Christmas Craziness!

Ahh, Christmas time! A season of celebrating Christ's birth, of spending time with family, of festive lights and colors, of snowy white scenes, of sugary treats, of love and laughter! It is an exciting year for us, as we have moved into a new home and can share that home with others!

We started out our Christmas activities with our staff Christmas party at the Landmark here in town! We left the restaurant with very full bellies!

The next night we had a little 'housewarming' party with my parents, grandparents and siblings. Joe cooked an AMAZING prime rib and we ate till we couldn't eat anymore! The conversation and laughter filled my home - I loved it!

On the 23rd we went out to my parents house for our own family's Christmas celebration and had a delicious breakfast for supper feast! Such a great thing to be able to spend the holidays with family!

Have I mentioned yet all the goodies and homemade treats everyone has given us?! Sugar rush!

On Christmas Eve, Joe's family came to our house for our Christmas celebration and yes, once again, we had a feast! Had a great time opening presents and spending time together!

For Christmas Day, Joe and I actually just stayed home and relaxed. Joe had to work the evening shift and I wasn't feeling too well, so it was good to just rest. I think we watched Christmas movies all day long!

The day after Christmas was the big Hilger family reunion. Wow - lots of people! Not everyone made it due to the weather, but several families braved to slick roads. The guys cleaned out the shop out by Joe's parents house so there was somewhere we all could fit! They even took the TV and the Wii out to the shop so the kids could all play. Laughter rang out, conversation abounded and we all had a merry little time!

Oh - and Joe's aunt and uncle and their 8 kiddos stayed with us for a few nights. I love that I was able to offer family a place to stay - again, I love my new house!

I think that is all for now! It has been a very BUSY Christmas - but oh so good. So good to be around family. So good to have a house full of kiddos and love and laughter! A good Christmas, indeed!

Judson's Birthday

We decided to throw Judson a surprise birthday party! We went behind his back and planned the whole thing - bowling, Bionicle/Transformer theme, cake, punch and all! We decided he would come over for his piano lessons as usual and then mom would head home, but take a detour at the store long enough for me to set up the decorations at the house and beat them to the bowling alley. Kelli was coming from Garden City and Rach was on her way home from college. Now, Judson wasn't expecting Rach to be home until really late that night. I don't think he quite figured out what all was going on until Rach walked in the door! He wasn't expecting to see her so soon!

We played one game, not that any of us were great bowlers, but we had a lot of fun! Judson wanted the bumpers up, but we gave him a few pointers and he got a few pins here and there. He even managed a strike at one point!

We ordered pizza and went back to the house to eat. Then the presents came out and FINALLY it was time for the Transformers cake. Mmmm...it was delish!

I sure hope he enjoyed it! I think the rest of us did! It was good to be together!

November 2009

Wow, what creative titles I have come up with! And wow, it has been a while since I have posted, too! Whatever have I been doing?

Well, since we bought the house in October, we thought MAYBE we would be in by Christmas. Well, thru a whirl-wind of activities, we actually moved in the second weekend in November! We spent one week furiously cleaning every knook and cranny and did plenty of painting. Since I decided to paint a beautiful red color on my kitchen wall - it took 3 coats of paint plus primer. I didn't think I would ever be done painting it. But, I must say, I LOVE how it turned out!

My grandparents wanted to help us out by either helping pay a down payment or by helping buy new furniture. I had already started saving up for a new dining table, so the extra money meant I could buy one earlier than I had planned. We decided to make a trip to Garden just to pick one out, but I really didn't expect to find one I liked. I had been looking, but never found 'the one'. Well, we go to the first store and I tell the sales person what I am looking for - a square table that seats at least 8. The only square tables they had were the taller counter height ones, not what I was looking for. HOWEVER, right beside those tall square tables was this GORGEOUS, dark, long table. It was a simple style, yet a little bit elegant. I fell in love! Yep, it now graces my dining room and I couldn't be more happy!

Best of all, we celebrated Thanksgiving at our new house with Joe's parents and their pastor's family - and we all fit nicely around the big table! I love having a big table for big dinners!

Oh, and one of the most AWESOME features of the new house...I have a scrapbook room! An entire room dedicated to scrapbooking! Already I have used it so much! I actually haven't scrapbooked, but I have worked on Jr. Church lesson materials and getting crafts ready for the kids! I truly love that I can spread out my stuff, and if I don't have time to put it up right away, then I don't have. I wasn't able to do that before, I needed to have the kitchen table cleared to eat at!

We have thoroughly enjoyed being homeowners. No, the house isn't perfect, and there are many things that we would change. It still is the nicest place we have ever lived, and most importantly, it is OURS!