Merry Christmas!

I didn't mind Christmas being on a Sunday this year.  We went to Ryan's church in the morning and got to see some people we haven't seen in quite a while.  We headed to his parents house for ham, cheesy potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rolls.  We opened presents and guess what?  Parker got two more tractors.  I know it seems like probably has about 100 at this point, but he really only has three and a couple books about them.  We skyped with Karl, Meg and the boys and learned that Meg is pregnant!  Woohoo!  Hopefully we can all be together next Christmas.

Want a hug?  

Malinda and Lena

A rocking chair and a firetruck book from Aunt Jeanie,
and a tractor from Poppo and Nana.  He's set!

Parker shared his tractor with Lena, and she gave him a bow.

Haha, Parker has a bow on his head!

We set up our own studio in one of the bedrooms so Ryan could take ten month pictures of Lena.  Every picture was so cute because she is constantly smiling!  Here are two of my faves.

 On the 27th, Uncle Kevin and Aunt Kris came from South Dakota.  We all went out for Swedish pancakes at the Stockholm Inn.  They gave Parker his very own Strider!  It's a bike without pedals, so kids can learn how to balance without using training wheels.  It should fit him just right when summer comes.  Thanks guys!  We played 8-person hand and foot, and ended the evening with another delicious supper.

"So how does this thing work exactly Uncle Kevin?"

What a great time we had with family in a few short days!  We are blessed to have loving parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

A Traditional Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has always been one of my favorite days of the year.  When I was young, it would usually involve playing outside, practicing for the Christmas program, mom making me a Christmas dress and doing my hear before she leaves for church, me wetting down my bangs because I thought she poofed them up too much, performing in the Christmas Eve program at GVCRC, eating apples and M&M's, and coming to open presents.  

Things have changed a little bit, but not  a ton.  The past few years it's been similar during the day (except we have more family members now =).  We usually have an assortment of soups, salads, and sandwiches before church.  Mom still goes to church early, but that's usually when we bring in Mom's present from Dad (because they're too big to wrap).  We've done it with a dining room table, game table, wooden lockers, and this year, a refrigerator. It's pretty fun, and Mom is always surprised.   My whole family goes to GVCRC for church, and then we come home to cookies, cocoa and presents.  It's getting pretty rowdy with the three kids.  Next year will be even more fun with Mike and Deb's baby!  We always try to take a family picture, which is nearly impossible.  Here's what we came up with this year.

Awesome pic of Mike and Deb!

Nate, Hunter (4), Alaina (6) Nat

Ryan ran into the picture right as Parker was running away!

Before church, I was thinking about all of the funny things that my siblings and I have said while opening presents, that we still bring up on yearly basis.  Then I was wondering if there would be anything funny we would remember about this year....

First things first - Stockings.  Hunter opens his and says "YEAH! GUM!"  Then he opens a knitted stocking hat and says "It's a little bit itchy...actually, it's a lotta bit itchy."  He was so excited about every single present that was opened.  How cute is that?

Parker got a little tractor from Papa, and as soon as he saw it, he started rubbing his chest and saying "Please, please, please," until it was out of the package.  Papa also got a set of little tractors, which were opened right away, too.  Then, Hunter opened the ultimate tractor present.  A size 1/16th Case IH Puma - just like Papa's.  He loved it, but so did Parker!  Hunter was nice enough to let him play with it for a while.  Then he came over to Parker and started playing with it.  Parker started screaming and crying "Tractor, tractor, tractor," so Hunter drove it back over to him.  Then Parker was almost hyperventilating with excitement that the tractor was back.  Again, "Tractor, trac (voice crack) tor."  He is definitely obsessed.  I got that one on video!  (Hopefully it makes sense if you weren't there...)

(Parker and I got to see my mom's side of the family on the 26th.  That was fun, too!)

Our Family Christmas

This Christmas has been different than any other.  Parker is interested in his presents for the first time, Ryan has been home a LOT - thanks to two and half paid days off- we picked up our old hobby of knitting, and I was teaching up until the 22nd.  Sounds like a recipe for fun!  We were able to get together with our BFF group and our church small group for Christmas parties, I got together with some girls to bake lots of cookies, and Ryan and I went on a date to beautiful downtown Naperville.

Our tree =)

We opened presents in our apartment on the 22nd.  Parker wasn't super crazy about opening the gifts, but he was getting the hang of it.  I think he liked what he got!  

