Sneak Peeks

We took family pictures on Friday...

Just for the record, it's a lot of work.
9 people, smiling at the same time and looking in the same direction...almost impossible to capture in picture form.

Even just the kids alone was hard...
But the most difficult of all was Samuel...2 years old, and non-stop for the entire hour and a half.
35+ pictures later, I still don't have one of his smile that I can enlarge for our wall.




That last one was the best of all...but with a chain link fence in the background, it just isn't quite enlargement material.
I'll be working on my photoshop skills.
I think that may be the only way to get a good family picture in the future!

Christmas Gifts

It's a beautiful thing to turn on the radio and have Christmas music continually.
It's one of the "gifts of the season" that I love.
This morning, singing along to "The Little Drummer Boy", I started to cry.
Why?
It's simple really.
Christ accepts whatever we have to give...no matter how big or small it is.
We don't have to give large gifts in excess to try and please the Savior...in fact, just giving Him our heart and our best effort is enough.
Our Christmas this year is purposely small (a movie each, a sibling gift and a family gift)...we want to give our efforts to paying down our debt and not to overloading our home and children with more *things*.
I'm hoping the lack of *things* will be made up for in an abundance of the spirit of Christ.
After all, that spirit is what Christmas is all about!

A Season of Thanks

It's easy this time of year to be thankful for all we have.
We are reminded daily that "Thanksgiving" is just around the corner and that we have much to be grateful for.
It's when this season passes that our level of gratitude is tested.
There are many times I think of how I should express my gratitude to someone, and yet I don't move forward past that thought.
I'm setting a goal this Thanksgiving though...
I will maintain the season of thanks throughout the next year.
Here is what I plan to do:
I will put a box of thank you cards in my van and at the computer desk.
When I have the thought that I need to tell someone thank you, I will take the time to put their name on a list and then write them a note.
I will mail those notes on a regular basis.
Also, I will add 3 things to be grateful for to my prayers, both in the morning and at night...thus turning my heart to look for things for which I am grateful.
Those are two small things I can do.

I want to be the one that takes the time to express my gratitude.
Remember that parable?

Luke 17:12-19
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Make your year ahead a season of thanks too.
The world will be a happier, better place if you take the time to show your thanks to others.

Tagged Twice (and Three Times)

I was tagged twice by Joanna
I'm combining the two tags though...into one.

Tag #1.
A) List your middle name.
B) For each letter, name something unique about yourself (it does NOT have to start with the letter of your middle name it is near).
C) Tag as many people as there are letters in your name.

Tag #2:
A) Link to the person that tagged you
B) Post 7 random/weird facts about yourself on your blog (cause we all want to know how weird you are!)
C) Tag 7 people at the end and link to their blog
D) Leave comments on each blog that you tag so that they know!

(1) * I am a perfectionist by nature.
(2) M I love road trips by myself...but seldom get a chance to get away all alone.
(3) A I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for all but 22 mon. of my 14 year marriage.
(4) R I am a writer, looking for my story that needs to be written.
(5) I I am also a paper-crafter who loves to create things (cards, and more)
(6) E I used to teach school and still volunteer in my children's classrooms.
(7) * I love musicals and sing along to more than a few.

Tagged Once

These are six facts about me:


1. I am a night owl. Staying up late is no problem for me...seriously, midnight is still early. I work very hard not only to be in bed, but also to stop reading (or poring over my Stampin' Up catalog for new ideas) around 10pm. (It usually ends up being closer to 11pm...see...it's 10:17pm as I am writing this).
2. Not surprisingly, it's hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. Even with a good night's rest (8 hours), I have to be prodded out of bed most mornings.
3. I love to send (and receive) real mail and am trying very hard to be the local poster girl for good mail.
4. I was actually hit by a car (as a pedestrian) in college. I was in a crosswalk, and suffered no broken bones and lost no blood. This incident made my husband fall (deeply, madly) in love with me.
5. I met, fell in love with, and then wrote my husband for the 2 years he served his mission (in Italy), but never officially told him "I will wait for you". We married 8 weeks after he got home from his mission (for our church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).
6. I finished my Master's degree in education 1 month before I delivered our 3rd child.

Overheard

Sam: "I love you Zekie-pie".

Feet tucked under the bouncer on the table and all.

Precious.

November

Dear November,
Do you feel overlooked...unloved?
You are often sandwiched in the minds of many between Halloween and Christmas.

To me, however, you are beautiful.
True fall colors emerge during your hours,
the air chills enough that hot chocolate is *just right*,
and warms you inside and out.
Jackets are adequate, coats not quite necessary yet.
A sweater is the perfect wear on most of your days,
and if you listen closely, the crunch and crackle of the leaf-strewn earth indicates winter's upcoming grasp.

Do not despair November...
You are a month for which I give thanks.

Love your fall-loving friend,
Kristine

Crazy Running Start

It's true.
This Monday constitutes a crazy, running start to a very busy week.
I'm home for just a little longer before (yet another) visit to the doctor.
This is for an ultrasound on my thyroid...something is abnormal, so we're in search of exactly what the issue is.
I won't have any answers until next week...when I have my follow-up visit...so any prayers or positive thoughts would be appreciated.

Pat is out hunting until tomorrow.
I've got a SU party to prepare for on Thursday...(my first with a hostess!! YES!).
The rest of the week just has "normal" stuff, but I always feel like we run like crazy until Thursday evening.
Saturday we take Thomas to a low-vision clinic in Las Cruces.
Hopefully we will be given a little more guidance in regards to his low-vision.
Sunday, I'll be teaching in Relief Society...even though my calling is in Primary.
(I agreed right before the Primary Presidency was reorganized, and I thought I'd be "reorganized" too...but I wasn't.)

So that, in a nutshell, is what will go on outside of our "regular" things.
Laundry and housecleaning are a must, and hopefully I'll have a little time to put some finishing touches on some gifts and cards this week.
How's your week looking?