Christmas 2011 and Year End Wrap Up

I would like to start by appologising for the poor quality of the photos in this post. My photo uploader/editor is not working right.

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It was so nice to have more family here. There were still a few people that I missed, Darrell & Donna and my favorite sister Rebecca.

We started off our celebration with a church service on Sunday the 17th. The kids did a skit telling the story of the first Christmas using a nativity set. There was wonderful music by Damaris, Bea, Heidi, and Pastor Earl. Then a wonderful sermon by Pastor Earl and an AMAZING potlock feast. All the food was great but I have to say the top score from me goes to Lynn Malpass' chocolate pecan pie. All I can say is OOOOOOOOH SOOOOO GOOD!!!!

At home Christmas was a simple celebration. Early morning the kids got to open some gifts. Then my mom, dad, September and Ian came down and opened gifts. Then the guys went and worked/played outside while we ladies made dinner. We had a nice simple ham dinner. Then we watched a good Christmas movie called "Silent Night".

I have always loved Christmas. The singing, baby Jesus, lights, trees, exchanging gifts, hot cocoa, snow men the whole works. However in the past few years as my faith has started to mature a little I started questioning this oh so jolly holiday. I know alot of Christians that don't celebrate at all. Others that celebrate the birth of Christ but not with trees, lights and gifts. Still others that have no problem with the whole ball of snow man shaped wax. Then there is all the political correctness of Happy Holidays VS Merry Christmas and the lets keep Christ in Christmas movement. It can all get pretty confusing and I'll be the fist to admit that I'm having a hard time choosing what is right for our family. Then I listened to an audio by Michael Pearl and for me it shed a little light on to the reasons for the season. Now I'm not saying that this made up my mind for me. On the contrary it gave me more to consider. So if Christmas of 2012 looks alot different from how we celebrated this year you will know why and maybe by then I will be ready to explain how we decided to celebrate and why.

Wyatt Shooting New BB Gun

Oak Shooting New BB Gun

Lisa Shooting New BB Gun

Ice Crystals on Log

Now we look back over the year that is passing and at the same time forward to the new year. So much happened in our lives last year. It truelly is amazing all the good and the bad. As traumatic as the bad has been I do beleive that it has brought us closer to God in relying fully on him. And if nothing else all that we have gone through has been worth it in my mind for the 3 major posatives that we have experianced this year. #1 Ken accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior on father's day. #2 We gained new family Darrell and Donna Scott who have been an amazing blessing to us through their love and teaching I am so thankful to have them in our lives. #3 For my Mom, Dad, Niece/Sister and Nephew/Brother making the big move to Alaska. I feel so much better having them close so that we can help them as they need it and I'm thankful for all of their emotional support. It has been nice to have my mom close this winter especially.

We are looking forward with anticipation to the new year and hoping that it will be joyus and productive. We are hoping that we can be as much of a blessing to our friends and family as they have been to us. Some things that we are hoping for in the new year are steady employment for Ken, and completion of the second half of our little cabin here at the Scott's, and working on the garden with Donna. We are even thinking of getting a couple piglets to raise this spring. Maybe even to have some time to fish and hunt. I am more excited every day as the sunlight starts returning faster.

Homeschool Scoop

The kids are still doing well with their homeschool studies. We are making some adjustments to our schedule to allow for a longer time for science so that they can do their lesson and their project in one block. We're still playing catch up since we were behind when we started. Ian has qualified for Special Education in Math so that has also brought on some added benefit as I am now approved to teach him the curriculum that I was already teaching him. I was also given some advice on some other techniques to use as well.

Mars Biosphere Project

Volcano Project

In the next year we hope to do many more projects and watch as Mom, Dad, September and Ian experiance the seasons of Alaska for the first time.

I want to thank all of you who read my ramblings and wish each and every one of you a Happy, Productive and Blessed New Year.

Keep and eye on this post for more pictures!

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.  KJV