Christmas Pictures

Ruby is very passionate about cinnamon rolls.


Nolan had a good time, but only wanted one turn.












We took a nice long walk in the woods.

Christmas Pictures

Nolan played with his Bat Mobile all day.


Lily really likes playing Pixos.



Emily bought a Paper Recycling Factory with her money from Great Grandma and Papa Lewie




Ruby ia so excited about her first laptop!
Now maybe she'll leave mommy's laptop alone.

Ruby modeling the sweater pants that I made for her.

I took apart one of Emily's old sweaters, sewed the arms together for the legs, and sewed the turtleneck to the top to make a yoga-style waistband.

Soft, comfy and warm.

Emotionally Overwhelmed.....in a good way

I don't know if it's the sleep deprivation or what, but Christmas is really getting to my heart this year. I've never gotten into the "holiday spirit" too much, whether it be materialistic giving or reflection of Christ's birth any more or less than I do on the other 364 days of the year. Furthermore, I generally don't cry very much.

Suddenly I find myself overwhelmed with emotion with every song singing of our sweet Savior's birth. Tears flow with my heart bursting in my chest if I even think about what rejoicing in Heaven was going on that night when Emanuel was born. I watch my son playing with the dog and imagine to myself God's Son laughing like that when he was three.

I was just reading the newsletter from our homeschool group, and at the bottom was Luke 2:11

"For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Needless to say, I lost it. So I wanted to share this emotional overload with all of you who read this. For I know that you are the ones who love me; my dear friends, my family, the ones who have known my hardened heart and have prayed for my babies. I love all of you and I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Our bond of love and sisterhood is through our Christ Jesus who came to us on Earth and is preparing a place for us in Heaven with Him.

Merry Christmas

Family Update

I've been in a sleepless daze the last 4 months, hence the very few posts recently. Ruby has been teething since September, so she's only slept through the night once since then. There's two teeth coming through at the same time. I've tried just letting her cry it out, but that wakes up the other kids and then it's even harder to get some rest. I'm also wanting her to be quiet so that Paul doesn't wake up. He's been working 18 hour days lately, plus weekends, so I've been trying to help him out as much as possible. Sometimes during the day I just sit there and watch the kids play. I love to just watch them play together and listen to them pretend. I also don't have pictures to post because I can't remember to buy batteries for my camera.

I took Nolan to the doctor today for his 3 year check-up. He weighed in at 27.5 lbs. and 39 inches tall. That puts him statistically in the 10% for his weight and 90% for height. Tall and skinny! That's how all my kids are, but Nolan even more so.

Family Photos

Lily thought she was stepping into a puddle, but it turned out to be a deep part of the pond.

Happy Birthday, Nolan!!!

This morning, as Nolan was helping me make his birthday cake, we had the following conversation:

Me: "What do you want to eat for dinner since it's your birthday?"

Nolan: "My birthday cake." (I'm guessing he thought he was going to eat it as soon as it was done baking)

Me: "No, what do you want for dinner tonight when Daddy comes home?"

Nolan: "Left-over birthday cake."



Patience is not something acquired upon the third birthday.

Making Playdough

Ruby is pulling up to everything and is so pround of herself.

Today the little ones made playdough. They had just as much fun making it as they did playing with it when it was done. My camera batteries died, so I didn't get a picture of the end result.

This is the recipe we used:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt

1/4 cup water

Mix flour and salt, then add water. Add food coloring. Knead. I had to add a little extra water.

This recipe was a little stiff, but I had all of the ingerdients. I always like new recipies so please share if you have any.

Lily and Nolan wanted to type their names

LILY JEAN ROLLINS

nolan rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


That looks like the perfect example of a two-year-old's attention span: good one minute, hyper the next, and off to something else.

Ruby

Weekend Fun - The Toccoa Harvest Festival

Adam climbing the wall.


Nolan was mesmerized by the racecars.



Petting zoo

Nolan liked the cars.

Mommy's little man.

Weekend Fun

Nolan feeding Ruby his yogurt. He loves being a big brother.


The kids watching the CNC cut out shelves for their bedrooms. Lily always has to strike a pose.



Hanging out around the campfire.

Latest Pictures

Thanks for my cool new jacket, Papa Denny! I love it!





Ruby is trying to stand up now. Paul was playing with her in the floor and she used him as something to pull herself up.




Ignore that slouchy woman in the background. I have no idea who she is.

Good Gifts

Our family has really been blessed by the effort we have made to eating well. I love baking all of our own bread, muffins and cookies from flour that I have milled myself and sweetening it all with honey. Cutting out artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners for my family feels good. Cookies for breakfast is normal around our house because the cookies here are healthier than most of the breakfast foods for sale.

This morning I was handing Nolan his muffin and I said, "I love giving you good things" (truly good, not just good tasting) and I realized that if I love giving good things to my children, how much more our Heavenly Father LOVES to give good things to His children. Not just material blessings in His good timing, but truly good things like the Fruit of the Spirit. He is holding these truly good and perfect gifts for us, we just have to accept them.

She Said "Mama" First!

Ruby has been saying, "Mama Mama" for four days now and it is so sweet. At first she was only saying it when she cried for me to get her out of her crib, so I thought it was a fluke. Yesterday and today she will look at me and say it over and over so I know it's for real. All of the other kids said "Dada" first and then called for me shortly after, but Ruby is my little sweetie.

Lily showed me that she can climb up onto the counter without any help or using a chair. She is growing up fast.

Happy Birthday, Emily!!!

My baby turns nine years old today! We went to an Italian restaurant where the waiter sang to her in Italian. Her growing up is bittersweet for me.

I love you, Emily!

Log Cabin Village

Today we went to the Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth. The weather is beautiful and it was a great day to tour the restored cabins. All of the cabins are from the surrounding counties. We got a few demonstrations and I think Emily would have loved to stayed all day.
Candle Making

Weaving Loom

Our favorite part was dressing up

I had to get in on it, too.

Impromptu Vacation

Our first stop was an overnight stay with our friends in Alabama. Tonya is so wonderful to open up her home to us. We had such a good time. Nine kids in a house and they were all so good.

We went to the park.

Lily and Lyra

Ruby's first time on the grass. Too bad it was Alabama grass.