Grandfathe'r Services in Buffalo Mo

Joe, Tim, Linda, and Mark

Tracy's Grandfather Passed away on Christmas day after a long battle with Parkinson's. The family celebrated his life on December 30th at a family cemetery where Grandad's parents and siblings have been buried. Tim Stafford did the service with amazing passion and forgiveness. I am so blessed to be part of such a loving family with such a strong faith.

Christmas in Arkansas

We left on the 26Th to go to Hot Spring Village to celebrate Christmas with the Jones Family

Oma and Opa and the Grandkids!

Aunt Johnna and Uncle Andy from Michigan

Opa fishing with the boys.

We had a wonderful and relaxing time.

Christmas with the Wilhite Family

My Mom and dad and my brother and his family came over for dinner and celebration.

Christmas Morning

We started our morning at a early 5:15AM!! I remember when we had to wake them up. Matthew received a Buzz and Woody that talked.
. Nicholas got his Texas Tech hat that he had asked for.The boys went on a long scavenger hunt and found Guitar Praise in the bathtub.

Yo-Yos, Tony Romo Jerseys, golf balls, and Monster Truck tickets, marble tubes were some of their other gifts.

After we opened gifts and had breakfast and had many yo you shows!

and Guitar Praise concerts!

Chirstmas Eve

We had a wonderful night. We started our Christmas Eve by attending the family candlelight service at our Church. We even got to sit next to Matthew's favorite Sunday school teacher Mrs. Bobo.

The boys love decorating Jesus a birthday cake. What a fun and meaningful tradition!The boys opened their 2008 Christmas ornaments. Nicholas' ornament was a puppy eating a Christmas cookie.Matthew opened a Buzz Light year that talked.Tracy concluded the night by reading The night before Christmas right before the boys ran out and fed Santa's reindeer oatmeal. As I then tucked them each into bed this glorious night we thanked our amazing Savior for what he has done for us this year! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and two precious boys!!

ELF ON THE SHELF

You wont believe what we found at our home today - Santa's elf! Yes it is true. Fiddle(we got to name him) showed up with a book to let us know about him. He is a delightful fellow that travels to the North Pole and lets Santa know what we have been up to every night - we are so excited to find out where he will be in the morning!!! We even got to go online at www.theelfontheshelf.com and register him. I love the magic at Christmas time. We are so blessed to celebrate this miraculous time of Jesus birth. I struggled at times about the "magic" of the season not to get confused for the reason we celebrate Christmas then I think about my faith and how magical and real it is!! Even if you don't believe in Santa you do believe that life is a magical and joyful gift that our
Savior has given us.


Fiddle would move every night into a new place.

Cookie Decorating

Cerise and her two kiddos and Danielle and her two kiddos and my two all decorated cookies and had dinner together. We had so much fun - it helped me just take a breath and get into the Christmas spirit!

I am not sure if more frosting ended up on the cookies, tummies or the table?? :)

Fort Worth Dallas -

Tracy and I just got home from a wonderful trip to Fort Worth, Texas. I gave Tracy concert tickets to Billy Bobs to see Eli Young Band and Pat Green for his birthday.
Oma and Opa came in on Thursday to watch the boys while we went to Fort Worth. I am not sure who had more fun Tracy and I or the boys. The boys built a amazing gingerbread house and stable and cut out cookies with Oma. Opa took Nicholas to golf clinic and they all went ice-skating. When they did manage to stay home, Oma did school and crafts with the boys and Opa played many card games. The boys love when Oma comes and teach them Math and handwriting!Oma brings books from Tracy's childhood Christmases! The boys love to listen to Oma read!

Tracy and I got to the Worthington hotel on Friday night just in time to catch a cab (my first cab ride) to go to dinner at Joe T Garcia's for dinner. I loved the menu, you had a choice of fajitas or enchiladas and yummy chips. We walked from there to Billy Bobs to see the SOLD OUT concert of Eli Young Band. What a blast!! Saturday we hooked up with Kim and Mike (thanks Kim for the beautiful hotel room that you gave Tracy for his birthday!) and went out to lunch and walk the Stock Yards. We had a blast walking around a real cowboy street with longhorns and fun shops! We had dinner at Risky's barbecue - all you can eat ribs yum! Then we headed back to Billy Bobs thanks to our wonderful cab driver Sami. This experience was a little different- with EYB we had reserved seating and arrived at 10:15 to sit and see the concert that started at 10:30 but for Pat Green we had general admission tickets so we arrived at 8:00 and stood by the rail to save our great spot. It was a great concert but standing for 5 hours , man my feed hurt! We ended the trip with a wonderful cowboy breakfast - the food was great the YMCA is going to be calling my name!!!! What a wonderful weekend!!

Nicholas and I went to a Adams Tour golf tournament

Nicholas and I went to see his golf coach and our neighbor's cousin play their final round at Black Horse golf course today. They did not know each other until today - it was so great to watch them play each other. Roger (Nicholas' golf coach and Jeff) were so kind to us we got to go up to the green to watch. His golf coach even told Nicholas that the last put was for him. What a fun day!!

Nicholas and Jeff Ward

Nicholas with Coach Roger Stebbins

We even got to watch them turn in their scores. Roger shot par and Jeff one over.

Nicholas and the YMCA

Nicholas went with me to the YMCA today. The director let him come 3 weeks early to start working out. I can not believe he is almost 10!!!! He did great. He rode the bike for 2 miles, ran on the tread mill for 2 miles and rode the elliptical machine for a mile. Wow - he keeps me on my toes. I sure love this time I get to spend with him!!

YMCA BRUNCH

We had our second annual YMCA brunch and Jenny's beautiful home. She made amazing food and made us all feel so welcome. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful group of friends that support each other as we attempt to honor our bodies that the Lord has blessed us with!

Beth Moore: A Christmas Come Together

My mom, my friend Kim, and I went to see Beth Moore tonight. We had so much fun! Ce Ce Winans opened with beautiful praise music as did Travis Cottrell. Beth Moore spoke from the Gospel of Luke (which is what the boys and I have been studying in CBS) about Elizabeth and Zacharia. I am not going to do her message justice but I took got out of it was that our Awesome God always hears our prayers and always has an answer - it just may not be on our time schedule it sure wasn't for Elizabeth's ( to have a baby as an elderly women??? - can you imagine???) Beth's four main points were: We need to 1. Be looking for Him 2. Bring our disappointments to the alter 3. Believe to the bone that God has heard you 4. Blessed are you when what comes naturally to others comes supernaturally to you!

I was so excited to get to see Karla- we have not seen each other in over 3 years!!

Let it snow, let it snow

What a fun day in Magnolia Texas - We got snow!!!

I just thought this was so beautiful!

The boys loved making snowballs.


Matthew and I loved sitting by the fire!