Update!

Hello bloggy friends,

It is my desire to post more frequently than I do, but-- goodness!  Life with the kids is just so full... and sweet... and I don't want to miss a minute of it.

We are doing great.  Ella is nearing her eleventh birthday and I just love that girl to pieces.  What a delight she is!  Isaac just turned nine, is currently reading the Redwall series and chatting all about it when he's not reading.  Isaias is as active as always- loving outside time and doing great in school this year-- I'm so proud of his growth from last year to this year.  Adelia simply does not stop.  Ever.  Moving or talking or shrieking.  She's a hoot.  Audra is chatty and never far from her dollhouse and rarely without a baby in her arms.  Mark is working a TON right now- lots of long hours in the cold and dark these days and we are so thankful for his hard work to provide for our family.  I am... knitting and making meals for our family and others and schooling our kids and trying to keep up on the laundry and the housework and forgetting to plan meals and loving Jesus and just truly thankful for it all.

We are winding down to our Christmas break.  Just two more days of school and we have the whole month of December off!  (Hooray!) 

{ The nativity set on the right is one we purchased when we were in Guatemala, adopting Isaias.  Oh, and the cute bunting? That's from Sara's super-cute Etsy shop. }

{ Our mantel.  Hooray for the wreath~ thank you, Jobes! }

{ I love the concentration of ornaments all in one section when the kids are decorating.  Cuteness. }

{ We seem to be missing someone.  I bet Audra decided to take baby Jesus to her room. }

{ Remember this idea?  I have been looking forward to implementing this ever since I read this post.  I wrapped up all of our Christmas books and we'll start opening one per day, beginning December 1st right up until Christmas Day.  Except for that I'm short 4 books.  But that's okay.  It just means I'll get to sneak in a trip to the used bookstore sometime in the next week or so and slip in 4 new books, which will be fun.}

Speaking of books, we've read some great ones this year and I want to put together another list.  Soon.  We also SCORED at the thrift store recently in the book department and I can't wait to take a picture of our goods and post that.

I hope you are all well!

Blessings to you and yours,
~Stacy