Merry Christmas from our family!!!!

Love this picture of Ellyana with Daddy, can you see her precious dimple!?!

We had a coupon for cupcakes at the mall...how else do you get 3 kiddos in their Christmas clothes to smile big..."Our Little Cupcake" was very happy to see the store of cupcakes

Guess who likes to pick out her own clothes...this outfit topped them all! Didn't catch the gray stocking hat on her head!

Zach lost his first tooth, in his words..."Dad broke it off"...not sure it was quite ready but the other one is coming in big behind
Marathon day of Christmas parties at school

Enjoying a Christmas Concert as a family

Many blessings to you this Christmas season! May in the hustle & bustle of these days our hearts be turned to JESUS as the best gift of all, may HIS love fill our hearts & lives with true thankfulness as we celebrate HIM!!!!!

Enjoy this...adding some JOY to the Christmas season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU

8 minutes of inspiring, eternal perspective

Very worth your time to watch...

Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHJ6-YhSYQ

Lots of pictures...

Here's Ellyana on her Birthday...with a little family celebration at Chuck-E-Cheese

She played games with Dad, had tons of fun running around, eating pizza & playing...but in very typical 2 year old fashion...was not about to "share" this ride with this mouse

We had some International Students for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner...its was nice to be together & the meal turned out fine...they had never had one...so it was low-pressure on how all the food would turn out

One of our yearly favorites...our towns Lighted Holiday Parade...fun to share with friends...it was ChIlLy this year! Finally, got to connect with some other local Adoptive Families at the huge playland...no chance to get the kids all together for a photo...but all of our 3 kiddos had a blast...it was nice to be with families that are the same as us in so many ways
Our school district hosted "Kids Against Hunger" night...we enjoyed a soup dinner & soup packaging for local & international families that are without food. We got to taste the total nutrition packed soup also...not too bad...but it does make you thankful for what we have!

BJ & Brian won BJ's age bracket at our towns "Turkey Shoot" (not much competition)...but fun...these guys LOVE basketball...and BJ won a frozen turkey for his prize
BJ's class "Friendship Feast"..Turkey lunch in 2nd grade

Zach's been working all month to get ready for his Kindergarten Pow-Wow...he did great in the program...and the whole thing was very cute & fun
Enjoying some time with cousins over Thanksgiving

And Grandma got the "Ellyana" cake (it looks just like her style ;), super delicious too!And here she is again...the Birthday Girl...she loves it! Though when asked how old she is...she says "18"...a comment made in passing by Grandma months ago when she was acting grown up..."how old do you think you are...18?"...well, it stuck in her head & that is what she always answers!

Zach got to see his 2nd cousin who is from Guatemala also...they are super close in age!

Getting to celebrate today with friends from church...Happy Birthday, JESUS!!!!
Decorating cookies

With the 1st snow, 1st day of December ...and today kicks off the "Advent Season"...may our hearts be open each day to the Savior & His love!

Blessings to you this December!!!!

tutu fun to be "2"

Our hearts could not be more full of thankfulness for this
amazing, precious girl God has placed in our lives!
She brings so much JoY to those around her!
Sometimes she acts like she is a teenager & sometimes just still a baby
...it is the fun of being "2"!

Our version of prayer of 1 Samuel 1:27 & 28

We prayed for this child,

and the Lord has granted us what we asked of Him.
So now we give her to the Lord.
For her whole life she will be given over to the Lord.
And we worship the Lord here.

God has blest us beyond measure with Ellyana as our wonderful gift &

now we pray that He will bless her beyond measure as she grows up to
love & serve Him all of her days!

We love you so very, very, very much... Precious One!
Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!

*beautiful photos compliments of my sister-in-law,
as you can see we actually had "fun" taking the pictures :)

Guess who only has 1 more day of being "1"!?!!

Great Idea for Winter...without messing the hair

Crocheted Ear Warmer for Winter!

Made by Joy... see her photobucket...
http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee398/hartlaj/Crocheted%20Creations/?track=share_email _album_view_click

contact her at drh@mtco.com

We just got this today...the flower is interchangeable with a cute button, so we got a red flower too to match her red coat!

A nice, warm, cute option & so much better than pulling on and off a hat to try to keep the frizzies away!!! Joy has darling hats too, very fun & very nicely made!