Christmas Pics, not quite a month late

We had a really great Christmas at home. Here are some pictures from the day.

The captions are below the pictures.

sporting raincoats from one of Chip's aunts
SAINTS shirt from Poppy & T
Playing a new cars game from Nana & Poppy in his new spider man costume
2 out of 3 smiling ain't bad
eating a candy cane and showing off more in her new bag
My dad and Terrie came for lunch. I cooked everything! And it was delicious!
found this at a consignment sale for $15!!!
our little reindeer
new "pack pack"
loving his Narnia figurines

Tagged by April

This is the 4th picture in my 4th file. It has been posted previously so I think I want to post another one as well. (Ella crying because she cannot reach the coke)
This is my new wallpaper. I love this picture. One, I think it is cute and, Two, I think I look young. Christmas morning, helping Ella with her stocking.

short story long

We got a contract on our house and have a contract on a house in BR. We are really excited. God did a miracle in that so many things had to fall into place for all this to work. Plus he did a work in my heart through His word. I was reading to the kids one night out of their Big Picture Bible while Chip was out of town. In the story of Abraham it said he went outside, looked up at the stars and "believed God". That stood out to me in that he did not believe in God but that he believed God. He trusted in who God was and what he said. I prayed a lot after that and really decided to trust God again with the sale of our house. I trusted him a lot with it back in Sept. By the end of Dec my trust was lacking. Then the next day I was reading in my own time in Romans 4 where guess who was mentioned? Abraham. And it said that "in hope against hope he believed." Again I was convicted and challenged to have hope that it would in fact sell at the right time.

Either that day or the next Chip calls from Atlanta and says that someone is coming to look for the second time at Jen's townhome. Jen is one of our students. She approached us about buying our house after we announced that we were leaving. But, she had to sell her condo first. Well, in a market that is poor to say the least, we thought there was no way she would be able to sell it before we needed to move. But, she put it on the market only hoping to buy OUR HOUSE! So, she got a contract on hers and the next day faxed us a contract that we accepted. We immediately went to look at houses. Actually we had been looking for a while and were really excited about one. It was a little out of our price range but we were hoping to be able to get it for a little less than the asking price. We actually made an offer on it that was not accepted. Everything in my flesh wanted that house. But, I did not have a peace about how the monthly note would affect us. So, again I was reading in Romans. Chapter 8 this time. Verse 6 says, "for the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace". Not to over-spiritualize or take a verse out of context, but God really gave me a peace about buying a cheaper house that needed more updating, knowing that I would be much more financially peaceful each month. So, we made an offer that was accepted and we should close in about 4 weeks.

Forgot to tell about these two events

The 19th thru 21st weeekend I worked all three days in BR. We decided to stay in BR at a friends' house Sat night so that I would not have to drive back and forth too many times and so I could go to church before work on Sunday. So, I left work Sat heading to our friends'. Chip was already in town. The mall is super close to their house. I was proud of myself because I knew just how to get there. I was sitting in traffic when I noticed smoke POURING from Chip's car (i drive it when working) and the needle far above the red. I look to my right only to see a driveway. I whip in there and call Chip. He was there in less than 10 minutes. We switched cars. He took the car and filled it with water. It made it to our friends'. I drove their car the rest of the weekend. We enjoyed a relaxing evening at their house eating leftover soup and watching Home Alone. I was so comforted that God knew that would happen and provided the driveway in which to turn and brought Chip to BR that day. Friday night it took me about 1 1/2 hours to get home on the interstate. If that would have happened Friday I do not know what I would have done.

STORY #2
The next day we went to church in BR at The Cornerstone Chapel. After church the pastor invited us all over for lunch. I scarfed down a DELICIOUS bowl of gumbo and then headed to work. At some point that day or night (once we were back in Hammond) we realized THE baby was missing. I just knew it was at the pastor's house. I remember seeing it there. They could not find it. That night I slept with Ella to avoid a melt down. We went to BR the next day (monday) and checked the church. It was not there. So, for a few days we made do, trying to substitute others. We would have to lay with her to get her to sleep. Later that week we got a call that they found her. We picked her up at the Christmas Eve service.

She did not seem that upset about losing her or that excited to have her back. She did have a good bit of trouble going to bed one of the nights. I was distraught that she was lost. Chip thought it was not a bad thing to lose her. I said, "But I want her back!" That is one of those toys that I want to keep forever. We have since settled back into our normal routine of having to take the baby everywhere. We actually lost her a second time in BR yesterday while looking at a house. We realized where she was and went back and got her before leaving town.

