MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

This is what you do on Christmas when you're bored!

Yesterday was not the best day of my life. It had been an incredibly stressful day. I am having major cabin fever because we have been snowed in for two weeks. I have a newborn that I am still adjusting to. It's Christmas. My house is a mess. Laundry is piling up. None of my clothes fit. My Christmas decorations were still not finished. It had taken me all week to make goodies for my neighbors.

I had a few minutes of quiet (Bridger was asleep) I was sitting in my nice warm living room and rocking Lily in my soft recliner. A Faith Hill Christmas special was on. She had an amazing song called "A Baby Changes Everything". At first I was thinking about how our babies have changed everything. These sweet little things come into our lives and create all sorts of upheaval. It's a lot of hard work being a mother.
As I listened to the song and looked out at the beautiful snow on a winter night, I thought about another mother...Mary. At Christmas time I always think of Jesus. But this year my thoughts are with Mary. What a remarkable mother she must have been. As we read about her experience bringing Jesus into this world, and the very uncomfortable conditions she had to endure...I just can't imagine! Surely giving birth to the Son of God deserves a room at an Inn, a warm bed to sleep in.
I am grateful to Mary for the role she played in bringing our Savior into this world. I am grateful for the fact that she raised him and I'm sure played a role in who he became as a man. My heart breaks for her suffering in watching him mocked and ridiculed and hung on a cross to die. I can't even stand to see Bridger scrape his knee!

Mothers are often overlooked for what they do. This year I am grateful for Mary, for my mom, and for all the other mothers I know.


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Beautiful Sunset outside our house

Christmas Tree

One of my favorite things about living in Oregon, is being able to cut down our own Christmas tree. When I was younger, I wanted to snowshoe in the mountains and cut down a Christmas tree. While going to a Christmas tree farm isn't exactly what I had in mind, it sure beats picking up a Christmas tree in the parking lot of some store!

A White Christmas...I'm not just dreaming of it!

We got quite a storm last night. I don't just mean that for Oregonians....This was a storm even in Utah standards.








Bridger is holding a sheet of ice. We got freezing rain after the snow. It made shoveling our drive not so fun for Derek. He not only had to shovel with a short avalanche shovel but he had to break the ice first.

Portland is not accustomed to snow. We have seen some very unusual ways of removing snow from the driveways- push brooms, garden shovels and even someone blowing it off with a leaf blower.

Winter Wonderland

One of the things I miss most about Utah is the snow for Christmas. Christmas isn't the same without it. While I'm not sure if the snow we got will stick around until Christmas, it has certainly helped get me into the spirit of things. It has helped that we have basically not been able to leave our house for 4 days. I've been getting my Christmas decorations up. With Derek not being able to work much, I have been making a small dent in the disaster we're living in.

Derek has always loved the snow. Bridger seems to be following in his footsteps. They spent many happy hours playing outside. I gave it a shot but only lasted a few minutes. I do not like the cold. Bridger reassured me that I would "warm up in a mimute" (minute...I didn't just mispell it). I never warmed up until I was back inside. Lily gave it a shot too, but I think she may be following me instead of dad. Look at that sad face.

The Many Uses of a Snorkel

One of the best purchases we have ever made was buying Bridger a snorkel set when we were in Hawaii. He of course used it to snorkel and continues to snorkel in the bathtub. He also has created many other uses for it: protective eyewear when he plays volleyball, baseball and when he helps Derek weed-eat the yard. The snorkel set is also very effective at helping him breathe in smoke while he fights fires with the vacuum hose.

















As for this last picture...This is one I can't explain. Bridger certainly has an imagination! He loves using my old-fashioned egg-beater when he does "yard work". This particular time he thought the snorkel was necessary. Your guess is as good as mine!

1 month old

Does Gas Make YOU Smile?!

This is not a subject I would normally talk about and I'm sure my mom is horrified...but does gas make you smile? The first time I saw Lily smile was in the hospital. They nurse said it was gas. I don't know about you, but when I get gas you do not see a happy look on MY face. And I'm pretty sure Lily is not the same considering the crying I heard last night.

Lily always greets us with a smile when we go to get her out of bed. She also smiles when we talk to her. She seems to be a very happy and content little girl.

Just look at that face. Is that a face of someone with gas? I rest my case.