Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Throwback Thursday: 2007's Christmas Update
Dear Friends and Family,
It is so much fun for me to look back and see what was happening years ago. This post happened exactly 12 years ago in 2007 and it's amazing to think of all that has happened since these girls were so tiny. Enjoy!
It is so much fun for me to look back and see what was happening years ago. This post happened exactly 12 years ago in 2007 and it's amazing to think of all that has happened since these girls were so tiny. Enjoy!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Happy New Year's Eve, Last Day of 2018
Dear Friends and Family-
I didn't take many pictures this year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. I took more videos this year instead. I decided instead to sit back and enjoy all my kiddos as they opened their presents without worrying about pictures. I suppose I may regret it down the road someday. For now though...I really enjoyed just being in the moment.
Have you ever found yourself realizing that you need to sit back and just be in the moment? In this fast-paced world, it's easy to think we need to be on the go in all areas of our life. Take a picture of this, post to that, go here and go there. Sounds much like a Dr. Suess book, doesn't it?
Here is a challenge for the New Year of 2019 that I will be taking on for myself:
I didn't take many pictures this year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. I took more videos this year instead. I decided instead to sit back and enjoy all my kiddos as they opened their presents without worrying about pictures. I suppose I may regret it down the road someday. For now though...I really enjoyed just being in the moment.
Have you ever found yourself realizing that you need to sit back and just be in the moment? In this fast-paced world, it's easy to think we need to be on the go in all areas of our life. Take a picture of this, post to that, go here and go there. Sounds much like a Dr. Suess book, doesn't it?
Here is a challenge for the New Year of 2019 that I will be taking on for myself:
Take Time To Live In The Moment
Enjoy Life
Embrace God's Blessings
Name Them One By One
(Trust me...it'll surprise you what the Lord has done!)
I did take a few pictures that didn't turn out amazing, but still fun so I will share them below:
Have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve!
God bless,
Heidi
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Throwback Thursday: My Christmas Wish List
Dear Friends and Family,
Today seems like a good day to remind everyone about the reason for Christmas. If you followed my blog a couple years ago, you would have read a guest post from a friend of mine who came from circumstances that weren't ideal.
Today seems like a good day to remind everyone about the reason for Christmas. If you followed my blog a couple years ago, you would have read a guest post from a friend of mine who came from circumstances that weren't ideal.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Real Time Happenings: Christmas Activities
Dear Friends and Family,
You have probably noticed that I rarely post anything in real time. It's usually later in the month or often months later that I will post about something in our family.
You have probably noticed that I rarely post anything in real time. It's usually later in the month or often months later that I will post about something in our family.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Family Fridays: That Crazy Uke Family
Dear Family and Friends,
Does your family have something that keeps them bonded together? Our family has a love for music. Even more specifically, a love for playing Ukuleles of all sizes and shapes!
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Throwback Thursday: Grandpa Loved Christmas
Dear Family and Friends,
Many of you remember my grandpa, Bill Jordan. My grandpa died about 5 years ago and I recently ran across this post that McKenzie wrote a couple years ago. It's called Grandpa Loved Christmas and I hope you enjoy reading it. Maybe it will bring to mind some of your favorite memories of your grandparents or other loved ones around Christmas time.
May God Bless Your Day,
Heidi
Many of you remember my grandpa, Bill Jordan. My grandpa died about 5 years ago and I recently ran across this post that McKenzie wrote a couple years ago. It's called Grandpa Loved Christmas and I hope you enjoy reading it. Maybe it will bring to mind some of your favorite memories of your grandparents or other loved ones around Christmas time.
May God Bless Your Day,
Heidi
Monday, December 10, 2018
Monday Madness: Advent
Dear Friends and Family,
One thing we love doing as a family during the Christmas season is following Advent in some way. We have done many different ones over the years. Some more complicated or time consuming than others.
Last year we tried a new one that even our older kids took to. (By the way, this is NOT a paid advertisement, we just love it!)
One thing we love doing as a family during the Christmas season is following Advent in some way. We have done many different ones over the years. Some more complicated or time consuming than others.
Last year we tried a new one that even our older kids took to. (By the way, this is NOT a paid advertisement, we just love it!)
Friday, December 7, 2018
Family Friday: Christmas Baking
Dear Friends and Family,
There's nothing that screams Christmas more than some holiday-themed baking!
There's nothing that screams Christmas more than some holiday-themed baking!
