Waiting for Gifts on Christmas Eve

This Christmas was different in so many ways!  We were able to spend almost a week {Tuesday ~ Monday} at my parents house!  Originally it was only going to be Thursday ~ Monday, but with the impending weather we decided to head out early!  It was a GOOD thing we did!  Most of the state was DUMPED on and if we would have waited to leave until Thursday we wouldn't have been going anywhere!  Another different part of this year was that my brother and his wife who actually only live 15 miles away, stayed at my parents house for a couple of night (due to same storm) and so we were all snowed it together.  We played games, laughed, and laughed some more!  It was great!

But probably the most different part of the year was that we didn't go to church on Christmas Eve like we normally do.  Don't get me wrong, Christmas is all about the celebration of Christ's birth...but there was something amazing about being able to reflect on The Savior in our own special way instead of being in church around many people that you do not know and listening to a Pastors view of Christmas.  It was nice, it was also nice to not have the hustle and bustle of getting 8 people ready for the service to which there is usually lots of bumping into each other because we are LATE!  Service start at 5:30 right mom?!?!?  hehee

Since we couldn't safely make it to and from church that night we decided to stay put.  There was some snowmobiling going on, but we bumped supper up to a nice time so as to be able to not have such a late night for Princess and Boo!  (The adults stayed up WAAAAYYYY later than normal!) 

Okay, Okay...enough with the babbling...one with the Pictures.  Today will only be the WAITING to open gifts...Friday will be the actual gift opening fun!

Have you ever tried to get a NICE picture of two three year olds?  It turned out to be a PERSONALITY picture!

A Daddy Picture ↑ and a Mommy Picture ↓

And a family picture!

My brother and his AWESOME wife!

My Parents!

Tomorrow will be a Thankful Thursday post and then Friday will be a post full of Christmas Eve gift opening pictures!  Stay tuned!

Thankful Thursday

Beings that it has been three weeks since I had a Thankful Thursday, I appologize!  It wasn't that there was nothing to be thankful for, because that wouldn't be the case! 

Though in light of the recent weather we have been having, my post today is going to be about nice temps/living in the Hills!

You see when we returned home from Christmas on the Eastern side of the state we found three feet of snow keeping us from our home {pictures to come sometime next week}...my wonderful husband shoveled a path while I took pictures and the kids waiting in the warm suburban...I also chatted with the neighbor a little bit.  After getting the path we went into the house to check everything over.  Praise the Lord!  The furnace was still running & no frozen pipes!  We unloaded the Christmas haul (and boy did we have a haul this year) and then went to pick up a friends snowblower so my husband didn't have to shovel the three feet of snow every where!  Blowing it still took three hours, but it would have been way longer if he had to shovel it!  Thanks to M.G. for the use of your snowblower!  But along with the snow came bitterly cold temps...actual temps here were only in the -20 to -30 (F) degree range, but the wind chills were in the -40s!  BRRRRRRR!  But the last two days, despite still have most of that snow on the ground, we managed to get up to +60 on Tuesday and +50 yesterday!  We are looking at +45-50 today as well!  What a blessing, along with those temps came the bright sunshine...things are a melting now!  There is something about working in your home and not getting to go outside for days that can get you a little down...especially if you do not have sunshine streaming through the windows!  Yesterday I opened every blind in the house (8) of them and it was almost as good as being right out in the sun! 

I am thankful for the little blessing God send our way, even when it is a sneeky 60 degree day in the middle of January or the sunshine that with all the white on the ground seems so much brighter!

What are you thankful for?

*Picture from the May 2008 3 foot snow storm!

Our 'little' family Christmas

We had a family Christmas for the first time since before we had children this year.  It was fun, Handsome wanted to do it so that A)our gifts to the kids could be appreciated ~because lets face it, we cannot top Grandpa & Grandma~ B)But mostly we want to start family traditions of our own...our family Christmas was mostly centered around what Christmas is all about, Christ's Birth! 

We started the evening out with a full blown ham supper with gravy and everything!  Then we read the Christmas Story from the Bible and it was fun to see the kids really get into it and ask questions!

We then moved on to opening of gifts.  We opened each gift one by one so that we could be happy for one another and the blessings we received.  Princess went first then BooBear and we alternated like that (Mommy & Daddy each already had our gifts!)

*They were so excited about these cameras, (and so was I) but we ended up returning them because Princess' went on the blink almost right away and so we return them both and got them each a new pair of N.ike tennis shoes instead!  They still ask where their cwamwas are!

Then we moved on to stockings~

They each received panties/underwear and BooBear was sooo excited...you see he didn't GET to go potty in the potty chair until his third birthday, a week after he opened these T.homas the T.rain & T.oy S.tory big boy underwear!  That plan didn't work!  We will try again in March!

B.alderdash was in my stocking! 

Handsome had lounge pants & a memory card for his B.lackberry!

We ended the night with some family time & a yummy ice cream dessert that Handsome made...his Mom always makes it at Christmas time and since we were not able to be with them to celebrate their family Christmas he wanted to make sure that we had it!  The kids thought it was num NUMS!

