Friday, January 2, 2009

New Years Festivities

New Years Eve we went to my parents for pork and sauerkraut and then got home at about 10pm. We put Collin to bed and went out to sit in the hot tub for a while. We jumped out of the hot tub just in time to go hop in bed and watch the ball drop. That's my kind of New Years Eve...it was very nice being home and having our family together. Cuddling on the new microfiber sheets we got for Christmas was pretty nice too!!

The kids were absolutely insane at my parents house. Collin pulled all of the plastic containers out of the cabinet and climbed in. Of course, Brylie had to get in too. Then she decided to wear the Lock&Locks on her feet. And finally they settled down a bit...Collin and Kahlen kicking back with Nana's special drink.





For New Years Day we went to our friends Scott and Lindsay's house to watch football. Collin had a great time wresting around with their daughter Abby. He has obviously been paying attention to his father's lessons on grappling! I realized that I don't think Collin plays with any boys-all of his playmates are girls-we will have to work on that!!









Oh! Am I going to have to keep my eyes on this boy!?!?!Somebody call Children's Services!






Like father, like son. I'm blaming this one on Wyatt!!

FFF:Theme Best Foto of 2008


How do I choose?? I picked this one because it always makes me laugh. All that is missing is the cowboy hat...and clothes of course!!

Guatoberfest Cruise 2009

My soapbox about the Advent Conspiracy

I came across this video on another blog. I have to admit I only looked at it for entertainment value. I assumed with a title like that, it had to be some wacko conspiracy theory and who doesn't need a good laugh. Suprisingly enough it really touched me and made me think. It didn't grab my interest because of it's religious value, because that's not really my thing. I am not the type of person that flaunts religion or believes in pushing your beliefs onto others. It touched me because of it's human value and because it shows me how quickly I forget.

When we were in Guatemala it was truly a life changing experience for a myriad of reasons, only one of which was bringing home a baby! We saw poverty that we could never imagine in this country. I remember thinking when I was there that despite all of the stress of the situation, I was more at peace than I had ever felt in my life. Among other things, there was no pressure to have more...there was nothing to have. People just lived their lives. Families worked together, lived together in cramped housing-if they had a roof over their heads at all-and they were happy! We were forced to enjoy eachother without our "creature comforts" and I loved it. I now remember hoping that once we got home, I would never lose that idea that we don't really need much at all. I realized our society makes us think we need more but we really don't. And after watching the video it makes me realize that I have failed miserably.


I had made up my mind that in order to honor my new found attitude and our sons heritage, we would sponsor a Guatemalan family every year so that they could have food and heat and their children could go to school-things we take for granted on a daily basis. For some reason I can never seem to find the money to do that- BUT- I can find the money to buy coffee every day, sometimes several times a day, Collin will see a room full of gifts on Christmas morning, I can go out to eat, I can do whatever I want for the most part. My priorities have gone right back to where they were before I experienced Guatemala and it makes me sad. That is the reason that I am posting the video in a permenant spot on the blog, so that I am constantly reminded, not only during Christmas but all year to give PRESENCE to my friends and family not PRESENTS and to give back to something that I feel very strongly about. I don't write this to push Guatemalan charity or any charity but to encourage anyone reading this to slow down and take a look at your life and see what means the most to you and see where it takes you.

Advent Conspiracy