sang songs they would like as well and they danced with them. It was so awesome!! It always tears me up to see kids so excited about God!! I love our church so much. It's just the best!! Oh, and as I post this right now, Noah is singing one of the songs we sang....I couldn't possibly love those kids any more!!

What a well rounded life I have!!

Tonight I went to the grocery store, came home and made ziti alfredo with grilled chicken (from scratch, even the sauce!!), went down to our basement and laid some carpet tiles in our new theatre room, came upstairs and gave Noah a haircut and then put both kids to bed. I love having so many different things going on. I feel so good about making these yummy homemade meals for for my family that I would normally pay a fortune for at a nice restaurant but it only cost about $6 at home to make and then being able to cut Noah's hair (I learned by always watching and paying close attention when the professionals cut it) and have it look pretty darn nice if I do say so myself which saved my family about $15!! I feel so well rounded!! Just wanted to share!!

Now, I've had...

the time of my life....and I owe it all to you!! We had the most fun tonight with Sonya and her family. They came over for a visit and when you mix good food, good people and good laughs you get the some good fun. The kids just had a blast, playing together and decorating gingerbread. When they left Noah said "I wish they were still here"!! We really hope they'll come back all the time, I know the kids would love and so would the parents!! I couldn't believe how well the kids just played together like they've known each other forever. They have spent some time together in the past, but they just pick up like they just played yetserday. It's so awesome to see them make friends like that. Well here's some pics from the fun...

more....

Christmas

Well we had a terrific Christmas!! WE spent Christmas Eve at my parents house and then in the evening we visited my Mom's side of the family. Christmas Day we opened our own gifts then went to my Dad's side of the family for a late breakfast and then later we had dinner with Steve's family. We were all so spoiled!! I can't believe how much Steve and I got, let alone what the kids got. We've been very blessed with such big families and it's such a joy to spend this time with them. We did come home Christmas evening with a stomach virus, but all is well now and we just have to transform the Rumpke landfill in our family room back into a home!! Here's some pics ( I took 355) of our Christmas, hope all is well and everyone had a terrific Christmas as well!!

I'm so excited..

and I just can't hide it!!! Tomorrow starts the whole Christmas holiday for us. We are getting up around 6:30 to head over to my Mom and Dad's for breakfast and presents. I know what she got the kids and Steve and I just can't wait for them to see what it is. I feel like a kid waiting for Santa to come. I hope I can go to sleep!! I love this so much. Having kids makes this holiday the absolute best. I CANNOT wait to see their faces over the next two days!! OOOOOHHHHHH I can't wait!!!! Love you all, Merry Christmas!!

Newport Aquarium

Yes, we've been very busy lately!! This time we went to the Newport Aquarium to see the Underwater Santa!! We took Riley with us and we met my Aunt Jackie and her son Zach. The kids all had a blast together. Abby was a little afraid of the sharks, but after awhile she calmed down. Riley was even interested in watching the fish swim over our heads. I really enjoy filling the days before Christmas with lots of stuff so the time goes by faster, otherwise I get way to anxious about it. Tomorrow I'll probably just be cleaning up the house, so there probably won't be much to post!! I can't wait to see pics of everyones Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

Granny

This is my Great Grandma whom everyone calls Granny. She is actually Noah and Abby's Great Great Grandma. They are the fifth generation. She is the mother of my grandma who is the mother of my Dad who is the father of me and I'm the mother to Abby and Noah. She's going to be 90 next year and is young as I ever remember. It's so great having so much family to share with my children. How wonderful it must be for her to see so many generations grow before her eyes. We're so blessed to have her in our lives!!

Noah's party

Here's the fun that was had today in first grade at Noah's school. He made lots of fun crafts, had yummy snacks, exchanged books and got really cute reindeer antlers!! He had lots of fun.

Holiday Fest

I know, I know another post about a holiday event we went to, but that's really all were doing lately--well that and finishing our basement, which I cut myself doing tonight---owwwiiieeee!!! So anyway we went to the Beach and had lots of fun ice skating, toboggan sliding, petting tons of animals and cruising the lazy river in a foot powered paddle boat. The weather was absolutely perfect, cold enough to feel Christmasy, but not so much that we were freezing and dying to go inside somewhere. I really enjoyed it, though my poor feet were aching after the ice skating!!!! And tomorrow is Noah's party at his school, so I'll have that news to share then!!

