Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! Wishing you a day of
peace and love! 

The Prichards

Sunday Snapshot- Prepartations

Just like everyone else there has been a lot of preparations around here. Seems as they all love their own parts.  Miss Kate, in her cool relaxed manner, just loves to hang out and see what everyone else is up to. 

These cookies were Riley's creation.  This boy loves to cook and bake.  The good news is we gave most of these away but I see another batch in our future.  I wasn't sure the kitchen would survive but a huge mess is so worth the memories! 

Truly a time for reflection on all the blessings of our life.  Hoping through all the wrapping, cookies, parties, that the true meaning of giving is being shown to our little loves!

Favorite Friday Photo-Christmas Carols

This Christmas season has found this little musician a little busy.  She has played in front of a crowded church and will do it again on Tuesday night. You would think she would be a little nervous, after all I was nervous for her.  She takes it all in stride and apparently loves to play with really no nerves. 

I love Christmas music and hearing her play it daily has been a treat.  I believe in my heart this is the talent God gave her.  It was bitterly cold this night in this little country church as I listened to Katie play. It is in these moments I think of her birth parents, hoping in some way their hearts hear the music of this little one.

Favorite Friday Photo- Tears and Trees

We have all seen those movies that are the Hallmark kind. The family goes out to find the tree on a beautiful day and right in front of them is that beautiful tree with children singing Christmas carols all around them.  It was kind of like that:)  The day was beautiful with lots of snow and the sun shining down.  Only one problem some forgot their coats and none wore snow pants.  This lead to tears very quickly and a selection of a tree that was the fastest I have ever seen.

In the end the tree is up, a few gifts wrapped, and we are getting close to ready.  Brian and I laugh now when we think about this day. It isn't the first tree hunt with tears and it won't be the last I am sure.  The truth is life doesn't work like Hallmark but we can keep still hoping it will one day!

A weekend is ahead of us full of baking, a tap performance, and hopefully a Christmas card will get written.  Wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

Little by Little- A treat

A little treat from the greenhouse on this very cold December week!

 

Sunday Snap Shot - Snow Fun

"Cousins are usually the first friends we have as children  No one will ever understand your crazy family like your cousins do even if you haven't talked to much lately."



A full week of fun has passed including a lot of sledding time!



I can still hear their screams of laughter as they went down the hill! 

Life is about to resume but we sure had fun playing this past week. We have had a lot of family time, the tree is up, and a Christmas photo shoot is set for tomorrow! Think we are ready for a schedule again with a little mad rush of the holiday season!

Sunday Snapshot- A catch up with Mr Andrew

I am trying to catch up and really wanted these photos on the blog that I took awhile ago.  This was before we had no leaves and there was no snow on the ground and Mr Andrew loves to be in front of the camera. 

The boy eats it up and has his own idea for poses and what he wants to wear.

Of course the real Andrew steps in and I love these photos of him because this is really him all silly and loving life.

He stole my heart when I meet him and he still does!

We are on break all week! Yeah that means evenings without crock pot meals and a chance to catch up on being a family and a little bit of life.  We have cousins here tonight and will see more in the days to come.  Six little heads sleeping in our house tonight so much to be thankful for!

 

Favorite Friday Photo- Date with a little lady

Brianna and I found a couple hours on a Saturday to have a little time just the two of us.  It was her choice what to do so it was all about breakfast out and then a little local shopping.  It is easy to be with Brianna as she loves to talk and keeps me informed of all that is happening. 

She is in third grade and yet almost as tall as me. I know for you that know me that isn't saying a whole lot:)  She wears almost my shoe size and is rather proud of that.  This little lady is full of heart and soul. 

We had a great time and completed it with a little shopping.  I really hope one day my kids remember these moments with just me.

Life has been moving in a very fast pace but we are now on break and that is exciting. A week of thankfulness is upon us and with it family, food, fun! 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! 

Favorite Friday Photo- Hello Miss Katie...

A Friday afternoon just may find some kids like this but none of them can tune out the whole world like this one.  Even as I took these photos she never looked up once and has such a unique ability to escape!

