Ice Skating, First Snow, and a Little T

On Sunday, we took Drea to Morgantown to go ice skating for the first time. This was Stacey's idea because it was something her Dad used to do with her and her siblings. So she thought it would be fun. It was......Drea laughed the whole time. I think one of her favorite things was that it was just Mommy, Daddy, and her. Charlotte played with Stacey's friend, Emily and her husband Joel.

Drea's first time on the ice

Trying not to fall

Drea got better as the day went on, it took about 20 minutes to go around once and probably another 15 minutes to go around a second time. By the end of the afternoon, I don't know how many times we went around, but Drea eventually tried on her own, landing on her butt.

Having fun with Momma

Taking our skates off after a fun day!

This weekend was also a special weekend because it snowed! Drea was pretty excited about this too. Drea could not wait to get out and play in the snow. She got dressed in all her snow clothes except her snow pants (I had to help her because she has grown a little since last year). She made snow angels, snowballs, and we tried to make a snowman (with no success). Overall, we did have a great time.

My post would not be complete without writing about Charlotte (T). Uncle Ben calls Charlotte, Turtle and I have shortened it to T. Sometimes TT (she does have two t's in her name), but she is still Charlotte and cute as ever.

Eating sweet potatoes

Charlotte has learned to stand up on her own and also clap her hands. She learned to do this over Thanksgiving watching WVU beat Pitt in football. The clapping not the standing. She was standing before Thanksgiving. Either way it's not important when she learned what, but she is doing both in this picture.

Advent meditation

My friend pastors a local church commmunity here in Fairmont called renovate. He sent this email to us and I wanted to share it.

As Christmas approaches I’ve heard some really sad stories this year. I know of at least three marriages that are right now in the process of dissolving and some children will not have both parents at home with them this Christmas, maybe never again. I have friends whose family members are battling cancer and having surgeries for life altering illnesses. I have seen friends and acquaintances that are lonely this year and it seems that the holidays only amplify that sadness.

As I hear these stories and get into my car to go to work or the store, I flip on the radio and listen to the beautiful songs of Christmas, most with joyful, triumphant sounding lyrics and upbeat tempos and I wonder how these two realities can exist together, side-by-side. One story filled with grief, and yet the other with one of utmost hope and peace.

Then I am reminded that it is this very, very real world that Jesus was born into. He came on purpose to a broken, lost, sad world, desperately in need of a Savior. He came not as God riding in power on a White Steed to rescue the world from pain and heartache and war and fear, but instead, He came as one of us. One of us. The power of one of His names is most important this time of year: Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”

He did not wave a magic wand and make it all go away, but rather He became one of us to walk with us in the midst of the pain and heartache, war and fear. This is the message of Advent, of Christmas, that God is not a distant, non-involved God who created us and walked away, but rather in great love and sacrifice to Himself, came and lived among us to reveal the Heavenly Father who desires to walk alongside us everyday.

He came into that depressed, war-torn, hopeless world to give hope, to show love, to be God among us. Today, He is still with us, now He lives in our hearts by His spirit to give hope, to show love and be God once again among us…but He does it through each of one of us. We call ourselves “His Body.” Why? Because through our hands we can give help, through our hearts we can give love, through our spirits we can share hope. It is Him in us who does these things.

Can we let Him shine bright through us this Christmas? Find someone you can bring a smile to, share a laugh with, give some hope and joy. Let Him love them through you. May you be the Christ child coming to someone this Christmas.

Maybe you haven’t met Him yet. Maybe you’ve not let Jesus walk alongside you yet. Maybe you are one of those who is lonely and sad, wounded and hurt this year. This Christmas, I ask you to simply invite Him to show Himself to you. Praying is talking, so simply talk to Him. I believe as you open your heart to Him, Jesus will become more real to you than you can ever imagine and even in the midst of pain and heartache and loneliness, you will find a reality of joy and peace that is beyond our understanding.

Praying Jesus be near to you this year,
John Carnes
renovate

Five Random Thoughts

1. I think Charlotte may think she is one of the dogs. She is always trying to eat the dog food and play in the water. She also gets in the garbage in the bathroom just like Jersey. Charlotte chews on everything, just like the dogs used to do. She will also come crawling when you call her. It wouldn't surprise me is her first word was dog, too!

2. I'm finally getting past the fact that the Yankees won the World Series. The World Series for me was as emotionally draining as if Michigan were to play WVU in football or basketball. Maybe it was just me, but the Yankees are a bunch of babies, they seemed to cry over every call that went against them. My favorite moment in the World Series was when Jorge Posada tried to call time-out and it wasn't granted and then on the next pitch he struck out. I'm quite certain the Phillies will get their chance for pay back.

3. I've talked about Lebron James before on our blog and I'm going to do it again. I just don't care too much for him. First, it was the I'm not going to shake hands thing, then you can't show video of me being dunked on, and now the latest thing. The other day he came out and said that he couldn't where 23 anymore because that is the number of the greatest player (Michael Jordan) ever. He then went on to say no one should wear it and he is changing his number to 6. These comments alone don't mean that much, but when you consider the source. This is about two things: 1. Lebron trying to look good. 2. MONEY. I don't believe for one second it could be anything else, but Lebron trying to make himself look good.

