christmas treats

Almond bark covered pretzels and peanuts. This is a tradition each year around here. It simply must be made. Everyone loves them. This year, I tried some peanut butter filled pretzels. It was an ok hit.

Recipe:

It's too easy to bother telling you, especially since you already know it, but here it goes...

Almond Bark, cheapest at Aldi, make a home made double boiler, then place bark in top pan, let melt slowly, dip goodies in bark, place on wax paper covered sheet pan, place outside for quick cooling if you like, then place on lovely little Christmas plate.

Watch them disappear!!

christmas baubles

Christmas Baubles

What do you all think? 

I may be getting the hang of it.

christmas 2010 photos are late

Those of you that know us, know that my hubby has the gift of 'gifts'. He loves to surprise the kids with interesting types of wrapping etc.. here Dylan's very small gift is wrapped in this very large box that holds a very heavy stool!

This jewelery was made by woman in another country that helps support them and get them out of the negative lifestyle many live to survive.

Bravehearts hair is beginning to fall out. The after affects are and will hit him pretty hard over the next week or two.

So I am going to get these on here late for memory sake. I think, with all that was happening, we still had a blessed, quiet little Christmas here at home with just the 7 of us. (my mom makes 7)

merry christmas 2010

Merry Christmas..I have so much I want to write but I won't get it all down. I thought 2008 was going to be the worst Christmas of my life with my bald little precious boy home after a near death, devastating trip to the hospital for a horrible chemo drug! Man I know these kids get hit hard, but because they are young they manage to survive at an amazing rate, although not really enough. One moment I was re-evaluating our next homeschool year and getting things in order, the next I am in a fight for my boys life..AGAIN! Now all the thoughts about doing so many mundane things in life seem so pointless. My focus so changed. Sometimes I see pictures of families and for the first time in my life it makes me wish I could just be there in that world where all the kids are healthy.
So much is happening. Since the relapse, I am trusting God more everyday, pleading and thanking Him for healing and guidance. We live every moment with that little deep flutter of anxiety deep inside our gut. Our child's life is in our hands!! Well, we know he is in the Father's hands, but we are the stewards here on earth. We are feeling little tugs of direction. Sometimes that direction is hard to follow, like if you are being asked to walk through a cave full of vicious lions, unsure of what even awaits you/your child on the other side.
Emotions come and go like a roller coaster. Before we were excited to be done and now we are looking forward to more/ worse of the same with no same hope as before. We haven't given up mind you!! Often God fills us with hope between moments of despair.

²²And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.

²³"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

²⁴"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

I am hopeful even now and ask that you pray with me from Mark 11:23, 24

Merry Christmas from our family and may you just love up on those kids a little more today and always, what a gift our children are from God.

let the Christmas season begin!!

Another family tradition complete. The Christmas CD's are out and playing. What memories...what joy, preparing and praising Him, the One who is the reason for this awesome season.
College boy was here this weekend. Dad is taking him home as I write. It was a good Thanksgiving weekend. One, also, that makes me want to have a more specific 'plan' for college boy to follow when he returns for his Christmas break! You know, the kind where he will know what is expected but he will not feel bossed around like the other kids. One that will, hopefully, limit mom's reminders, while he earns his food and drink, if you know what I mean!! I was even thinking of listing his responsibilities and signing an 'agreement'. Why?, do you wonder? Was the weekend a bust? A disaster? NO...not at all, but you mom's of college kids may already be versed in the role confusion of a child who is still not 100% out of the nest but is quite grown up on their own most of the year! This is new territory here. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. I am looking forward to a wonderful Christmas break with him, coming up real soon!
How are your Christmas decoratings coming?

Also, lots of musings and planning for homeschooling next quarter...mmmm.

cute little Christmas memories

I have to mention that we're not huge on Santa here. We don't usually talk about him much. If they say his name, we don't correct them when they are little. If they ask, we tell them the truth. We don't sit them down when they are two years old and tell them he doesn't exist either. We know how kids can blab to other kids. They just kinda always know, there is no special moment and they don't feel wronged or that they missed out on anything. It's not hard when they are always hearing about Christ. I think it has been good for our family that has developed a very healthy Christmas. We try to make Christmas all about the Savior and place as much meaning as we can on that. However we also have always enjoyed gifts, cookies, and especially stockings; hanging them, admiring them, filling them and digging into them on Christmas morning! So, when A wanted to make some special cookies out of our stash to leave for Santa Daddy I said 'sure'. Who am I to get in the way of creativity?? No one had ever wanted to do this before. She is the writer in the family afterall, always looking for an excuse to write. These are those moments that you jump on. I thought this was so sweet.

for santa
from 'a'
do not touch
santa ownie....

Well, here is a few memories from Christmas day. I never quite get a great one of 'everybody' as it is so hit and miss that day. None of me, dad or grandma!

Merry Christmas 2009

Well, family and friends, this is my cyber Christmas card and I will try to get my snail photo out to some of you as soon as I can. You can check out this blog for more all year photo happenings. We are just so thankful to have our son here with us and feeling almost normal. Last year, when he was admitted to the hospital in Nov. of 08, he was very sick and we had spent our Thanksgiving there as a family, which was great to be together. We were thrilled that he could even eat food by then. I have always left many of the details out, but he was truly at death's door that visit. It was really hard. We came home and just hung out here for Christmas and did nothing but be together while he recovered. It was nice to just be a family and not be running all over. We are so thankful to God for bringing us through it.

This was Christmas 2008.

Here is 2009!! Doesn't he look great??


