Advent and Christmas in Pictures

I have been hoping to find time to write more about our Advent and Christmas but find myself busy enough away from the computer.  I loaded these pictures just after Christmas and still haven't composed a post.  So, I'm just going to caption the pictures and call it good...moving on from here.

Decorating the tree.  The ornament has a picture of her first Christmas, December 2007.

Lots of low hanging ornaments!

Working together.

We put the trees up while my mom was here.  The girls thought it was so fun and I was so grateful for the help! 

Erik and the baby friendly Nativity

My brother John visited in Advent to seek out nomination for "favorite Uncle," sorry Tom!

 

Katie helping write some of our Christmas letters.

 

Some lucky folks received letters signed by her hand!

 

Cutting out Gingerbread Cookies!  We'll definitely make these next year- YUM!

 

Just before Christmas (the 20th and 21st) we got our snow!  Beautiful White Christmas!

 

When the cousins arrived we celebrated with ribs off the smoker!  Jacob ate his fair share!

Christmas morning!

 

 

She wound up with those socks in the Snyder $10 exchange...along with her coveted nail polish!

 

Two sledders!

 

Christmas pretzels thanks to Aunt Micki and Mary Frances.  Beautiful and delicious!

 

Playing Fibber with the cousins.  Just the glasses with noses for the game are funny!

 

And finally, a cute baby picture...all tuckered out from the holidays!

Yes, Lord! VBS 2012

This year our parish didn't host a Vacation Bible School (we'd gone every summer since Katie's birth!) and I was totally bummed.  It didn't work out on our calendar to go elsewhere and the closest parish ended up not doing theirs either. :-(  So, my dear friend Rachael and I decided to do our own.  We took inspiration from other mothers who've done the same and from our years in Totus Tuus and thus VBS 2012 Yes, Lord!

Our week having preschool age children in mind was three mornings of Vacation Bible School rather than the whole week/day long.  We decided to focus on three Old Testament Bible Stories (Noah, Moses, David) and three coinciding mysteries of the Rosary (the first three Joyful Mysteries).  The day consisted of songs, prayer, lessons about each story and mystery, craft, snack and game.  It was enough for our crowd (5 yr. old, 4 yr. old, and two 2 yr. olds, plus a newborn and mom and a pregnant mom) who had occasional meltdowns or moments of being uncooperative (no, I didn't have the meltdown!).  The kids however had a BLAST!  And there were moments of great joy for us moms, too in seeing cooperation, learning and excitement about our faith!

We didn't take many pictures but here are a few off of my phone to share.  I wish we could have had video of the game station- what a hoot!  Especially the Crossing of the Red Sea!  I think we crossed it at least a dozen times before it got old and they wanted to play it again the next day!  If you're interested in our outline or anything like that I'd be happy to share.  Nothing too time consuming!

The stage was set!  Day one- Noah

Snack Time!

The big girls showing off their work!

Crafts!

Our smallest and cutest helper!

The attendees sporting their VBS 2012 T-shirts and smiles.

A Paint Job...

I've been meaning to post these for awhile now.  We've done some updating with painting some of the rooms/walls in the new house.  It really has given the space a needed facelift.  And I'm loving the colors!  I haven't included rooms where we haven't painted in this post.

Living room, this color is also painted in the foyer and hallway.

Living room window wall- you can't see the color if I include the LARGE window in the shot.  I like to call this color 'Fifth Day Bruise' - its a brown/grey/green hue. 

Bathroom

Other wall in the bathroom with me and the towels in disaray.

Accent wall in our bedroom (this is the only wall we painted in there) with boxes left to unpack/store.

Can you see the difference in the accent wall (left) and the original room color (right)?  I am LOVING IT!  Thanks Mom!

Original color in our room with some pictures hung.

Picking up where we left off...

Well, you may or may not have noticed a brief hiatus.  There are many reasons-
One is that ever elusive balance of a life as a stay at home mom and homemaker. 
Two is that I haven't hardly been able to make it though a day without a nap this pregnancy.  So when the girls go down I've been going down and then have to manage, supper, laundry, tidying and cleaning while they are awake which seems to perpetuate a cycle as I am more tired in the evenings...do you get the picture?
Three could be that there just has been a plethora of other things to do and keep busy with around here.  It is our first summer here and I must say I have tried to enjoy every minute of it.  Each day seems to bring a new discovery (most of which have been out doors). 

Regardless, you're due for an update from our life on the Mississippi....