This is what I found when I returned to the living room after getting the Princess ready for bed!  If that doesn't just about add up to the best way to end an evening of family celebration of our Saviors Birth!  So precious!

Thankful Thursday

So today, on Christmas Eve 2009 it isn't very difficult to find something to be Thankful for!  At the current moment I am sitting at my parents computer while the rest of the family is sleeping in one corner of the house or another and in just a few hours the house will be hustling and bustling with movement of my two precious children and all these people that love them so....and you know what?  My children love them all right back!  For the first time in my 7 years of marriage and my brother and is wonderful wife of 2 years, we are all sleeping under the same roof and are looking at being snowed in by what some are calling the 'Bah Humbug' blizzard.  I feel very different about it!  While it may keep us from some of the traditions of a normal Christmas Eve, what better could you find than being snowed in with a family that has so much love for each other?

My sister-in-law came out this afternoon and us girls played games while the kids napped, her mom stopped by and joined us for a brief time and oh what fun that was!  Soon all the guys were in and both my brother and my husband joined in the fun and we had some good laughter going while two little munchkins were lap hopping mooching familiar Christmas treats from who they could! 

Please do not get me wrong, the most important part of Christmas is celebrating the birth of our Savior who came to this earth to die for our sins.  I am so grateful for God sending His Son on that very first Christmas and it would be a shame if ever a Christmas went by without reflecting on what the true meaning of Christmas is all about...

But at the same time with all of our business of daily happenings how often do we have the chance to be snowed in as a big happy family with nothing but time to invest in each other?  I for one am looking forward to what the next few days bring...I am sure there will be lots of eating, many tears (brought on my my brother's odd sense of humor), games played, movies watched, but most of all love shared! 

Tonight we will be in church for the traditional Christmas Eve service (weather permitting) and then we will share a family meal together.  After all the dishes are done we will gather around the Christmas Tree and open gifts...anyone that says they do not get excited for this part HAS to be lying!  Who doesn't like opening gifts?  But is it really about the gifts?  I know what is under the tree for me, but it is still going to be so much fun to see family being just that...FAMILY! 

So Mom, Dad, Farmer & Wife, Handsome, Princess, & my BooBear....thank you!  Thank you for being my family!  Thank you for the memories you have already created for myself and my children this Christmas, thank you for the time we will share over the next few days!  Thank you for the love that will be displayed, yes Farmer, I really do know you love me!  I look forward to the rest of our time together this wonderful Christmas break and to the many MANY years we get to push repeat and make memories over and over again!  This is what I look forward to at Christmas time, this is what I am THANKFUL for!  FAMILY!

The only thing could make it more special is if we had one more person and anyone special to them here with us...while you may never be with us for Christmas because you have your family to be with, please know you are welcome to come along side us any time you feel would be the right time.  We are here with open arms and looking forward to one day...one day when our seperate lives can collide, even if just for a short time!  We love you...because that is what family does! 

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Letter 2009

Greetings from our family,


Oh the wonderful time of year when we get to celebrate the Saviors birth! We are looking forward to enjoying Christmas this year, since we were a little stressed with trying to find a new home in a short amount of time! Here is a rundown of what 2009 was like for the Hartung Family!

January ~ We worked on getting the ‘new house’ ready to move into by Saturday the 24th. It was wonderful to have my parents and so many from our new church willing to help. It only took 1 ¾ hours to get our entire household & daycare moved!

February ~ As a family we decided to take Valentines weekend and relax, we stayed in a hotel with an indoor water park. We all really enjoyed the slower pace! We also started a potluck/game night at our house the 3rd Friday of each month!

March ~ Started with a bang - a crash bang that is! I fell on the ice and knocked myself unconscious. After a fast trip to the ER, we found out that there was no major damage – except her pride that is – for this we thank the Lord! We also joined our church, had Handsome’s parents visit, and enjoyed a special lunch with cousin Aaron & his family in the Hills.

April ~ Was a somewhat quiet month, if you exclude all the snow that fell on us! We had 3 major snowstorms within 2 ½ weeks! It was tough on the checkbook to be off of work for so many days, it was nice to be settled in our new home!

May ~ Oh how crazy it was! My mom was here the first weekend for Princess’s very first tap/ballet recital. It took a little while for her to stop asking about dance class over summer break! We also built a storage shed behind our house, had 2 foster boys with us for a couple of weeks, drove a friends’ convertible up the canyon, and finished the month with a trip to the other side of the state.

June~ We were able to make a trip ‘home’ for Father’s Day weekend and the kids got to throw candy in the Saddle Horse Holiday parade in Lake Benton. My mom joined us again at the end of the month for a little over a week…it was WONDERFUL to have her around that long!

July~ My parents joined us for the Belle Fourche rodeo & fireworks on the 3rd and then for the big parade on the 4th. Grandpa & Grandma also thought that the kids should take part in their first carnival. Princess would have gone on rides all day, but Boo thought two was enough! We also had a special visit from Aunt Carolyn & Uncle Dave and fit in a trip to Devil’s Tower while they were here. We ended with another trip ‘East’ for a quick family reunion and the Opera House summer musical.

