Merry Christmas from the Sparks'

We spent Christmas Day at my 90 year old Grandma Sparks' farm with a number of family members who we get to see just a couple of times a year.
We were blessed to see my Aunt Opal and Uncle Steve and my cousin Lance from Kansas City. They have had a tough couple of years being split apart by distance due to work circumstances.
It is always fun to catch up a bit. Grandma has been so very ill this last month that we were not sure if it was going to be possible. My Mom worked really hard to pull it together to give the whole Sparks family a nice day together. She made it a success. Now we pray Grandma stays well and we enjoy more moments together in the future.

Sledding at Pop's

Cade begged since our snowfall if he could go sledding at Pop's house. We finally got over to Pop's two days after the snow. After a few attempts down the hill we realized there really easy enough snow to propel Cade down the hill, but for Joel it was perfect. Luckily, Cade's classmate Kelsea, who lives next door to Pop and Grandma's spotted us outside. She and her sister were being pulled behind her Dad's 4 wheeler around her yard through the snow in a sled. They came over and both Joel ad Cade enjoyed enjoyed the sleigh rides! It made our sledding adventure complete and fulfilling.

Christmas Eve Day

We were blessed to be able to visit my brother's family and new acreage on Christmas Eve Day. My brother purchased this beautiful piece of land and it was wonderful to see it. We spent a good amount of timing sledding and the took a nice walk through the woods to tour the property. This land is ideal for deer hunting with so much timber. Curtis was loving the moments in the woods.
We had a nice lunch together and enjoyed a bit of chit chat too. Cade absolutely loves playing with his cousins, so it was a perfect day for him. And Joel loved his moments with Celeste. The two played in her room for many moments. It was adorable.
It was nice to be with my family. It seems like so many of our moments together anymore are chaos. I really enjoyed this time, and I hope we can have more happy moments in the future.

Our Family Christmas!

We celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday, December 21. We wanted to have a whole day at home for the kids to play with their presents and enjoy them instead of jumping in the car an hour later. We surprised the boys with the present opening, which made it very fun. Plus we had the added bonus that they were no too hyper.
I garage sales again to get the boys gifts. For Joel a Little People House, Little People Construction site, Hermie & Friends movie, Disney figurines, Little Einsteins Rocket suitcase, and a few Leapster games. For Cade Mario Cart Wii, Playmobil knight set, Bears Winter Crocs, Bop It Game, Civil War cannon ornament, and a Star Wars Plane. I love giving gifts to the boys. I love seeing their faces and their excitement. Though Curtis feels like we give them a lot, and no doubt we are blessed, I know that the dollar amount attached to the gifts was so small be size of my bargain shopping.
Curtis knocked my socks off this year and got me so many wonderful things. He got me stocking stuffers of hat and gloves. And then he got me a new Scentsy warmer with two news scents. Plus a really beautiful nativity set from Family Life. I was pretty surprised, and felt so blessed.
I really felt like I failed Curtis in the gift department. I surprised him with lighted up arrow tips that allow you to track arrows when shot off your bow. The boys also got him 2 Wii games - football and a variety of sports disc. I also promised Curtis I would pay for his deer antlers to be mounted. Dad is going to help me out on this one and work with one of his friends to accomplish this gift. Oh I hope it turns out great!
The fun gift I got our family this year was synchronized Precious Moments angels singing Christmas carols together. Joel felll in love with these angels because Patty Cabeen and Luanne Heaton put a set in our church library. We went to the library one day to read and it wasn't long before the angels sang for 20 minutes and no reading was taking place. It was a fun and precious moment for Joel and I. He was hooked on the angels and after the Hallmark store can down in price on them, I purchased them as a "fun" family Christmas item for years to come.

My Men!

The Wilson family blessed the boys with some fun candy this Christmas! These candy mustaches were just too cute! Thanks for the Christmas fun Wilson family!

Kindergarten Party!

I received the privilege of hosting Cade's class Christmas party this year! I spent a lot of time planning this party in my mind because I wanted to center the party on the book The Legend of the Candy Cane. I like this book because it focuses not only on the birth of Christ but also the death and resurrection of our Savior.
I read the book to the kindergarteners and then we made candy cane ornaments out of pipe cleaners and beads. I had them take home a brief story of the candy cane to accompany their ornament.
We played a few games together, pin the nose on the snowman and a nativity character guessing game. I also brought some individual hands on activities for the kids - play doh mats, lacing boards, and Pom Pom pick up. The kids had plenty to do and we hopped from one activity to the next.
Another Mom, Mrs. Grey brought in frosted cupcakes with toppings for the kids to make snowman faces on the cupcake. It was really cute and messy.
I feel very privileged to be involved in Cade's class as much as I am. I get to read at least twice a month to the kids and really feel like we have a great relationship with Cade's teacher. It is wonderful to have a happy start to Cade's education.

