Eleven Years....

Yesterday December 26 marked eleven years since Jesse took me into his arms for the first time and asked me to be his girlfriend! Let me tell the story from the begining since it was such a romantic moment! We had been seeing each other casual and talking for awhile but on the 26th of December 1997 he took me to see For Richer or Poorer in Peru after the movie he drove me home and walked me to the door. When we got to the door step he says "oh I forgot something in the car I'll be right back" when he came back he was carring a teddy bear and a first I didn't notice the bear had something around its neck but when I looked again I noticed a necklace with his class ring on it. When I looked up at him to ask does this mean what I think it means...I was unble to ask because he leaned down and kissed me (for the first time ever!) so good it made my knees weak!! Now eleven years later (eight of them married), two children, and lots of ups and downs, he still can make my knees weak!

Christmas Night

We headed off to Grandma and Grandpa Lawson celebrate with more food, presents, and laughter! We had a white elephant gift exchange with the grown-ups and the littlest ones got gifts more their size. My gift was a wooden surfer dude and some reindeer poop (cola and butterscotch jellybeans)!



After wrapping it up at their house we went down the road to Chet and Cindy's house to have our gift exchange. Cindy made all of us blankets Jesse and Brandon got fleece Colt's blankets, mine is turquoise and brown and Rachel's is mint green with nursery prints. Brandon also received some very cool Jedi pjs, Jesse got some accessories for the Wii, Rachel got a pull along pelican, and I got my scrapbook weekend!!! Of course that's to just name a few...our children are lacking for NOTHING!! Our Christmas hasn't ended yet though we have two more on Saturday.

Santa Came!

Well Santa's sleigh certainly landed at our house this year! Although we don't really push Santa Brandon's present from "Santa" was for the whole family and we are already enjoying it....it's a Wii!!! But before we got to that gift he opened lots of toys...a transformer, clue jr., guess who, and of course some clothes. Rachel opened clothes, a singing purse, and a ride on toy. Brandon also opened Mario Kart for the Wii and was very excited but then a bit disappointed when he realized we didn't have a system to play it on! (little did he know!!) Next we did stockings...and he got a extra controller for the Wii...he was getting really confused! Then we let him open the "Santa" present...he was ecstatic!!

He is so animated about everything!

Rachel really has the hang for riping paper!

The awesomeness of Mario Kart!

She is such a girl!! Lovin' the purse!

He loves it!

Jesse found some of his loot! Along with a CD and

"Grandpa" slippers that he LOVED!!

After relishing the tearing of all the wrapping paper we fixed cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then Rachel laid down for a nap and the boys played Mario Kart. We then got ready and went to Grandma and Grandpa Gaylourds for a light lunch, more riping of paper, and lots of visiting!!

Christmas Eve Jammies

Jesse's family always had the tradition of getting new jammies on Christmas Eve so they would have new ones the next morning. So we did the same thing this year Rachel got cute polka dot ones and Brandon got super soft fleece pants since he never wants to wear a shirt to bed! They are ready for Christmas morning!!

Paying it forward...

Last year when we were so very blessed by the Hope House during the difficult time of Rachel's birth Jesse and I both agreed we would gather some things together to donate. I mentioned this to the girls at work and they also wanted to help so two days before Rachel's birthday we drove to Fort Wayne to deliver our bags to the House. When we pulled into the drive Jesse said "this feels all to familiar" I couldn't even speak because of the lump in my throat. After we put our bags in the donation box and walked outside my tears just overcame me...just thinking how fortunate we are and how God blessed us and surrounded us by so many loving and caring people. God is so good...

Rachel Turns One!!

We celebrated Rachel's birthday the day before her birthday...the coldest day of the year...wind chill of -26. Unfortunately with such cold weather a few guest couldn't make it but we partied hard anyway!! Rachel really surprised me with how she just dived right into her cake although at first she kinda looked at us with what I'm I supposed to do? Then Jesse dipped his finger in the icing and let her taste she picked it up and shoved in her mouth and didn't stop until crumbs were left! She also enjoyed unwrapping her presents although she wanted to just shred the paper rather then take anything out of the bags!

Is this right?

Oh I get it like this....

That's it? It was so good must..have..more..sugar!!

Presents..all for me!

My really cool socks!!

Cookie Time and Gingerbread houses

Nicole and I started what I hope will be a yearly tradition last year of getting together to make cookies we did this again but also added in making graham cracker gingerbread houses for all of us to decorate. We got together on Saturday the 13th to create our masterpieces! And what masterpieces they were!! There was also a minor scuffle involving Rodney, Nicole and some frosting...the frosting won!

