Ash's First Basketball Game

Ash is part of a great basketball program called UPWARD through Battlefield Baptist Church. Her team is the BEARS and she's on it with her best girlfriend Katherine Brown. It makes the practices, games and everything more fun! The first game was exciting, as the kids had just learned to dribble, so offense and defense were the same thing! Great fun.

At the end of the game, the players get stars to put on their uniform that stand for players that were "most Christlike, most sportsmanship, etc." Ash won player with most sportsmanship. Her gold star meant a lot to this rookie! Each week they memorize bible verses to earn more points. The coolest part? At the beginning of each game, they play loud music and the announcer calls each player by name and they run out on the court!!! So cool!!!!

2012 PineWood Derby-THIRD PLACE!!

This year before he left, Jonathan cut out the kids pinewood derby cars (Ash could race this year in their own "sibling" class-so a pink sports car was in order! So the cars were cut, sanded and painted by Dad and Austin and Ash. They had so much fun doing it together! But he was gone for the derby and there I was....weight in one hand, graphite in the other and a lot of pressure from the peanut gallery! So I aligned the wheels, weighted things down and off the cars went! Austin was AMAZED that he won third place this year. And so was a very proud Mom. Off we go to Regionals!

Now Ashley competed with 5 other boys and she did win the "most adorable" car, but the nose in the corner picture summed up her emotions for not winning a trophy like her brother.

Brrrr....January.

So Jonathan left back to Kabul, Afghanistan New Years Day. Boo.

School started back up on Jan 2nd. Double Boo.

We have LOVED this winter though, never have I experienced 60 degree weather in January in DC.

But January is getting longer and it's finally getting COLDER. Triple Boo.

I feel like I'm the only one that hates snow. Quadruple Decker Boo.

New Years Eve!

We stayed with tradition, we always celebrate New Years Eve with the Johnsons. So again his year, we outdid ourselves. Complete with a Fondue Feast! Cheese, Coq Au Vin, and Lindt Chocolate fondues with every imaginable dipping food. Yum. The kids loved dipping too.

When "midnight" rang (9pm) party hats, lei's, blowers and a tub of balloons fell down on top of them from above! Of course we drank sparkling cider from champagne glasses and having the kids part of the celebration really made the celebration awesome.

We came home to put Ash down and turned on the TV to watch Dick Clark's Special and saw the ball in NYC drop. Austin watched the ball drop (he'd been so excited about that part). Fireworks went off outside and a new sense of excitement, promise and eagerness set in for the upcoming year.

My dad sent us kids an email and I had to include it in this post because I want to remember it forever:

"Hey Guys ,

Mom and I love you .As we get older sometimes it's difficult for us to see you as grown ups and not our little children in our family . We love you and support you in all that you do. With this new year beginning appreciate all that you have ......your spouse that loves you , your kids that Heavenly Father sent to you to train you to be family leaders in our next Glory , your health, your acquired knowledge and skills to be a successful provider for your family . Remember there will be trials ,some of which are placed in our path for us to grow and some of which we cause ourselves as a result of bad decisions . This is all a part of life . On this first day of the year we would like for you to remember this fact throughout the year ; yesterday is gone and you can't do anything about it ,tomorrow is never promised , so today is what we should all live in and become better people . That is why it is called "the present " . HAPPY NEW YEAR ...... May all your decisions be prayerful and thanks for making our lives so rewarding with 4 special spirits as yourselves .

LOVE ALWAYS

MOM AND DAD

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2012 will be a GREAT year.

Great Wolf Lodge

Goin' to the Lodge...Great Wolf Lodge....

We go to this totally awesome Water Park every Christmas, year after year. Tradition!

Pizza, Sonic freezes, Chik-fil-A, MagiQuest, and of course the Water slides and TORNADO!!!

Christmas Day!

We made sure to buy stock in Apple before this Christmas. We also love Haymarket Bicycles-Duane bought his first Trek Madone Tri bike. Feliz Navidad!

The Night Before Christmas

On Christmas Eve, the Reindeer food goes out, cookies and Coke for Santa and a note. Then the most important part-we all sit around the tree and Ash reads out of the scriptures and Austin reads the Story of the 3 Trees. We sang hymns and performed music for one another on the piano. We end with our testimonies of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we turn in with the assurance of the Lord's love and calmness instead of the angst of presents. Sleep in Heavenly Peace.