Buddies

KA REALLY, REALLY loves our dog, Billie. This evening she thought it was necessary to "read" a story to Billie. I'm not sure if you can tell but she's "reading" a discipleship book she found in my stuff. She informed all of us that the the book was a story about an alligator.

A "Pea" Party

Our Kati Ann loves to have tea parties. She & I often have tea parties with apple juice during an afternoon snack. For Christmas, Aunt Kate gave Kati Ann a Fisher Price Tea Party set! The excitement is obvious!

Christmas Morning Violin Concert

Jared & I gave Kati Ann a little violin for Christmas. It plays songs by touching the bow to the strings so we quickly had a concert on our hands!

One of the Big Kids

 

 

 

 

Monday night we had our Annual Special Forces Christmas Party at our house. The first couple of years, Kati Ann enjoyed the party but this year Kati Ann was absolutely elated to have the students at our house for a party. Kati Ann loves to PARTY!! The students made gingerbread houses and Kati Ann was right in the middle of the fun. Its days like this its especially nice when your dad is the youth minister. What other 2 year old parties with middle schoolers?!?

Its Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

Christmas Flowers Jared sent me up close

Christmas flowers on our kitchen table

Christmas Tree (next year Jared says we'll have a bigger one since we have the space now)

 

Fireplace with Four Stockings this year...even one for Kie!!

 

Our Dining Room

 

Thomas Kinkade Village (my parents have given us a different piece every year we've been married)

 

This time last year we didn't have Christmas decorations because I had a broken arm and quite frankly it was all we could do to get everyone showered everyday much less decorate for Christmas. So this year, all my bones are connected and I have some medicine that is working to keep my nausea and sickness under control so I was excited to decorate this year. Kati Ann was really excited as well. She loved that we put up a Christmas tree at our house. Wherever we go that we see a Christmas tree, she says, "I have one at my house!" So, here are a few pics of our endeavors to make our home look like we're celebrating a very special birthday!

Visit to Grandma Joan

For Thanksgiving, we visited Jared's grandmother, Grandma Joan, in North Oklahoma. We spent most of our Thanksgiving Break in the car but it was nice to visit family and enjoy some UNBELIEVABLE food!!

The Rainbow

For Thanksgiving, we journeyed to Miami, OK and decided to take the "long" way and make a stop at the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO. As soon as we pulled into town, Kati Ann spotted the arch and said, "Mom, look there's a rainbow." We didn't go visit the arch until the next morning and she continued to refer to the arch as the rainbow and thought it was amazing (at least from the outside). We took the tram up to the top of the "rainbow" and all 3 of us weren't nearly as impressed by the inside as we were the outside. It was fun to make memories!!