4. College football is great for many reasons, but to me every game means so much. When you lose, you're out of the Championship talk (for the most part). On the other hand, it's hard for me to get to excitied about the NFL, when you can lose 7 or 8 games and still make the playoffs.

5. I love Thanksgiving. It is by far my favorite holiday. I know that is different, but I love it. I think it is the food and family. I hate when everyone starts gearing up for Christmas before Thanksgiving, because we skip right over my favorite day. Think about it, food, family, and football. What more could you want? I can't wait until next week.

Maybe she IS Italian

Drea never eats pasta. She doesn't like it. She doesn't even really eat macaroni and cheese unless for some odd reason it's Sponge Bob shapes or some other character. Even then it is hit or miss. Stacey and I always joke around about it. We tell her you're italian, you're supposed to like pasta! Anyway, I was driving the girls home from daycare today and Drea says, "Daddy, I want pepperoni." I respond, "Drea, do you mean pepperoni rolls?" She says, "Yes, from that place." We were right by Country Club bakery and that is what she meant.....so I stopped. It's not pasta, but hey, what good italian West Virginian doesn't love Country Club pepperoni rolls?


A side note from this story was, Drea first asked for Wendy's, but I didn't want to spend $5 to buy her something.....so instead I paid $11 for a dozen pepperoni rolls :)

Fall Activities

Stacey recently blogged about some reasons why we are horrible bloggers and she is absolutely correct. So in an attempt to get everyone caught up, here are some pics from some of the fall activities we have enjoyed.

STADIUM TOURS:

Charlotte sitting at the 50 yard line at Mountaineer Field

These last two pics are Drea and her friend Madison

Momma and Charlotte

Sitting in the press box

Halloween:

Pirate: Barrett, Fred Flintstone: Andy, Lady Bug: Drea, Dog: Mia, Witch: Aunt Briana, Pengiun: Charlotte

Rich Farms:

Stacey and the Girls

Waiting for the Great Pumpkin

Drea running in the corn maize (get it, ha,ha)

Look carefully at the pig and sheep

This was the second year in a row that we when to Rich Farms. I took a day off of work to go and it was a beautiful day, 70 degrees. It was worth every penny.

Football Games:

This was the Oct. 24th UCONN game and Drea's first football game since the Sept. 12 game against ECU. She was very excited. In fact, I have never seen her so excited for a game. I guess she didn't like missing the two home games in between these two games.

Sundays and Mommys

Sundays
What is it about Sundays?

Why is it every Sunday around 2 or 3 o'clock after church and after lunch my eyes are so heavy I have to fight to keep them open. This isn't a horrible thing if both of the girls are napping. And it isn't just me. Andy is like this every week, too. Anyone else?

I love my Sunday nap! But just wondering if anyone knew - what is it about Sundays?

Mommys (or Mommies?)
Every mom has things their children remember about them after their grown up. I always remember my mom's awesome cooking.

Things I hope Drea and Charlotte remember about me:

• Pancakes - I love making Drea pancakes for breakfast. Not everyday, of course, but sometimes I make little mini pancakes for her (works great with the smallest Pampered Chef scoop) and sometimes, not every time, I will get out my easy accent decorater and make the letters of her name or hearts or mickey mouse ears.
  
  
• Car dancing - Drea and I love to turn up our music pretty loud and dance in the car. I promise I'm safe when we do this. :) She thinks it's super fun and I'm sure Charlotte will be joining in soon.
  
  
• Tonight Drea asked me to make her Jello. I thought it sounded like a good idea. Good snack. I hope she remembers that I usually do these things when she asks. When she asks me to bake her cookies - we usually do it. (She doesn't ask this all the time or I would probably feel differently about it.) I always think these are great opportunities to spend time with her or create memories.
  
  
• Pretend box - I hope she remembers that I try to do creative things with her so she can use her creativity (and her energy - because she has a lot of it some days.) I made a box for her and helped her decorate it that has a bunch of pieces of paper in it with places and people and things on them. I have her draw a couple papers out of the box and then we act them out. She loves this! I actually don't play it with her enough. This is going to be so much fun when her and Charlotte can act things out together.

Anyway, there are a lot of other things I hope she remembers about me but those are just a few things I have been thinking lately.

Reasons we have been horrible bloggers this month...

1. We have two children. Couldn't I just stop the list right there? No probably the extra addition onto that statement is - the smallest one started crawling at the beginning of this month so yes, we seem to have a little less time because we're busy keeping her out of the dog bowl and the bathroom trash can.
   
2. I went to the beach with some friends a few weeks ago and I think I'm still trying to catch up on house work.
   
3. I seem to be falling asleep on the couch every night after we put the girls to sleep, wash dishes, tidy up and get lunches, clothes and other things ready for the next day.
   
4. The Philadelphia Phillies made their way through the National League Champion Series and are now playing in the World Series. (which pretty much equals us watching a baseball game every night from 8pm - 11pm or 12am.)
   
5. The Mountaineers are in full swing - not that we mind them taking up so much of our fall season. At least this week they played on the Phillies off night.
   
6. The fall season (in general) - we seem to try to spend as much time as possible doing things this month because we know all too soon it will be cold and snowy and we won't want to leave our house. (We will post pictures from some of our activities soon.)
   
7. ...and a whole bunch of other stuff!