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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Trimming The Tree...
Tonight, we decorated our Christmas tree. As a bedtime story, we read The Pine Tree Parable. I've had this book since I was little and I have always loved reading it to my students each year. This year I was excited to share it with my little one!
This year, since Ansley is very mobile and curious, we decided to only put one tree up instead of two and to put our tree in the dining room instead of in the living room. This way, all three of us can enjoy our tree without having to worry too much about our little explorer getting too close to it (she never goes into the dining room). As I type this, I am now thinking...yeah she never goes into the dining room because there is nothing exciting in the dining room...until now! Ha! Only time will tell how curious she will be about the tree!
This year, since Ansley is very mobile and curious, we decided to only put one tree up instead of two and to put our tree in the dining room instead of in the living room. This way, all three of us can enjoy our tree without having to worry too much about our little explorer getting too close to it (she never goes into the dining room). As I type this, I am now thinking...yeah she never goes into the dining room because there is nothing exciting in the dining room...until now! Ha! Only time will tell how curious she will be about the tree!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Deck The Halls
This past weekend, we shared one of our most favorite Christmas traditions with Ansley! We decorated our home for Christmas and set up our nativity. Since Jon had to work this weekend, I (with lots of "help" from Ansley) decorated the house. We had fun unpacking all the goodies, dancing to Christmas music, and I loved watching Ansley squeal at the sparkling lights and the jingle of bells! As we set up our nativity, we read the story Joy to the World: The Story of Christmas which retells the birth of Jesus. As we read it, Ansley loved watching all the pieces come together to create the nativity.
Joy To The World...The Lord Has Come! The best part is...He is coming again!
Joy To The World...The Lord Has Come! The best part is...He is coming again!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Has it really been 5 years?
It's hard to believe that five years ago yesterday at four o'clock on a beautiful December afternoon, Jon and I committed our lives to one another in marriage!
Have you ever seen the movie, Groundhog Day? In the movie, the guy keeps re-living the same day over and over again. Jon and I always say that if we had to pick a "Groundhog Day" to live over and over again, it would be our wedding day hands- down. Why? We were surrounded by our closest friends and family in a gorgeous church and there we pledged to be God's gift to one another forever. The "theme" we chose for our wedding was "The Gift". We wanted the celebration to focus on the gift of life, love, and commitment we were giving to one another for a lifetime and to serve as a reminder of the most precious gift we have ever received, eternal life in Jesus Christ.
It is no coincidence that our family vision is to "give life". We want to give life to one another as marriage partners, to our children, to our family, to our co-workers, to our workplaces, to our neighbors, to our friends, to ministries that bless and serve others, and to those who have not yet discovered the power and joy of having new life in Christ.
Do Jon and I always do a great job in fulfilling our vision? Honestly, my answer would be "not nearly enough" but we've grown leaps and bounds in five short years. In thinking yesterday about why we celebrate anniversaries, I was led to think of it as a time to reflect and ask ourselves the following question, "So, how are we doing on fulfilling our family vision?" Isn't that what a marriage partnership is truly all about? Yes, of course it is having someone by your side to laugh with, spend time with, travel with, make a home with, have children with, having someone to witness your life, but oh it's so much more really. I was reminded yesterday that it's about making sure you are doing more together for the Lord than you could have done apart to fulfill your vision...ultimately God's vision.
So, why do I share this with you here on our family blog? Because many of you who are reading this were witnesses to our vows five years ago. I'm asking you to continue to encourage us in our endeavor to fulfill the vision God has laid before us as a family. In sharing our dreams and goals with one another last night over dinner, we are excited about what the future holds! There is work to be done, seeds to be sown, love to be shared, and lives to be changed and it's up to us. Jon, I love you and praise God for the wonderful husband and father that you are. I am so blessed. Friends and family, I love you because you have loved us, supported us, prayed for us, and encouraged us!
Jon took me to The Melting Pot for fondue last night! It was marvelous....quiet, romantic, and oh-so-delicious! Here are some pictures of us celebrating...
Have you ever seen the movie, Groundhog Day? In the movie, the guy keeps re-living the same day over and over again. Jon and I always say that if we had to pick a "Groundhog Day" to live over and over again, it would be our wedding day hands- down. Why? We were surrounded by our closest friends and family in a gorgeous church and there we pledged to be God's gift to one another forever. The "theme" we chose for our wedding was "The Gift". We wanted the celebration to focus on the gift of life, love, and commitment we were giving to one another for a lifetime and to serve as a reminder of the most precious gift we have ever received, eternal life in Jesus Christ.
It is no coincidence that our family vision is to "give life". We want to give life to one another as marriage partners, to our children, to our family, to our co-workers, to our workplaces, to our neighbors, to our friends, to ministries that bless and serve others, and to those who have not yet discovered the power and joy of having new life in Christ.
