Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas photos!


Here is Jathan, relaxing!

The card game! 3's and 13's.



The theology/politics/baptism/stewardship discussion.




This is Ben and Sarah Knerr. They have just joined our church.


Singing around the piano. Lots of singing this Christmas. What fun!
I gave a short synopsis yesterday, but pictures are nicer. I didn't manage any pictures of Kyrie's hair on fire or the Deatsches, because the battery was dead and the charger was at work. Rats! Oh well. It was a wonderful day, and we are so thankful for friends and family.



Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Christmas

I meant to have many Christmas photos for this blog, but I left the camera at work!

Christmas Eve - G and G Keister came along with some friends from church - Ben and Sarah Knerr. We sang hymns, played cards and the men talked theology and politics! Everyone had a great time! We did turn the table upside down at midnight in order to glue some reinforcements to the legs! I think the Knerr's were intrigued!

Christmas Day - We turned the table back over, and added G and G Deatsch along with Linda (Tom's sister) to the mix. We sang some more and read Luke 2. Then we opened presents and then ate. Muffin - my co-worker's dog joined us about 2. We were dog-sitting for the evening. Kyrie was taking pictures of people and stepped backwards and managed to catch her hair on fire. She was fine, but the room was filled with smoke for a while, and the smell was intensely yucky! Jathan played "Silent Night" on his new guitar for us. It is exciting to see him learning to play. Kesse enjoyed giving books to everyone and just being around the house again. Kyrie was busy burning her hair, taking pictures and get this - getting the classic gift for Christmas from the Deatsches - a hair cut! Kayren made many of her gifts this year and she gave Jathan a very special cross stitch that she had made with a Jim Elliott quote on it. Lorien enjoyed giving gifts this year too, since she had earned some of her own money babysitting. She loved being able to get nice things for others. Aleya also earned some of her own money and was able to buy some of the gifts she gave. We were blessed to visit with Hannah Mahan in the evening, and tell stories and learn about some of her time at college.

After Christmas Day - SLEEP!! Lorien is babysitting, and Tom and I are working. The kids are just hanging around. Kyrie got her hair cut - seriously.

We are so thankful to our Lord for His goodness to us. What a blessed year with family and friends.

I will try to post pictures soon!

Thursday, December 13, 2007





Kayren is enjoying having her picture taken!










Aleya is enjoying having her picture taken!

















Lorien made a pinata in Spanish lab.
Yes - it's full of candy!











Kyrie -talking on the phone!

Believe it or not - she doesn't talk on the phone much at all.






Kyrie has an elementary Christmas program to attend. We are giving her a place to hang out for a few minutes at Faith. So, we are listening to music and blogging! They are voicing their displeasure in pictures and comments!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Yes, we are still here!


Shoveling snow and ice! Welcome to Iowa.

Still shoveling snow.


Decorating for Christmas!
What fun!




The girls are done with the tree!




We got to go to a very upscale place for our Faith Academy Christmas dinner! Tom dressed up!




More decorating!















The tree before the kids attended it.





We have accomplished many things, though blogging has not been one of them! Kyrie and Lorien were able to sing in the Grandview Park Baptist choir Christmas program. It was terrific!
We've had lots of snow and ice.
Tom and I were invited to a very upscale restaurant in Des Moines for the Faith Academy Christmas party. It was very nice, and very good food, and amazing service.
We have gotten to decorate the house and tree this year, earlier than last, and with lots of gusto! We love to decorate!
Blogging is suffering because we are so busy. The church is growing seemingly all at once, and Tom is swamped with church business. School is very busy too, with the girls at Grandview very active in extra things. Kayren and Aleya are working hard for their Christmas recital too. It's seems that we just fly from morning til we drop.
We love hearing from you all.



































































These girls are ready to go to a concert!























































































































































Kyrie and Lorien sang for Grandview's







Christmas program.