Monthly giving options are live at The Adventure Project. Yay. I love monthly giving.
Just in time for you to be totally organized for 2012.
I’m giddy about it. Becky…well, she’s just tired. She was up all night getting it ready for us.
For some reason, this always makes so much sense to me.
Maybe it satisfies some need for order and predictability.
But it is pretty cool to be able to give effortlessly each month and know that you are supporting the four amazing social enterprises around the world. Each month we will be creating jobs and saving lives. We’ll send you quarterly “investment” reports about your impact. The end.
Sign up here.
Last day for 2011 tax deductions as well. If you need to get resources out the door… well…we would love to use them. No apologies. We believe this work is so important. And that’s that.
Happy New Year’s Eve, folks.
I love a new year.
I always sleep through it.
But I love a new year…
December 31, 2011
I just saw these shots from the Christmas Eve services from Aric Becker Photography.
So fun.
Because clearly, I forgot to document (or notice).
Looks like I was too busy packing or wrapping or cooking or cleaning or something–I did NOT do a wardrobe check before these three left with Andy for the earlier service. Oops.
But just like Quincy’s totally inappropriate shirt…it is sort of how we roll sometimes.
And yet this is so cute.
Only with their Dad….
December 30, 2011
We moved.
With a ton of help (THANK YOU!).
And waking up to this is pretty cool.
We are sore.
And exhausted.
But really thankful and excited to be here.
Took our “boat” out for a spin.
But I think we were missing a part in our assembly or something.
And it’s not a great sign about our lake-living abilities….
It was sad.
We had to watch from the window for a while.
But eventually we got it back.
And then we promptly lost it in the middle of the lake again a couple hours later.
The shore line crew was all smiles…
December 29, 2011
We are a big, fat mess over here.
Andy and I are both nice and sick.
Tomorrow is the big move day.
And clean the old house day.
And We Can Totally Do This Because We Can and It Will be Over Soon Day.
It’s going to be fantastic.
I want my mom.
The end.
December 27, 2011
As in an urgent care visit.
As in our car–broken– on the side of the highway—and stuffed to the brim with a load to the new house.
As in towed by friend (we have really good friends!) so we could unload the stuff.
As in cancelled evening plans.
As in exhausted and grumpy.
—-
In other news, check out this video featuring Adventure Project’s own Becky Straw.
Smart, beautiful girl she is.
See it here: http://vimeo.com/34212333
—-
We shall recover.
Tomorrow is a new day.
December 26, 2011
Woke up to find these two reading their new books together….
Max and Gabe played in the band for the midnight service with their Dad.
But they were still up…Max cradling his new skateboard…
Stockings!
Complete with giant gummy bears….
And flying animals….
Andy made “Santa” pancakes… (or a guy with a top hat and goatee….)
Everyone was calm and happy.
Max is modeling the new head massager. My personal favorite.
And then.
I made a turkey.
For the first time ever.
It was hand raised for us by some friends at church.
I think she had a name and everything.
There was a lot of pressure.
But I had some great advice.
And I think I might of actually succeeded.
We’ll taste it soon.
Day was complete with an outing to see We Bought a Zoo.
I cried. A lot.
Good day.
Really good day.
December 25, 2011
I survived the solo Christmas Eve Service.
We had one attitude. We have clearly moved from toddler constant activity to pre-teen attitudes.
I’m not sure which I love more.
But it ended up being a great night.
Kids were (mostly) awesome and it was grand fun.
We open gifts on Christmas Eve. And we are moving in three days. So instructions were…open and then place your new item in your designated box. Fun.
This is the only boat we could afford right now for our new life on the lake.
Remote control action. I think it shall still be fantastic fun….
There were lots of smiles and hugs and it made me happy to see them so happy.
December 25, 2011
So far today, we have taken two car loads out to the new house.
Signed the new lease.
Got a speeding ticket.
(seriously, I would get a speeding ticket on Christmas Eve. I am a persistent and committed “rule follower”–to a fault I have been told more than once. So I would. Of course.)
Wrangled some very, very excited children.
Apparently when Zeke is really, really excited, he talks incessantly.
Today has been one, continuous story with “And then after that…..”
“And then after that….”
“And then after that….”
Sent Andy to work.
I will do another solo Christmas Eve service with 6 children tonight.
(These typically have not been my favorite memories…maybe we are getting older??)
——
I am so excited to get my whole family home this evening.
I am beyond thankful.
Merry Christmas.
A thrill of hope.
Indeed.
December 24, 2011
We hit the zoo lights tonight.
Along with many other fine WA folks.
So many smiles…
And so many lights…
We had a very special stand in Grandma for the night.
What a blessing.
And the sharks.
They had the best sharks!
And yes, we had the seemingly inevitable meltdowns toward the end of the night.
Dawson saved the day by a full on comedy routine for our car on the way home.
I was laughing out loud.
And I almost never laugh out load…usually I just “laugh on the inside.”
Such fun.
December 23, 2011
We cannot know the grief
That men may borrow;
We cannot see the souls
Storm-swept by sorrow;
But love can shine upon the way
Today, tomorrow;
Let us be kind.
Upon the wheel of pain so may weary lives are broken,
So may our love with tender words be spoken.
Let us be kind.
(L.B. Cowman)
December 23, 2011