Week 4

I worked Tues and then thoroughly enjoyed two whole days at home with my family. Christmas Eve was fun. I decided to give the kids one present. They got rain boots: Streed, Cars and Ella, Hello Kitty. Their friend Jadyn has some that they both love so I knew they would love them. They immediately had to go outside. It was not cold so I obliged. Not to much time later they came screaming laughing and soaking wet saying they needed their swim suits on. Even though it really was warm enough for that I of course said no. They had been playing in their outside toy box that was FULL of rain water.

Before nap the kids and I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies from scratch. They had to chill in the fridge for at least an hour so this was a good incentive for nap time.

Streed is wearing his "Chef Streed" apron from Aunt Melanie.


That afternoon we loaded up and headed to a Christmas Eve service at the church we will eventually attend in Baton Rouge. That was an experience. Since it was a holiday there were no nursery workers. This was OK for about the first 2 minutes. We sat in the back but I still felt like a distraction. I know I was distracted. We had to laugh at Streed. He was MAD that he did not get to take communion. He said, "I don't like this church. They did not give me any bread or wine...and I was hungry!" We have tried to explain who takes communion. Upon arriving Ella was reunited with "Baby". (I forgot to explain this earlier. See another post)
She was not as excited as I thought she would be. She was shy at first there but is very glad to have her back.

When we got home we did finish making the cookies. Just a few for us and for Santa. Streed was going to make sure we made them. Chip helped to roll them out and cut them.

After they were asleep we got busy. I in the kitchen and Chip in the den. I began cooking and he was busy putting toys together for our good girl and boys.


How it looked when we settled in for our long winters nap. Sweet and simple.

Week 3=WORK

We got home on the 12th at 8pm. I worked Sat & Sun for Clinique. Sunday night we had a Christmas Party to attend in BR. I then worked the 16th & 18th at the gym. Then I worked the 19, 20 & 21 in BR for Clinique. At the end of that week I realized I worked 7 out of the 9 days we were home. At some point during that week we decided we were not going ANYWHERE for Christmas. Once that was decided, my spirits were LIFTED SKY HIGH. I know that sounds terrible. It is not that we are anti-family. The thing is, we had just seen them all in the past few weeks. And we were TIRED to say the least. All those days I was working, Chip was at home with the kids since school is out right now. So, WE were tired. I could not mentally, physically or emotionally even think about packing again. It is not the driving that gets us. It is the packing, transitioning the kids to new sleeping arrangements, unpacking, washing and putting away all the clothes...ALL THE TIME!

week 2 of dec

We got home late on the night of the 6th from the wedding. I worked the morning of the 8th & 9th at the gym. We had to be in Mobile at 5pm on the 9th for 4 days of staff meetings, marriage conf and Christmas party. The conference was really good. At first I did not want to be there because we had been on the road so much since November 19th. But, Wednesday, the first day of the conference was really good so I was glad I was there.

I was awakened Thurs morning by a text from my boss at the gym. It said, "It is snowing. And it is sticking. We are throwing snow balls." I wrote back and asked where she was. She is from North Louisiana and her husband is from Pittsburg. She responded, "look out your window". I almost screamed! I was immediately so MAD that I was in Mobile. Jill and I were literally fighting tears because of the kids missing that. When will that ever happen again. I got over it. Until I saw pictures later in the day. Thanks to facebook I was able to see what we missed. Below is a picture of our house and Chip's car.




Because it was so much snow it lasted for a few days and we did get to see it when we got home Friday night. God was generous in that.

after thanksgiving

So we left Mobile and headed home on Nov 30th. I worked that Tues and Thurs at the gym. We (Chip, Nate & I) left for a wedding in MS on Dec 5. We got two baby sitters for Ella and Streed. Since Chip and I were both in the wedding I could not figure out how we would take care of all of them the day of the actual wedding. So, two of our students kept them for the night and then brought them to the wedding. It worked out great. The wedding was for two friends that we actually set up!

Ryan & Leanne Alford



here we are. nate is just a little tired. it was probably 8 pm or later at this point.

here i am

we are alive. we are well. we are busy. i plan to update. one day. merry christmas.

technologically challenged

I left my phone and camera in Mobile last Sunday. I know where the camera is...the phone is another story. But, we are heading there again tomorrow and I will search my dad's house for the darn thing. The more we travel, the more I lose, including my sanity.