She will disappear often with her "stack" of books.  I would say I am just a little envious. I wonder if I disappeared with my stack if anyone would notice:)

I  have been blessed this last month with customer sessions and am so excited about that.  For this reason Halloween has not appeared on our blog, but it will after all I did age a little for the day!  The new business is so exciting. I too love to hide behind a book but to be a photographer I will have to be less hidden that is for sure!

Sunday Snapshot-National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month. A month that is close to my heart.  After all two of my greatest loves are adopted.  I know what it is to look into eyes that don't match yours and feel a love that is as deep as the ocean.  I know that it is not always easy but I have found families who are traveling our same path and believing in children that are so worthy of love, patience, and hope.

The number of orphans in the world is more than this mind can comprehend.  It is a number that means so many children who have no one to say "I love you" daily to them, tuck them under warm blankets, and teach them the beauty of a being read to.  On a weekly basis there are stories that touch my heart to the soul of the most vulnerable among us and my prayers are always with them in mind. 

As I feed my kids and really look at how blessed we are and the fact we don't know cold or hungry it seems so unfair that we have so much and these little ones have so little. I don't think that fact will ever escape me, and for that reason I will always long for "just one more".

Adoption  also touched my sister's family.  That journey held days of sheer pain and at times the lack of hope.  A journey that started with news that rocked all our worlds. I now see that the news that tore at our hearts had to happen for one day adoption to be a thought for them and a beautiful baby girl to find a home.  It is amazing how all the pieces fit together.

On this Sunday I am praying that the pieces fit together for all those little ones laying in cribs somewhere or the older ones just hoping beyond hope for a family of their own find a way "home". After all isn't that where we all want to be:)

Sunday Snapshot- Grapes and hidden treasures

Grape picking was part of our October activities. My Dad and brother in law are avid wine makers so with it comes some time in the vineyard.  Of course I love to pick but what I really love is to take photos there and look who I found under those wines! 



There were a ton of grapes it seemed!  They were so pretty with all the fall leaves around them. 

Then as I looked around I didn't find these two under any vines they prefer to be on top on the world climbing whatever they find.

Oh October is almost gone. I can't believe it.  I am still loving the colors they are amazing right now...maybe time for just a couple more photo shoots before they say goodbye!

Apples and Pumpkin

The other day the kids, all four of them, asked to make pies. As with everything at our house they all had their opinion about their favorite kinds. It came down to pumpkin and apple.  So we had a  rare afternoon free and pies we did make!

 I let them do it in their own way.  It is hard not to have an opinion or fix this or that but truth be told I was busy running from kid to kid to worry too much about the details.

We ended up with two wonderful pies but mostly I ended up with memories. I really hope when I am old I remember these days. Not the big event days but the little days that make up life. One day I really going to miss these eight little hands in my kitchen helping.


 

Changing seasons

The truth is we don't have a lot of trees in our yard so when our kids see leaves in a yard they can't wait to play.

Katie spent her time collecting leaves "to save".  Andy is all about playing any game that involves a soccer ball or football. He is constantly throwing or kicking a ball it seems. I can hear them hitting the house or bouncing on the roof. 



Fall however may be short lived as we had our first snow this week. That too excited the kids in every way possible. They quickly started thinking of snowmen and hot chocolate. 

As for me oh please let there be more fall. I am not ready for the beauty to leave and the bare branches to come. I am not ready for "where are my gloves" and "these boots don't fit" so maybe fall can hang on a little longer!



Favorite Friday Photo-A quarter over

One quarter into middle school and Riley is loving life.  I spent some time worrying how he would do with this transition.  Those were moments I didn't need to spend worrying. 

He has been playing a couple games a week and even though he is so tired afterwards you can tell he just loves the competition and aggressiveness it brings out. 

He is dreaming of his own room.  I have told him by the end of the month I will have a room ready in the basement. Oh I am hoping I can make that goal...maybe just a little less sleep!

Wishing you all a great weekend!