Hastings Christmas Gathering

We got together with the Hastings side of my family for Christmas on Sunday, December 23rd, in Hesston at Dale and Jan's house.  My mom's birthday was the next day so we celebrated that a little bit too.

BIG NEWS!!! My sister, Lindsee, got engaged!  She and EP decided to announce it on facebook that afternoon after they had told all of our close family members and friends, so they received lots of text messages and facebook comments congratulating them all day long.  It was fun to see them smiling and reading congrats and well wishes from their friends and family!  It was also fun to discuss wedding ideas.  She asked me to be her matron of honor and Sarah and Phoebe to be their flower girls... It was exciting to talk about colors, flowers, and decorations.  Everyone had lots of good ideas to share!

EP and Silas got along great!  Now we can call him "Uncle Eric".  Yay!

Everyone was very generous with gifts for all of the kids again this year....

Phoebe and Sarah especially like these new scarves that Aunt Jan made for them.

Some of the adults participated in a gift exchange.  Some of the gifts exchanged were Broncos t-shirts (although, I think the same people that brought them went home with them), a KU hoodie, salsa and jelly, blankets, movies, towels, Hobby Lobby gift card, trail mix, and vintage metal signs.

Eric makes this funny sound now, near Silas's neck and ear, that makes him smile and laugh.  It makes me laugh too when Silas gets all little boy giggly... too cute!

When my cousin Jessica was born I was in the 7th grade.  I was so excited to have this new baby girl cousin!  When I saw that she had blue eyes just like me, I started calling her my "blue-eyed buddy", and I occasionally still call her that.  (Apparently this may have caused someone (Lindsee), to feel a little left out... She has green/hazelish colored eyes.  She finally after all these years told me this at the Hastings gathering while Jess and I were posing for this "blue-eyed buddy" picture.... Then looking around at everyone's eye colors at the table she declared that she and Camryn are the "Crazy Hazels"...or something like that.  Well, whatever makes you happy.  I am just glad to have my "blue-eyed buddy" ).

Hastings love a good game of "Pounce".  Some people also call this game "Nerts".  It is a crazy fast game played with lots of cards.  And the more people that play, the crazier and more fun it gets.  Notice in the Pounce game being played in the picture below there are eleven people crammed around the table.

Teams of more Pounce players shown below... Dad and Drew, Lindsee, Jackson and Beki, Camryn and Johannah, Mom and Jess, and EP and Me.  Mom and Jess were the winners.  They are good!

Merry Christmas Hastings family!  Thanks for a good time and great memories again this year.

Gifts From Texas

We opened the gifts that were sent to us all from Texas on the 24th.  The girls got some great music, games and princess things from Grandma Sharon.  I got a Coke ornament and Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel lotions.  (One of my favorite scents! Yay!)

Silas got a cute little spring outfit and a musical toy.

Both girls couldn't wait to look at these new princess books from Bret, Andrea and Ayden.  Sarah really like the Pinkalicious puzzle from Grandma.  Phoebe was very excited about this new princess carriage set from Grandma.  She wanted to stop everything and play with it immediately!   And, Sarah had one other gift from Grandma, but we had her wait to open it until Christmas morning because it went with something that we had gotten for her.

Lastly, Eric, he thought his present from his mom was great!  Coffees, jellies, salsas, and seasonings.  A perfect gift for him!

Thank you Sharon, Bret, Andrea, and Ayden for all of our great Christmas gifts.

Dedication

Ready for church...

We had Silas's dedication on Sunday, December 23rd, during our church service.  Silas was very attentive, watching Pastor John King, and smiling at him throughout the dedication.

Prayer ~ "Our Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this service of dedication, and pray thy blessing upon these parents of this child.  May the child grow up to be a person after thine own heart.  May these parents be enabled by thy spirit to train this child, that he may grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man.  We here now dedicate Silas to you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen."

Our family with Pastor King after the dedication.

Our Family left to right: Eric Paul, Lindsee, Paul, Gloria, Sarah, Silas, Eric, 

Me (Stacee), Wyonna, Phoebe, and Charles

Merry Christmas ~ 2012

Merry Christmas from our family to YOU!

May you be blessed in the coming year with happiness, comfort, and love.
Cherish the small moments.  Laugh out loud.  Read a good book.  Hug long and often.  Sing glorious Christmas carols and old hymns.  Sit by the fire.  Hold hands.  Drink hot chocolate with marshmallows.  Write a letter to someone.  Remember fondly Christmases past, and those that made it special for you.
Say I love you...Say it now and say it often.

And, remember the reason for the season, and give God your thanks... for on that night so long ago in a town far away, a baby was born.... "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11 

 He came to earth to save everyone.  A baby so meek and mild... a man so strong and kind, God's son. 

 "That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.  "Don't be afraid!" he said.  "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven -  praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those whom God is pleased."  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem!  Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  Luke 2:8-15

In 2013 may you each be a light in this world, a light in the darkness.  And SHINE!  Place your hope and trust in Him, and go with me to tell others of the good news.  

Shine for Jesus!

December Schoolwork

December was packed with learning, friends and fun!

Me: Did you learn anything new this month?

Sarah: "Reading some new sight words..."

Me: The weather has been colder this month.  What do you do at recess when it is very cold outside?

Sarah: "We play inside. Legos.  We color too and we play Lincoln Logs.  And, we play puzzles, baby dolls and doctor stuff to doctor the babies."

Me:  Did your class get to go to any Christmas assemblies this month?  What did you like about them?

Sarah: "Yes.  A concert.  The boys and girls played instruments.  They were little kids.  I think they played Jingle Bells.  I think.  The next show was a Christmas show, but I forgot what was in it."

Me: One day last week your class got to have "Polar Express Day".  What was special about that day?

Sarah: "We got to have Hot Cocoa, or Sprite, or Dr.Pepper, or pop.  We got to watch Polar Express.  And we got to have pizza and the other class came into our class to sit with the kids and eat with them.  We got to wear our pajamas to school.  I wore Tinkerbell pajamas and a pink fluffy in my hair because so I would look like Tinkerbell."

In the picture below that Sarah drew...

"It is a Rudolph picture and he got born in the den, in the cave.  Santa was there too.  And then he went to school.  (Sarah, pointing at the picture... ) That is the other reindeer and that is the Coach.  And then the Abominable came.  Then Rudolph and Clarice flied all the way to the castle because they were so afraid.  And when Rudolph and Clarice got back there was one elf still working."

 On the back of the paper was this drawing below by Sarah...
"And then Rudolph and Clarice helped to get Abominable away from them because they were so scared.  And then when they throwed him into the water and then a big fish ate him.  And then Abominable got spit out and he said, "That was good.  I was so afraid".  And then he was on the island of Misfit Toys.  And do you know what that is? (Sarah, pointing at the picture)  That's a jack in the box and the other one is a scooter.  And that is the storm."