Nesting Cups

He also got a Touch and Feel Tractor book.  He can read it all by himself.  He just turns each page and says "tractor."  I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get super great pictures of everything this Christmas, but we kind of opted to get most things on video instead.  This is definitely one of those times where I got a little anxious about missing a "kodak moment," (or in our case, a Canon moment), but there is a fine balance between taking pictures and living in the moment.  Ok, enough justification.  Parker loved his presents and we loved giving them!  He only got two little things, but it's a lot more fun than I thought it would be to give your child something you know they'll love.  After presents, we had caramel apple pork chops, sweet potato souffle with a candied pecan crust and crescent rolls.  Yum!

So I'm not much of a food photographer...it tasted good though!

Later that night, Ryan and I went to church and then downtown to enjoy the pretty lights, Haagen-Dazs peanut butter popcorn, and Starbucks.  

Our favorite street in Naperville - Jefferson street.  Starbucks, the library, Noodles and Company,
and HUGE HOUSES with HUGE porches with wooden ceilings.

When we got home, we worked on our stockings!  Unfortunately we weren't able to finish them before Christmas.  It's been quite the project.  We're notorious for finding a picture of something and then trying to make it without a pattern.  They are based off of these stockings from Pottery Barn.

I have to take a picture of ours still...

 Time to head to German Valley!

A Different Perspective

Every year around Christmas, I really enjoy listening to the Christmas story.  The way it was all perfectly orchestrated is nothing short of a miracle, and the fact that a King came in the form of a humble baby baffles me to no end.  One of my favorite things to do with any familiar story, is to look at it from a different perspective.  Last year I finally started to grasp how uncomfortable it would be to ride on a donkey when you are great with child.  Forget that!  And then delivering a child with no doctor, in a barn...seriously.  That's crazy.

Our sermon series this Advent season at The Compass Church was called "Surprise!"  Each week, Pastor Dale focused on a different person who received a surprise the year Jesus was born.  Firt was, "Suprise, Mary!  You're Chosen!"  One of the best parts of the Christmas story is when Mary replies to Gabriel in Luke 1:38 - "I am the Lord's servant.  May it be to me as you have said."  WOW!  Think of all the dreams Mary had for her and Joseph and their lives together.  Think of all the uncertainties she had about whether Joseph would still love her, and what her parents would think.  Where would they live?  How could she be capable of raising the Son of God?  So many things must've been going through her head when Gabriel gave her the incredible news, but what did she do?  She submitted to God's will and was honored to do so.  That.Is.Incredible!

The second week was, "Surprise, Joseph!  You're Plans Have Changed!"  Joseph was a good man, so he was going to divorce Mary quietly.  Matthew 1:20 says,"After he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream."  The angel tells Joseph that Mary is pregnant with the Son of God, Immanuel, meaning "God with us," and that he should still take her as his wife.  I've always taken this for granted.  Of course Joseph wouldn't leave Mary, but to think that he did exactly what he was supposed to do, all based off of a dream?!  That's almost more obedient than as if he would've seen the angel in person.  (This next part is one of my favorite things I learned during the series).  In Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, he says that if someone has a loving earthly father, they are more likely to believe that their Heavenly Father loves them unconditionally.  (Totally makes sense.  I am so thankful for my loving earthly father and my loving husband!)  Anyway, Joseph was a loving father, and an obedient father.  He did exactly what the angel told him to do when Mary was pregnant, he fled to Egypt when he was told (in a dream), and again fled to Nazareth (told in a dream) all to save Jesus from being killed by Herod and carrying out God's ultimate plan.  Jesus had an excellent example of an obedient earthly father, and I'm pretty sure that it was no accident.  None of those things would've been easy, but Joseph obeyed!

Finally, there was "Surprise, Herod!  You're Not in Charge."  This message was great because we were given some background on how hungry Herod really was for power.  For example, he killed several members of his own family, just to ensure sure that he was in control and no one was going to take the throne from him.  So, when heard that the King of the Jews was being born in Bethlehem, he wanted Him killed. (Luke 2:3).  He was unsuccessful, so he had all of boys age two and under in Bethlehem killed.  He thought for sure that would get the job done, but it didn't.

What a complex and miraculous story!  The best part comes 33 years later, but I guess I'll blog about that in a few months. 

I also looked at the Christmas story from the Angels' perspective.  I had the privilege of attending Naperville Christian Academy's Christmas Program, "Angel Alert."  I'm a sucker for kids programs, so it doesn't take much to impress me, but it was extra special.  It was all about how the angels were so excited to proclaim the Good New of Jesus' birth.  As they were anxiously awaiting the go-ahead from God, they were remembering the times they visited Abraham, Moses and Joshua.  They knew that Jesus was coming because of the old testament prophesies, and they also knew that since God said it, we can believe it!  Once the baby was born, Mary and Joseph expressed how it was a strange way to save the world.  I got the goosebumps listening to the 13-year-old girl playing Mary, sing about how she was God's willing servant.

