Family

the gang minus Jacob & Joellen
sister-in-laws

the brothers with Grandma & Grandpa

It is often so difficult to get together with all of our family at the same time. Our schedules don't always allow us to do the things that we enjoy. Greg's 2 brothers and their families spent an evening with Grandpa & Grandma Neff right before Christmas.

Girlfriends

I have been blessed to have some amazing women in my life. These two girlfriends of mine are two of those women. Rich in their love for Christ, brilliantly intelligent and absolutely hilarious are just to name a few of the characteristics of these gals. When we get together, which is not often enough, we have a riot. We laugh, laugh, and laugh some more. I always come away: encouraged, enriched and blessed after lunch together. Kimlee & Ginger~I am a better person for having you as my dear friends! I love you two!

Vulcan-EBF-25

Alright, this is the mother of all Nerf guns! Jonny used some of his birthday money to buy this big thing. He loves it! It is semi-automatic and holds 25 rounds. It empties out pretty fast (6 seconds)! He and Hope set up this big pink dummy in the hallway. Let's just say, the poor dummy has been blasted over and over. The dog got it. Mom got it. Luckily the bullets don't hurt.

The Nutcracker Ballet~ Dec. 10, 2010

We did our annual visit to the Morris Civic Theater in South Bend to attend "The Nutcracker Ballet". Our home school group attends this wonderful ballet each year in December. It was put on by the Southhold Dance Company. I didn't take any pictures of the ballet itself but believe me, it was done well. Dancers ranged in age from little bitty to very mature. Hope really liked it and Jonny said it was "ok". If you translate that, it means it was too long and not enough swords, fighting or action. But he did humor me and sat still the whole time. I think they both enjoyed it.

Snow Angel

I had a snow angel left for me on the deck today!

Lego City Police Headquarters

Here is the lego set that Jonny, Hope & Owen spent hours assembling on his birthday!

Our Christmas Tree~ December 2010

Happy 8th Birthday Jonathan~Dec. 3, 2010

It is so hard to believe that our little man is 8 years old. We celebrated his special day with "O" spending the weekend with us. Owen is his best buddy. They played nerf swords, worked for hours on a new lego set, played at the creek, watched a movie and ate cake! I am amazed at how much Jon has grown in just one year. He has not only grown in stature but also in maturity. Don't get me wrong, he's still 8, but he is maturing in his walk with Jesus. He loves the Word and desires to talk about the Lord. I love how he is tender and sweet. He thinks the best in others and in almost every situation. His cup is always half-full and not half-empty. He tries to be so positive and upbeat. He lives and plays hard, laughs so often and loves much. He brightens my day with his dimples and big brown eyes. I love you Jonny! You are truly our gift from God and we are so thankful for you! Happy 8th Birthday!!

Hope's Music Recital

Miss Hope joined the many others, in a recital, that are taught music by Mr. Parsons. Hope plays the piano but Mr. Parsons also teaches guitar and violin. Jonathan takes guitar lessons from him and will join in the recital next year but had only a few lessons in, when this recital was put on. Way to go, Hope! We are so pleased with her ability to play the piano!

Gingerbread Houses~Dec. 2, 2010

Hope's

Jonathan's

Every year, the kids enjoy making Gingerbread Houses with our home school group. They are actually graham cracker houses but does it really matter? The final product is beautiful and mighty tasty!

Curious Kids Museum~ St. Joseph, Michigan

The kids & I spent a few hours exploring the Curious Kids Museum in St. Joseph, Michigan. What a fun little place for them to explore. It is a completely hands-on Museum with lots to touch and work on. They were able to learn more about being a vet, a news broadcaster, a radio DJ, astronaut, ambulance driver and much more. They had a great time and learned a few things in the process. It was a great little field trip to break up the monotony of the day.

Bowling

Our home school group has a monthly gym day. The month of November meant a fun time at Maple City Bowling in Goshen. The kids had a ball! No pun intended!