The garden is in full bloom.  And with Kurt's encouragement and perseverance on both our part is it the best looking garden we've had yet!  Weeds be gone! 

The Trumpeting Vines are announcing the beginning of June!

Everything in the landscaping has got at least a year to prove/show itself.  These massive trellises of Trumpeting Vines were a big question mark but they look BEAUTIFUL full of flowers.

Our orchard was spared frost this season and the apples, pears and plums are coming in like CrAzY!  With the mild winter and early spring here we'll be harvesting before we know it! 

Parties interested in helping with the harvest will be paid in fruit!

And in the fruits of the fruit...this is the beginnings of something old

Being made 'new'

Kurt purchased this cider press for his birthday while we were in MI and is in the process of restoring the basket and a few other pieces.  We were in awe of the size and are excited to see it evolve.

The idea is something like this but more on the antique scale.  I'll try to have a few more updating posts...I've had some painting done.  We've been to the zoo, MI, MN and celebrated two birthdays and an anniversary since I've last posted!

A Bit of Happiness

When you have to change all the sheets in the house in a day...putting the ones that remind you of coffee cup stains on the bed is a bit of happiness.

So is spotting this (from behind because they probably wouldn't look as happy if I came around with a camera) after cleaning up the dishes...with piles of laundry left to fold in the background.

I'll take a bit of happiness and run with it!

For Sale

The only thing somewhat good about having your house for sale is that (with much effort) it stays pretty clean.  And looks VERY nice.  

Unfortunately between trying to keep it looking nice and packing I haven't had much time to blog here. 

I've got some St. Nick's Day pictures I'll post soon.  And we may be able to go in the 'new' house this weekend and take a few pictures as well as make a few plans for an 'easier' move. 

St. Joseph, patron of homes for sale (an saint for J week), Pray for us!

Our New Space

Well as fore mentioned I made a few changes to the blog.  I wish I were a bit more savvy at such things as I would figure out how to add a few 'tabs' to the top too.  But, I haven't figured it out yet. However you'll notice you can now follow by email for my friends and family who aren't addicted to blog reading like me!  Also, you'll notice that I've decided to change the name (though not the address) of the blog.  That's because though we're not changing names we are changing addresses!  After much discernment I decided on just "Environs" (the second runner up was Life on the Mississippi- Kurt nixed that one).  By definition-

Environs (en-ver-uhnz)

1.

the surrounding parts or districts, as of a city; outskirts; suburbs.

2.

surrounding objects; surroundings; environment.

3.

an area or space close by; vicinity.

The initial idea for the name Life in Kieler and Environs came from a map that used to hang in my grandpa's house, it showed the lake he lived on and the surrounding area and there was a small plaque labeling it Kleutch Lake and environs.  Now, with a move from Kieler proper it will be shortened to Environs.  I like to think of this blog space as some place close by not just for me but for visitors too.  And when we're on the outskirts of something we continue to be people on the move and on the way to Something Greater.   So thank you for joining us on the journey in this space!

And now, the journey continues as we signed on this home today-

Our New Home!

View from the front yard to the backyard.  Yes, that's The River (Mississippi).

My cousin, Heidi, and Julia in front of the apple orchard.

A view from the orchard back at the house.

The rest of the back of the house. You can just barely see the cap garage on the far left.

As you can see, we have a view from the deck. 

The view heading down river.

The "Pine Grove"

The Almost After

We are not quite done with the remodel but I know a few folks have been waiting to see the after pictures.  Because the project isn't completely finished these will be the almost after pictures.  Also, please pardon any messes you might see in these shots as we're still working on the living in the new space details. 

Taken from the dining room into the kitchen.

One of my favorite cabinet features are the two doored cabinets where I can access my tableware from the kitchen or dining room.  Also, you can see some of the cabinet detailing in this picture.

From the living room at the dining room and new stool friendly counter.  The girls and I are loving breakfasts at the bar!  Notice how wonderful the vinyl floor is for sweeping messes and wiping spills?  Beats that carpet any day!

Kitchen counter top and sink- still cluttered because the electrical and tile isn't in yet and a few items are waiting for permanent homes.

New additional cabinets and microwave shelf that are mounted into the wall adjacent the kitchen.  Its not the best angle but I haven't figured out a better place to take the picture from yet.

And the floor, it goes from the entry into the laundry, kitchen, dining room and ends in the hallway....beautiful!

Hopefully I'll be able to add the final pictures sooner rather than later.  But that should quench the curiosity of a few.