2010: A year in review

January 2010

In January, I didn't take too many pictures because I was very busy with school.. but we had a very fun month and loved getting this big package from sister Chrissy!Sarah and Chayah love their Panda mommy and baby!

February 2010

In February, Chayah and Sarah received yet another gift-- beautiful pioneer girl dresses! They love to play "Laura and Mary" after the Little House books.

March 2010

March brought lots of fun and a trip to Shriner's hospital!

The weather started to warm up, but we still had some snowy days too!

April 2010

Easter is always so much fun and the weather started to get nice outside so that made for lots of fun!!

May 2010

Summer really started in May with hot weather and getting out of school. I graduated with my Associates and Sarah and Chayah graduated from Kindergarten!

June 2010June 11 was one little Sarah Lu's special day! Of course, she's growing up and turned SIX years old!!!

We had lots of fun just enjoying the time off and getting to be together :)

July 2010

In July, we celebrated a very special and impressive 4th of July! We went on vacation and had a blast!

Sarah and Chayah loved their first trip to the ocean!!

July was also a very special time because it was Chayah's EIGHTH birthday!! :)We had many adventures, including Sarah and Chayah going horseback riding for the first time!!

August 2010

We had even more "first's" in August-- including the girl's getting to go flying for the first time in the small planes- and by themselves, too! Sarah went up with just her and the pilot and Chayah went up with the pilot and a friend from school.

August was also the time when two little girls started FIRST grade!!

We also had more adventures and lots of fun!

September 2010

Apple orchards are always a fun fall tradition!September was a fun month- getting into the swing of school again, but still having a great time!

October 2010

In October, we had Queen Esther and the Princess of the Nile with Baby Moses :)Sarah and Chayah's school had a fun day where everyone dressed up as a Bible character! In October, we also volunteered at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert for Show Hope and had a fantastic time!

November 2010

In November, Sarah and Chayah were the very proud recipients of a very generous gift!! They absolutely adore their "Mya" and "Kate" (AG) dolls! :)

Just like twins :)

Sarah Lu fractured her ankle at the end of October and got her leg cast. She had her colorful, Christmas-y cast on for most of November!

December 2010

December is always an especially fun time, celebrating Christmas! The girls performed beautifully in their Christmas program for school and looked so gorgeous all dressed up :)

And as always, Christmas morning is an awesome time :)

We have been very blessed this year! Now we're looking forward to new adventures in 2011!!

For 2009's year in review, click HERE.

For 2008's year in review, click HERE.

For 2007's year in review, click HERE.

Christmas 2010

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas, from Chayah and Sarah!

We had a wonderful Christmas, being together, although missing parts of our family too and wishing they could have been with us as well. Most of all, Christmas is a time to celebrate the reason for the season, Jesus' birth. And as Sarah and Chayah will be quick to sing to you, the message of Christmas truly is and should be, "Happy Birthday Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas. All the tinsel and lights, and the presents are nice, but the real Gift is You". And not just celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus, but praising our amazing God who was, and is, and will always be and who holds us all in His hands and has a plan to work everything together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

We had an awesome time at Christmas this year; one highlight of the day was one particular present, from big sister Rachael and big brother in law David, that two little girls had each been wanting for for oh so long.

Of course they were... Pillow * Pets!! "It's a pillow, it's a pet, it's a pillow pet" :)
Sarah got the dolphin and Chayah got the panda. They absolutely adore them and are so thrilled to finally have them (both girls have been saving up their money for several months now to go towards pillow pets.. and now they have them! definitely made them very happy :)

Another highlight (every year) of Christmas is when we give our dogs their presents. We get different bags and boxes of treats and wrap them up and put them under the tree. It is SO much fun to watch them find their presents and then, with encouragement, open them up by pawing at them and ripping off the paper with their teeth--soo adorable!! Our Wesley even tried to help everyone else open their presents afterward for the rest of the morning :)

With their presents from big sister, Chrissy! Chrissy, we love you and wish you could have been with us for Christmas! We can't wait to see you soon!

As I'm sure you can easily tell from the pictures, Sarah and Chayah were thrilled with their Zhu *Zhu *Pets that they also have been asking for :)

Two beautiful girls on Christmas morning! Opening their present from big sister, Staci!

A part of our gang this year :)

The girls had made presents from Mom and Dad at school before they went on Christmas break. They had them all wrapped up and place under the tree weeks before Christmas. Finally, on Christmas morning, they got to give Mom and Dad their presents!

They each made the most beautiful Christmas tree and decorated them both however they chose to. They both did such an amazing job and I am extremely impressed by both girls!

Oldest and youngest.. Rachael and Sarah- 1st Grade Picture ornaments

Love you Rachael and David!

Our sweet Wesley

New purses are lots of fun to get on Christmas morning!

School years memory book :)

Wesley and Lilly

The sneaky, silly Tara puppy stealing a slipper :)

Beautiful Sarah and her doll, Mya, in her new dress

Our sweet Lilly boo

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone had a fabulous time with family and friends, celebrating and remembering the reason we are celebrating and always praising Him!

Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Picture

When I decided it was time to take a picture for Christmas this year, I planned everything out. When we went to finally execute those plans, one little participant was a little, uhh, not so ready to participate in our picture taking excursion.

Sarah had been so ready for the pictures we were going to take that morning, but when the time actually came, sitting down and having to pose for pictures was not exactly what one thinks could be the funnest use of their time. Thus, a bit of difficulty ensued when we started taking our pictures, in great hopes that we would be able to get at least one good one out of the bunch.

Some things are pretty tough, and taking pictures can sometimes be one of those things.. I was so proud of my Sarah though when she turned herself right around and wanted to have the prettiest (along with Chayah, of course) smile.

This picture? Was a huge improvement-- we're all smiling in this one! And I absolutely love Sarah's big and very animated smile in this one! But, we took a few more, too, especially since we were all happy with family pictures then :)

And then we got our final picture and I am so happy with it! Only wish that our whole family could be in it together.. (my two older sisters and their husbands). I love this picture though and am so happy that it all did work out after all!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

"C"

Chayah is:
Charming

Compassionate
Cheerful

Caring
Clever

Courageous
Compliant
Colorful
Courteous
Creative
Curious
Cute!

A Birthday

Sarah and Chayah had a very fun time helping Daddy with his cake for his birthday and celebrating! Happy Birthday Dad!

Four Years Gotcha!

I can hardly believe that today marks the four year anniversary of Sarah's Gotcha Day! It was four years ago today that we finally had our Sarah Lu placed in our arms forever! Our cute little 2 1/2 year old is now our beautiful 6 1/2 year old! Today also is Sarah Lu's half birthday so today officially marks her turning 6 1/2 years old! I love you, Sarah and I can't believe it's been four years since we finally had you in our arms!