Littlest Salvation Army Volunteer

 Big Sis (Zoe girl) has been volunteering with her daddy to ring the Salvation Army bell at the local Buehler's on Fridays during Advent for two hours! She has been doing a super fabulous job and many who pass by just can't resist not putting some extra change in the kettle!

All smiles! 

"Merry Christmas"

Littlest volunteer ever!

Who can resist that?!?!

The gifts of our children...

I've been meeting with a neighbor friend of mine every few weeks to take time to pray for our children. As many a mother would acknowledge the necessity to pray for her children, I have found that meeting and agreeing together with another mother to pray is so powerful as scriptures tells us: 

 ¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20

Recently we focused on praying for our children's spiritual gifts. And even this past week Zoe's bible memory verse was a paraphrase of Matthew 7:11 "God gives good gifts". In this season of gift-giving it only seems appropriate to thank God for the gifts he has given and pray for these gifts to be fostered in our little ones. 

Let Zoe, Roman, and Samuel use their gifts and talents for your glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31

 Show Zoe how to use her gifts and talents wisely, being faithful with the abilities you have given her. 

Matthew 25:21

 Thank you for the special gift you have given Roman.  Show him how his gift differs from the gifts you have given others, and let him be generous, diligent, and cheerful in using it. Romans 12:6-8

Let Samuel use his gifts for the common good, recognizing, how he fits into the body of Christ and using his special abilities to build up and complement others. 1 Corinthians 12:7-26

As Roman considers his gifts, cause him to lean not on his own understanding, but acknowledge you in all his ways, so that you - the One who created and gifted him - will make his paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Give Zoe a sense of destiny, and show her that you set her apart and appointed her with gifts and talents even before she was born.  Jeremiah 1:5

Cause Samuel to be diligent in developing his gifts and talents so that he will become "skilled in his work" and "serve before kings," using his abilities to fulfill your purposes. Proverbs 22:29

Even at an early age the gifts of my children are becoming apparent:

Zoe is a loving an sensitive little girl who has a super memory and loves to sing praise songs!

Roman is very mechanical and has a sensitive spirit about him where he desires to please. He is fun-loving and  full of enthusiasm (and as his sister says, "he's full of strawberry jam!")

Samuel, our newest addition, is sweet as sugar and a content little man.  I pray that he continues to exhibit contentment through all his life:
 I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
 Philippians 4:12b-13

The Lee Academy

The Lee Academy started this week! Big Sis' first week of preschool has begun... in our basement. With much excitement and build up, the day finally has arrived. The teacher is "Mrs. Lee"... although I am quite skeptical that she will call me this.

Day 1:
Here is Big Sis sitting at her desk eagerly awaiting instruction!

 Here are the Lee Academy school rules:

Day 2:

Here is Little Man brushing his teeth before "school". 

Courtesy of my sister's ingeniousness, I've started incorporating a fun way for Big Sis to get ready in the mornings before school. She has a grouping of 9 cards that each individually have an item listed on them that she needs to do before school. They are numbered in order and if she does all 9 she gets a special reward. It has been working really well.

Today we were learning about God's creation and specifically the moon and stars. Here Big Sis is doing a matching game on the phases of the moon.

Here is our flannel board with Days 1, 2, part of 3, and 4 of creation on it.

Big Sis is making her own "Creation Poster" and is gluing on "day" and "night"

Here is Big Sis posing for a picture outside of her reading Tepee.

We took some pictures of Big Sis with her doggie for her "All About Me" book.

 

 Here she is posing outside of her house.

 This is her posing with her favorite "toy"... her blankie.

 Here's a picture of Big Sis helping around the house.

 Doing her favorite activity: reading.

Posing in her bedroom:

 Big Sis and Little Man went outside for some much needed sunshine and fresh air. Here Little Man is enjoying a mid-morning snack of cantaloupe!

Big Sis and Little Man are enjoying playing in a multi-sensory concoction that I created from couscous, rice, animal crackers, and multi-colored pinwheel pasta. They enjoyed scooping it and putting it in containers then burying small toys in it.

Big Sis made her concoction into a "birthday cake" for "Mommy and Roman."

Pine Hill Vacation

For our vacation this year we headed out to Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts to stay at a vacation house owned by a friend of ours. It was set in a scenic, quiet, peacefully wooded area that allowed for taking a break from the normalcy of life. 

My parents joined us and here we are on our first morning enjoying breakfast! 

Roman loves his pancakes and was always trying to find a way to mooch more!

Big Sis and Daddy's favorite activity was hiking and exploring the woods and the brook that was so close by!

There were many a mornings where Daddy and Big Sis took walks to the nearby bridge and threw rocks overboard into the brook below.

Standing in front of Pine hill home

Zoe exploring

Zoe waving to Gma in the window

Zoe with Gma making clay creatures

Swimming at Pilgrim Pines Christian Camp

Roman swinging at Pilgrim Pines

Playing in the sand was a big hit!

Roman being a mischievous 'little brother'...what's he about to do?

Burying Big Sis in the sand!

Look closely and you'll see Zoe and Daddy outside in the woods. Daddy was telling the story of Hansel and Gretel and they were leaving a trail of breadcrumbs behind them. 

Playing with blocks and building stairs

Midweek we took a trip to Boston to check out the Freedom trail. Along the path we discovered a nice little spot to break for the kids. 

Roman timidly standing next to the fountains coming up from the ground.

Big Sis diving in to the action!

Roman getting a little braver!

Zoe made a little boat to float in the brook. It was made from bark and a toothpick.

Off to float her boat!

Pop pulling Roman and Zoe on the pine needles out back!

What fun!

The family going for a walk down to the brook on our final day!

Ben's goal was to jump into the brook before we left. Here he is gearing up!

Mid-air!!

Coming out after a refreshing dip in the brook!

It was a wonderful trip to Massachusetts and a great vacation! Thank you Mark and Charla for allowing us to use your home! We were blessed!