Shannonogans: August 2012

Christmas this year was minimal. In a refreshing sort of way. It's not about the hoopla, but about worship. We moved during the month of December, closed on our old house, packed up everything, hosted Christmas, but managed to find consistency through worship.

This year we started the Jesse tree. Will definitely become a yearly tradition. Bought this book and loved preparing for Advent this way. Our Logos Sunday School class decided in November at our monthly ladies' dinner to get 25 ornaments for everyone to share. So each of the 25 moms brought 25 ornaments of the same thing. Then we all went around the table and collected one of each, coming home with 25 different ornaments of the same thing. Such creativity displayed, and so easy to do. Would recommend any group of ladies to do it this way vs. making 25 different ornaments.

Was running out of creativity so I put all the ornaments in paper sacks with a different design on each one.

We got a small real tree to decorate with.

Ready to go...and ready to be moved. I wish I had taken a photo of the finished product with all the ornaments. Look forward to three children waking up each morning excitedly opening up each sack and then reading along in the book the story that prepares our hearts for the coming of our King. Christmas is going to be so much bigger this year!

Justin went to Waco the first weekend in December for the UT/Baylor game. He is a bit conflicted when it comes to the two schools thanks to all the Longhorn-loving-Lukes in our life. But he knew who to support come game time.

Cheering in the rain

Playing football with some big boys

Bears win!

Our last outing for the CBB. Santa was in the neighborhood. Or so we thought. He no-showed, and since I had already resigned as social chair and passed off the reins, I was thankful to just sneak out.

Loved the snack idea. Decorate your own ice cream cone as a tree.

All Justin wanted to do was play football with the boys.

The 2nd weekend in December brought a surprise planned by Derek and his coliquoy group, as we call them. Derek and three of his buddies do daily Bible readings and accountability. Once a month they get together at one of their houses after the kids go to bed to hang out. They are diligent with their readings and have a deal that the one that has the most missed days buys everyone dinner at the end of the year. Win win for everyone. I love my husband surrounding himself with men that point him to the Word.

The fellas wanted a couples evening (for the once the ladies were included) and planned a surprise evening out. We only knew to get a sitter.

We rode around in style!

We ate somewhere that somehow none of us had gone, which was a feat in itself since most are from Houston. We ended at Brasserie 19. We looked at our menus on iPads. Nuts!

Then we took the night elsewhere, where I felt old, too sober, but thankful to not have kids!

These guys mean the world to Big D. Thankful for their friendship!

Then the next night, the night before we moved from our first real neighborhood, we had a get together with the Wedgewood Gang, as we called ourselves.

The Wilsons....we miss them so. But still see them a lot since we will all be at HCE. AND, Justin and Lily, far right, are in the same kinder class!

The Laxmidas' hosted our group for a lovely Indian dinner. We will miss the Laxmidas', the Dickinsons, the Nooranis, the Plotners, the Wilsons, and the Casadas.

Amin would come use our basketball goal at times and was always so good with the kids. We would even hang out at the trash cans where we would bump into each other.

We loved Randi, our realtor. She both sold our house (it took 3 contracts to finally finish the deal) and helped us by our new one. She knew what Derek and I did not...which was a lot!

We moved the next day, with Mary Beth helping out for a few days. Thankful for Mary Beth and her servant hood! Then she left and a few hours later the Livesays came through to spend the night. They realized once they got there that we had literally just moved.

They left bright and early the next morning, and then Andrea Rowe Allen, one of my Baylor roommates, came over with her two kids.

Sydney and JT

Justin loved Drew

Then Justin had his school Christmas program.

One day he was a wise man and the next day he was a shepherd.

Love this smile, as it's brilliance is sometimes lost on me these days.

Come on ring those bells...

Then the next day we hosted my family, and then the Michaelis', all the way through Christmas. With some friends in between. More on that to come. Looking back I see the Lord's grace in all the fun, festivities, and boxes in my home that month. Thankful He was able to slow me down to worship His Son.

Thanksgiving was in Waco with my family this year. The day we left Justin did some yard work for me. This boy always likes to give a helping hand. I am so thankful for him.

Helping feed Daniel. Thankful for a nephew.

Dimple darlings

Puppet show

Justin ran out of hands for all his performers

The night before Thanksgiving we went to a Baylor basketball game

Sic 'Em. As always, Daddy is a good sport. And after playing Whoonu (one of my favorite games of all time, up close to Rummikub) this past Thursday night with our Community Group, I learned that the color green is low on Derek's list of favorite things. There was a mumbling of being overrun in the house with all the Baylor gear that keeps coming in. I have no idea what he is talking about. I graduated from Baylor dental after all, which was bought out by, well, those dern Aggies.

Daniel likes wearing green and gold

And being held by Grandpa.

Half time was up. Justin was a part of the dunking contest. Kids had to show off their moves to win the contest. The goal was very short, and we had only practiced for this the day before. Rule follower had a hard time being crazy when he knew the real way to shoot, as he stated.