From our family to yours, Happy New Year.
Love and well wishes in 2010.
Here's hoping this new year is better than the last.
PS- photo's of Mary lighting her own birthday cake coming tomorrow!

Birthday morning with Mary

Happy Birthday Mary

Mary is 7 today!
Happy Birthday baby, we love you!

After Christmas sales are everywhere

For a grand total of $5, new "snow" things for the front yard.

My new favorite thing

$6.99 at Goodwill.
I think she is really cute, and it adds a nice something to the front of the house.

What we did last night

We finally made it to the River of Lights last night.
Here are some highlights, it was a lot of fun, and there was so much to look at.

In Ruth's bed last night

Before and After

Above the front door with our stained glass nativity set. This is a great place for it, the sun hits it and it looks beautiful. Plus it is up and out of the way of the chaos of 4+ children at a time running through our house.
Above the front door after.
Mantle above the fireplace with it's decorations. This nativity was given to me by my Grandma Doris years ago and I love it so much. It always gets a place of honor.
Mantle after.
The tree.


Around here the tree goes up and comes down early.
The kids helped me put up the decorations right before we left for Thanksgiving, and today I took them down.

More fun Christmas photo's

Ruth acting crazy.
Tearing into gifts.
Opening a great gift.
Excitement.
Loving the "Colorado" hoodies and tees.

A Christmas video from Ruth

Mary's Christmas

Ruth's Christmas

We are done

Wow, a marathon of gift giving this year.
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to shop, wrap and stand in line at the Post Office to provide for Ruth and Mary the best Christmas we have ever had.
The girls are so excited, this was a wonderful day for them.
Pictures and a video are coming.
Thank you cards will be sent out after the new year with photo's we took on the kids birthday!
Merry Christmas again, hope everyone is having a blessed day.

Gingerbread house

We made this as a family yesterday, and I think it's a work of art!

Merry Christmas

Well, it is finally here.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Hope your day is merry and bright.
Love to you all, Matt Amber Ruth and Mary

Now I'm ready for Christmas

I have been so worried that this box was lost in the mail.
For me it's just not Christmas until the box from Grandma Doris gets here.
She has sent me a doll for Christmas every year for over a decade, and I love them all.
It was down to the wire, but the box was delivered this afternoon.
The kids are equally excited. Mary has inherited my love for dolls and is almost as excited as I am to see what is under the beautiful wrapping paper.
It's going to be hard, but I think I can wait to open this gift until tomorrow.
However I am not so sure that Mary can!!

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve.
Looks like today will be warmer than yesterday, and all of our snow has melted.
I plan on getting some baking done, we're all going to make a gingerbread house when Matt gets home, church this afternoon, and opening a gift.
Hope everyone's holiday season is going well, Merry Christmas from our family to yours.
I'll be posting video's and photo's over the next few days!