Brownie troop sleigh ride!

Elise's Brownie troop went on a sleigh ride... no snow so it was actually a wagon ride... cold enough for snow though!!

Lauren got to tag along because Dad was home sick.

Reese and Jordan.. trying to stay warm.

Good friend Jescica Freundl and Elise

Troop leader Carmen and Taylor

Learning about the horses.

That's about right...

Best of Friends... Miss Natalie Freundl! ( I love Lauren's face here.. it's so her)

Here comes Santa Claus ~

We made another trip to the Bass Pro Shop to visit Santa.

Lauren asked for a Wii System, Journey Girl Doll and a Littlest Pet Shop DS game.

Elise was in tears after seeing Santa because he got distracted with the photo and forgot to ask her what she wanted, then she was too scared to go back up... so her awesome little sister went back up there and told him that "Elise wants a Wii Video game player and an I-touch"

The carousel was new this year!

Elise was so funny because she kept looking at me like "is this all this thing does?"  The animals didn't go up and down like a normal carousel... she said "this is soooo boring"

The shooting range in our Christmas dresses.

Christmas in Minnesota!!

We drove up to Minnesota for Christmas with Dad and Lucy.  The girls got these adorable ear muffs from Grandma Divine!

Charlie loves his Curious George so I saw this giant monkey and HAD to get it for Charlie.  I knew Mollie would never get that for him... nor would I get it for my kids.. but it sure was fun!

Elise got a new doll... no more "baby dolls" for her.  She really wanted an American Girl doll... but, I draw the line at NO DOLLS OVER $100!!  And.. she loved it!

Legos for Lauren

Ornaments from Aunt Mollie

Dudley's first taste of snow... he didn't love it but he didn't hate it either!

Sarah and Louise stopped over for a visit... and some wine!  It was after noon so it's all good!

Kaylee, Lauren and Elise.  Kaylee is Sarah's daughter and she and Elise are both in second grade!  They had a ball together!

They ae all getting so big!!  Growing up on us!

Grandma and Grandpa Divine with the grandkids.
Elise (8) Lauren (6) and Charlie (2)

My awesome sister and Charlie!  (I love this kid)

Dad, Mollie and Charlie ( I had to put this photo up because Charlie just looks SOOO NAUGHTY in this pic.. love!

We ended up leaving Minnesota Saturday night because there was a nasty snow storm brewing.  So.. Matt and Mollie came down to our house so they could get home sooner on Sunday as well.... we were tired, we didn't get home until after midnight!!  But I am so thankful we left because they got 6-8 inches of snow, then the winds picked up and to top it off.... Eric had a 103 fever!  (in the background I am singing.. "It's the most wonderful time of the year).

Lauren snuggling with Dudley!

You Raise Me Up!

After an awesome sermon at church today, the tears keep coming for the children in Newtown, CT.  I was sitting at swimming lessons watching Lauren (age 6), laugh and play and somewhat pay attention :)... and this song came on over the speakers and I started crying in the middle of the bleachers, sitting by myself... listening to Josh Groben sing how God will "Raise me up".  I didn't even care that someone may have been watching me.. I just thought of those families and prayed that God will raise them up as well.... and then I looked around the pool and saw at least 50 children swimming and having fun, laughter, splashes and an occasional whistle.. and thought My God.. what if that happened right now.. in this very room.  So I listened more to the song and the words and it has stayed with me all day... I know it is God reminding me that He will raise us up and He will watch over us.  Pastor said that we all feel like we have to do something and he said "Be still and know that I am God"... that's all I needed to hear today.



For this tragedy to be so far away.. it feels like it happened right here...  I have vowed to myself and my husband that I won't watch anymore of this coverage, I won't look at the children's photos, I will quickly skip over the internet updates... and only find the good things in this world.. I need to see and hear it because I know it's out there and it is strong!

It's a Hug your kids kind of day...

What is this world coming to?  Unfortunately I have asked myself this more than desired.  Today a lunatic 20 year old stormed into an elementary school and killed 20 kindergartners... 20!!!!  When I first heard about it, I thought, no, that can't be correct... then the reality hit me that this was true and I couldn't get to my girls fast enough.  These kids were 5 and 6 years old... Lauren is 6 years old.  All I could picture today was all of the times I have volunteered up at my girls' school and the kindergarten teachers walking their kiddos to lunch or to a special like art, music, guidance.... and these adorable little people who have such big wonderful smiles and are just starting there journey in life, waving at me and saying "hi Lauren's mom" or "Hi Elise's mom"... and it was taken away.  Not only from the families of the children who were brutally killed but the children who witnessed it, they have lost their innocence and will be forever damaged.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/14/15907407-elementary-school-massacre-20-children-among-28-killed-in-connecticut-slaughter?lite

So today as the Christmas season is upon us and we are supposed to be joyful and thankful, we are tested.  Tested in our Faith of how could God let this happen, how could God not protect these children??  But I know in my heart that this is not His doing, this is evil.  I pray with a very heavy heart for these families, for the children, for the community of Newtown, CT.  I pray for strength and courage.  I looked at my husband tonight and said that I could learn to deal with the loss of a child if it were an illness, it would be horrific, but I could do it with God's help, but to lose a child to such brutal violence, I don't know how I could possibly recover from that.

So now I am going to take my cousin Kate Peck's advice from Facebook today;

Kate Peck

Joel and I are going skiing tonight. I am going to put the awful news in the background for now and think about all the incredible goodness there is in this world. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it ... But there is a lot of it.

 and look for all of the good that is out there and remember that there is SOOOO much more good than evil and that is what I have to focus on... the laughter of my kids, the Christmas magic, the love in my family and friends, and in all of that.. find strength and know that He will watch over my family and that is all I can do... I am handing this over to God as I hope everyone else does as well.

Peace to all.

Melinda

What has Ruby been up to???

She was missing Santa!!

Looking for cookies

She left a message in Elise's book to "Be Good!"

Ruby raided the undies and "hung them with care".  The girls were laughing SOOOO hard that she would hang there underwear on the stocking hangers!

Zzzzzzz

Dudley got a new bed... all he wants to do is chew it right now... he is teething bad and wants to chew on everything so we really have to watch him.  And he LOVES empty plastic water bottles, they are really loud when he chews them and he goes crazy with them.

Day 4

Ruby playing with all of the Little People... Lauren just could NOT figure out how a little elf like her could lift that heavy house out of the toy room.  I told her that maybe she had help from her elf friends.