Electricity Out!

The electricity went out in Wyanet during our first winter storm of the winter season. Tom and Bev came over for dinner and we enjoyed a few hours of fun together with heat and lights. Pop and Grandma got some game time in with a bit of Chess and Candy Land. Joel beat Grandma, but Cade got beat by Pop (but not by much). It was a joyful evening.
Pop and Grandma's power didn't come back on until the next afternoon. Their home was down to 41 degrees when the electricity finally came back on. Brrrrr . . .

Merry Christmas from My High School Girls!

I have had a really great group of committed high school girls the last few years. I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussions as we go through Scripture verses and deal with life issues. They are committed and seem to really enjoy each other's company even though they may not be friends at school.
This year we celebrated Christmas together by dressing festive, eating goodies, and exchanging white elephant gifts. It was a night full of laughter and smiles.

Carol Singing!

We went Christmas caroling with a few friends from church. Though we were disappointed more did not show up, it was a wonderful time of blessing others. I really enjoyed this time with my boys, as they sang along and blessed people with hugs. Oh how I pray we are teaching out boys to be servants to others because of Jesus Christ.
Cade cracked me up because he said he would only go if he got "refreshments" at the end of our caroling time. He remembered from last year we went to our friend's home, Max and Kay Wallace, for food and drinks and fellowship. I told him we would get "refreshments" but that was not the reason to carol. He did fabulous all night and was so grateful for his "refreshments" at Max and Kay's. it was a wonderful memory for me.
A few days later Joel and I went to visit our neighbor who recently moved into a retirement home. We took her a special beaded ornament Joel made, a couple pictures from the boys, and a Christmas card. She was eating lunch so we headed down the the lunch room to let her know we left her special gifts in her room. Before we left Joel sang her table of ladies 3 Christmas carols, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Silent Night, an Joy to the World. We gave Ruth hugs goodbye and started to leave. We passed by one table of 8 ladies as we were walking out and they asked him to sing. He gladly sang We Wish You A Merry Christmas to the ladies. We started to leave again and a younger looking woman approached us and asked Joel if he would sing to her mother. Joel happily agreed and followed her to the table she and her mother were sitting at. He shared We Wished You A Merry Christmas with them, as well. Again, we tried to leave but got asked to sing to another group of ladies. It was so cute and so fun. Joel enjoyed singing and really thought nothing about if. I laugh because if this would have been Cade he would have run if asked to sing by himself in front of others.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to one of my cute reindeer!

Giving at Christmas

Joel and I got to go with Grandma Bev and her fourth graders to a nursing home in town to bless them with the love of Christ this Christmas season. The fourth graders prepared a group reading of the book The Night You Were Born, and a few songs. It was a beautiful presentation, and Grandma Bev did a wonderful of giving the residents worth as people. She wanted them to know they were important because God made each one of them. Joel helped the kids hand out candy canes at the end of the presentation to the residents. It was wonderful to see him giving. He is a blessing to so many. I pray this is what his life is all about, loving others because of the life God has shown to him through Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas from Great Grandma Bents

We received a Christmas card from my Grandma last week that had $10 in it for each of the boys. They were so excited! I had some shopping to do at Hobby Lobby and because Joel wouldn't nap one afternoon, I took the boys with me. We didn't plan to spend money on toys, but I had two 40% off coupons and when the boys each found a toy they loved, it worked perfect to spend their money from Grandma.
Cade got a new Crusaders knight set and Joel got fairy figurines. They were both so delighted and happy to have something new to play with. Thank you Grandma for their gifts. Their faces were filled with happiness.

Baking it Up!

The boys and I have done a bit of Christmas baking this December. In years past I attempted sugar cookies with all of the rolling, cutting, baking, and frosting. Not this year. This year I decided we would try more candy type recipes that wouldn't be so tedious and the boys could really help, instead of being frustrated with the cookies.
Joel and I made peanut butter Bon Bons and a chocolate brittle type cookie. Cade and I made Rolo pretzel treats. It was fun to give them jobs that they could do right and kept their attention.
I just purchased some more chocolate chips so we may have to get busy again during our blizzard this evening!

