How We Spent The Cardinals Road To SuperBowl Craziness!

Yes, this blog post would have been a lot more interesting if the Cardinals hadn't already gone to the SuperBowl. But, what can you do? Football was definitely a highlight for Jason and I this year. My fantasy team didn't do too shabby! I am slowly but surely getting better at it. It certainly helps that Larry Fitzgerald is one of my receivers! Several years ago, my dad bought season tickets to the Cardinals and we started going to the games with him. It has been a lot of fun! So, this year, Jason and I have joked that the year we leave, is of course the year that the Arizona Cardinals go to the SuperBowl! It is also the year that Pinetop got dumped on with snow! But that is beside the point! We were able to watch all of the playoff games with the Wassinks and Devon and Kristine Kauflin. Us three couples have had a great time getting to know one another! Sorry Devon that the Cardinals had to crush Carolina! Each week we couldn't believe that we were going to the next game. Unbelievable! So our little superbowl party was also a lot of fun! Hannah was the good one for taking pictures of all the action. Thanks Hannah!  

I forgot how much fun it was to wear ribbons in my hair!  How fun to have little girls!  
Doesn't she just get cuter and cuter!
My precious ones!
Kristine, Hannah and I
I will explain the scruffy beard in another post!  He is still the hottest man alive!
Okay, so here is where we thought, "Oh my goodness!  The Cardinals just won the SuperBowl!"



Can they pull it off?

Okay, so maybe they aren't going to win.  So sad!  But hey, what a ride!


Korey Kauflin and Case Wassink. Have I mentioned that these two boys were born the same day? They were a couple of doors down from each other in the hospital. Aren't they adorable?

Wow!  Can't wait for Cardinals training camp this summer!

January Happenings

Wow! Have I been bad at updating this blog the past couple of months. Well, January flew by! I am even having a difficult time remembering all that happened in January. Which is reminding me why I started this blog in the first place! Let's see...
First off, Jason and I are really excited to have several visitors this second half of the year. Two of Jason's close friends, who are also pastors back home, came out at the beginning of January to attend a class at the PC. Jason had a great time hanging out all week, going to class, lunches, dinners, and even a movie! It was a sweet taste of home!
Otherwise, it was a cold month! At least in Arizona when it is burning hot outside, you can still go swimming. Here, you just stay inside! Or at least these Arizonians do! The girls and I fill our time with lots of play dates, more play dates, and even more play dates! We have had a great time getting to know Matt and Hannah Wassink and their little boy Case. Hannah and I were laughing the other week because I think we spent most of the week together. And usually shopping is on the agenda! I have never been a very big shopper, but, well, it is cold here and that is all we can think of to do. And I have totally found the fun in finding great deals!

Another BIG January event was the start of... LOST! We love the TV show Lost! I wish that I could say more about it, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who is still trying to catch up. But, oooo, this season is going to be great! This is actually something else that we have been enjoying with the Wassinks. They come over on Wednesday nights to watch it and we make this awesome caramel popcorn. I will actually have to post this recipe because it is downright YUMMY! And super cheap! It is in the CLC cookbook.
There was also our biggest snowfall yet here in MD. They have lots and lots of ice here, but this was a beautiful snow that lasted a few days. We had nothing going on the day that it snowed, so I called Amy Briley, a PC wife here, and basically invited ourselves over. This was probably one of my more memorable days here! We had so much fun! Lots of PC families were there to play that day. The main attraction was lots and lots of sledding on the hill behind there house! Both girls got into this and we went over and over again! We came in and out all day, talking, laughing, drinking hot chocolate, and, I got some great pictures!







I am so sad that I can't remember more of the month of January! A big reason to Blog, Blog, Blog! Time goes by so fast!

Christmas Vacation Part 2

For the second half of our Christmas vacation...
The day after Christmas we went spent the whole day with Jason's family. We had a blast! The girls ran around and around and around with their cousins, Jason and John got in a lot of video games, and the girls chatted in the kitchen. Gary unfortunately had to work most of the day and we certainly missed his company. I am so blessed to have the in-laws that I do! I sincerely cherish each one of them and am so thankful to be a part of their family!
Abby and the girls giggling on the couch while watching movies

The lone soldier in a sea of girls!

Do you see the smile? I managed to break the concentration for a slight moment! Jason hasn't played video games in months, so this was a special treat for him.

