Christmas Pictures

First NCCS Equestrian Meet

Abby joined the equestrian team at school this year. She has always enjoyed going to shows with Munchkin and Muffin, however in IEA shows you draw horses and have no warm up. Abby was not excited about this part but was willing to give it a try.

Here's the middle school team- small this year but doing great!

Abby rode a pony named Girlie and did amazing on her jump course!Abby got lucky and pulled Kate, a horse from her barn, for her flat class. These two looking AMAZING!!

Thanksgiving Week at Epcot

We had the most fabulous Orlando weather the week of Thanksgiving this year. Matt had to work a conference so we played down in FL for a few days. Matt and I decided that Epcot would be fun and enjoyed by all, not just some! The kids (and Matt, had a blast riding Test Track). And while we waited (2.5 hours for our "Fast" Pass) we went to visit a few countries.

Norway:

I swear we can't take these two anywhere!

England:

Mexico:

The Good Ole USA

Parlez vous francais?

Japan:China:And topped off with a little Downtown Disney fun!

Cleopatra, Hulk Hogan, Treak or Treating, & WWE

The kids had a great Halloween this year! We had friends over to enjoy soup and pumpkin cream cheese cookies before the kids hit the streets. Abby was Cleopatra and had fun going trick or treating with her friends. Brianna was a clown- albeit a little on the scary side. Caroline was a 50's waitress. Brianna's little brother, Zach, was a dinosaur from How To Train Your Dragon. And the bigs even joined in on the fun. Ryan was Justin Bieber and Grace was a Griffindor.

Jack chose to forego Trick or Treating this year to go to WWE Monday Night Raw with his daddy! What a good daddy to go suffer, um I mean, enjoy the show with Jack! Jack wore his Hulk Hogan costume and even experienced about 2 seconds of fame as we could see him on TV.

It was a fun, sugar-filled night by all!

Nine and Eighteen!

NINE!

It's hard to believe that my baby just turned 9! Only one more year and I will have no babies in the single digit numbers. Jack was such a sweet baby and has turned in to such a wonderful boy. He is super busy but tons of fun and always keeps us laughing!

EIGHTEEN!

So I am either crazy or a pushover and since I've always had a hard time saying no, I guess I am a pushover. Jack invited 18, EIGHTEEN, boys to play and spend the night for his party! That's a lot of boys!

It was very loud and it was very crazy but everyone was great and had a good time!

The next morning there were lots of little boys in their underwear. They were a little more subdued.

Breakfast for 18 boys can be a bit messy!


All in all it was a great night! But next time I really must learn to say NO!!!

Twelve

WOW! It's hard to believe Abby turned 12 yesterday. We had 20 6th graders for a party at our house Friday night. I'm always amazed at what great friends Abby has. Abby took care of all the prep all by herself. She made her own cake with a movie theme.

Abby and her friend Brianna took care of all the decorations.

And I think they did a great job!
It seems like just yesterday she was born. Abby has been a ray of sunshine in our lives for 12 years. She loves animals, art, and reading. She is sweet, compassionate, full of life, and somewhat a drama queen! :) She makes me smile everyday and her determination is a lesson to me. Who knew the path the Lord would take her on and the cross she would bear in this life but she does it with fight and grace.


Happy 12th Birthday sweet girl! I can't wait to see what the Lord has for your life. I know it will be great!

Just Yesterday. . .

It seems like just yesterday we were sitting on the front row at the circus. Abby LOVED Bello the clown and we went every year to whatever city Bello was in. That seems like just yesterday.And now. . .

Just 3 short years later Abby is getting ready for the Taylor Swift concert. Abby had a blast. She went with her daddy and her friend, Ansley.

Abby had a blast and I'm just left wondering where the time has gone!

Luke 6:38

I also want to use this blog as a way to remember sermons, scripture, etc that speak to me.
This past Sunday, Pastor Morgan spoke on Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measure to you in return.
This verse is set in the market place. In Jesus' time, goods were sold by volume not by weight as they are in our day. In the market, bargaining is going on over price, quantity, etc. First the seller fills the container to the top, then presses the contents down and fills it some more. Next, he shakes the container so the grain will settle even more. The seller then fills the container til it overflows.
This is an example of how I should give to God. God gives to us because it is in His nature.
Matthew 7:11 says,
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
**Generous givers understand the shovel principle. I shovel it out, God shovels it in and He has a bigger shovel than I do!**
What will I do to be generous? How can I be more generous to those around me?

Our "Scrapbook"

Since I am not much on scrapbooking I thought I would start this blog as a way to remember our family's adventures. And what better way to start a blog about our family- a post about our vacation! We love vacations in our family! We love being where it is warm. So, this fall break, we headed to Florida.

We started our weekend in Orlando. Abby has read Harry Potter and really wanted to go to Universal to the Harry Potter exhibit. So Abby and I left the boys behind to watch football and swim.

Sunday was Typhoon Lagoon Day!

It was time for some fun in the sun- except when the sun wasn't exactly shining!

The boys enjoyed swimming with the sharks and sting rays.

They also loved the typhoon waves that came. Look to the right and you will see the wave coming to take them away.

And who can go to Orlando without some Downtown Disney fun! Yeah she's tough and got a tatoo. Yeah- right! We all know it's airbrushed. After some fun in Orlando we headed to Tampa for some beach fun, but we forgot the camera for that.