{this moment}

:: coffee date with # 4 ::

Sweet Toby lost his first tooth yesterday.... at age 7! 

christmas festivities

 We had a joyous celebration on Sunday! 

.... with sweet family near and far (thanks to modern technology!!)

Abby got to do an Irish jig for her great-grandpa Pop, while he watched

from a computer in Georgia! Now that's amazing. 

We had a wonderful morning worship with our local church body. 

The children got to open their stocking before the service, along with gifts from their cousin. 

We saved the rest for afterwards, and then Num Num, Papa, and Auntie Tricia

came over for a Mexican lunch (which may become a new tradition!), 

musical crackers (directed by Auntie!), gifts (which they lavished upon us!),  

and lots of laughter (watching the movie Elf!) 

and play-time (legos, play-dough, dolls, baseball, & light bright!). 

We trust that you all had very merry Christmas festivities as well!

Many, many blessings to you dear ones. 

{this moment}

:: date with #3.... the coffee shop around the corner ::

the past 13 years.....

 Sweet Ellie was born 13 years ago, December 11..... 

sadly before digital cameras :) most of her very early years, I don't have on the computer. 

The ones posted below, before 2003, I have thanks to my brother who had a digital camera. 

(and who took most of those pics)

I've started the trend with the younger four, of walking down memory lane, 

and Ellie has been waiting and waiting for her walk. 

I have such mixed emotions looking at old pictures!

(and I also have a VERY hard time choosing which ones to share:)

The kids change so quickly from year to year, that it takes my breath away. 

I can't believe how different they all look, even from last Christmas' pictures. 

O, how I want to cherish each moment that God gives me with my beautiful ones. 

So here you go Ellie..... glimpses of your childhood

(and a much younger-looking mama and daddy :)

 :: 1999 ~ the early years.... a family of 3 ::

:: 2000 ~ baby brother on his way! ::

:: 2001~ posing w/ Mama and Nannie ::

:: 2003 ~ egg hunting with her best buddy Drew ::

:: 2005 ~ photo taken by our neighbor ::

 :: 2nd grade butterfly project ::

:: 2006 ~ 8 year old party at the ice skating rink ::

 :: 2007 ~ baby sisters, braces, and American girl dolls ::

 :: 2008 ~ thinker of the year award! ::

:: 2009 ~ one of my favorite Christmas photos, taken in GA ::

:: with cousin Chase, right before moving to WA ::

:: 2010 ~ 12th birthday in WA ::

:: 2011 ::
How we have loved watching you grow these past 13 years!
Ellie, you are a beautiful, young woman and we are so excited to see
what the Lord has in store for you! 

{a handful of moments}

:: celebrating # 1 ::

:: final Christmas decorating ::

:: having my dear parents here to help me! ::

:: open house ~ at our place ~ for our Church family ::

 :: sweet family times reading our advent devotional ::

:: making gingerbread houses and snow globes with the kids ::

 :: watching Nannie and Popi interact with their grand-children ::

:: watching # 3 do her irish jig (for a 2nd time) in front of a HUGE audience ::

:: date-night with my sweet man .... thai food & movie night ::

:: make-up shopping with my teenager! ::

:: listening to the dentist tell # 5 it was time to quit sucking her thumb......

and watching in amazement as she (for the third night now) has gone to bed,

like such a big girl, without her blankie or thumb or tears ::  

birthday celebration

We've had a wonderful time celebrating Ellie this past weekend. 

Yesterday was her actual birthday. She felt very honored and loved

as a number of folks at church remembered her ~ giving her cards, gifts, and birthday wishes. 

She looked so cute.... all decked out in her new boots from Num Num and her new sweater from Nannie.

So stylish. (Can you tell I'm a proud and partial mama??)

We had a very full afternoon, as we had our church open house at our place. Lots of folks dropped by.

Ellie was by my side a bit, off enjoying the afternoon air with the older children 

a bit, and conversing with sweet older women in our church a bit. She is loved by everyone!!

After the open-house, our family headed out with Nannie and Popi

to try a new Mexican restaurant (per Ellie's request). It was fabulous....

the best Mexican food we've had since leaving San Diego (which we all miss!!)

It was a quaint family-run restaurant, and Ellie was mortified when the pastor

told the waiter it was her birthday.... The whole room ended up singing happy birthday

to her, along with all the servers, while she blushed red with a pink sombrero on her head.

Fun times. 

And today, we had a sweet, sweet time with Num Num, Papa, and Auntie Tricia. 

Nannie made her famous southern BBQ... along with beans, cold-slaw, and potato salad. 

It was all so good! And Ellie opened gifts from the family. 

Two years in a row, she has had BOTH sets of grand-parents with her. 

There are indeed perks to having a December birthday!! 

(Here we are last year if you would like to walk down memory lane.)

Happy, happy birthday my dear sweet girl.
How we love you and praise the Lord that you are part of our family.
 You are not alone ..... we are in this thing called life together,
walking by your side, encouraging you, and cheering you on.
You are HIS precious child.
Press on!

"Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers, 
as the spring rains that water the earth."
Hosea 6:3

{this moment}

:: abby dances before a crowd ::

13 and apple pies

Sweet Ellie turns 13 this coming Sunday. So surreal for me, and SO exciting for her. 

My folks came into town from GA on Monday, and since we are having family and church gatherings

this weekend, we decided to have a "girls night", this past Friday, to celebrate her life. 

As you know, Ellie has become quite the baker, and she decided that

it would be great fun to have some friends over and teach them to make apple pies from scratch. 

In a million years, I would not have imagined that one day, I'd have a TEENAGER,

who wanted to do this. How delighted I was to grant her request. The night was so sweet. 

The girls ate dinner, made apple pies, and then decoupaged wooden boxes with darling

scrap-book paper.... either for a recipe or trinket box. Such fun, 

and I think Ellie felt very blessed and celebrated. 

Ellie is off shopping with Nannie this afternoon. How special to have her grand-parents here

to celebrate such a monumental time in her life. She is definitely a gal that loves to shop,

and I can foresee many opportunities to do so with my girls in the future! 

(I have such sweet memories of shopping with my mother and grand-mother!!)

It's odd, having been through a season in my life where there has been little shopping,

(due to young children & no time or energy.... )

to realize with delight, that the time has come to actually put "Girls Afternoon Out" on the calendar!!  

(Ellie, Abby, and I had one of these times this past Monday :)

I'm hopeful that my wardrobe will begin to somewhat take on a better shape. ha. ha.

Do you remember turning 13?? 

Sad to say, I cannot. I remember my 16th birthday, but not my 13th. 

I do, however, remember the tension and awkwardness of this time in my life. 

The pull to be and do grown-up things..... and yet not knowing if you can or should do them.

I find myself watching Ellie, and recalling certain emotions that she is feeling as a teenager. 

I'm thankful that I can somewhat empathize with her, and walk with her through this 

new and exciting time in her life. Let the teen years begin. 

She is a special young lady with some pretty sweet gifts from the Lord. 

How proud we are of her!!

Stay tuned for more to come of Ellie's birthday week...