Christmas with the vBs

It's every other year. Since this year was a Bosworth family Christmas, we're celebrating with the van Bastelaars today. I didn't get many great pictures except this one of Jeff and his brother, Sean. Jeff and Sean enjoy time together but don't get enough of it. So I'm posting this picture of the two of them since who knows when the next one might be taken.

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 2014

We love our Christmas Eves--celebrating with Elizabeth's extended family and worshiping Christ's coming to earth with our church family as a close to the night.

Christmas morning is never complete without a picture of the kids sitting on the steps (in their matching pjs) waiting to descend to their Christmas gifts.

The descent each years seems to get more and more goofiness included into it. (I attributed this primarily to my oldest son.)

The gifts are enjoyed.

And then we celebrate Christmas with our family. (It alters back and forth every year.) We were able to celebrate with the Sonjus this year, as well.  It's always such a wonderful day.  

We praise God for sending His only son to earth to redeem us from our sins and the punishment we deserve because of them.  There is no reason for celebrating without Christ's birth, death, and resurrection.

Old fashion fun

Every year, Paxtang (the bureau we live in) brings Santa around for the kids to visit and get bags of goodies. Even my 11 year old still enjoys it. We know he's coming with the loud Christmas music moving down our street.

Christmas concert 2014

Every December Covenant Christian has a Christmas concert that we love attending.  Our children sing in it, which is wonderful to be apart of.  Even if they weren't in it, though, we'd still be attending. It's an incredible concert. The choir director somehow finds time to direct 3 different choirs and two select choirs--and trains them very well.  On top of that, the concert is organized around the Nine Lessons and Carols--pushing our eyes toward Jesus and His coming to earth to be our Savior.

Here are some clips of songs from it.  I'm only showing the songs that Joost and Grace were a part of, but the upper school choir is a delight to listen to, as well.

https://vimeo.com/114356282

https://vimeo.com/114684590

(Of course I couldn't leave out the picture of my 5th grade son and his friends...they're trying to look that way. :)

The annual Christmas tree hunt

Every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, we do our annual tree hunt and decorating.  It's a fun and cherished tradition.  We even watch White Christmas each time we decorate the tree.

Henry in November

A few pictures of Henry....

Henry really loves his cousin, Owen.  He and Owen (both on the right side of the table) are enjoying snacks at Owen's grandparents home.

This picture is one of Henry's favorites.  He loves construction vehicles.  (We actually call them "beep-beeps" because he enjoyed them before he could say many words, so he called them beep-beeps and the name has stuck!)  He was so happy to find this bulldozer to ride at the mall.

Daddy Katie fun

Halloween 2014

 Ah...Trick-or-treating.  Getting dressed up and getting candy.  What a wonderful night...especially all of the chocolate that enters the house.

Honestly, though, it is fun to see the kids dress up and enjoy the night with their cousins.  Joost, I think, is some form of a knight--although I'm not confidant since I'm posting this over a year later.  Grace is a cat (and even has a tail).  Kate is starring as Little Red Riding Hood.  And Henry is a cow.  He was a cow last year, too, and he decided to be a cow looking like a ghost this year, but several minutes before this picture was taken, he changed his mind and screamed and cried until I took the ghost sheet off of him.

Noah & Henry

My son has a great love for our cat.  He feeds him, pets him, lets him outside, snuggles him, and sometime annoys Noah in his great desire to show him love.  It's a very sweet relationship (although Noah may sometimes disagree and make a run for the door).

Williamsburg

This weekend, Jeff and I went away to celebrate his 40th birthday. (August isn't usually a great month to celebrate. It's busy, it's hot. October is so much better.) We went to Williamsburg in Virginia, and had such a nice time.

We toured the Governor's Mansion, watched tradesmen show us their professions, ate at Christiana Campbell's Tavern, experienced the announcements for the Revolution in the streets, and worshiped at Bruton Parish Church on Sunday morning.  We also enjoyed our time in Merchants Square.  (Be sure to eat at the DoG Street Pub and try the Salmon Salad. Also go to Aromas Bakery for their scones.)

It was a great weekend--a special time together. We thank God for giving us, in the midst of a busy life, some time here and there to enjoy our marriage.

cc: Dad.

Grace's 9th birthday

....and she's 9!

(yes, that's a bit of shock on Henry's face.  "My sister's 9?  That's so old!")

She loves bunnies, so they hopped around on her cake.

We all sang to wish her a happy birthday.

All the family was with us.

God has blessed her with 9 happy and healthy years.  He is so kind.

Dear Gracie, we are so thankful for you.  God's love and kindness was shown when He gave us you as our daughter.  You are a joyful, generous girl.  We pray that you will follow Jesus for all your days--never turning back.  

Happy 9th birthday! 

We love you!!!

Soccer season

This is Joost's first season playing soccer for Covenant Christian Academy.   

He loves the sport and is enjoying playing with his classmates and the other boys in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.  (I know the team picture is tiny--any larger and it went wacky.)

We're looking forward to the season!

1st day of school!

We're back to school!

The first morning of school is always such a joy to see each of my children start another year of learning.  Joost is in 5th grade, Grace in 3rd, and Kate is starting kindergarten!

Once at school, they unpack their first day of school supplies, and then students, staff, and faculty all meet for the opening-of -school ceremony around the flagpole. 

We pray for God's great blessing on Joost, Grace, Kate, and all their peers as they enter a new school year.

vB vacation 2014

And so another family vacation has come in the sunny town of Duck, North Carolina. We vacationed this year with Jeff's family. We stayed in a house that is probably the biggest house that I've ever slept in all of my life. It's not big because we just like a big house for vacation, but it' big because Jeff's family is really big. There were 11 adults and 17 kids in the house. There was a lot of energy and a lot of fun! So here are some pictures from our time there....

There were those who fished....

...and lots of fun in the water...

...cousins were sometimes buried...

,,,with many lazy days with family...

(oh wait...he's been buried again.)

...and special pictures of all the family to help remember the vacation.