Christmas 2008

Christmas this year was more than anything I could have expected. I always love this time of year and get myself so excited that by time the week of Christmas comes I'm disappointed because I haven't accomplished what I hoped to. This year was different. We started the season off by getting the tree with my dad. Then we decided to help a family in need this year. I was so blessed by this experience. It felt so good to help someone else that I didn't focus on what I would be getting this year. I finished finals the day before my birthday and spent the rest of the week wrapping and baking. It was great. Christmas eve came and we went to the candle light service at church and then headed to the Bruinius. It was a crazy night of food, gifts, and wild kids. Christmas morning was just Dave and I...we relaxed for the morning and then got James. We headed to my moms for gifts and lunch. For dessert we headed to the Kamps. After a busy day we finally headed home for gifts from Santa and for each other. It was such a great night. I went to bed that night with such a grateful heart. I truly love my husband and my step son. It was great to see his excitement and it melted my heart when he came up to me before bed and say thank you for his gifts and gave me a big hug and kiss. Christmas ended sat night with the Cosentino family. Once again we were blessed with many gifts. the night went well but I'm exhausted...and just like that it is all over :( (at least I'm off until Jan 5 so I can enjoy some time at home before the craziness begins again.)

p.s dont be confused by the pictures of James...in some he has a mop of curley hair and others he is buzzed...he got a hair cut sat morning)

school

Well this has been my hardest semester of school so far...I've been very busy, but have learned so much achedemicaly and about myself. My one class I have to finish completing my client hours but things are looking very good there. My prof said I have a great understanding of what I am doing. My other two classes grades were turned in yesterday and I recieved an A in both. I am very proud of myself. Hard work pays off!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and cards. I had a great birthday. Classes ended Monday night so I was able to relax and celebrate on Tues (minus my nice drive home in the snow!)

Santa's prayer

The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt by the side of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed "Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do and my schedule is tight.

I must jump in my sleigh and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well that a reindeer can't fly.

I will visit each household before the first light,
I'll cover the world and all in one night.

With sleigh bells a-ringing, I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter of each little hoof.

To get in the house is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart.

My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord, only through You,
I just need your blessing, then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us, Your most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends, least Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job."

the things kids say...

On our way home from church today I was telling Dave about the dream I had last night. To make a long story short the dream was about someone breaking into our house. James then says you dont need to be scared, Daddy will protect you...

starting off the Christmas season...

What a weekend! Thanksgiving went very well. We have so much to be thankful for this year. Friday my dad came with to get our tree. Then we got some pizza and put up the garland. It was a really nice evening. I haven't gotten a tree with my dad in years! I hope he enjoyed the night as much as I did. Sat Dave, James and I decorated the tree. It looks amazing! Sat night we went with Ben and Leah downtown to look at the lights and finished the night off with dinner at Italian Village.

Being Thankful this year...

We should all wake up excited each and every day.
Remind yourself of the following each morning
and you will be a much happier person:



Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or...
I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or...
I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely
and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or...
I can rejoice in that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me
when I was growing up or...
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or...
I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or...
I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or...
I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or ...
eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or...
I can appreciate that I have a place to call home.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

I choose to have a fantastic day! What do you choose?

Thank you to everyone who gave us anv. wishes. We had a great 1st anv. James went home early sat so Dave and I could do something special. Sat night we had a nice dinner home and went christmas shopping. Sun we went out to breakfast and spent the afternoon relaxing watching the bears game. After the game we went downtown to Carmines (which was AMAZING) and then we went to Navy Pier. Monday (our actual anv.) we went to work and I had class. I told Dave it was up to him to make dinner Monday night. I came home to flowers and a card and no dinner...instead he had plans to take me to the place where we had our first date. All in all we had a great weekend!

James lost his second tooth tonight. He was so excited. I felt really touched b/c he called me first. He could barely hold it in...he was like guess what I lost another tooth.

week of halloween

Halloween was really good this year. Last weekend we carved pumpkins and made cookies and chili. It was an awesome fall weekend. Halloween day was even better. The weather was amazing..sunny and 70. You couldn't ask for anything better! I went to James school party and then we had a halloween party with the Bruinius family. We started out by trick or treating and finished the night off with BBQ at grandma and grandpa's house. We were all exhausted by the end.

Oct 22, 2008

I hope everyone enjoys getting to know our family...Please feel free to leave comments. We love to hear what you have to say. I will try to keep you updated as often as possiable.

look what we've done