on the last day of november....

just a few thoughts on a few things along with some pictures we took this weekend!
i just picked out a few of my favorites!


today, jaelyn and i went shopping with my mom and grandmother. they wanted to get a few presents for the kiddos! fun!! we shopped til we dropped!!

ok, so i am thinking that if november has gone by as fast as it has, december is going to go by just as fast, probably faster. i can't believe that tomorrow is december 1st! we sat down the other night and went over the calendar for the month of december. oh my goodness. we have so much going on. it is going to be a busy month. we have plans for several nights a week on most weeks and a lot of stuff on the weekends. i know i am going to have to be strategic on getting things done to prevent last minute stress outs! and at this point we don't have room to say yes to many more things!

i also want to be sure that in all the busyness of the season, that i am very strategic that this season doesn't go by and we have let the true meaning of the season slip us by. i started reading what God wants for Christmas with my kids last night. it is a great story. if you haven't heard of it. it has a nativity set that goes with it. you can read it all in one sitting or spread it over a seven days, reading one story at a time. each segment of the story has a gift box that you open and inside of the boxes are pieces to the nativity. there are seven boxes to open and read. the first six are the pieces to the nativity. the seventh box is the very best box ~ it has a mirror inside and is the answer to the question...what does God want for christmas ~ look in the mirror it is you! my kids love doing this. honestly, i think they forget each year what is in the seventh box! you should check it out! i received mine a few years ago, when i was a mops coordinator, the book publisher sent it to me. you can go here.

we have a lot of big things going on in the life of elevation this month! i am so excited to be a part of what God is doing through our church. i know i say that a lot, but it is so true. i believe so much in our church and could go on and on about how amazing it is. our lead staff traveled to africa a few weeks ago and yesterday, pastor's sermon was prerecorded from uganda. it was a lifechanging and a powerful message. it has forever changed who i am. i will need a separate post on that! i am also excited to be taking on a new volunteer position. once all the details are worked out i will share more!!

wow, it was hard to get back in the groove today. last night, as i realized the weekend was ending, i got kind of (ok a lot) grumpy. it really hit me that thanksgiving was over and the reality of another holiday being over. and i was actually sad to see my kids go back to school. only three weeks and they will have a two and a half week break. i am really looking forward to it. we have a few fun things planned in addition to all the holiday celebrating!


i am looking forward to this sweet girl's reactions to all the christmas festivities and decorations. i think she is going to love all the new things she will get to experience. she did pretty well eating thanksgiving dinner with us! it was weird to think that this year last time, she was only a few weeks old and not eating any kind of food - just strictly nursing around the clock! and only a year later she was sitting at the table eating mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey! jaelyn has been sleeping like a champ (shhh...i have to be quiet bc i am afraid if she knows i have said it, she might stop again :) i am soooo thankful for long nights of sleep! although sometimes i really do miss those late night feedings when the house was so quiet and it was just her and i.



this week, josh starts basketball practice. he will be playing at the ymca, where he played soccer. and guess who his coach is....it's his daddy! best coach ever! they are both looking forward to it! we have some great friends who work at the ymca where they play. this is the first year we have played at this ymca, and they have a fantastic sports program! and guess what....



our friend, jamie, who worked for the ymca and who we know from elevation, wants this little guy to play on her basketball team! so we are thinking about letting him play too! jamil and i had to laugh thinking about little buddy playing basketball. he says he wants to play and i think he will have a blast. for sure he will guarantee to make those watching him laugh! he is just naturally funny, he doesn't even try to be and he is a hoot! i can only imagine him playing basketball! should be good times!!


so, there, just a few things on my mind tonight! hope that everyone had a great monday!