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Joel and I started a little yummy baking after lunch! He did a great job of pouring in the powdered sugar and rice krisipies. Plus his stirring abilities were fabulous with no messes outside of the bowl. When we started mixing by hand he didn't like being dirty. It made me giggle. It was fun to so a little baking with him, but the hardest part is always the patience for clean up at the end.
My plan was to have Cade help me withe dipping the balls in the chocolate after school. Well the project turned out to e a lot more messy and harder than I thought, so Cade enjoyed his after school
snack while Curtis helped me and we all chatted. Hopefully we can try another baking project after school soon.
The Bon Bons taste delicious. They are not very pretty but taste fabulous!

Odell Treasure Hunt

Cade and Joel got to spend many hours with Pop and Grandma on Saturday, and while Curtis and I were away.
Cade and Pop made a Treasure Hunt for gold in the house. They made many clues to three different spots around the house. Cade was so excited to share this special hunt with us. He was very helpful when we got started on the hunt, trying so very hard to not tell us where the pieces of "gold". Pop did am excellent job making the clues, and we heard Cade through some big words into the mix too. Those two make a great team. What specials moments to treasure. I pray their relationship continues on through life and Cade seeks the wisdom of his Pop over and over and over again.

Christmas Program

Cade's first school Christmas was Friday, December 7. The students performed the musical Snowflake County. I was so excited for Cade to perform because he is was actually going to do it. Cade loves his music teacher and she has made all the difference for him when it comes to getting up on stage. Anytime we have encouraged Cade to perform (Sunday School or church performances) he ends up running off or cowering away from the opportunity. He says he gets "stage fright". Mrs. Bachelor has helped Cade grow up and it has been wonderful to see.
Cade knew the songs so very well and all of the actions to the last song they sang. He also sang, versus just yelling the words, which he often does at home.
I got Cade a new red and white striped button up shirt for the performance, which he was really excited to wear; and he got to wear a black scarf that Bev knitted for Curtis some years ago.
Curtis was unable to attend so we made sure to attend the dress rehearsal as a family so we could see it "together". It was a good thing for me to see the dress rehearsal because I then knew what to expect and where Cade would be on stage.
As the performance got started things immediately turned bad. Another boy in Cade's class started causing problems. Cade had been chosen to hold a jingle bell, one of nine students in K-4, and this young boy was trying to take it from him and would not go stand in his assigned spot. Cade handled the situation so well. Everything in me wanted to go up an get the boy off stage to "save"my boy. Of course that was not an option, but I was so sad for Cade. He had worked so hard to be a good listener and to be "ready" for the performance, and then I felt this young boy ruined it. Cade attempted reasoning with him to move to his spot the whole first song and though it didn't work, Cade was so patient and did his best to go on with the show. My heart was so proud of my boy. Many others noticed this same situation and mentioned to me at the end of the show that Cade did an excellent job.
We did take our elderly neighbors to the show with us, John and Ruth. I pray they both heard the message of the Gospel even through all of the distractions of warmth and crowded pews. It was wonderful to have them. I pray others are taking care of my Grandmas because I am far from them.

The Jesse Tree

I wanted to do something meaningful for advent season so I have been reaching a bunch of ideas of ways to help my family remember the real meaning of Christmas, God GIVING His Son Jesus Christ to the world as a baby boy to one day be the man who takes away the sin of the world.
I found many creative ideas, but came back to The Jesse Tree, which is a series of Scripture passages starting in the Old Testament and moving to the New Testament pointing people to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. MyAunt Opal had given me a beautiful set of ornaments and the readings years ago, but I lent my set to the PCA high schoolers during my teaching days, and never received it back. So instead of having the ornaments made, the boys are coloring a small picture of an image representing the story from that day. It has worked well our first few days and am hoping it will lead us into a regular pattern of Scripture reading together in the mornings. Merry Christmas!

Counting Down the Days

I purchased a bunch of used books at a local thrift shop for $4 on Black Friday. I didn't really have a plan of what to do with them, but decided it would be fun to wrap them up individually for the boys to open throughout December. I usually buy them books for gifts but they get overlooked easily because of the toys we also purchase for them. I thought a book a day would give us new reading for December an a fun Christmas activity. So here they are on night #1 opening The Three Trees. What fun!