Okay and last story.  The Christmas Eve program at The Compass was called, "Gabriel and Gift," based off of Max Lucado's Cosmic Christmas.  It started off with a boy bring a fruitcake to Mr. G, and he wants to hear a story about warriors and fighting and battles.  So, Mr. G tells him about when God told Gabriel to deliver the message to Mary that she would be pregnant with the Son of God.  The Bible is clear that once baby Jesus was born, Satan tries again and again to tempt Jesus and ruin God's plan.  But this story tells about the possibility of Satan trying to ruin everything before Mary is even pregnant.  He tries to tempt Gabriel, and there was an angel battle royale.  It was so cool.  It was kind of like a dance.  There were black angels and white angels, and one of each of them had a sword.  They were fighting, and the white angels were victorious.  When the battle was over, they raised their hands and sang, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.  Who was, and is, and is to come."  Talk about goosebumps!  Angels are not little frilly babies in white togas.  They are God's warriors, constantly fighting on our behalf.  What a cool image!

Overall, I've been super blessed by the Christmas story this year.  I am humbled by the greatness of God, and now more than ever, I feel that I am willing to be his servant. 

Merry Christmas!

Parker Talk

Parker has started talking a lot in the last month.  He has the cutest little voice and will attempt to repeat almost anything.  He can do lots of animals sounds including a sheep, cow, elephant, lion, monkey, puppy, and horse.  He also has been saying "choo, choo,""wow,""cool," "uh-oh," and "oh no."  Of course, the word he says the most is "tractor."  It's getting pretty clear.  Sometimes he even says "Wow.  A tractor."  It's still the first word we hear when he wakes up, and it seems like he says it whenever the 'conversation' gets dull.  If you ask him who drives a tractor, he says "Papa."  He says "Poppo," and "Nana" a lot - "Da-da," and "Mom."  He is starting to recognize the pictures on our fridge and point out people, too!  Oh, and how could I forget?  He has learned to say, "no."  He hasn't said it to me yet.  He usually says it when he's opening a cupboard he's not supposed to be in ;)  He says "up," and "dow(n)," too.  When he says anything that ends in an o, his lips make the cutest little O.

In addition to verbal words, he has been doing great with signing.  He does "more," "all done," "eat," "please," "thank-you," and "milk."  Signs are the answer to eliminating whining!  Whenever he starts to whine, we ask him to use his words and he will usually be able to tell us what he wants by doing one of these signs.  He has even started to say "more" and "all done" when he does the signs.  He is also very clear about his signs, because he will do it constantly until you have not only acknowledged him, but carried through on his request.  For example, when he's hungry, he will bring his hand to his mouth a couple hundred times by the time I put him in the high-chair and get some food on his tray.  He does it silently though, so it's pretty nice.  Tonight we were reading an ABC book that has a little flap for each letter.  He practically rubbed his chest raw from saying "please."  He likes to turn the pages, but he can't get the flaps himself, so after he'd turn the page he'd say please continuously until it was time to turn the next page.  I'm trying to get videos of these the best I can, but he loves the camera so much he stops what he's doing when he sees it!

He's been dancing a lot more lately, and it seems like he's starting to really play with his toys.  He's figuring out how they all work and has certain things he likes to do with each one.  Lately he's been pulling around his little train and saying "choo, choo."  Then he'll sit on it and take some of the blocks off.  It's pretty much a given that he will pull every book out of the bin and every DVD (within reach) off the shelf everyday.

He is such a joy!  I know I've said this other times, but this is the best stage so far.  I love engaging with him and seeing his personality come out.

Picture Update

Playing with Mayci over Thanksgiving.  She has fun toys!

I love how Mayci is lounging.

They told us they're just friends.  Nothing serious.

Eating spaghetti off his favorite tractor plate from Uncle Bill and Aunt Bonita.
I think he pointed out the tractor between almost every bite.

UWP Alumni

This past Saturday we went up to UWP for the Alumni Track Meet.  The year after I graduated I decided to run the mile because I didn't want to run anything I used to be good at.  It was the dumbest idea I think I've ever had.  I was under the impression that the mile would be easy.  I started out fast with the girls that were actually training for it.  By lap three, I was way behind, and by lap seven, Ryan was jogging next to me. I considered not finishing, but I didn't want to disappoint Coach Nickasch. 

