Christmas Cooking

All of the Miller/Bender women assembled at GG's to do some Holiday cooking.  We made Italian meatballs, raviolis and tons of cookies.  

Unwrapping kisses for later

Sisters

Tea Party Break

 She was in one of her moods...

 That is a lot of meat...

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies...one of my favorites!

 Worn out...and not interested.

 Multiple Generations in one kitchen...

The next day the girls help Grandma 'Aidan' make sugar cookie cutouts with Aidan and Caleb.  I forgot my camera because we saw 'Tangled' first, but this is a shot Dan got on his phone.  There was flour everywhere!

Then, as if we hadn't made enough cookies, we had some YL girls come over and made more sugar cookie cutouts.  They were pretty darn good at decorating.  If I see them on Food Network someday, I will definitely be taking the credit ;)

 Aly and Hannah LOVE being around these girls!!  They are so cute!  Aly thinks she is a leader right along with us...I hope she always keeps that enthusiasm for ministry!

 She was decorating right along with the 'teenagers'...so focused!

 Showing off some of their creations!

I am all baked out for a while...I don't even like cookies to begin with! 

Spreading {a little} Christmas Cheer

Last year Dan and I reconnected with a few of our old YL club kids from Grove City at the 40th Anniversary dinner.  Now they are married, college grads with a beautiful baby of their own!  We have spent some time with them since getting to know them and enjoying their friendship.  Then, out of the blue,  Matt sent Dan a text asking if we were home because they wanted to drop something off to us for Christmas.  I thought they had baked us some cookies or perhaps a gift card for a night out...neither of which were necessary.  I got a text about an hour later saying they had left it on our front porch, but that we would need to bring it in soon.  I almost fell over when I opened the door.  

It was a BRAND NEW 42'' PLASMA TV - Are. You. Serious.

Dan called Matt when I told him what it was and he just said, "They just wanted to spread a little Christmas cheer." 

They are nuts...in a good way!  It is humbling and makes me want to do something for someone else.  Their generosity is amazing, and generosity like that makes others want to follow Jesus.  I hope some day we not only have the money to be as {or more} generous, but also that we have the heart to bless people the way they do.  We are so thankful for their friendship and their hearts for the Lord...oh yeah, and our new TV ;)

Wildlights 2010

This is, hands down, one of my favorite activities this time of year.  I don't know what it is, but the Zoo becomes completely magical under the millions of lights.  It feel like you are at the North Pole.  And, even though the girls were kind of grumpy to start with, this year was no different! 

 

I don't know why Mrs. Claus' kitchen is a 'flash free' zone, but that is why these are kind of blurry. Hannah didn't particularly care for Mrs. Claus hoovering over her shoulder...

 Aly on the other hand was totally into it! Here she is taking a few pointers from the Big Guys wife.

 Hannah would rather take tips from daddy!

  Mmmm...I wish I had Mrs. Claus' recipe!

 This is just a warm up of the baking we have to do this week ;)

Allergy Season Is Over...

Right?  You would think so, considering it is in the teens and everything that produces an outdoor allergen is dead...but not for Alyssa.  Poor thing!  We went back to allergist and were told the medicine isn't really helping [which I already knew]...at least not enough, plus she has a sinus infection.  So she was put on an antibiotic and an oral steroid, which brings up her current daily medicines up to six, so she can get cleared up to begin the immunotherapy.  We are not looking forward to shots once a week for the next 6-9 months and then every month for 3-5+ years, but we have to do something.  She is miserable and we can't keep pumping her full of steroids, as a band-aid for a deeper problem.  Everyone we have talked to has had positive results with the therapy so we have hope this will bring her some relief...hopefully sooner rather than later. 

Winter Celebration

I seriously hate not being able to go to Aly's class parties (those are the kind of things that make me want to quite my job and sell everything we own so I can be a SAHM)!  Luckily, Grandma was able to go to the Holiday party...and Dan was able to surprise her with coming as well.  She had a blast and is such a show off when people are there with her! 

 Hannah was also ecstatic to be there with her sister!  She got to participate right along with Aly's class.  She is such a big girl...

 I know I have said this before, but Alyssa LOVES to have Hannah there with her and show her off! They may be complete opposites, but they are two little peas in a pod!

This is a cute picture of Hannah, but look behind her at the wall.  Aly's teachers created the coolest display of student made stockings hanging over a fireplace (complete with 3D fire) and a tree with presents!  Sometimes teaching preschool seems like fun...

This is just an adorable picture of Hannah hugging grandma's leg.  I lover her eyes.  So beautiful!

I can't believe this is Alyssa's last preschool Holiday party...

First Snow

We got the first measurable snow fall and the girls could not wait to go out in it! Last year Hannah wasn't too interested.  She would go out for a few minutes and want to come back in.  This year is totally different.  Hannah loves it just as much as Alyssa.

She was soooooo stinkin' cute. She just giggled and squealed the whole time!  I wasn't out  there long because it was so frigidly cold, but I got some fun pictures of the girls before my fingers froze: 

"Look! I'm stomping like a dinosaur!"

 

She couldn't keep her balance...

Aly was too 'busy' helping Daddy 'shovel the steps' to play.  She was so serious about her work.

I am so much happier watching from inside...getting the hot chocolate and cookies ready to warm them up when they come in...I guess I am the only snow hater in the family now.

YL Family

Since we started leading Young Life again this year we have gotten really close with the college leaders on our team.  They have dinner with us at least once a week and hang out at our house all the time.  The girls absolutely adore them; Dan and I think they are pretty cool as well.  Not only to we feel blessed by their friendship, it is so encouraging to know that people who passionately love Jesus, love our girls!

The girls...

 

 The silly boys...

 Our Team

CHRISTmas Time

If I haven't mentioned before...or you haven't gathered by now, we LOVE this time of year! Family and friends, holiday lights and festivals, carols and movies, presents and beautiful tress, bustling malls and horse drawn carriage rides...my heart is so joyful this time of year can't even list all the things that make me smile.  It's just the overall cherry, festive spirit of this season.   It is a time that we want to bathe with love and tradition so the girls can look back on it with fond memories to pass on to their children someday.   But.  We don't want to get so caught up in the 'stuff' of the season and forget WHY we celebrate.  

This is the season of Advent.  Advent means 'awaited arrival', so this season is truly the celebration of something {momentous} coming. 

A Savior of the world. 

Not Santa Claus...

Jesus!

At Christmas we rejoice over His arrival!  It is a birthday party! A party for a King...where we get the gifts!  And, even more, a celebration of what his birth means for mankind.  That is why we celebrate!  That is why my heart is overflowing! That is what we want the girls to understand! 

We talk every year about how we are going to do this.  Of course we want the girls to have fun and experience the magic of Santa and his Elves, but we also want them to find joy in serving others and giving to those who are truly in need.  Some things we have already been doing.  Some things they are not old enough for yet.  

But, they definitely understand birthdays...and the countdown to the big day. So, I found this Advent Journey on another blog that I read and thought it was a great way to help them (and us) understand the season! 

I sincerely hope that when the girls look back at all of our Christmases together they cherish all the activities we did and time we spent together as a family.  More importantly, I pray they remember that there is someone who loves them even more than Dan and I (or Grandma and Grandpa) ever can...Jesus Christ.  And we get to celebrate his birthday with Him.