Somehow, I didn't get any pictures of anyone else this day. But we had a marvelous day and a fantastic dinner! Thanks for giving us your whole day!
The Sunday after Christmas, Jason preached for the first time at Sovereign Grace. I may be biased :), but it was wonderful! I was so proud of him! Especially because I know how much work he put into it and how reverently he treated God's word. Great job love! Jason's Dad and his Grandma drove down from California for the day to see Jason preach. It was such a pleasure to have them there and then to spend some time with Jason's Grandma after church.
Jason with his Grandma Marcella and his dad Paul

Grandpa and Great Grandma, otherwise known as GG, with some of the little ones

The second week of our vacation was spent with lots and lots of hangout time. And much to my disappointment, I didn't get any pictures! Oooo lesson learned! We had fabulous evenings spent with Carrie and Keith, Chris and Tara, and Jon and Lory. Jason got to spend an afternoon with Jeremy, I got to spend a morning with my beautiful sister, we spent New Year's Eve with John and Jessica, New Year's Day with my parents, I got to go running 3 or 4 times with Tiffany, it was good to be home! There was so much else we wanted to do, but time was not our friend.
One photo I do have, which is super cute, is of Katie and Ellie. Cute friends huh! Ellie is about 3 weeks older than Katie. They love each other!

On Monday night, Chris and Tara were so kind to organize a night at their house where we could meet several of the singles in the singles group. It was great to get to know some of them and certainly built even more excitement in our hearts about coming home. Can't wait to get to know all of you!
Friday night was a special night. Tara's Surprise 30th Birthday Party!!!! That was a blast! The highlight was the encouragement time as person after person shared evidences of God's grace in Tara and how He has used her to further the gospel. Tara is so special to me, a dear friend, and it was an honor to encourage her that evening! I love you Tara and am SO GLAD to have been there for your 30th!


It was so, so good to be home! Thank you all for a wonderful welcome home! Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2008!

We were thrilled to head home to Arizona for 2 full weeks for Christmas break! Family, good friends, church, resting, relaxing, holidays, warm weather, sunny skies, playing at the park, going to sporting events, our vacation was certainly full! Somehow, in all the excitement, I took very little pictures. Sad, huh! So here is my best attempt and remembering a great trip home!

Can you see the excitement on the girl's faces? They were so excited to go home! We kept listing off everyone in the family and people at church that they were going to see. Then, when they were tired of sitting... we let them run wild! Not really! But sometimes traveling on airplanes across the country with two little ones can feel like that!



MY parents, sister, and her two girls were waiting for us when arrived at the airport in Phoenix. Grandma had brought bubbles and we played while the boys got the luggage. I think they may have enjoyed themselves!






Jason was busy the first few days with finishing up his sermon preparation. So I thoroughly enjoyed the company of family! I am not even sure of all that we did, but we did hang out, relax, and have fun! One day that I did get a lot of pictures was when my sister, my niece Madison, Abby, Katie, and I went to the park. The girls had been talking about this for weeks! "At Christmas, when we go home, we can play at the park!" So we threw on some sweatshirts and off we went! It was so good to be outside!







Christmas was great!!! We went to church on Christmas Eve and it was so good to be there and see the people we love! We were staying with my parents during this time, so we woke up there on Christmas morning. My mom, as usual, had it decorated so beautiful and so cozy! I just loved being home! We had a great time opening presents and enjoying each other's company! I love how Christmas gets more and more fun as the girl's grow older!
Isn't the tree so beautiful!








I love how at this age, the simplest of toys excites them! Katie loved the coloring books and chapstick!



After our little festivities, my dad, Abby, and I were able to go to the Suns game! Taking Abby to these is so much fun! She is actually well-behaved enough to just sit in my lap and enjoy all that is going on. As for Katie, who knows when she will get to go to one of these!


My mom had put together a wonderful Christmas afternoon dinner for all family. It was so great to gather and just hang out. I love this about our families! We have such a great time just being together!
mmmmmmmm!

My parents just but this wonderful new fire pit in their front courtyard with these big comfy patio chairs. After our family get together, Jason's mom and Gary stayed over till late in the evening and we had a great time just talking, telling stories, and laughing with both of our parents around the fire. We all had a chuckle about this!
Alright, well I am too tired to finish this post, so... to be continued!