"Winter Wonderland"

Woke up Sunday Morning to this "Winter Wonderland".

A tree next to the house.

It was so beautiful, what a gift from God!

Just takes your breath away doesn't it?

Amazing!

Thank You God.

Preparing...

Getting ready for Christmas is so fun! We celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day, but it actually starts much sooner than that. Putting up the tree, decorating the house, daily Bible reading, singing Hymns at home and church, always striving to keep things simple. During advent we do the same things year after year, we cement them into our children's storage banks of memory. Every Christmas brings more memories, and it's the days before and after Christmas that hold many, many special memories. It makes your family special, unique, your children will hold these memories long after they are grown. Let us all try to stay focused on Christ, put Him in the center of our celebrating.

I love snowmen!

I also love candles.

Usually covered in white lights, we let Ben pick the color this year and he wanted colored lights.

The girls practicing Christmas Carols!

We put fresh garland on the mantle every year.

Ben giving Grant a ride on his shoulders!

Our Church.

Practicing for our Christmas program.

I just love to watch them practice!

Going over some songs.

Hope you have a blessed time with your loved ones preparing for Christmas.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name "Jesus". He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:31-33

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving at my daughter Elizabeth's house.

Thank-you Liz and Jeff for hosting it again this year,

we all felt "blessed".

Our newest little grandblessing...baby Grant!

Liz handing out "Thankful Cards".

Uncle Jeff dancing with the "Birthday Girl... Bella".

Gianna getting the desserts ready, YUM!!!

Stephanie!

Out For Dinner!

Last night we took the kids out for dinner, we ate at

Cracker Barrel. I love the homey atmosphere.

Smiling, but stuffed!

Yum!!!!

My "Big Men" and My "Little Men" Work Hard!

There is a lot of work to do around here before winter sets in, and I am so thankful to have a hardworking husband (and sons) who get it all done. We heat our house all winter with a wood cookstove, so we need lots and lots of wood to keep us all warm.

Getting chainsaws ready.

Raking...

Dragging...

Burning...

Chopping...

Stacking...

Woodpiles.

Harvested field behind our woods.

That speck between the trees on the left is Ben running

through the field.

Serving in the Northwoods...

Welcome to my new blog! I want to record memories we are making NOW, so in the future we look back on the blog and say "Remember when..."!

Serving in the "Northwoods":

Our family went up to the Northwoods this past week to serve a group of girls that were coming up for a "Journey to the Heart" a ministry of IBLP. We were so blessed the whole week, the girls were great!

Northwoods Conference Center

Stephanie getting the fruit salad ready

The girls having dinner

Caitlin preparing the menu for the next day of cooking.

Jake cleaning the kitchen

Picking sides for Volleyball!

Ready to play

While we were there it SNOWED!!!

The guys taking out the docks by the lake for the winter.

The view out the dining room window!

Gianna and Adrianne