August~ Handsome and Boo took a father/son hike right into a den of rattlers…it was the first thing Boo wanted to tell me about! Our 7th anniversary fell right in the middle of the Sturgis Bike Rally…so we stayed home! We also had VIP guests when my Mom and Sister-In-Law came to visit for 5 days! While they were here we visited Reptile Gardens, shopped (of course), toured Hill City, went through Rushmore Cave and the Presidential Wax Museum, and drove past Mt. Rushmore. We are hoping they make it an annual event (hintHINT.) As a family we also enjoyed some snake free hiking and stood in awe of God’s beautiful creation around us here in the Black Hills.

September~ We went to Storybook Island in Rapid City on Labor Day. Princess also started her second year of tap & ballet. We ended the month with the celebration of Princess’s 3rd birthday. Of course, my mom came out for few days to help us celebrate and was able to take the kids on a date WITHOUT Mommy! We also had our traditional drive up the canyon (during peak fall colors), had the birthday party, and then went to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins with Grandma – what a treat!

October~ We were able to go to our very first Family Life Weekend to Remember and enjoyed every minute of it! The kids stayed with our dear friends for two nights by themselves…when did they grow up so fast? The very next weekend they were invited for their first play date – seriously, they have more of a social life than their parents! Toward the end of the month, we celebrated Pumpkin Patch Daycares 1st anniversary, God has blessed in that department!

November~ Most of this month is filled with anticipation for Thanksgiving. We travel to my parents house and spend 5 days with them. I always look forward to the Black Friday sales that start at 4 AM! The kids get to spend a fun day with Daddy and Grandpa!

December~ We look forward to a busy, but wonderful month filled with celebrations of our Savior. We will go East River for 5 days and celebrate Boo’s 3rd birthday while there. The kids are getting more and more excited about time with family…which just brings us to the fact that they are growing way to fast!

2009 has been fast and furious, but oh how God has blessed us richly this year. Together we step into the New Year desiring to serve God while remembering our new family motto of “No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets”.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The Boo Bear!

His turned out very well...I had a hard time picking a fav, but this one is probably it!

The Princess

This is my favorite of Princess!

I don't mind these pictures...except the lady put the purple and yellow flowers in a CHRISTMAS picture...now I am a purple & yellow fan (go Vikings), but not with red & green dresses at Christmas!

Because I cannot pick my fav...

You get to see them all!

My kids are such DOLLS!

Literally!

The Princess received this awesome dollhouse or as she calls it (dollie house) for her birthday and they love playing with it!  As of this point we have not allowed all the Pumpkins at the Patch to play with it, so it is still the 'special' toy! 

It only took them about two months to figure out they fit in there!  One night while I was cooking and Handsome was folding laundry he spotted this!  Too cute!  They were having a blast!

*Photos taken by Handsome*

Big Boy Bed for Boo!

Back in the beginning of November we thought that our Boo was ready for a big boy bed.  He had commented on wanting a big girl bed like Sissy's several times and, well he is almost three!  I had bought a bed for him was back in January (when Princess started sleeping in hers!) but it just didn't seem like the right time for him then.  Well, I am not so sure that this was the right time for him either...but he is there none the less!  We had a difficult time with getting him to stay in his bed rather than get up to play in the middle of the night.  We tried EVERYTHING and it just wasn't working.  He was getting more and more grumpy from lack of sleep, and the Patch kids that normally sleep in his room were not getting their naps.  But just in the last few days we tried one last thing and it seems to be working...for the most part!  He does love his bed, and his new bedding!  It helped to make it more of a cowboy feel to his room!  We are proud of him, though he did sleep VERY well at Grandpa & Grandma's at Thanksgiving in the pack n play there!  But now he is ready for Baby O to come and sleep in his old crib...with almost three year olds you move from one battle right into the next!

Thankful Thursday

Another ~actual~ Thankful Thursday post!

Today I am thankful for the fact that I can hear!  I know it is something that many people {including myself} take for granted, but lately I have realized just how important it is to your day.  For whatever reason I lost my hearing in my left ear several years ago...case still under investigation!  Well, after I fell in March ~actually I slipped on the ice and knocked myself out~ my hearing in the left ear started coming back here and there.  It started with ringing that would come and go, then this summer I started actually hearing things here and there!

Then the week before Thanksgiving I managed to loose my hearing in my right ear, thankfully within a few days my hearing in my left ear started working pretty well for me.  But I do not hear soft toned voices very well.  After being so patient for about a week my Handsome finally persuaded me to go to the doc and get things checked out so that Thanksgiving wouldn't be miserable for everyone involved.  I went, they flushed {both ears} and left NOT HEARING A THING!  The flush trapped water in my ear that made it impossible for me to hear anything for the rest of that day and into the next.  Though, I did get a perscription for drops and while I have not used them as faithfully as I should...we have come to the conclusion that it must be water trapped in my ear somewhere.  When I wake up I can hardly hear a thing after laying in bed all night...but by evening, my hearing is much better! 

So, I am thankful for being able to hear 'I love you' and music and babies and every.tiny.little.thing! 

What are you thankful for today?