Christmas, the best time of the year!

Another Christmas almost here.  It has come so fast.  This year I have been looking forward to having some time off to spend with family, especially my little guy.  I live for days off.  All the changes this year at work have left me stressed, exhausted, and honestly overwhelmed.  I cannot wait to just detox from school stuff and enjoy some quality fam time.  There have been a lot of interesting discussions this year.  "Are we going to do the whole santa thing?", "What kind of traditions do we want to start in our family?".   Topics I guess I never really thought about until Cooper came along. John and I agree that we don't want to take away the story of Santa from him, or the pure fun that the story brings.  But that's all it is, a story. We want Cooper to know that Santa is not the reason we celebrate Christmas.  We want him to understand that the birth of Jesus our savior is way more important than Santa and presents.  So I'm not sure how it will work itself out this year but, I'm thinking we may not have any presents from santa under the tree. Comment if you would like to share some traditions your family might have.

We are celebrating Christmas at our house this year.  It should be really great! I am so blessed to be able to spend holidays with both my parents/sister and John's Mom and Sister.  I know a lot of families have to travel back and forth making sure they visit everyone, which sometimes can be a real burden even though it's not meant to.  This Christmas should be really neat for Cooper, last year he couldn't even sit up by himself let alone, tear open a present.  This year he will have no problem, and I am even thinking about wrapping up clothes I bought for him for next summer.  I'm sure he will enjoy the boxes more than the gifts.  Isn't that how it works?

Anyway, here are a few photos from our Christmas card photo shoot.  He is such a HAM! ...and you can definitely see his ornery side.  

only two verbs can describe what Cooper is doing at any given moment.  

Running and Climbing...this is the latter.

Monkey Tail.

Very inquisitive.

Smiles

...and giggles.

Merry Christmas Everyone. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Whoooo is that cute little boy with the owl hat on?

 I took pictures of Cooper after school yesterday.  He was looking so cute in his new Owl hat, I couldn't resist.   A lot of things have been going through my mind lately.  It was nice just coming home and taking a few pics of him and playing in the leaves before getting ready for dinner. 

We are currently on babysitter number four since the beginning of the school year, which has only been 10 weeks.  Melinda, a good freind of mine is starting to watch Cooper tomorrow.  Without her I don't know what I would have done.  Friends are such a blessing! The stress of finding a babysitter on such short notice paired with multiple other issues (our home tax rebate, my car needing fixed,parent teacher conferences this week and so on...) would have totally broke me if I didn't love Jesus.  Without him in my life I would totally feel hopeless at this point.  

The message at Church this Sunday really spoke to me.  Jesus is my strength.  

Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 

   my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 

   my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

So, I am trying to be thankful for all that God has provided for me.  I have a job, which a lot of people cannot say right now, my Dad included.  I have a faithful Husband, while some of my friends are currently going through divorces because of unfaithfulness.  I have a healthy one year old, while others are spending endless nights in hospital rooms with thier sick children.  I have a roof over my head, food in my pantry, and friends and family who are there for me when I need them.  Thank you God for taking care of me, even when everything seems so chaotic in my life, you have a way of keeping me humble and thankful for all you provide.

Still, I feel confused, sad, worried, guilty (all of the above) about leaving Cooper with a babysitter all week even though I know he is in good hands.  I always thought I would have no problem being a working Mom, and that I wouldn't want to stay home with my kids.  But lately...things have changed.  I am doing a little research this week about art lessons for homeschoolers. Hopefully, in between all the things of life that seem to get in the way, I can contact the people I need to and figure some things out.  I'll keep you posted. I am really searching for my purpose and where my priorities should lye.  Question of the week: Am I willing to give up things and our comfortable lifestyle, to temporarily stay at home with my son and focus on family?  Am I able to trust God fully that he will provide if this is something he has truly called me to do?

This is Halloween, Halloween, HALLOWEEN!

Pretty self explanitory.  We had a blast this year having our church echo ops at our house.  Our church has done this every year in order to reach out to our communities.  We really wanted to do it so that we can meet people in our new neighborhood.  We didn't see as many people as we had hoped but next year we want to put up signs and hype it up a little.

The Chicken has escaped his Coop...LOL!

adorable little face.

He loves his aunt Jen.

Grandma Karen and Coop.

Dan and Ellen aka Mario and Luigi

Brian and Sarah aka Firemen

Jen and Tim aka Adam Banks (Mighty Ducks), and Ditka...YES!

Aunt Tonya and her BF Seth

Cooper wanted to try on the Fireman boots.

It's pumpkin carvin' time

We had a lot of fun picking out our pumpkins at Kertz's 

farm and then carving them a few weeks later.  

Cooper was so cute in his little pumpkin hat.

Oooh...straw.

Wow, look at all these pumpkins.

He didn't want to stick his hands in at first.

Such a cutie!

Mmmm.  We should eat this more often.

Mickey mouse, Owl, and Thundercats.  Kind of obvious who they belong to.

Fall Family Portraits

Mom had been bugging me for family portraits weeks before my friend Stephani took these.  I get so busy with work and taking other people's portraits that I kinda forget about getting pictures of myself and our family.  Pictures of our family with me in them are few and far between.  Anyway here are some of my favorite B&W's from that day.  Memories that will last forever.