29Dec
So apparently Christmas spirit really does vanish after the 25th? At least for some people!!!
I rarely go shopping the BIG sales after the holidays because it is so crazy out. Today, I only ventured to the grocery store for a few items so I thought I was safe. But, as I was leaving the strangest thing happened to me.
I was leaving the Bon Shopping Center (in the middle of retirementville) headed back to my mother-in-laws house. I was giddy as mil watched the kids so I could make a quick trip to the store (aka ALONE, SOLO, W/O kiddos!!!) and I was listening to my Manheim Christmas CD for probably the last time, until next year. When this festive old lady in a bright green VW Bug is spastically looking left to right to cross the street. Oh, I forgot tot mention that this woman was about 100 years old with very thin bright RED hair! Her head was all I could see as she was looking from left to right. I was turning right onto the street she was leaving and she apparently needs glasses because she did not see my turn signal indicating I was turning and she was free to go straight!!! So she throws her stick arms up in the air and shakes them at me and rather than making a break for it across the street, she waits for me to pass so that she can stick her tongue out at me!!!!! I have never!!! I didn’t know whether to laugh hysterically or track her down and give her a piece of my mind!!!!! This image is stuck in my head and I seriously think I may need counseling after that!!!!!
I am praying for you, you crazy old lady in the bright green Bug!!!!!
26Dec
2008 flew by, we tried to keep up, and failed.
However, we did manage the following.
- Kip, Kim, Hayden, Gillian and all the dogs each had a birthday. Highlight: Cake, ice cream, bouncy houses, bloody noses and stomach aches.
- Gillian (Pre-K) performed in Coppelia and the Nutracker (For the guys: Those are ballets). Highlight: During the Nutcracker, one challenged dancer fell on stage. Hayden (with true Russell compassion): “Well, that’s one kid down.”
- Hayden (1st grade) played baseball (”Baseball”, NOT “t-ball.” This year was coach pitch). Highlight: 7 year olds drawing pictures in the sand with their feet, while line drives whiz by.
- Kim continued her pursuit of Stamping Nirvana (Conventions, Retreats, Parties, etc) Highlight: Please, there is no lowlight when stamping is involved.
- Kip fished a bit. Highlight: “Catch and release” as an excuse for coming home empty-handed.
- We bought a camper and used it all summer. Okay, once. We camped for 48 hours, (12 of which were spent trying to back into a campsite–with practice that time has been cut in half). Highlight: Learning that at night, when the electricity/heat breaks, a camper is a glorified tent.
- We adopted a third dog. Highlight:______
As always we are happy for a lot of the things that didn’t change. Our health stayed great, God continued His amazing provision during very uncertain times and the daily blessings (www.csrussells.com) continue to flow. Merry Christmas.
26Dec
This year Momma Elf had to solicite the help of her little elves to get the Christmas Cards out the door. These cards were truly Christmas cards as most of them arrived to their destination on December 24th.
Why such a delay?? Well the card maker had all of the cards made and ready for the next step in the process (When did Christmas cards get to be such a production?), however the author of our “lil update’ seemed to have overlooked my deadline. This year also seemed extra difficult to pin the kids down long enough to ‘catch’ a picture of them together!!! After a few tears from Gillian and ME, we finally picked one!!!
See my little elves helping me with the envelope labels…..so precious, aren’t they?
26Dec
My favorite Christmas Cookie: Frosted Sugar Cookies!!!
This year we were able to make these sweet treats a couple of times. The second time we had our friends over to help us decorate a couple each. Each person has their own technique to decorating the perfect cookie!!!
26Dec
As part of our wonderful Advent (nightly family time) celebration, one of our special activities was to sleep next to the Christmas tree.
As a child, I remember how magical and enchanting it was to be next to the Christmas tree at night. Main lights out, twinkling lights shining and all of the beauty that radiated around it. So I thought it would be a treat to sleep in front of ours. The kids seemed to enjoy it and pray that it too becomes part of our families tradition.
26Dec
Thanksgiving 2008
Last year was an ‘off’ year for our Thanksgiving celebration. Although still very special and spent with our precious family, many things were just not so. I am happy to say that this year we remedied that which was not right.
Thanksgiving has always been a very special day in our family. it is a time of our favorite family recipes, great family visits with both families, lots of reading, movies and alas our Family Thanksgiving Cd.
As always the food was great and made with love (yum..gotta love greenbean casserole), We are all mostly healthy, Aunt Frances was back with us again this year and after taking one year off from making our family CD, we came back new and improved. The Russell’s could even be heard singing a tract together.
A little history: Since we have been hosting Thanksgiving in our home, uniting our families Thanksgiving has always been filled with excitement. In fact two of the seven years we even announced that we were expecting our two precious angels. As extremely special as those two years were, having our children with us and sitting at our big table as part of our precious family is more special. Hearing their angellic voices singing the entire “Over the River and Through the Woods” just melts my heart.
I am so very very blessed and I love my sweet family.
15Dec
With all of the hullaballo of the Nutcracker, we got a day behind on our advent activities so we did a little ‘catch-up’ tonight.
In addition to reading our wonderful story about Jotham’s Journey, we made fudge and drove around and saw Christmas lights. I have to say, I really think Kip and I got into it more than the kids did. Here are a few of our favorites.
15Dec
This is the year that G (who does’t know yet) is going to be getting her “American Girl Doll”. Rather we found “The Vision Forum“ company that sells an AGD type doll that we decided to go with. The concept is still the same, they each have their own story and beautiful period clothing and several accessories that you can buy. The nice thing is that they are the same size as AGD if there is ever an outfit we would like to add to her collection, it is possible.
I have just loved shopping and browsing this website. They have amazing books, movies, toys and many other things for everyone in the family and the best part is that they are all Christian based. It is nice to find a fun place to shop in the midst of all the commercialism out there.
14Dec
This weekend marks G’s second season performing in the Nutcracker.
G and her best friend A have improved so much over this past year. They have become more ‘lyrical’ and more graceful in their movements, it is a pleasure to watch them dance. These girls have worked very hard at their parts (as short as they were) and it showed. They danced with confidence and their grace and beauty was radiant.
I am so proud of your G, I love to watch you dance sweetheart. You did great in your parts this year as a bunny and an angel. I love you sweet girl. ~ Love, Mom.
14Dec
My sweet family. I am so blessed to be their wife and mother.
