We brought Jesus home with us!

(Please humor me and tell me this really IS as funny as I think it is!)

So Saturday we went down to Portsmouth (or Porch-moth, if you pronounce it the way most of the Stevens family does), about 2 hours away, to visit with Jonathan's extended family on his dad's side. We had a great time -- they're a hoot! Anyway, while we were there, any time I held Lydia near me on the table, she would shake her legs fiercely and it was obvious to everyone around that there was something on the shelves behind me that she was DYING to get to! So, Jonathan's aunt finally started pulling things off the shelf trying to figure out what it was Lydia wanted. She pulled down this one picture and Lydia looked right past the picture, back to the shelf. What was she staring at? This ceramic statue of Jesus! They got it down and let her play with it and then as we were on our way out, they gave this statue to us to take home for Lydia! It was so stinkin' hilarious! My mom asked if that was really what Lydia wanted and it had to have been 'cause as long as she was holding Jesus, she was calm. Not that she was really upset -- she was just bouncing up a storm to get to this statue! So, here you go -- we brought Jesus home with us and here's a picture to share! :) I'm still laughing....

Christmas pictures

Some snapshots of our trip....

My hometown's famous signNathan starting off Christmas morning the right way,
reading to all of us from Luke chapter 2Elizabeth is so proud of this silly $1 headband
(isn't it always that way with kids?)Nathan's reaction to finding his ringing cell phone in his stockingChaos at my aunt's house --
this is the first time in a VERY long time that my family's little ones
have been together for ChristmasMy Daddy and LydiaMy niece, HannahMy niece, Madisyn
Some of Mamaw's 10 grandkids and 20 great-grandkids....standing in the back are brother and sister Andrew and Jordan (my 1st cousins) and Jordan is holding her daughter, Taylor; Next is me with Lydia, then my brother and his youngest, Hannah; last standing is my 1st cousin Charles; On the couch starting left is Caleb, Nathan, and Timothy; then my grandmother who's about to turn 92; and then is Charles' 2 kids Carson and Mary Beth; last on the couch is my brother's middle daughter, Olivia; on the floor on the left side is John (standing), my brother's oldest daughter, Madisyn, and Elizabeth. Whew! Could you imagine if we were all together?!?

2009 review: Nov/Dec

Happy New Year!!!!

Welcome to our final installment of our 2009 review. I think it's obvious that November and December were all about the holidays (and that bad bought of strep throat), right?

Since we haven't blogged about our Christmas trip yet, I guess now is as good a time as any. We left on Wednesday morning, trying to leave by 9:30 but you know what they say about the best laid plans.... We left around 10 but only made it until about 12 and had to stop for Lydia so we stopped for lunch, too which equaled 1 hour. Only made it until about 5 and then stopped for a break. Took only $4 in to the truck stop for the kids to get a snack. Major drama which didn't involve my kids, just the idiotic cash register workers at the truck stop. FINALLY arrived at my aunt's house around 6. We were hoping to have arrived around 4 and gone to the house we were staying at to settle in for a while before going to my aunt's but oh well.... Around 8:30, we left my aunt's house after an AMAZING dinner (it always is with Nannie!) and took the kids to the Bristol Speedway for their light show. Thought we were going to run out of gas while driving back through the drag strip and the surrounding property -- and finally the race track itself -- and Timothy cried most the entire way. [Notes to self -- 1, do NOT plan on going to the speedway lights the same night you travel; the kids will be exhausted (and always check your gas gauge before you get there!!) 2, allow Jonathan to drive through the actual race track. You get freaked out when you feel like you're driving on your side and feel like the van is going to flip over at any moment.] We finally made it to where we were staying around 11. Christmas Eve, we went to the mall and were surprised to find Elizabeth & John wanted to see Santa. We don't do Santa in our house and have explained to our kids that he's just pretend so that's why we were surprised (and don't knock us for not doing Santa unless you plan on contributing to the extra set of gifts next year). Anyway, met up with my parents around 2 and headed to one of my favorite places to eat -- Taco Johns. YUMMY! Then we eventually got the kiddos to bed, wrapped the presents, and stuffed the stockings. Friday morning was lovely! We totally pulled one over on Nathan, getting him a cell phone he's been begging forever to have! We had told him he had to wait a year or two. So far, so good with that! Then my brother and his girls came and we had lunch. Then we went back to my aunt's house for more food and more gifts. Saturday we pulled out around 11. Around 1, somewhere on the highway in West Virginia, some of the stuff flew off our roof rack and scattered all around the interstate. Nearly everything was salvaged save a lego set and a sippy cup although some things did end up with tire tracks on them. That was not fun but we thank God for his protection not only for Jonathan as he dashed across the highway to recover our luggage but also for the other drivers around us.

Today, we're getting ready for breakfast and then taking the kids to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks". We pray a blessed New Year for you and yours!!

Important days in November:
*2 family birthdays on the 30th -- Jonathan's brother-in-law and sister-in-law

Important days in December:
*Caleb turned 7 on the 2nd
*Timothy turned 2 on the 6th

Picture to share from November -- me & Timothy on Thanksgiving DayPictures to share from December will have to wait for me to upload the trip pictures!