It's Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas!

Well, since my Christmas cards will either be late this year, or non-existent, I will type you all what has been going on here this month. It's been pretty busy. The first week of December, Scott found out that his company was shutting down at the end of the month. Not good news, to be sure. So needless to say, being that it is December, we were a bit bummed. Well, a lot bummed. Every Saturday since the end of November we have been practicing for our Christmas Pageant at Church called "A Night in Bethlehem". We have dress rehearsal at 1 p.m. today, and our play will take place during church tomorrow morning. Skaterboy is one of the news reporters on the scene, Truthseeker is a Magi, and Thumbody is a shepherd boy. Scott and I are travelers on our way to Bethlehem.

December 16, was Skaterboys golden birthday. He turned 16. I can't believe I have a 16 year old child. Wow!!!! He had a fun party with 8 of his friends. They went bowling, and then came home for presents and homemade ice cream cake.

December 11, Scott and I traveled to Bloomington for his company's last Christmas/closing party at Famous Dave's BBQ. It was a bitter-sweet evening, although everyone laughed a lot, and overall a good time was had by all. After the party, Scott and I drove over to Toys R Us, and did a little bit of Christmas shopping for the kids. We purchased a few Lego sets for Truthseeker, a play castle with knights for Thumbody. We couldn't find much for Skaterboy, so on the way home, we ran by Wal Mart, and found a video game and an Ipod dock/alarm clock for Skaterboy. He doesn't have an alarm clock, and he is a bear to wake up in the morning.

December 18, was our annual 4-H Christmas party and gift exchange. We exchange nice white elephant gifts. The kids always enjoy what they get, and it recycles something they no longer want. We had a pizza buffet, where each family brought a pizza, either homemade, frozen, or restaurant, and we all shared. I made my famous cheese pizza, (skaterboy always calls it famous, because his neighbor friends beg me for a slice, whenever I make it for the family). Skaterboy says I make the best pizza, but really I think Joan's was much better than mine.

Thursday was Scott's last day of work, so yesterday morning I helped him file his unemployment claim on-line. This is the first time either of us has ever had to file. Hopefully it will be able to tide us over until he gets a new job. Please continue praying for us.

Last night, we had our Annual Christmas Party for our friends and their children, at our home.
We do this every year, and make dinner, and exchange small gifts. It's a fun time we look forward to, all year long. We served spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner.

The party last night was such a blessing in so many ways. Most of all, it is wonderful to have great friends. Especially great friends that are very skilled and handy. Some of you know that our gas fireplace hasn't been working right for quite some time. My dad looked at it when he was here in November, and he couldn't fix it. Scott didn't want to mess with it. We called a few different gas places in town that advertise that they work on gas fireplaces, but we found out that they only work on those they install themselves. We have been freezing in our family room (where the computer is) for quite some time. It's part of the reason why I haven't been blogging a l0t. The fireplace is this room's only heat source. Well, we had forgotten that one of our friends was an HVAC technician, and Scott got to talking to him last night, and he looked at it, and had it fixed in roughly 10 minutes. Oh, how nice it is to have friends... So I am nice and toasty now, sitting here typing away.

Today is dress rehearsal at the church, and then I need to get sewing the many projects I am planning to give as gifts. For those family members who have not received Christmas gifts yet, they are coming. I promise.

Enjoy the pictures below:

Here is a photo of our Advent Tree or (Jesse Tree). It is in the dining room area of our kitchen. We do a little devotional each night that coincides with each ornament through Epiphany.

The other night, everyone was watching a Christmas special, and I just couldn't resist snapping this cute picture of Scott and Thumbody. Thumbody is our little 4 year old, and he is really getting into the whole Christmas season and everything that is Christmas. Whenever I ask him how old he is, he says he's "not much 4". It's so cute. I don't know why he says that, but it's priceless, and makes me giggle inside, each time I hear it.

About 3 minutes after I took the nice serene picture above, a tickle fight broke out, which is normal around here.

Here the boys are in front of our tree. 5 more days 'til Christmas.