A star that touches the ceiling.

The first snow of the season -











The day Ashton was born, a fresh blanket of snow covered the ground. The sun was bright and the air was cold.

Seven years later -
November 14th 2014


Ashton's birthday didn't work out exactly as planned this year. The night before his party, we made the decision to cancel. With half of the house sick, it was just the right thing to do. We promised he could have a date with dad to Toys R Us and we'd still make the day as special as we possibly could. Orange soda all day, bagel bites for lunch, chips and carrots and dip. He was a happy boy.

 When the kids went to sleep, Josh and I searched high and low for his gifts. I had stored them away months ago. You see, I'm of the planning type when it comes to these kinds of things. I buy ahead whenever l can. Ashton's birthday gifts were bought back in MARCH and they were delivered around the time Eli was born in April. (I suppose I didn't plan that part well but an overdue pregnant woman can do crazy things to pass the time!) We checked the shed, the closet, under our bed, the trunks of the cars. His gifts were gone. 10:30 the night before his birthday. I was shivering with a fever, blowing up balloons, lost in thought as to what to do.

Josh, being the great daddy that he is, decided to go to the 24 hour Walmart to pick up replacement gifts. It took me until the afternoon of the next day to finally have an "aha!" moment.

When the gifts were delivered back in April, Eli was still in the hospital. I asked my brother Joel to put them in his car to keep them hidden from the kids. The mystery was solved.

So, I also let them play out in the blizzard for a little while on his birthday. Maybe the frigid air could freeze some of the germs off of them? Maybe? Ok. Maybe not.






My alpha and omega.




He asked for a chocolate frosted Lego cake.


We decorated with Legos.


I'm not good at keeping up with buying cards but I've become a master at construction paper.








We always let them open their gifts as soon as they wake up.
















At 4:10 in the afternoon, we sang happy birthday to Ashton and they banged on pots and pans. I sense a tradition for when he is away in college some day. I can't wait until he receives that phone call.


He requested baked macaroni and cheese for dinner.










The first snowman of the season.




A birthday party at Moo and Matt's the Sunday after his birthday.






From Uncle Joel.




Hugs from November.














Her first time sewing. She made a handbag out of a little shirt. Josie loves art and she is a very creative little girl. She wants to learn to knit, crochet and sew. I hope that by homeschooling, she'll always have time to explore the things she loves to do. It's so important to make these things a priority. So often, we push our God given abilities to the side because we are so busy with life and all the things we have to do. I say, you take your talents by the hand and jump into this life together. Show the world what you've got. Don't meet up with your talents at the end of a tired, long day. We all have something wonderful to offer this world of ours. That's what I try to teach them.








Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no?


Thanksgiving.




















Deck the halls.




After finding our tree, we came home and shared donuts and hot chocolate. I love that something as simple as decorating a tree can be a day-long, family event.






















This is probably the biggest tree we've ever had.


Evidence:


I think crying is apart of the rule book when it comes to family events such as these.








This year for their advent calendar, they have to do something kind for someone else each day.


Cookies and a card for the UPS driver.


A full cookie jar and cards for Daddy


They also wrote and sang a song for Moo and Matt.


Counting and rolling change to buy a gift for someone special.


Cocoa party as we waited for the Charlie Brown Christmas special.


His belly.


Even soda celebrates Christmas.


Thinking of you.


xoxo, Jessie


P.S. My niece Abi now has a blog. You should go check it out - Here!

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