Some Christmas Fun

Over the past few days we enjoyed some fun Christmas events. We went to my mom's Christmas party at work. She loves showing off the grandkids!! They had yummy snacks, sang songs and even got their first present of the season. Then we drove through the Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods. This was the first time we had ever done that and we really enjoyed it. We brought our homemade cookies and candies and some milk to enjoy while we drove through. Afterwards we went into Santaland where the kids played a while and we saw the cool train display. And Abby had her Happy Birthday Jesus party at school. They played tons of games, had a book gift exchange, decorated little cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday. There is only 4 kids in her class, so she's grown pretty close to all of them and they're all just so sweet. I love the holidays!!

I've been busted!!

This is my dear friend Sonya, the blog police. She busted me today as she is terribly bored with seeing my pictures of the Great Wolf Lodge. I apologize for the lull in my posts, but my husband and I have been working on our basement so we can get it ready for Noah's next birthday party in January. After I finish my work for today I'l post more, I promise!!

Great Wolf Lodge

Tonight we went to the newly opened Great Wolf Lodge next to Kings Island. Steve's cousin and her husband are spending the weekend there and they got a total of 6 passes for today and invited us to come up. We spent a total of $4 for a locker for the entire day!! It is so awesome. You really feel like you're on vacation, but only 12 minutes from home. Noah could ride all of the slides and he loved them. Abby rode a pretty fast one and then only wanted to do the "kiddie" ones from them on (she got splashed pretty good!!) We spent over 5 hours there and had the best time. There is so much to do, even for little ones Abby's age and smaller. The kiddie area was so great, they have 3 tiny slides that Mommy or Daddy can catch them, two curvy bigger slides (still pretty slow though) that again they can be caught on and a huge pool area that's only about a foot and a half deep. Then they had this humungous water fort for kids a bit older with a few small slides there as well that empty into very shallow water. They had a lazy river, tube slides (you ride on innertubes) that go in and out of the building. It was just incredible. It feels so warm in there, yet there's no sun - so no sunblock which I love. I would definitely recommend it for a fun getaway. Boy am I exhausted!!

Dance with Me

Today was Dance with me day at Abby's dance class. She was so excited when I came into class with her, stood on her special spot with her, did all the dances with her and clapped when it was her turn to hop on foot all the way down the mat and then do front rolls all the way down the mat. I love spending time with her alone. I really felt like Noah got a lot of alone time before Abby was even born (almost 3 years) and I really hoped when Noah was in school full time, that I would be able to do that for her and I think it's happening and she loves it so much. She really loves it when it's just "the girls". We could just be going to Kroger but when it's just us, she lights up!! I love being her Mommy and her greatest role model, I only hope I live up to it. She is such a wonderful little girl already and I only hope she continues on that path. After dance class we had lunch together and I let her pick it - Frisch's Big Boy (she calls it like that), which is her favorite. She LOVES their macaroni and cheese!! I thanked her for a wonderful lunch and the fun at dance class and she just beamed. OH, How I love her!!! Her's some pictures from her first day of dance class..

A joy of motherhood

I feel so much love and joy when I get to answer the sweet call of my little angel, Abby..."Mommy come see what's in the toilet!!!", followed by "will you clean my butt??" and finally "is my butt all nice and clean??". AAAAHHH I love being a Mommy!!!!

Noah's home today

Well, Noah didn't go to sleep until past 2am last night and everytime we asked him why he couldn't sleep (any pain, bad dreams, worries, etc...) he said he didn't know. Well right at 2 he threw up. I don't know if he's sick or maybe just something he ate didn't sit well, but we're gonna keep him home anyway. The schools rule is no vomiting within 24 hours, plus he only got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep, so he's upstairs sleeping now. I hope he feels better...

Today's finished products

These are today's finished products. It's almost 8pm and I've been working at it since 9am!! I didn't get the pie or the cupcakes made, oh well I guess I'm not the baking diva I thought I was. Still I'm pretty proud with how much we came out with.

Today is baking day!!

Today we are baking our little hearts out!! We are making three kinds of cookies, two kinds of candies, one pie and a batch of cupcakes. The kids really love cutting out cookies and decorating them. It's lots of fun. Last year I learned some of my grandma's secrets and tricks and this year I'm pulling out all of the stops. It really feels like Christmas is almost hear when I get to sit down and enjoy some homemade buckeyes, peanut butter fudge, sugar cookies, oatmeal walnut cookies, chocoalte chip swirl cookies, butterscotch pie and holiday cupcakes!!! Yummy!!! Oh, I almsot forgot, we're also dipping pretzels in chocolate and white chocolate!! I'll keep posting pictures as we finish more things....

Rainbow

This morning after I dropped Abby off at preschool, Noah and I saw a rainbow. We saw both ends of it, but not the middle. It was beautiful as they always are and I love it so much when we get to see such awesome proof of the promises God has made to us. I especially love it when He gives me the opportunity to tell my kids more about His love and promises. And of course the rainbow is just so darn cool!!

more pics