This year I decided to skip the running and just catch up with all of my old track buddies.  The PAC has changed a lot since I graduated.  They added a massive weight/fitness room, and re-vamped a lot of the other facilities, including the track.  The new surface is awesome, and as soon as I set foot on it, I wanted to put spikes on!  Bobbi and I decided we're running again next year. =)

Alumni is so fun because you walk through the doors and see about ten people that you want to tackle.  We spent the first half hour saying hi and introducing everyone to Parker.  Once Bobbi got there, we went to see coach.  It was really weird walking across the track together with kids on our hips.  So much has changed in a few short years!  Mayci and Parker ran all around the infield while we talked with coach and caught up with the rest of our old friends.

After the meet, the current track team always sits and listens to coach's speal on how time flies.  While he was talking, Bobbi and I had a little comentary going on (as usual).
Bobbi: Yeah, pretty soon you won't have any time to work out.
Alison: Yeah, and all of your clothes will be covered in spit-up.
Bobbi: Yeah,and the only reason you look skinny is because you forgot to eat dinner!

Al and her daughter, Hailey, Me, Bobbi, Mayci Shea, Parker, Liz, Lindsey and Carley.  Love you girls!

After the meet we went to Steve's Pizza with the rest of the Alumni.  It's so fun to remember those years, but equally as fun to hear about what they are doing with their life now.  Can't wait for next year!

Trimming the Tree

Ryan's first few shifts at the firehouse have gone well.  It's fun to hear what they do during the day, what they cook for meals, and what kind of calls they went on.  He hasn't been to any fires yet.  He was telling me how he was sitting in the back seat of the firetruck on the way to a call and he was just taking in his surroundings thinking, "Wow....I'm getting paid to do this."  I'm so thrilled that God blessed him with a job that he enjoys!

Now that he is on shift, he is home a LOT.  Since my love language is quality time, I am definitely fond of the new schedule.  After school on Wednesday, Parker and I met Ryan at Chic-fil-a, and then went to Menards to pick up our Christmas tree.  The past few year's we've opted to get a tree at the store because it's a little cheaper, but we still have a fun time with it.  Ryan will pick up several trees, stomp them on the ground and say "Now this here - This is a great Christmas tree."  (It's a line from A Christmas Story that we like to re-create every year).  We usually look at every single unbundled tree and can't find one we like.  Then we go through the bundled ones and just take a gamble because we're freezing.  This year Parker was running all over the place, too.  Of course, the one we ended up going with did turn out to be the most perfect tree.  We re-arranged our living room, and our apartment is beginning to look (and smell) a lot like Christmas.  We made gingersnaps, dipped them in hot cocoa, and watched Elf after Parker went to bed. 

Helpin' Daddy put up a shelf for my Nativity. 

Vacuuming up all the needles.

He loved running around with the tree skirt on!

He should do really well when it comes time for his first haircut.

Black Friday! (and a special surprise;)

Another reason why I love Thanksgiving week...Black Friday!  Nat and I have gone together for the past several years, and this year Deb came along!

We always plan out our trip the night before.  After we got back to mom and dad's, we busted out all of the adds, wrote our lists, and found all the best deals.  In the midst of things, Mike asked us if we'd like to hear a knock-knock joke.  Now Mike's a pretty funny guy, and any joke of his is worth hearing, so we all agreed to hear it.  This is what it was...
Mike: Knock-Knock
Us:  Who's there?
Mike: We're
Us: We're who?
Mike:  We're pregnant
Us: AHHHHHHHHHH (Nat jumping up and down, me running over to Deb, mom bawling, everyone else smiling ear to ear).

Mike and Deb are 12 weeks pregnant, due June 5th.  YAY!!!  We are incredibly thrilled!

We made pact that night that we would keep Black Friday to FRIDAY only. (Since stores were starting to open at 10pm on Thanksgiving). We felt bad making Deb get up so early (she was a first-timer), but she was a trooper.  We were on the road by 4:00am.  Usually Nat and I split up in the store - one of us gets in line while the other shops, and then we switch.  Lines take an hour or longer...usually...but not this year!  Because the stores opened at 10pm or 12am, all the crazies went then, which left the logical shoppers to have a peaceful shopping trip at 4. =)  Most of the stores were like this, which allowed us to visit more stores in about the same amount of time.  We got home right before lunch and decided it was probably our best shopping trip ever.

This is what Parker did while we shopped.

Thanksgiving

I absolutely LOVE the week of Thanksgiving.  Parker and I spent time with friends Monday and Tuesday afternoon, and Wednesday we headed to Byron where we played with Alaina and Hunter for the afternoon.  They are so good with Parker, and they have a lot of fun toys at their house to play with!