Here is a brief update on what we have all been up to:

Glenn: He turned the big 40 this year!! I think he is still so young and handsome looking. He was laid off for a short time, but is back at work for the same company and is currently on a 3rd shift job for 4-5 weeks. He did some racing this summer and built a really cool rocket. He spends lots of time helping the kids build their rockets too, working up towards taking the kids and all the rockets to shoot them off at the big event. They had a...blast!
Heee

Tonya: I am always trying to get my home in order but this is just part of life you know. My feet are much better overall but have been a bit worse this month. I am trying not to get discouraged though. Many of you may not know that I damaged my knee late this summer. It was a doozy too. I am able to walk but it is still swollen and not completely healed. It is getting there. Other than that I am so thankful to be home and caring for my children. I work hard to keep B healthy, spend time with the kids, while really trying to sit back and crochet which has helped me to distress and heal those feet. God has blessed me greatly with this whole family and B's health.

I think the biggest news for us is that we just celebrated 18 years of marriage!!!

That is a long time and we have been through so much, growing stronger through these trials. I think we are truly stuck with each other forever. :)



Dylan: Well, so much has happened for him too. He likes to race with his dad. He is 17, a Senior and is attending the local community college as well. He has been working on high school and getting some college credit as he goes. So far he has 16 hours of college credit!! He is interested in some type of Computer Science or Engineering degree. God has really blessed him with a job at a small computer company. He has been paying for most of his classes so far. I will have my first graduate next spring!! Wow!


Braveheart: Just look how good he looks now!!
He is 12 now as he continues to do very well with his chemotherapy treatment. He takes one monthly chemo injection at clinic through the port in his chest, one weekly oral chemo dose and one daily oral chemo dose. He is tolerating it more all the time and is avoiding fevers and infections at this time Praise the Lord! He feels tired and ickey sometimes and his feet are getting a little stiff from the side effects too. He does PT for that daily. Mostly he is doing well though. Check above and keep track with us for his countdown to a cure!! Oh, don't forget to pray!! It truly helps.

Secret Agent: Well, this guy is now 10 and finally had his dream come true when he started Karate. He has a great, self discipline teaching, teacher. He was just promoted to red belt and seems to have a real gift for it. He is also enjoying being a Webelo Scout. He loves to learn about birds, exploring outdoors and studying geology.

Damsel girl: My only little girl. Can you believe she is 8 now? She loves so many things. She is still really into dolls and loves her violin lessons that she started this fall. That blesses us so much. She has a great teacher who is very talented at what she does. She loves to learn and keeps herself very busy and helps me so well. I am glad to have a girly girl who does fun girly things with me. She is very creative. Quit growing so fast girl! I have to confess she is still quite tough and can get dirty with the rest of her brothers.

I can't believe it, but I actually got a decent family photo!!

I can't forget this important member of the family! She is a grandma again this year. Why not, she is the best grandma ever!! She is my best friend. How can I not include someone who is so special to us and who has worked her whole life around helping us get through all of the hospital stays, clinic trips, babysitting, cooking, providing needs, praying for us. She even moved in with us off and on too. I thank the Lord for her everyday as do all of us in our family. We couldn't have done it without you mom. We love you so much.

We hope that you all have a most blessed new year in 2010. We are looking forward to END OF TREATMENT for Braveheart and hope and thank you for your continued prayers for a cure.
We also thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His help and sustaining us through everything. We hope you are thankful for that baby sent from above to take away the sins of man.

John 6:40

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

cookie cutter christmas cheer

We have had so much pre-Christmas things going on here. Things we just didn't do last year for reasons I think you all know well. Braveheart was just sooooo sick last year.

However, this year, B was ready to get moving about. So we signed up for the gingerbread house party and the Christmas program and we made our traditional home baked and frosted sugar cookies...mmmmm.

My feet are starting to wish that I had not gotten so much going thus far though I might add. :)

Here are some photos of those Dec. happenings. It has been really hard to get a good photo that turned out of D and T.

I am still here...crafty things happening.

I would have been here sooner but our monitor broke!! Can you believe it? I am so dependent on my computer these days.

I have been feeling creative and very crochetish lately. I started making these fun crocheted snowflakes. Aren't they cute?

It is very relaxing as I am just very stressed this fall. I think I have post traumatic nerve exposure. This is a term I made up, where it feels a little like my nerves are on my skin and quite heightened. Sometimes I just worry about something I said or I can't sleep well. Don't worry, I am trusting the Lord. Trying to fully give it over to Him. I can't explain it and I have no real excuse. I am just so happy to be here, home with my family and for Braveheart to be feeling more normal these days.

Our library had a gourd painting day and so we went and spent the morning painting these. What fun! It felt good to create with paint and not have the mess at home right now.

I have more fun things to show you but I have to wait as some are gifts.

We are nearly ready for Christmas. Tomorrow we take B for his next monthly IV chemo. Please pray for us as we drive.

christmas decorating 09

Every year I always take photos of our Christmas deco day. I don't know why, but this year was very willy, nilly. No great photos but here are some memories for us.

Damsel loves to be in charge of the Nativity.

We must hang our special airplane collection..of coarse.

This is our official ceiling airplane hanger this year.

Christmas Bear is happy to be out for the season.

Dad is stuck trying to work on these pesky lights..you know a section always wants to peter out on everyone??

What a handsome smile..I am keeping this one!! :)

I am praying you all have a low stress, Christmas season and that you remember WHO it is all about. JESUS is the reason for this precious season!!