The Wrestling match of Winter

This is a literal wrestling match. A new sport for our family...normally our eldest has played basketball, so we have been learning the rules of this very intensive sport. I know he is the one wrestling...but I too usually feel exhausted after his matches as I am involuntarily trying to help him with my muscles from the stands. He has learned so much and grown alot in this sport. We are very proud of him for his determination in changing direction and sticking with it with perseverance and a great attitude. He was able to wrestle in his first JV tournament this weekend and took 2nd place for his weight class. Way to go Bud! So, the next two pics are of a different type of wrestling match in our area. This is the one between winter and spring. Where ever you live this may not be the case...but here in our fair city...it seems like winter shows itself in one breath...

and then in the next...frosty has melted to a pathetic size and we see signs of spring. I'm thankful that the grass is always greener on the other side...as it gets closer to spring that is...I say bring it on!

Happy New Year!

I started back to my regular work schedule this week and so wanted to post these earlier...but it just didn't happen. We had a great first Christmas with Matt! We really tried to keep the emphasis on Jesus birthday and did a lot of role playing (as you will see below). We ended our vacation with a short weekend trip to the mountains where we shared time with friends, played games and had fun in the snow. It was a great way to bring in the New Year! I hope whatever you did that the Lord blessed you with a joyous celebration of His birth, lots of snuggles with loved ones, and not too many extra pounds :O) Waking up Christmas morning and getting ready to open stockings. Matt and Esther were sooo excited...it made everything more fun!!

Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a donkey, an angel, two "wise guys", and one "mean king" as Ess and Matt call him. The E Team family players perform for a very special drama.

A star...a star...which led them to the new born babe. Matt and Esther loved their stable.
After sledding in the mountains (which Matt loved going "faster, faster"), we found a little hide away under a pine tree and the kids crawled in. Can you believe it was only 8 degrees in this picture? Somehow, with the sun shining and our bodies moving, we stayed nice and warm.