Oh Christmas Trip! Oh Christmas Trip!

This years Christmas was spent in Montana!  Brad's brother Brian and his wife Barb surprised Brad's dad by making the big trip up from Florida.  We arrived a few days later.  It was a long haul for us as we spent 14 hours on the drive up, but it was go to finally get there, despite the cold. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Brian took the boys out for a little sledding on the first day.  It did not last long because it was 10 below but they had fun anyway!

Lots of time was spent in out Pj's, we definitely had our far share of relaxing days!

We are hoping someday to have a State Champ girls basketball team.  Four of the players can be seen below and they all come from the same family!

Ruthie(forward), Macy(Point), Brielle(Forward), Cate(Point)

Brielle decided the she needed to sleep with the boys, we were pretty sure it was a bad idea but when we went to check on them we found this...

Christmas Eve was beautiful!  We went to church, enjoyed a great meal, and then opened presents.  I was so busy trying to get the meal together I forgot to take pictures of Chet (Brad's great uncle) who is 94 and his son Loren.  We were thrilled to have them with us and had so much food it was go to have two more people to feed.

Brian and Barb

The present of the night was the Wii that Grandpa Wes, Uncle Brian, and Aunt Barb gave our family, the faces below tell the story...

The rest of the night was full of great presents as well...

Santa came for a visit but the kids woke and opened all the presents from him before I could take pictures.  He did eat the pumpkin pie we left for him though.

The rest of the trip was full playing with the Wii and outdoor adventures.

They did not ride them alone...ever.

The girls watching the boys on the snowmobiles.

One of the nights Brad had a class reunion, we went and it was really fun catching up!

Becky and Brad recreating their prom photo.

I had a little a little reunion of my own and ran into two classmates that I had in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Me, Phil, and Kendra

All too soon we had to say goodbye to Brian and Barb...we miss them a lot!

Brad's friend Morgan brought his family over for a visit!  Lots of fun hanging out with them and their kiddos!

Notice all the stuff in their hands...nobody wanted to sit still.

On our last night I decided I better shoot the gun I got for my birthday a couple years ago, however it was cold outside, 20 below so we shot out the garage window...classy? Yes it is.

Wes was shining a light on my target.

Live Nativity

Last night the boys had their Live Nativity at their school.  Micah was a solider, that looked like a rooster and Christian was an angel, same as last year.  It was a sweet and beautiful show that again captured the preciousness of the birth of Christ.  I was only able to get a few pictures of the boys because Micah took off with his friends.  The boys did a great job and had a lot of fun so did the girls and Brielle made sure to cheer after almost every song.

Cookies...for the glory of God?

I made cookies tonight, for all the wrong reasons.  No I did not make them so I alone could eat myself into a sugar induced coma, although I would like to put that on my bucket list.  I made them because a mother from my kid's school probably thinks I won't.  Let me start at the beginning.  Over a month ago I was chewed out by a mother of my son's classmate in front of a group of people because I did not help out with the boy's school fundraiser.  I tried explaining to her that I had four kids and I was going to school and really at my full capacity, but I was accused of saying my time was more precious than hers.  I won't go into detail but the experience was to say at the very least humiliating.  *Side-note* Brad helped a lot the night of the fundraiser and told more than one person to grab him or I if extra help was needed, this was not taken into consideration.  

Anyway since then I have had run-in's with the Mom and her associates I know I am making it sound like she is apart of the mafia, she is not, however I have gotten the cold shoulder and been ignored on several occasions by several people in regards to this situation.  Did I mention my kids go to a Christian school?  Oh yes apparently God's Amazing Grace only covers those who help out.  Can you tell I am still hurt?  I have really been trying to lay this whole situation to rest but it became abundantly clear to me tonight that I am not trying that hard.  That's where the cookies come in, and also a swift kick in the pants from God, it did not hurt...well maybe my pride.

