Christmas...

We have the best of every world for Christmas! We get to do it all... Christmas with my family, Christmas for the just the 5 of us and Christmas with Matt's family! We are so blessed!

Christmas morning is reserved to just be the five of us! I love it! It's fun to be creating memories and traditions that the kids look forward to. They loved opening their stockings, then having birthday cake for breakfast and of course the gifts. It was a fun, relaxing morning.

For the afternoon and evening we are with Matt's family. We missed his sister this year, but had a great day! Their house is like a second home to our 3 and they love to be there. Grandpa and Grandma make it pretty easy on us :).

Starting the morning (at 7:30 :)) with stockings...

McLleyton (who's fever was gone :)) decided there was no need to open his stocking, he would just start the day off with the candy cane that was on top!

Our Birthday Cake for Jesus...

They LOVED giving each other the gifts they had picked out...

McLleyton got a few "Elmo" toys he thought were pretty great!

The kids picked this game out for Matt as one of "his" gifts :)

The girls got a few gifts to share this year! They are so great at that! One of the most exciting was the AG wheel chair!

McLleyton loved when a gift was for him... or really opening any ones gift!

The girls got my childhood doll house for Christmas. They thought it was pretty fun!

Off to Grandpa and Grandma's house for a fun afternoon....

Having fun with Daddy...


McLleyton loves his Grandpa!
A fun craft, completed already!

The day ended with the girls acting out and singing the Christmas story! It was so, so sweet! My favorite part of the day! Added bonus was Grandpa playing the wise men!

Monreau as Mary with "baby Jesus"

Jonker Christmas Eve...

Since, I was a little girl our family Christmas Eve traditions have been the same. I love now sharing those traditions with my kids. This year was a small group as we missed my sister Jen and brother Jared and their families! We're already looking forward to having everyone together next year!

This Christmas was a little bittersweet as it was the last Christmas we'll have in my childhood house. My parents sold their house and are moving on to something smaller as they are finally kid free :). I'm excited for them, but it's a little sad to say goodbye to a place that holds so many great memories!

This year the kids were so much fun to share gifts with. My girls were very excited to finally give the gifts they had picked out for their cousins and were dreaming of American Girl dolls from Nanny and Poppy!

McLleyton who has been healthy since September came down with a mystery fever Friday morning. He really was a very happy little guy, but wasn't feeling his greatest. By Saturday he seemed fine and we were thankful it was such a quick and uneventful bug! He LOVES his giant turtle that Jacob gave him.

A few pictures from the night...

Our not so good family picture :)...

The girls...



Shaelyn with "Julie" :)
Monreau's reaction to receiving Molly was priceless. If only I had, had my video camera out. She was jumping up and down and couldn't stop saying "It's Molly, it's really Molly." She was SO, SO excited! :)





Poppy and Sophia...
Shaelyn with Aunt Kelly and Uncle John....
Such a fun night!

Santa...

Tonight, at our extended family Christmas party "Santa" arrived. We don't do a lot of Santa hype at our house, but the kids were excited...well, the girls were excited!

My cousin, who's 25, was so kind and played Santa. Check out McLleyton's response to his meeting with Santa.

30 at 30....

It was my birthday a few days ago! I'm 30 :). I have to admit I approached it with a little hesitation. Not so sure I was ready to let go of my 20's. When you say you're twenty-something that seems young... saying I'm 30 seemed like a "change". But, I have to say as my birthday arrived I feel nothing but blessed and excited. I truly believe that the 30's are going to be some of the best years of my life! It's wild to think that when I turn 40 Shaelyn will be almost 16! These years will be the "growing up" years of our family... I'm excited for them!

So at 30, I thought it would be good to take a moment and write down 30 things I'm thankful for. Here are some ... in no particular order!!

1. Grace. A Heavenly Father who has taught me about grace and constantly showers me with it.

2. Matt. An amazing husband I fall more in love with each day.

3. Shaelyn. She is kind, thoughtful, tender hearted, helpful, sweet and beautiful.

4. Monreau. My afternoon companion. Funny, smart, energizing, compassionate and beautiful!

5. McLleyton. My sweet boy! :) The Lord knew I needed a boy! He keeps me on my toes, makes me laugh, makes me run... he is smart, curious, affectionate and a joy!