Monday, November 26, 2018
Friday, November 23, 2018
Family Friday: Thanksgiving Weekend
Dear Friends and Family,
I had truly thought there was a possibility that I would be able to get into my blogging full time again. Trust me, there is content coming out my ears of all the things I would love to place on here! However, having a foster baby and extra teen these past few months makes an impact on blogging time, believe it or not!
Today it was in my heart, with it being Thanksgiving weekend, to give an update to our "peeps".
I want to thank all of you for being supportive in our fostering and adoptive journey. It's not a journey we planned but one we have happily traveled as the Lord has laid it out in front of us. I think it is fitting that at this point I give a loose update on where we are currently with the placements in our home:
If you read this post a few weeks ago about The Ever Changing Numbers Of A Foster Family, I mentioned that we didn't know how long we would have either of our extra blessings. That has since changed a bit: The teenager that has been living with us will be going home next weekend. As every change, it is bittersweet. It's time for their family to be reunited, which is our desire and prayer. She will still come over regularly for respite, as she has for the past two years. So we will still get to have her around! Our little baby will also be going home sometime in the next two months, more than likely.Their little family will still be monitored for months to come by DHS per protocol but they will be all together. We sure have enjoyed having this sweet little one in our home! He has been a joy and blessing. We will absolutely miss him. (Although I will enjoy sleeping at night again!!)
In other foster news: We will be taking a break from fostering for a undetermined period of time. Since our adoption of Noah, we feel it is important for him to completely understand that he is a permanent part of our family. With the coming and goings of other kiddos, it reminds him of his early time in DHS care when he was moved regularly before coming into our home. So he assumes that means he will have to move on as well. As a result, it's important for his emotional well being that we focus on our core family and take a sabbatical from fostering. This wasn't an easy decision to come to, however, our family is our first concern. We have taken a poll with the girls and they also agree that it's time for a break.
That being said, there are many other ways we can continue to support the foster care system. I plan on doing a blog post on this soon as we have had many people ask how they can help out. So look for that to come out!
In other news, school is going good for all our kiddos. There have been some changes that have come along, but all in all, they are changes for the good that our family has embraced. The girls, that are in school, are still homeschooling. Tony continues to homeschool and use the resource (or SPED) room at the local elementary school. He has been receiving a little more help there this year. I'm not sure if I mentioned before but we had more testing done at the beginning of the school year and intellectually, he is not where we hoped he would be at this point. However, the team at school still continues to believe that we are doing the right thing for him. So we continue doing what we are doing! Noah continues going to a private school we found for him last year. We are so blessed by the team there and their willingness to help us train him with his social behaviors!
We are looking forward to the holiday season! How about you? This year sees us blissfully scaling down the activities outside the home to concentrate on our family and the blessed meaning of Christmas. Recently we had everyone write down their favorite traditions or even traditions they thought might be fun to start. It was neat to see what the kids favorite traditions were. What struck me, however, was that most of them simply had to do with spending time doing different activities with our family! And that, I can appreciate!
Does your family have any favorite Christmas traditions?
Well, my free moment of time is swiftly disappearing as the house is starting to wake up! Our little baby is gleefully chuckling at Peter, Noah is tossing in bed waiting for the all clear to get up and play while Tony tucks his head under his blanket for a few more minutes of sleep. I don't expect the girls to wake up any time soon, but once they do, we will be decorating the house for Christmas!
Praying that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
From our house to yours: God bless
Heidi
I had truly thought there was a possibility that I would be able to get into my blogging full time again. Trust me, there is content coming out my ears of all the things I would love to place on here! However, having a foster baby and extra teen these past few months makes an impact on blogging time, believe it or not!
Today it was in my heart, with it being Thanksgiving weekend, to give an update to our "peeps".
I want to thank all of you for being supportive in our fostering and adoptive journey. It's not a journey we planned but one we have happily traveled as the Lord has laid it out in front of us. I think it is fitting that at this point I give a loose update on where we are currently with the placements in our home:
If you read this post a few weeks ago about The Ever Changing Numbers Of A Foster Family, I mentioned that we didn't know how long we would have either of our extra blessings. That has since changed a bit: The teenager that has been living with us will be going home next weekend. As every change, it is bittersweet. It's time for their family to be reunited, which is our desire and prayer. She will still come over regularly for respite, as she has for the past two years. So we will still get to have her around! Our little baby will also be going home sometime in the next two months, more than likely.Their little family will still be monitored for months to come by DHS per protocol but they will be all together. We sure have enjoyed having this sweet little one in our home! He has been a joy and blessing. We will absolutely miss him. (Although I will enjoy sleeping at night again!!)