Preschool Program

On Wednesday of this week Brandon had his first Christmas program he did such a good job he did all the motions and sang all the songs. I was a little nervous that he would be scared with all the people in the church but he was the third to come out and I could see him searching for us and his face getting more concerned that he couldn't find us and then his face light up and he started waving at us and wouldn't stop! After the program was over we then went out to dinner with Chet and Cindy to the new Culver's restaurant in Wabash. It was yummy especially the ice cream!

Pioneer Award Night

Brandon has been going to Pioneer clubs this year and he has worked hard to memorize his memory verses and he earned his lanard and two awards we were so proud to watch him on stage some of the other kids where running around not listening but he just stood there paying attention he is growing up so fast.

We then went to the fellowship hall and the kids got to decorate cookies Brandon had a blast he made some very yummy looking cookies!

Brandon at home after pioneer club showing off his award and looking studly while doing it!

Christmas Pictures

We got some pics of the kids on sunday although we did it really quick. So I am hoping for some more time on of these days to get some other shots. Also I have the hardest time getting a good pic of the kids together and all of us as a family...I will keep trying so stay tuned for more!

Christmas is coming

It is official the season has arrived we got our tree up and most of our shopping is done we have two Christmas programs this week so the busyness has hit the Lawsons full force! Rachel loves the lights and we can't keep her little hands off the ornaments! When we got out the stockings we had to put a new hanger in the stairway for Rachel's I got so worked up I had a few tears just from the shear joy of our beautiful family and that we get to fully enjoy Christmas this year instead of spending it in the hospital.

Turkey Day....or Should I say Days

Well our Thanksgiving went from one day to an entire weekend on Thursday we went to my Grandparents for dinner with the whole family we had great time eating and visiting. My cousin from Arizona was home so it was great to catch up with her. Brandon had a blast playing football outside with all the guys (he was a muddy mess when he came in) and Rachel was happy as a lark going from one plate to the next of who ever would give her a bite of something tasty! Unfortuntaly there are no pictures from this day beacause I was a ding-a-ling and forgot my memory stick.

Then on friday evening we went to Grandma and Grandpa Lawson's for dinner and Rachel got to play with her cousin Caydence adn Brandon played with Justin.




And one more time on Saturday we loaded up and went to Indy for dinner with Jesse's mom and Bill we played Rock Band after dinner and a good time visiting. After coming home that evening instead of spending the night like orginally planned I woke up Sunday morning with snow on the ground a sick husband on the couch....about lunch time I joined him on the sicky couch where I stayed for a day and half..ugh I hate being sick. But hopefully the time of sickness is past and we can focus on the approaching season...the birth of Christ...Christmas. We are so excited the tree is going up tonight!!

It's been forever....

I know that it has been forever since the last post and we have had lots going on...Rachel is now waving bye-bye and blowing kisses! We have started shopping for Christmas and birthday...we are actually almost done!!! Both kids have had colds and I am now getting it so glad I have taught them to share! The maternity pictures have been delivered and it sounds like they really liked them also I have been researching lighting kits so hopefully in the next few weeks it will be ordered and can start practicing with it (Brandon will be thrilled!) We have hung out with our friends the last two Sunday afternoons we love it because we get adult conversation and the kids get unlimited playtime!

We are ready for thanksgiving I have Wednesday off and will be making homemade dinner rolls and some sort of delectable desert! Then we will begin decorating for Christmas much to Jesse's chagrin we will be hanging icicle lights up outside Brandon begged last year for lights and it just never got down in the preparations for Rachel so this year we HAVE to do it, although the only reason either one of us want to freeze our tuckuses off is to see his look of excitement!

One other crazy thing has happened to us and that is last Thursday Jesse was heading back to work and he heard a loud pop, saw some smoke, then more smoke and his car rolled to its death. So we were faced with the challenge of both of us working and having one car granted we had done it before but at that time Brandon wasn't in preschool and Rachel wasn't born. But we embraced the challenge and both just felt that we couldn't change anything until after the first on the year now although WE couldn't change anything that doesn't mean GOD couldn't change things...today we were approached by Pete from church he said he had a truck that he had felt compelled to give away for over a year but just wasn't sure who could use it...he had heard about our situation and wanted to give it to us yes I said GIVE....can God get any better in his plan! Sorry for not having any pics this time definitely will have some of thanksgiving, decorating, and the truck!

Maternity Photo Shoot

I have a maternity photo shoot scheduled for Saturday morning...watch for pictures! Hopefully it will happen though Rachel is maybe getting sick:( We will see how today goes.


Rachel is feeling better and both kids are off to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa Lawsons house! Here are some pics from this morning....