Christmas Time

It's Christmas time... my most favorite time of year. As Jay is old enough now to enjoy the magic of the season, we are trying to come up with ways to make it meaningful. We want to start new traditions, our traditions. They say children thrive on things like this, and thinking back to my very happy childhood I could not agree more. My parents made this whole season so incredibly special, joyful, and exciting. I want our kids to know that christmas is not about santa claus and christmas trees, though these things aren't bad, but it is about the birth of Christ. That in itself was miraculous and awe inspiring. So we will do a walk through Bethlehem, and drive around and see christmas lights, take him to see christmas trees, all of that in the spirit of the season knowing that ultimately it is a time to celebrate the birth of the world's savior. God loves each and every one of us, exactly where we are today, and that is why He sent His son. If you follow the life of Christ we start with something incredibly joyful, followed by a lifetime of miracles and wonders, then it is followed by a toturous and horrible death, then comes another event that can be dubbed joyful and miraculous, but the very greatest part of the whole entire story... is the end that hasn't come yet.

With all of that said, I was listening to the satellite radio on my TV tonight while updating this blog and heard the song "Joy to the World" come on. The lyrics are so beautiful and touched me to my soul. Enjoy reading, may it touch you in the same way as you go through this season of Joy and Awe!

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Vacay '09

We had a very relaxing time on vacation this year. Well, except when my ever so wonderful father in law (that is total sarcasm, he really is wonderful!) decided to give me a grief as we went over a bridge, suffice to say I am not a fan of bridges! We got to do all kinds of fun things like tour lighthouses, go hiking, play on the beach, and feed birds.

July 4th

We are trying to give our kid(s) plenty of amazing memories and traditions. This year for July 4th we watched the city fireworks and let our kids do sparklers. Here is Jay and our nephews' being their cute selves, it was a GREAT night! My parents, grandmother, cousins, aunt, and loads of friends were with us. We are VERY blessed to have such an amazing group of people around us!

Zoo With The V Family

Well, we decided to take our kids to the Zoo in June for their' birthdays. They were born three weeks apart (though it was supposed to be a little further!) It was so much fun! I have to admit I adore Loo's pigtails! Jay had a blast.
From top left, clockwise:
Loo and Jay sitting on Iguana... we tried ALL day to capture the two of them looking at a camera at the same time, this was the best we ever got!
Loo's face is so stinkin' adorable, I just HAD to put it up! Look at it, does it get much cuter than that? seriously?
This one is pretty self explanatory....
Looking over Jay's shoulders at some animals..