Christmas

I can't believe that it is already over. Christmas time is so much more beautiful and magical with a child. Every Christmas just gets better and better. We were able to spend Christmas with people we love and care deeply for. Christmas Eve was spent at my dad's family's house. Christmas morning was spent at home with my mom's family and Christmas night was spent at my in-laws house with siblings and cousins. Judah loved opening gifts, I don't know if he was so much interested in the actual gifts as he was in opening them. Before he could finish opening one gift, he was already looking to open another gift. We had to slow him down to appreciate what each gift was! He now has so many toys that he could probably open his own small toy store. I need to figure out a toy rotation or something because there is absolutely no room for them all!
Judah still hasn't quite grasped that Santa came to our house with the reindeer and brought him a gift, maybe next year he'll understand it more!

 Judah's cousin James

 On Christmas Eve before bed Judah got to open his Christmas pj's and new book to read before bed

I totally forgot to take pictures at my husband's parents house but I took a quick picture of Judah with one of his cousins before we left

Side note- I totally procrastinated and took Judah to see Santa on Christmas Eve. 2 hours later, every time the woman tried to get Judah to smile he would smile and look over at me. Cute of him, but maybe next year we'll get him to look at the camera!

4th of July Weekend

This weekend was filled with a lot of family time. Between school, work, and just little things that we fill our lives with, it sometimes feel that we don't have much uninterrupted family time. On July 3rd we went to a local firework show at the park. That was very different than last year. Last year we had an almost 3 month old. There was more soothing and comforting. This year there was running around on the playground and playing on open fields of grass with Judah's ball.
On the 4th we stopped by my dads house to pick up a box of fireworks for Judah and mostly watched the neighbors fireworks. Besides the fireworks, there was a lot of downtime this weekend which we filled with naps, lounging, and Church. It was a good weekend with much needed family time.

Family Pictures

With becoming a family of 3, it's important to me that we have professional photos taken every year. I think it's great to take photos around this time of year because they can also be used for Christmas cards. Sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge to find a great photographer within the price range we can afford. Luckily, Daniel has a cousin who captures amazing moments and she was able to squeeze us in for a last minute mini session a couple weeks ago. Here are some of my favorites from our shoot.
* All photos are taken by Sue Wheelock Photography

We bought a goat!

Source

So with Christmas just around the corner, I'm beginning to think about gifts. I'm actually about half way done with Christmas shopping which I am very pleased with! I really enjoy Christmas time. The coziness of everything, the cool weather (which really means mid-seventies in Southern California) the joy on someone's face when they open their gifts, and most of all the importance and remembrance of Christ's birth. I'm so fortunate when I sit down and look around. I have an amazing supportive husband, an adorable and pure son, a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. What more could I need? Well, that is where the goat comes in.
I told my husband that I didn't want a gift this year. I know I'll be getting gifts from other relatives and friends and I simply do not need anything... But others do. I told him to take the money that he would spend on me, and use it to help someone else. I had a magazine for World Vision and showed it to him. He told me to pick something out that I wanted to give.
Thus, the goat. They reproduce which can be used for trading or selling, they are useful for milk and cheese, and their waste is used to fertilize. An animal that I might otherwise see in a petting zoo and think smells, is saving someone else's life.
No I'm not in a remote part if the world helping AIDs patients or doing something extravagant, but I'm doing what I can. I'm not here to boast about what I've done, but I do want to challenge you. We're not called to be comfortable. We're called to help those in need. I really urge whomever is reading this to give back somehow this holiday season. Whether it's volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating canned goods or clothes to a needy cause, we're all able to do something. A perk to giving back is that it feels so rewarding.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, 
for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16

4th of July recap

I've never really been one to be excited about the 4th of July. I'm not really that into fireworks but I did want to do something because it was Judah's first 4th of July. On July 3rd we went to a 4th of July celebration at a local park where they had food, entertainment and fireworks. I was nervous that Judah would be scared or that it would be too loud for him but he loved it! 

On the 4th, we mostly stood inside but went out for a little while to see the neighbors fireworks. My brother also wanted to show Judah some fireworks. He was more interested in looking at the fireworks than he was taking photos.