6. Seasons. I love the change of seasons. (especially if we could end a MI winter in Feb :))

7. Uncontrollable laughter .... there is nothing like listening to my girls when they think the other one is so funny they can't stop laughing.

8. Living next door to my sister. What an amazing gift. A childhood dream come true!

9. Football. I love football :). Even more now that I have a little boy who likes snuggling in and watching recaps of Monday night football on Sports-center in the morning. (it's true :))

10. Health. I truly am so thankful I have my health. My sister was 28 when she had breast cancer I remember thinking the day she turned 30 how exciting it was to move farther away from cancer. I am truly thankful to be 30 and healthy!

11. 5 siblings! I have always loved being apart of a big family! It's a gift I'm so thankful my parents gave us! I have a whole new appreciation for all the hard work that it took :), but I love it! Times together are now a little on the crazy side, but it's a fun crazy!

12. Same Day Delivery. Another dream come true. I am so thankful that Matt loves what he does as much as I do!

13. Books. Rarely a good novel... more like Curious George and anything with a turtle in it! They are the only thing that make McLleyton sit still. I love when he'll snuggle and read!

14. Sister-in-laws. I have 3 sister-in-laws who are amazing! I love each of them and truly consider them sisters. Isn't that a rare, amazing gift!? :)

15. Sleeping in. It's interesting to think that I now consider 8am as sleeping in. Rarely happens but I love it when it does!

16. Forgiveness. Friends, family and a husband who have taught me so much about it!

17. Family Vacations. Probably my favorite thing in the world. Today a vacation is an immense amount of work. But, I LOVE seeing the time through their eyes. These are some of my most treasured childhood memories and I feel blessed to now make some with our kids!

18. Cousins. Shaelyn, Monreau and McLleyton are blessed with some amazing cousins! 3 right next door and 6 across the country. These are special relationships I am so thankful for!

19. Date nights. It's a gift to have a night a week to just be the two of us!

20. Friends. I am so thankful for the amazing friends we've been given. Who love us, encourage us, push us and challenge us. We are so much better because of you!

21. Prayer. Their is power in prayer. I've seen miracles and answers I'll never understand in this life, but I know the power prayer and for this I am grateful.

22. Potty training. It is true I am thankful for this :). It means I won't be changing diapers for much of my 30's :).

23. Parents. I have amazing parents. Both mine and Matt's. They have great marriages, they love Matt and I and they adore my kids! Doesn't get much better!

24. Our House. Doesn't quiet function like I'd dream it to... but it's home and right where we're supposed to be! We are blessed!

25. Weekend getaways. Like we just got to have are amazing!!

26. Crayons. My girls spend a ton of time coloring! It's such a peaceful activity! I love it!

27. 9 years of marriage. Best decision of my life was to say "yes" when we asked me at 19!

28. An inheritance of friends. My parents always told us growing up that the greatest gift they could give us was an inheritance of friends. It is very true and we are definitely blessed by friends all around the world!

29. Showers. I always feel thankful when I manage to get a shower in :)... it's a bonus if I do my hair!

30. Dreams. Dreams for our marriage. Dreams for our kids. Dreams for more friends. It's such a gift to dream....

It's starting to look like Christmas...

It's December!! Our house is decorated, the Advent calendar started and the tree is up!

I love this time of year!

Today we got our first snowfall of the year! It always amazes me how stunningly beautiful and peaceful it is! For the kids, it's exciting! They were all so happy to wake up to a snow covered world! McLleyton walked around saying "snow, snow" all morning! There wasn't more than an inch or two, but it snowed all day and by this afternoon the girls were ready to go sledding! They bundled up and headed out... much to the disappointment of their little brother, who got left behind! McLleyton was devastated as I snapped a few pictures of them and they took off down the hill. He wouldn't stop crying until I told him I would take him out to play in the snow too :). I guess crying can be persuasive :). So, we bundled up and he had his first sledding experience! I love these moments of new experiences and learning!

McLleyton looking on... and fully understanding that he's missing out!

There is nothing like this smile :)

This past weekend we decorated the house and put up the Tree..
My brother John & sister-in-law Kelly came to help! Here they are with their "instant family" :) My kids adore them :)!