Do Jon and I always do a great job in fulfilling our vision? Honestly, my answer would be "not nearly enough" but we've grown leaps and bounds in five short years. In thinking yesterday about why we celebrate anniversaries, I was led to think of it as a time to reflect and ask ourselves the following question, "So, how are we doing on fulfilling our family vision?" Isn't that what a marriage partnership is truly all about? Yes, of course it is having someone by your side to laugh with, spend time with, travel with, make a home with, have children with, having someone to witness your life, but oh it's so much more really. I was reminded yesterday that it's about making sure you are doing more together for the Lord than you could have done apart to fulfill your vision...ultimately God's vision.
So, why do I share this with you here on our family blog? Because many of you who are reading this were witnesses to our vows five years ago. I'm asking you to continue to encourage us in our endeavor to fulfill the vision God has laid before us as a family. In sharing our dreams and goals with one another last night over dinner, we are excited about what the future holds! There is work to be done, seeds to be sown, love to be shared, and lives to be changed and it's up to us. Jon, I love you and praise God for the wonderful husband and father that you are. I am so blessed. Friends and family, I love you because you have loved us, supported us, prayed for us, and encouraged us!
Jon took me to The Melting Pot for fondue last night! It was marvelous....quiet, romantic, and oh-so-delicious! Here are some pictures of us celebrating...
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Run, Run, Run As Fast As You Can...
You Can't Catch Me I'm The Gingerbread Man!
Continuing with our Christmas traditions, tonight we read The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. This is a new tradition for us. Since Ansley loves books, I knew she would enjoy this cute and different version of The Gingerbread Man! It's filled with lots of fun words, rhymes and colorful pictures! Then, we (really "I") decorated gingerbread cookies. I know Ansley is young for a lot of these traditions but hey you gotta start somewhere and heck she loves anything new (and messy)! She basically watched me decorate the cookies because if she gets near one, it is sure to wind up in her mouth and mommy doesn't allow table food yet. So, tonight the book reading was for Ansley and the cookies were for Jon and I!
Our little gingerbread family...if you look closely Ansley's has a little hairbow!
Ansley is happy to be staying up late and watching mommy decorate!
"Hmm I wonder what this icing tastes like?"
Checking out the gingerbread house in the book.
Getting ready to read The Gingerbread Baby!
Continuing with our Christmas traditions, tonight we read The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. This is a new tradition for us. Since Ansley loves books, I knew she would enjoy this cute and different version of The Gingerbread Man! It's filled with lots of fun words, rhymes and colorful pictures! Then, we (really "I") decorated gingerbread cookies. I know Ansley is young for a lot of these traditions but hey you gotta start somewhere and heck she loves anything new (and messy)! She basically watched me decorate the cookies because if she gets near one, it is sure to wind up in her mouth and mommy doesn't allow table food yet. So, tonight the book reading was for Ansley and the cookies were for Jon and I!
Our little gingerbread family...if you look closely Ansley's has a little hairbow!
Ansley is happy to be staying up late and watching mommy decorate!
"Hmm I wonder what this icing tastes like?"
Checking out the gingerbread house in the book.
Getting ready to read The Gingerbread Baby!
Happy Holiday Homecoming, Greenfields!
Today, was a very special day for our family! This evening around six o'clock, we welcomed Jon's twin sister Rachel, her husband Nathan, and our 19 month old nephew Noah here to America for Christmas! Their home is overseas in Jordan. We were so thrilled to see them. We have not seen them since last Christmas and this was the first time they had ever met Ansley. We were sad that Jon had to work tonight and was unable to join us for their holiday homecoming. We will make up for it though with lots of fun days and nights spending time together as a family in the next few weeks! Ansley and Noah enjoyed getting acquainted and I'm sure they will have lots of catching up to do over the holidays! Noah especially loved Jon's parents dog, Lacy! Richard, Leslie and their kids came over to share in the homecoming as well. The cousins all had fun playing together. Welcome to Alabama, Greenfield family...we sure have missed you and cannot wait to share the holidays with you and make lots of memories together!
The cousins (Noah, Josiah, Caleb, Ansley, Maleah and Jace)
Jace checking out Ansley.
Ansley meets sweet Noah!
Noah loved holding onto Lainey's finger and quickly made friends with Lacy, the dog!
Ansley meets Uncle Nathan!
The cousins (Noah, Josiah, Caleb, Ansley, Maleah and Jace)
Jace checking out Ansley.
Ansley meets sweet Noah!
Noah loved holding onto Lainey's finger and quickly made friends with Lacy, the dog!
Ansley meets Uncle Nathan!
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