2012 Book List

I stole this idea from my friend Kelly, who credits the idea from Money Saving Mom.  I love this idea of choosing some very intentional books for me to read through out the course of the year.  I am a reader by nature.  As in, I can not fall asleep at night with out reading for at least 20ish minutes.  I credit this to my mama, who made us read every night for 30 minutes.  She made it a fun thing of being allowed to stay up and read.  As a mom I now know she threw our butts in the bed 30 minutes earlier than what time she wanted us to go to sleep and let us think it was a treat.  Smart lady.  She got herself a few minutes (and boy did she need it with us three kids) and also fostered a love of reading for each of her children.  I do have to admit that I read what Spence would call "trash".  I am not sitting up in bed reading Systematic Theology by any means.  I read as an escape most of the time.  (although I do put away some heavy stuff as well)  Since this is the way I typically read, I have tried to choose some books that are fiction/helpful.  Here is my list.  I would love to hear what you plan to read in the next year or what you have read and think I should check out.  (Oh and my list is only 12 books- hello, I'm having a baby, and I am also not going to assign a month to be read in just in case things go a bit wonky after we have 3 kids in our house)

• Loving the Little Years Rachel Jankovic
• Give Them Grace Elise Fitzpatrick
• The Husband Project Kathi Lipp
• Feminine Appeal Carolyn Mahaney
• Organized Simplicity Tsh Oxenreider
• One Thousand Gifts Ann Voskamp
• Hunger Games triology Suzanne Collins
• Unbroken Laura Hillenbrand
• Gospel J.D. Greear
• Treasuring God in Our Traditions Noel Piper

New Years Day 2012

New Years day was ridiculous.  It was gorgeous outside.  It was way too warm to be January, so we decided to have a little celebration.  Spence made a fire in the firepit and we let the boys eat smore's BEFORE we had dinner.  (insert- this also allowed mom and dad to get to eat smore's before dinner!)  The boys had a blast helping Spence make a fire.  It was a bit windy and took some doing, but we (ahem, Spence) got it gonig and we had some yummy smore's.   Editor's note: do not try to use the fancy new flattened marshmallows when roasting over a fire.  They do not stay on the stick very well and quite a few were sacrificed to the fire...

 What do we do dad?

 My boys

 Ben was very intrigued by the lighter, Spence was not amused that I had bought a pink one

 Zeke's fire dance

 "I got a stick, mama" in the cutest voice ever

Zeke then got bored and moved on to jumping from the top of the slide

Other Christmas pics

 Zeke loved his boots

 Then Ben wanted his

 Spence spent some quality time with our nephew Levi

 Little family Christmas

 Cindy and I are 2 weeks apart (her with her first boy after two girls! so funny huh?)

Ben loves his Uncle Rik 

One of the fave Christmas gifts

Just a couple pictures

of me at 31 weeks pregnant.  I am not good at all with having pictures of myself ever, but especially when I am pregnant.  Christmas definitely afforded us a couple.  I have had a few people who have politely (ha!) requested pics since I don't get to see you because you all move away.  (You know who you are, I love you)  So, here ya go:

 Our sweet family enjoying our last Christmas with me as the only girl!

Ben has just patted my belly and hugged Ellie, he realy is gonna be a sweet big brother

Christmas Morning Recap

We spend Christmas morning just us in our home.  We love not rushing the boys through opening gifts.  Our routine is wake up and do stockings, read Jesus' birth story over breakfast and pray together, then open gifts from one another.  (no, we don't do Santa gifts. yes we already know about how we are stealing our boys childhoods and blah blah blah.) 

This year Benjamin of course was up before 6, but Spencer is a saint and entertained both boys until around 7:30.  We leisurely went through everything.  Once we opened our gifts it took us about an hour and a half for the boys to open 3 gifts each because they wanted to play with each one. 

This was the first year that we let the boys choose gifts for us.  I think next year we may give them a little help and also let them choose gifts for each other.  I don't have pictures of my gifts from the boys, but I want to remember that Ben chose a pink hat and gloves and Zeke chose a dog that plays "Who Let The Dogs Out?" He wanted to get me a pink dog and even through a bit of a fit in Target when Spencer tried to convince him the singing dog wasn't really what I wanted.  I love my gifts and the fact that the boys thought of them all on their own.  Spence got a school bus from Ben and a rocket ship from Zeke.  He hasn't seen either since Christmas morning :)

The rest of the day, we played and just hung out.  For dinner, we went over to the Douglas house.  Zeke, Ben, and Max played so well together.  Charlie slept the whole time pretty much (he is a month old).  And the adults stuffed ourselves and enjoyed hanging out and having full conversations. 

Here's the morning in pictures:

 Ben was excited about writing

 Zeke tried to read the book, but it was a notepad...

 Probably the boys most loved gift,

 but not mom and dad...

 The BIG gift

 Both boys got "cooters" (as Ben calls it)

 Immediately setting up toys as they are opened :)

 Ben chose a school bus for dad, and immediately took it

 I'm not even sure Spence got to touch the rocket ship from Zeke

 Yes, they are wearing these just around the house

 but hey, when you look this good why wouldn't you?

One more gift they immediately had to open and begin playing with

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

We will be taking a short break until after the new year.  See you soon.