In other foster news: We will be taking a break from fostering for a undetermined period of time. Since our adoption of Noah, we feel it is important for him to completely understand that he is a permanent part of our family. With the coming and goings of other kiddos, it reminds him of his early time in DHS care when he was moved regularly before coming into our home. So he assumes that means he will have to move on as well. As a result, it's important for his emotional well being that we focus on our core family and take a sabbatical from fostering. This wasn't an easy decision to come to, however, our family is our first concern. We have taken a poll with the girls and they also agree that it's time for a break.
That being said, there are many other ways we can continue to support the foster care system. I plan on doing a blog post on this soon as we have had many people ask how they can help out. So look for that to come out!
In other news, school is going good for all our kiddos. There have been some changes that have come along, but all in all, they are changes for the good that our family has embraced. The girls, that are in school, are still homeschooling. Tony continues to homeschool and use the resource (or SPED) room at the local elementary school. He has been receiving a little more help there this year. I'm not sure if I mentioned before but we had more testing done at the beginning of the school year and intellectually, he is not where we hoped he would be at this point. However, the team at school still continues to believe that we are doing the right thing for him. So we continue doing what we are doing! Noah continues going to a private school we found for him last year. We are so blessed by the team there and their willingness to help us train him with his social behaviors!
We are looking forward to the holiday season! How about you? This year sees us blissfully scaling down the activities outside the home to concentrate on our family and the blessed meaning of Christmas. Recently we had everyone write down their favorite traditions or even traditions they thought might be fun to start. It was neat to see what the kids favorite traditions were. What struck me, however, was that most of them simply had to do with spending time doing different activities with our family! And that, I can appreciate!
Does your family have any favorite Christmas traditions?
Well, my free moment of time is swiftly disappearing as the house is starting to wake up! Our little baby is gleefully chuckling at Peter, Noah is tossing in bed waiting for the all clear to get up and play while Tony tucks his head under his blanket for a few more minutes of sleep. I don't expect the girls to wake up any time soon, but once they do, we will be decorating the house for Christmas!
Praying that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
From our house to yours: God bless
Heidi
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Blast From The Crazy Past: Ode To Our Christmas Tree...
Back in the day....before we realized I was deathly allergic to Christmas trees, or rather the spores that start growing on them once you cut them, we used to have a tradition of going and getting a real, live Christmas tree...in 2008, I looked out my sliding glass door and apparently felt sorry for our tree.....
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Guest Post: Just What I Always Wanted!
Enjoy reading this guest blog by one of my dearest and best-est friends, Glenda! Then when you are done, go check out her blog at Nehemiah Mama! Merry Christmas!
One of my most vivid childhood Christmas memories goes back to when I was about five years old. We were spending Christmas Day in Glen Eden Beach, OR, where my maternal grandparents lived, as was our usual tradition.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Blast From The Crazy Past- Things That Make You Go Hmmmm.....
About ten years ago, we visited my parents in Wisconsin....it was Christmas time and we were enjoying our time with them. One day after church, this happened:
When we were in Richland Center, town of 5000+, we decided to take a drive around the little town. We found their cemetery which was the largest I
have ever seen. It must've gone on for a mile or so, wrapping around and around. There were more statues and headstones than I had ever seen at one time. While we were looking at it, we hear George pipe up and say,"Wow, there's a lot of dead people in there!". Mac replied in a awed voice, "No WON-der there are so few people in this town!"
Till next time...
Have a blessed day and embrace the craziness in your life!
Heidi
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Guest Post: Traditions and Transitions…
Hi y’all. For those who don’t already know me, my name is
Angel and I’m a social worker in Boise, Idaho. For reference for this post, I
think it’s important for you to know that I’m 25 years old, and engaged to be
married this coming February.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Guest Post: Christmas With Grandma...
This post comes from my daughter, Sis, who wanted to share her memories of Christmas with Grandma Barb before they moved. Enjoy!
Friday, December 16, 2016
Guest Post: Grandpa Loved Christmas...
This is written by my oldest daughter, Mac. She had a very special relationship with her great-grandpa and Christmas is still a little hard since he went to be with Jesus:Thursday, December 15, 2016
Blast From The Crazy Past- Christmas Program 2013
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Have a blessed day and embrace the craziness in your life!
Heidi
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