Alaina giving Parker a ride.  She thought it was so funny that they both have poofs on their hats.

 

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Poppo and Nana's house.  Parker is really good at saying both of their names now.  He also learned how to quack like a duck!  They have a little stuffed animal that quacks and every time the duck quacked, so did Parker.  It was super cute.  Thanksgiving dinner was delicious!  I think I officially like sweet potatoes!  Sandy made a sweet potato casserole with a pecan crust - amazing.  Parker at a lot of that, cream corn, wheat rolls, and turkey!  I think it's safe to say that he loves Thanksgiving as much as Ryan and I do.  It was great to see Ryan's immediate and extended family.  Parker made some new friends, and got to play with Lena a lot, too.  I need to get more pictures of that girl.  She is constantly smiling and she loves having Parker around.  When she was playing in the exersaucer, Parker gave her a ball, then she threw it down, and he picked it back up and gave it to her again.  This went on for a good five minutes =)

At 5:00 we met up with the Ross Family at Silver Creek Reformed Church.  We decided to have Thanksgiving there so we could all sit at one big table.  They also have a youth room with ping pong, pool, and other games.  Before the prayer, my cousin Jared and his wife, Ashley announced that they were pregnant and due July 4th.  Yayyy!!!  We ate another amazing round of Thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed talking with everyone around the table.  When parker was "all done" he was a ball of energy for the next few hours.  He went on to the stage in the youth room and danced, he said all his animal sounds for everyone, did all of his signs, ran around, and laughed a lot.  While the whole family played catch-phrase, he would walk around in the circle and followed the game.  He enjoyed pushing the timer button while someone was giving clues.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all that God has blessed me with!

Graduation's Here At Last!

After nine grueling weeks Ryan is a graduate of NIPSTA Fire Academy!  The academy consisted of physical training, lectures, daily quizzes and practicals.  It was from 8-5:30 everyday, but since it was in Glenview and we live in Aurora, he left our house around 5 every morning to avoid rush-hour.  At the end of most days, he would head to Starbucks to study for a few hours, again, to avoid rush-hour.  (On the days he came straight home it took close to 2 hours).  Talk about long days!  Parker and I missed him very much, but we kept reminding ourselves that it was only a short phase, and Daddy was heading into an awesome career that he would love!  Plus it would allow us to see him a lot more.

The graduation was on November 18th.  Ryan's dad, mom, sister, grandma, great aunt and two cousins were able to attend, along with my parents, the Haskell's and Lucas Knapp.  When we first arrived, Ryan gave us a tour of the building where they did a majority of their training.  I could not believe the tiny spaces they were required to squeeze through, with wax paper over their masks, and air on their back!  Good thing he's not claustrophobic!  It was fun seeing the facility where everything took place, meeting the guys he had been talking about, and hearing a little more about what went on in the academy.

Dustin, Jake, Ryan, and Greg

Parker got to 'drive' the fire trucks so of course he had a blast.

Dan, Josiah, Parker, Ryan

After the tour, we went to the building across the driveway where the graduation took place.  It was quite the task keeping all the babies entertained.  These two did great.  Thank goodness Papa was there to help corral Parker =)

Malinda and Lena playing....Lena is so smiley all the time!

Kate and Josiah

The guys lined up and marched in.  Ryan had the honors of carrying the flag.

Super windy day!

There was a welcome speech, followed by a series of other speeches.  Then the awards were presented.  Ryan's company, Company 1, received both the Physically Fit award and Academic award.  They all got up, shook everyone's hand, sat down, and got right back up to do it again.  Ryan graduated as the Valedictorian, so he got to give a little speech.  He did a great job.  I'm so proud of him!

Ryan, his Chief, Commander, and Ryan Reid

Thanks to Dan Haskell for taking some great pictures!

 After graduation, we headed over to Maggiano's for a family-style meal.  It was sooo delicious!  After dinner, Ryan and I met up with some of the fire guys, and on Saturday night we went to La Hacienda with a bunch of our best friends.  We had a great time celebrating with everyone!  Feeling super blessed right about now.

Picture Update

Reading a truck book when Poppo and Nana came to visit.

Oil change?

Nigh, Night Parker

Testing out the lion costume.

The puzzle, block, pull-toy, rider train from Poppo and Nana.

Ryan made this hat for him and he loved wearing it!

He did laps around our living room with the hat on until it was time for bed.

Here's the bruise a week later...not so bad anymore!

Today he was eating lunch only with his right hand.

Because the other one was holding on to his ever-precious, "Tac-Toor."

Watching the first snow fall of the year.