It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This year it literally took me ALL day to decorate.  Gone are the days of coming home early from work and decorating interrupted for 3 straight hours.  Here's how the day went:

The house is completely clean, which is huge for me right now because I'm so stinkin' out of it. Anyway- the formal living room before, 

My stair case always looks so boring before the decorations are all up:
This is mid-way through.  We stopped for lunch, Michael helped me by pulling EVERYTHING out of the box. Which really drives me nuts because I have a system, oh well, guess I have to be flexible right?  
The funny thing about this is that if Phillip were here- he'd be going CRAZY.  He can't stand messes, and this is quite the mess!  I'm at about the half-way point here so I decided since both the boys were fed and fast asleep, I should catch a little nap :)
I finally finished at about 5pm- just in time for Phillip to walk through the door and enjoy the fruits of my labor.  I just thought this picture was cute so I included it.

See what I mean about the stair case being boring!
Ahh...I love Christmas lights. My favorite thing to do is to sit in front of the Christmas tree with all the main lights off and enjoy the glow of the Christmas lights.
See- much better right?
I have a funny story about the stockings.  So last year I bought us matching stockings, I originally purchased 4. Phillip was VERY adamant that we were done after baby #2.  As I was standing in the check-out line I started thinking.  What if in like 4 years I accidentally get pregnant? Then I'll have to buy all new Christmas stockings- because these won't match!  So I went back, purchased one more just in case :)  Good thing I purchased one more just in case! One more thought I had at 3am the other morning- my stocking holders came in packages of 2, naturally I bought 3 packs.... hmmm.... no, we're done ;)

Christmas Traditions

One tradition we do each year is go to Nana and Papa's to decorate the Christmas tree, eat cinnamon rolls and listen to Phillip recite scenes from Home Alone :) The original Loya 5 have obviously been doing this their entire lives.  The added Loya clan members have been doing this for 8+ years.  What a fun tradition it is.  

This year was Samuel's 1st tree decorating experience, Bailey's 2nd, Michael & Benjamin's 3rd and Allyson's 6th!  Now here's a fun thought to wrap your brain around.  This time next year, Lord willing, this will be the age breakdown of all 7, yes 7 grandchildren:

Ally- 7 yrs

Benjamin- 4 yrs

Michael- 4 yrs 

Bailey- 2 yrs

Samuel- 1 yr

Baby Wagner- 6 months

Baby Sophia :)- 5 months

That's right folks- 6 children under the age of 4, and 4 children under the age of 2! If that doesn't make your head hurt I don't know what will.  But I have a secret to share- I get SO excited at the thought of adding babies to our growing family, both immediate and extended.  If Phil would let me, I'd have at least 2 more (not so close together OBVIOUSLY), but none the less, I love it :) There's just something about big families that make me smile.  Anyways- I digress...

Lindsay usually gets stuck decorating the tree because we're all headed in different directions after the children. But this year was a little different, Ally and Benny were very excited to decorate. Michael was too, until Papa spoke those magical words (you'll see these in a minute)... isn't Lindsay's baby bump SO stinkin' cute :)  She finds out in a week whether it's a boy or a girl (we're hoping for a girl!)

Ivan and Benny wrestling like they usually do.

So Michael started to decorate the tree until Papa mentioned trains.  Of course Mikey tore after him towards the back bedroom and there they stayed until the cinnamon rolls were done!

Cinnamon rolls- can't you smell the yummyness :)  Phillip told Mikey that Nana makes them JUST for him!
Michael's new favorite saying, "These are my favorites" so of course, he repeated that phrase over and over as he was eating his cinnamon rolls.  The next morning we had this conversation:

Mikey, "Mommy can you make my favorites again?"

Me, "Your favorite what Michael?"

Mikey, "Dhose favorites that Nana made me and Daddy."

Me, "You mean cinnamon rolls?"

Mikey, "Yeah, I like dhose"

Me, "Mommy doesn't make those Mikey, only Nana can"

Mikey, "Call her mom"

Ummmm... yeah probably not.

The Birthday Festivities continue

I think its safe to say that Michael's birthday week has come to an end.  I say week because it feels like it's been going on all week :) We started with a family party at Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Shauny's, then there was his actual birthday- lunch with Uncle Rogie and Aunt Karlee, surprise presents in the mail and finally... what he'd really been waiting for: a birthday train party with "all his friends".

My sister-in-law had the brilliant idea a couple months ago for a birthday party.  Why not just invite all our kids friends over before lunch time and have a party with mommies and kiddies. I mean honestly girls- does your husband enjoy spending half his Saturday at some kids birthday party??? Brilliant isn't it! The kids get to play with each other and your husband isn't sitting in the corner- giving you the "lets go already" look- it's a win-win situation.  Anyway, each day for about a week he'd wake up and ask me, "Mom- is today my party with all my friends?" And then we'd have to count the days.

