Yard Transformation

So many of you know that we have been working hard at making our backyard more useable, and kid friendly. We are getting close to being finished with the transformation. Here are a few before/after pics, and some of the kids "helping".
Before - Garden

After


Before patio

After





Before Front of house

After

It is March, and It is Snowing!?!

March is here, and along with it, snow in Montana. Not anything major, but we have woken up to white more then a few times this past week. With several of my friends heading to warm vacation spots and my dad in Florida, I am really craving a break from the cold. Hopefully the sun will return soon. This past weekend we celebrated Abbi's first birthday. It was a little late, but we wanted to wait for my parents to be here. It was great, we had a party on the 28th, which is my dad's birthday, I think he enjoyed sharing the day with his first granddaughter. Here are some pics.

Addison and Abigail after celebrating Abbi's Birthday with Dad at the Children's Museum Abbi on the horse she got for her birthday. Cape, Phone and horse, what more could a girl want. A diva already! Papa celebrating his birthday with Abbi! Cake Time Addison, Daddy and Mommy braved the snow storm and took to the hills for Addison's first ski experience. He did great!! We made it up and down the rope tow 3 times before he wanted to go home. The greatest thing is that he wants to do it again. "I want to do it by myself next time!"

Snowbowl got 23in. of snow the day before we went, and it was snowing the entire time we were there. It made me remember how much I miss skiing, ahh, someday.

Happy Birthday Abigail!

Abigail is One today! Wow, how the time flies. Abbi, you are such a blessing to us, we thank God for you, for your beautiful smile and infectious laughter. We have enjoyed watching you grow and learn this past year, and can't wait to see what and who you become! You are greatly loved!

A Rough Week

This past week was a challenge. Looking back it really wasn't as bad as it was going through it, but at the time I didn't feel like it would ever end.I worked everyday but Friday, and worked all day. Abbi and I also got sick on Monday, so both of us were miserable for the rest of the week. Tuesday Addison had a tough day at school, and Wednesday he feel at Laura's house and cut his eye. Laura rushed him to the doctor, not able to reach either Bart or I. Bart finally got the message, and met them at the Dr., and got to watch Addison being glued back together for the second time. It looks gruesome, but Addison was very brave, and didn't even cry when the doctor cleaned it out and glued it back up.

Thursday was chaos, and we of course forgot the valentines Addison had been working on all week for his classmates at home. I have finally caught up on all my house work and laundry. I really don't know how mom's work full time. Anyway. Hope you all had a wonderful valentines day. We are looking forward to Abbi's birthday this week, and my parents coming the week after.

Abbi's First Steps

Yes it is true, Abbi took her first steps last Friday. Mom was away, but Daddy caught the very first steps on video, so here it is!!!

Happy 2009

The holiday's have come and gone, and we are now standing at the beginning of the unknown. What will this year bring? Hopefully a new job for Bart. He will be working at our church for at least the next 3 months, then...??? Abbi will begin walking and talking and becoming a little person with her own opinions and desires. Addison will continue growing and challeneging us. He will begin to have friends over to play at his request, participate in orginized sports, and perhaps begin music lessons. Our country is also in transition, and we are praying that God will grant our next president wisdom, that he will sorround himself with Godly people who will help him lead this nation.
It is always scary looking into the unknown, but I don't think that is what God intended us to do or feel. I think he really wants us to live in the present. So I have been asking myself, what can I do today, for my family, kids, husband, for myself, for my country, for my friends, for my church, for those I don't know who are in need. What can I do today to honor God with my life. This is the idea I would like to carry with me for 2009. I know that God will take care of the future, that is not to say that we should not plan ahead, but it does give me comfort and help me to realize I don't have to worry about it. I also can not worry about the past, I can not change what has already happened. I can choose to live today for God, in a way that is pleasing to him.
I have other resolutions that I will not share at this time, but I think that if I am successful and continue striving after this idea, the other resolutions will happen, and without much extra effort.
OK, enough seriousness, here is the fun stuff. Pictures from Christmas, and our trip to Seattle.

Here is Christmas morning in Montana.





Christmas with the Nygard Clan










The Carnes Family Cousins



And a trip to the zoo



Happy New Year! May you be richly blessed, and live today for His glory.

Christmas Time is Here

December is upon us, and we are gearing up for our first ever Christmas in Montana. It is amazing the we have lived in Montana for almost 8 years and have never celebrated Christmas here. For all of Addisons life, we have not had a tree in our house, or hung stockings. We are excited to start some of our own traditions with our kids this year. So far we have been out to the "wild" to cut down our tree. I had very low expectations, but our tree is one of the most beautiful I have had ever. I think the process of tromping through the woods with the kids, and finding the perfect tree makes it all the more beautiful to me. We have also started the count down with our advent calendar, and are trying to do daily advent readings along with lighting the advent wreath. This becomes a little difficult with a three year old, but we are trying.

This also marks the first year that Addison has not been terrified of Santa, and was even excited to have his picture taken with him. Abigail on the other hand screamed her head off (as you can see.)



We went on the Santa Train again this year, it is fun for Addison to get onto a real train, and although the train does not actually go anywhere, he had a blast sitting in the seats and looking out all the windows. Like last year, they gave every kid a hat, gloves and scarf.




Abigail seems a little oblivious to the whole Christmas going ons, she won't even touch the tree, I don't think she likes how it feels. But she looks very cute in all her Christmas duds, some of which she has been wearing for the past month because I was afraid she would grow our of them before Christmas arrived.


Here is her new favorite sleeping position


This past weekend, we had my company christmas party up at the Double Arrow Lodge at Seely Lake. Despite the weather (it was snowing and -4 without the wind chill when we arrived there)we had a wonderful evening and stayed the night in a great cabin. Bart played Santa for the second year in a row, and although he didn't let on at the time, Addison did know it was daddy. I asked him where daddy was, and he said "Santa is daddy." Evan Abbi warmed up to him, looking a little confused that her daddys voice was coming from a very weird looking man in red.




Another fun thing we have done this winter season is put up a bird feeder outside out front window. We are apperently the only one for miles, because there are literally swarms of bird that decend on it throughout the day. I counted 8 birds on it at one time today. At this rate we will be filling the bird feeder about 2 or 3 times a week. Aren't birds supposed to fly south for the winter??

More Christmas Pics to come!!!