These cookies are for the boy's school Live Nativity.  So I started making them tonight and as I was making them I was daydreaming about showing up with my perfect cookies and acting sweet and humble in front of this certain person so she would feel guilty about treating me bad.  I even had a sugar coated southern accent to make myself seem sweeter.  I felt as though I heard a whisper that said; "You can act humble and sweet but if that's not in your heart, people WILL see through it."  I choose to ignore that piece of advice and continue on to my next daydream about getting into a fight with her...yes I fight with people in daydream.  I know I'm not the only one. And yes I know it's crazy, but sometimes therapeutic and I tend to clean a lot during these arguments. So back to my argument I was just about to give her what for when the whisper came back to me and said: "Why are you making these cookies anyway?"  That stopped me.  I looked at my boys having so much fun helping me and I realized I had missed out on the fun with them because of my daydream fights.  I also missed the whole point of making the cookies.  "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31  I was to make them for the glory of God, not the glory of myself.  Making cookies for God's glory may seem dumb to some, but for me it lessens my propensity to be prideful.  

After my revelation I made the rest of the batch and they turned out perfect...all of them I did not burn a single one, amazing. I will bring them to the school on Friday, happily,  humbly, quietly, and for only He who delights in me. 

I made more than four, but I just wanted to show how pretty they are.

       

6 months later...

Ok it has occurred to me that I have not updated this in waaaaaaaay to long. I would like to say I was out saving lives, but I really wasn't, however technically because I have toddlers I was. I would also like to say that I was becoming a world traveler and taking my kids on culturally enriched excursions, but I wasn't. No I have been putting this off for sometime simply because I have been overwhelmed. So I am going to get caught up from here on out...hopefully.

Christian, Micah, and their best friend Simon.

10 family events since last post:

1. The kids and Dannielle drove to Minnesota to visit GrandPaul, GrAmy and kids.

2. Dannielle and kids drive from Minnesota to Stanley, ND to visit Grandma and Grandpa V.

3. Solberg Family Reunion at Fort Peck

4. Dannielle's Grandpa Reuben (kid's called him Grandpa the Great) went to be with Jesus...bittersweet.

5.Ruthie turned 1!!!

6. Dannielle started school

7. Brad started school on-line

8. Christian started Kindergarten

9. Micah started 2nd grade

10. Thanksgiving in Boise with Grandma and Papa(Vachal)

A date, a watcher, and a small harvest.

Brad and I went out on a date on Monday.  The kids and myself are going out of town for 3 weeks so Brad and I are trying to steal all the moments we can, it's not easy.  We went out to dinner and talked about plans for the future, how time is slipping away quicker than we realize, and where we would like to be years down the road.  Of course I started talking politics and Brad listened quietly.  He's pretty good about letting me have my say.

Waiting for our fajitas to arrive!

After dinner we walked down to the canyon.  We've lived here for two years and had never really gone to look at it.  It really is amazing!  I got some pictures of us by the bridge that goes over the canyon.

We don't get many "couple" pictures.

The other day the three "big" kids were playing outside and I started to hear Ruthie squeal.  I thought maybe one of them had let her out.  When I walked to the back door I found her watching the older ones play.  I know that she wanted to be out there, but she also seemed very content to be watching from the safety of the indoors.  In here there are no dogs trying to lick breakfast off her face, and no kitties trying to rub on her and play with her hands, (they get a little rough), and no scary chickens walking over to her to see what she is.  She stood there for quite some time and would occasionally scream and coo.  Micah and Christian caught on and started preforming for her, she loved it. 

Awhile ago I showed posted the garden we planted.  Well everyday since that day Christian has checked it to see if anything has grown.  Of course it's been torture because he can't understand why plants aren't producing right after we put them in the ground.  Well the day of harvest finally came!  Two strawberries were ripe and ready to go.  First thing this morning he was up at 7:30 going out to make sure they were still there.  As soon as I got up he was asking me if we could go pick them.  I used his excitment to my advantage and gave him some chores he had to finish before we picked the fruit.  I've never seen him work so fast!  Micah, Christian and I went out to the garden and they plucked the small, but ripened strawberries.  They were so proud!  We came in and washed them off and the boys goobled them up, in one bite of course.  If two small strawberries were this big of hit I can't wait to see what happens when the tomatos ripen.

I had to throw this last one in.  Ruthie fell asleep while Brad was working on the computer...what peace she finds in his arms!