The Proof is in the Pictures

Jeremy & banyan had their photos taken together about two weeks ago by a friend who does amazing things with her camera. Mrs. Shawnie Deutsch took about thirty five minutes to let Jeremy & Banyan have some fun! She captured some great moments in that short amount of time that I am so excited to have on film. If you want to check out more of her work & your in the Yelm,Lacey, or Olympia area here is her website Shawnie Deutsch Photography  she does travel & can come to you! Here are just a few of the proofs before she even does any retouching- which makes them even more fabulous! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

 

 

Incase you haven't found us on facebook yet here is the link to our page where you can watch all the happenings on our new adventure: Jeremy & Banyan "our Journey"

The Nice List...Are You on It

We are on Santa's Nice list or at list on mom's clip art list-haha  But my little guys did receive a letter straight from the North Pole today! Jeremy was so excited as Jacob read it a loud for him. It said how proud Santa was of all the help the two boys had been for mom & dad. That if they just finished cleaning up their rooms they would have a great Christmas Morning!! Better believe Jeremy hustled into his room to clean! Heck I should have a letter a month sent starting in January to this kid. Super pleased that he thinks he is on the good list. We finished making about 4 dozen cookie cut outs today to decorate tomorrow. Santa will have some yummy gingerbread & cream cheese cookies to taste on Christmas Eve. I just wish the big guy who loves to eat them all up was around to do it instead of Mrs. Claus this year. Pretty sure she has sampled so many cookies & treats at this point she is sugared out! Happy Tuesday everyone only 5 days left!

It's Official!!

The Holiday Edition

 

Yesterday my sweet husband left me a Facebook post on my wall letting me know someone had taken the time to hand him the Holiday Edition of the Stars and Stripes. I was estatic- he said "I got your Christmas message thank you and I love you ." It made my heart all warm and fuzzy also put a HUGE smile on my face. I try every time Paul is deployed over Christmas to make sure he gets that special shout out in the Stars and Stripes Holiday Edition. It may not mean much to anyone else, but for him to know I took the time months in advance to go to their website to submit the photo & write a little message means he knows he is thought of continually. To me that is the most important thing on the earth while he is deployed. I know he get's tired, discouraged & home sick. If this small gesture of love shows him how loved & missed he is then I will take the time every deployment to make it happen. Here is the link to go look through the digital copy. We are on page 2 lower left hand corner. But take the time to look at all the faces of the families who are missing a loved one this December around their Christmas tree. Take the time if you see someone you recognize to send them an email or text message to remind them they are in this special edition. Also if you know of a military family that is missing someone this year drop in the snail mail a card to just say we are thinking of you all. It will mean more to that family then you could ever possibly know. All we want is our soldiers to feel loved & everyone to remember they aren't all home yet.


Holiday Edition of the Stars & Stripes

Here is the picture we used for Paul, he is missing from the photo which makes it even more meaningful. We love you and can't wait to see you on R&R hopefully in the next few months.

Lots of Gingerbread

My rather amazing best friend Sam decided to invite everyone in the neighborhood it seemed over to her house to decorate homemade gingerbread houses. She makes the houses from scratch every year & this year I think there was about 16 houses made waiting in her kitchen for little kids.

 

Here they all are lined up waiting for children to be creative

The teens sat at a seprate table because they could not sit with little kids, geezzz

 

Of course I had to decorate one of the extra houses because it is just to fun to pass up! I also ate way to much candy, I can't believe I don't have a stomach ache yet.

This was almost done- the other side I added a skittles Christmas tree .

Look at all those fabulous gingerbread houses! It was so much fun eating candy & hanging out with the kids. Bekah was a little worried so she had to have a sip or two...

It was a good time for everyone & in the end all the houses look great!

Hope everyone is enjoying their week leading up to Christmas as much as we are so far!

Christmas Lights That Can Be Seen

We had a lot of fun last night heading to see Fantasy Christmas Lights at Spanaway park. It's a huge golf course they decorate with thousands of  Christmas Lights. You turn on your parking lights to drive through with Christmas music playing on their radio station. We have never gone before so the kids where all super excited! Jeremy went in his pj's & they all grabbed their snacks to take in the van. As we started all the boys where ewwwing & ahhhing to all the twinkling lights. Every turn down a road led to a new display. We then got into the discussion after seeing a polar bear fishing that we missed their dad & how he would love all the lights. I remembered I could record a short video from my camera so that is exactly what we did. We knew with him being in Afghanistan the chances of hearing Christmas music or seeing any lights was slim. This is the first deployment I had not mailed a small tree to him with ornaments so we where all a bit sad. We discussed how cool it would be for my husband to be able to hear the music & see some of the twinkling lights. I never imagined how cool it would be to hear the conversation going on during the video as well. The boys forgot we where recording it all & I got some great conversation for my husband as well.

Just try to remember for those of you who have your soldier home there are still thousands deployed this year. As happy as we all are your soldier made it back to you please continue to pray for those still waiting at home. I know two of my boys this week have broken down in tears. I am so happy we got to get out of the house last night & experience some Christmas Joy. Have a great weekend everyone!

At the end of the drive Matthew jumped out which was against the rules in order for me to snap a quick picture. All the while a lady from way far away is yelling " get back in your van & keep moving!". Well there where no cars in front or behind us folks & I wanted a picture! HAHA- Matthew & I laughed all the way home about " breaking the law"...another fun memory deposited in the memory banks of my children.

The Biggest Smiles Ever

I always know that Christmas is one of my children's favorite times of the year. They always love the baking, shopping, gingerbread houses, decorating, & SANTA!! I have one little sweet boy who still Believes...... I don't know if or when he will ever not Believe & that is just fine with me! 

We headed to the EFMP Christmas Concert again this year with Jeremy & Jacob on Tuesday.Jacob kind of sulked when I asked if he wasn't enjoying his early release from school to listen to the I Corps Band play Christmas carols he shrugged. I dropped it because Jeremy was having a ball & requesting songs like crazy! Of course the last song was Here comes Santa Claus  & low n behold he walked out! I love the elderly man who volunteers every year to play the Santa for EFMP gatherings. He looks just like him & does it for free. I couldn't hold Jeremy back from jumping in line to go tell Santa his list of toys. Jacob opted to sit in front of the fireplace. I got the biggest & best smile as always from Jeremy. My picture is a side view but the EFMP lady took a couple they should be sending us & she claims to have an awesome picture of Jeremy with Santa. Banyan thought I had lost my mind letting Jeremy sit on this guys lap as well as let some strange lady get close to take a picture. He stood right in between Jeremy & the photo lady-haha' But Here is the best smile all year long- it really reminds me that Christmas is for the kids.  I hope I have taught the kids that giving is a huge part as well as we helped out as much as we could this year. I am looking forward to Christmas Eve & Christmas Day thanks to this special little man who still Believes.

Jeremy with Santa 2011

Banyan trying to understand why mom would let this happen-haha

Where Jacob sat while Santa visited. I later found out he was so quiet because he was missing his dad who usually goes to these things with us. Poor little guy, he is a trooper.