A not so white Christmas in Michigan - 2014

It was a unique Christmas in that we were able to spend it with all of Lee's immediate family (Parents, siblings, spouses).  We had a great time all together!  It doesn't happen often, so when it does we really try to soak up our time together. 

Lee's parents are officially retiring this June after being in the Philippines for close to 40 years, and they are living in MI, so what better way to celebrate that then by making a video...Do You Want to Build a Snowman? We made this video last fall for a retirement party for them when there was no snow...so we had to get creative...and Lee was out of town, so I did the filming, it would have been way cooler if he did it, but we still think it turned out cute!:)  

 

The only problem...when went to MI for Christmas...there was no snow!  Ha!  That has since changed:)  Our Christmas with family...

We played LOTS of games...like LOTS and LOTS of games!

Art lessons with Ate Mart

Family pictures...making memories

The Book with No Pictures...if you have not read this book...a MUST read.  I think 3 of my kids have it memorized.

Dad with his 3 kids all grown up!

Celebrated a certain someones birthday!

The Children's museum...a hot spot for our kiddos

Snuggles for Lola

Catching up with the Nordines - the winter addition

Ok Jessie B., since I'm pretty sure you're one of the only people that checks my (pretty non-existent) blog, this one is for you (and me and ok, whoever else wants to read about our life).  And I probably should be doing other things right now, but well...they'll get done eventually, right?  I mean, the laundry that was there yesterday, will be there tomorrow? 

It's only been since last Saturday that it's been officially Spring, but wow, does it already seem like long ago that it was like this...

 

And Lee survived his 1st time ever (and probably last time ever) skiing. 

 

And when we couldn't go outside and play we did lots of indoor things like this...

bake Great-great-grandma's Swedish Cardamom rolls...you find the recipe in my Dad's book Elda's Destiny

 Spa night...

 Movie...

 Puzzles...(like LOTS of puzzles)...

And then when we started to get bit by cabin fever we ended up looking like this...

and started dreaming about going to Hawaii...(support Centershot Hawaii)

 Ok, seriously, I got this in the mail...is that not a sign from God???  Seems clear to me. 

And when you think life is doing to slow down, there is this bug (who is almost 1 by the way) who keeps me on my toes and she GETS INTO EVERYTHING! 

I know this is a super amended short version, but that's our life in a nutshell (winter addition).  There is always a lot happening with these little people we call our family!  The Lord is so very good!!!  I often wonder how people do life without Him.  If you don't, you can today!  Start searching, start asking questions! 

Girls

People often ask me if I (or Lee) wish we had a boy...the answer: nope!  God blessed us with four amazing girls!  All different and unique in their own way!  Not to mention I kind of like this play salon phase they are going through.  Yesterday I got a "relaxation treatment."  Nice.  Yea, maybe someday the drama will come (it does on occasion now), but for now I'm going to enjoy all the girliness that comes with having girls.  I recently read in a book,"If he [God] is all-wise, then he's not going to do everything I want because I don't know what I need."  He knew I needed girls!  

The Very Hungry Caterpillar...

...read by Klara Jane

(this video I took a few months ago, but I just think it's the cutest thing of her "reading."  My favorite part..."zip zooped.")

Fall

Ok friends, don't gasp...fall isn't my favorite season!  I'm a full blown, "I love summer" girl...however, there things I do enjoy & love about fall.  One is our yearly visit to the pumpkin patch.  Mostly just enjoying how much the kids love it.  The animals, hayride, face painting, etc.  This year was a little sad because Lee had to work the night we went and we all missed him being in on the fun, but Grandma & Papa joined us and it was fun to have them along.

I also enjoy our annual small group pumpkin carving contest!  It's always fun to see how creative people get!  Not to mention the great fellowship with some of the people we love the most!  So Lee was out of town this year right before the contest, so the day of the contest was like an all day pumpkin carving, cleaning out, planning day!  It's a Nordine totem pole!:)  You can't really tell in the picture but each pumpkin has something unique about each own of us...Isabel (missing teeth), Ana (earrings), Klara (long eyelashes), Maya (paci), etc.  The end result turned out pretty cool...see for yourself.

Note Worthy

Lee and I celebrated being married 10 years this past June!  As I look back on the last 10 years of our life I think, "Wow!"  Never in all of my dreaming could I have dreamed up all the things, places, people, etc. that has made up our life together!   We have been truly blessed!  It makes me excited for the next 10 years (and hopefully many more) and how God will work in our lives!  And that is our desire, to keep serving Him together and see where He takes us!  

We were talking tonight with the girls about Job and all the things in life God gave Him, but all the things He allowed to be taken away.  And Jobs response through it all was that He still trusted God through all of it!  I want that to be my prayer for us.  No matter what, the good, the bad, and the ugly...we keep trusting The Lord in our marriage & in life.  

Lee is such an caring, awesome Husband who more often than not puts everyone else before himself, probably me the most.  This past week while he was home recovering from his surgery we had some of the best laughs, even though he kept saying, "don't make me laugh, it hurts."  Which of course made us laugh all the more.  We always say, "I love you more...than yesterday."  So thankful how true that statement is!  

I love you Lee!

Soccer

The girls have played soccer this fall.  It's the first sport we have put them in.  They both have had so much fun playing.  We've had to work with them some on not being such girly girls and getting in there and being aggressive...ha!  Each game I see them get a little better and it's fun to watch.  Their teams are the Panthers and the Cheetahs!  It's been stretching for me cause I'm pretty much a fair weather soccer fan!  You know, when it's warm and nice I'm loving it, but the 40 degree games, not so much!  Although, we all bundle up and still get out there and cheer!!!  I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of excited the last game is this weekend.  It's gets a little bit colder each week.  Since last night was the last practice (they have practice once a week), the parents got to scrimmage all the kids, while playing with their left foot.  Fun times!  I might have been a tad sore this morning. 

It's a rough life cheering on sisters!  

Trying to get past Mom

Ana playing goalie