So it finally arrived, he was thrilled. By now he realized he was getting toys for his birthday- so we had to work that out :)  Oh how quickly our yucky sin-nature rears it's ugly head!  He got to play outside, play trains, play in his bedroom- all the things a boy could wish for. There were about 15 kiddos running amuck in my house (thankfully daddy was at work!). But what fun we had, Michael was blessed by the many people who love him. And mommy's finally glad this week is winding down!

I would have never guessed that 15 kids could squish at my table made for 6!

The happy birthday boy!
How is it that in .3 seconds you can become consumed by children!
Gabby and Samuel- the best little helper girl ever!
Yep- more Thomas the Train movies!

Michael turns 3!

I use to hear my friends say all the time, "I can't believe my child...". Well, yesterday I was the one actually thinking it. I can't believe Michael is 3 years old!  I have to be honest that I was very sappy and kind of emotional that day- it doesn't help I'm pregnant too- anyway- I kept looking at him and thinking to myself that I couldn't believe it's been 3 years.

My how our lives have changed. No more lazy Saturday mornings in bed, no more hopping the car to just go a few places, no more "hey lets go away for the weekend", no more anything :)

Oh but the blessings those things have been replaced with:

Saturday mornings watching Tom & Jerry in bed

Cooking his favorite breakfast: shaw-sage, french-toast, bacon and pancakes!

Hearing his sweet little voice around the house

Teaching him what it means to have a happy heart.

The list could go on and on, I never could have imagined what a blessing it would be to be a mommy. And each year I'm reminded of the easy pregnancy I had, the excitement of his birth, how he taught both of us to be more selfless. Words cannot express how grateful I am that the Lord's blessed us with another fun-filled year with Michael.

Here he is with daddy playing with one of his new toys- building a "Rite-Aid" for his trains to go to!

Worm Hunting

One of the joys of staying home is being able to do "fun" stuff like hunt for worms.  I say "fun" because I can't stand insects, rodents or anything that's got more than 4 legs, is slimy or likes dirt. Soooo I put on my smiley face- because that's what mommies do- and off we went outside. 

Michael is fascinated by digging for worms.  This time in particular had me giggling because he had their family dynamics all figured out.  He found a mommy, a daddy, a baby Samuel, a Bailey, an Auntie, a Zekey...on and on he went.  Of course, he had to save them for later to show daddy what he'd found.  I agreed to allow them in the house- this ONE time- as long as they stayed in the cups he placed them in.  

I go in the garage to switch the laundry and as I'm walking back in, I hear Michael telling Samuel:

"Dis one's daddy Samuel, dis one's Nana..see da worms Samuel."

I'm horrified to find him dangling the worms in front of Samuel's face and admiring each of them that he's placed all over the exer-saucer. 

Note to self- don't allow ANY MORE insects that belong outside in the house EVER again... at least until my babies are 3 years old!

The fun begins- picking them out one by one.

I think this was a daddy one because it was so big :)

There is a time for everything

For those of you who don't know, my sister April is going thru a season of weeping, of pain and growing.  About 2 months ago, my brother-in-law Jim went away to Camp Penelton for his upcoming Marine's training.  Unbeknownst to April, this was the first of many lies and many heartaches.  Jim didn't contact her for over two weeks and when he did, he told her that he didn't want to be married to her anymore.  They have 2 children, Ezekiel (3) and Samantha (1yr), a home, and have gone to counseling the past 2 years, etc.  

When my sister told me, a million thoughts came rushing into my mind.  The Lord so sweetly reminded me of Ecclesiastes 3: 1-11-

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace,

What does the worker gain from this toil? 

I have seen the burden God has laid on men.

He has made everything beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

I'm posting this to ask anyone who reads our blog to pray for my sister.  I know there are a million thoughts going through her head as well. I know that Satan desires to see her and her family torn apart and suffering. I know that Jim is lost in a dark place of sin and unrepentance. 

But this I also know- the God we pray to cares for us. Our God parted the Red Sea, raised a man from the dead, cured a blind man, closed the mouths of lions and had a man swallowed by a fish! He can most certainly change a man's heart. Pray with confidence, pray with a believing heart that He can do anything-  He makes everything beautiful in it's time.

Advent Conspiracy

This morning we were sitting in church and our Pastor showed a great video about this upcoming holiday season.  Let me first say- as he did- we're not against buying things for each other. We're NOT saying to not buy your children any presents, nor are we saying the idea of buying Christmas presents is evil. 

What we are saying, what we do feel, is that Christmas has gotten so blown out of proportion it's ridiculous.  This video is something that really hit home for the two of us.  Check it out and pray how the Lord would lead you and your family:

Advent Conspiracy

Again, we're still going to buy our children gifts, BUT, we are also going to cut it back and have our kids do something worthwhile for others. Like Pastor Tom said, we're going to store our treasures in heaven, not on the things of this earth.