Snow Time

Marshall gets to have to opportunity to play with libby in the Snow.  Its a bigger Job than I can handle so I gladly let them have that fun together.  She watched him shovel the snow and then put on her snow clothes and went out to have fun with her daddy.  She talks about that snowman still and its been about a week. 

I think she will love to go on a sled behind the 4-wheeler, with dad of course.  I am glad the snow finally showed up for Christmas.

Family Pictures

We took family pictures with the Hooper's.  The last time we had pictures was 2 months after we were married so it has been a while and there have been 4 new additions to the family.  So here is a peek at some of the pictures of our family.

this is our favorite picture!

Libby is a Silly Goose

We like to tell Libby that she is a silly goose.  Here are a few silly goose moments this week.

After being put to bed because I had bunco at my house.  She sat calling my name "Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom" for 20 min after everyone left she decided on a new tactic.  "Mom, I have to talk to you!" So cute!

While dancing to no music but her own made up kind, and spinning in circles she would say
" I... (spin in a circle)... just want to  spin around (spin in a circle)... I... (spin in a circle)... am a princess...(spin in a circle)."  so funny to watch I wish I could have had my camera out to record it.


She comes running into the living room from her room and says
 " Mom wheres MY ipod?"
I said "isn't it mommy's ipod"
She looks at me pauses and says "Ohhh Yeah" and runs off

she really is getting very clever she loves to carry around her Dora Backpack and her suitcase.  she is my very big helper. 

Other great news for the week! 

I wish I had a picture of Marshall to show you how excited he was to be finished with school last night but...I am really great about taking pictures...oh well.  I am so Proud of him.  He has been working hard to finish his Bachelors degree in Psychology.  He has been going to school non-stop, no breaks for 2 years.  He is really looking forward to the Christmas break.  For the first time in a long time he will be taking work off, has no school to prep for and gets to play with Libby and me. 

He does have a plan to start his Masters Program in March.  We (me and Libby) are grateful for his hard work and determination to succeed in his career goals.

Congratulations Marshall!!!

Christmas Trees

First off Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Second, Sorry for the blurry pictures. Libby does not know that cameras are horrible on phones, and they don't work with moving children.



Well Christmas trees seems to be my theme of the day.



We put up our Christmas tree on the Saturday after thanksgiving. Marshall was coming up on finals and we knew that if we wanted it done before the 15th we had to do it over the break. We had hoped that Libby would love to participate in the setting up of the tree. I was wrong she wanted to watch...Marshall put up the big tree, Marshall put up the little tree, the movie Elf (our tree decorating tradition), and me putting up the household decorations.





The Little tree is downstairs in the main living room. It has all the ornaments that Marshall made growing up. It also has all the ornament's that Libby has made at the Hooper's house.

Libby and Brittany with the small tree

Marshall and Libby in the Jazz room with the Big tree



Family and the Christmas tree



Christmas Tree at Grandpa Stonehocker's House

We tried to get Libby to participate at our house and she did help a bit. But this week Marshall was pulling some long days at work and for school so Monday night we went to my parents. I get lonely some days for good conversations. When we got there we found out that they were putting up the Christmas tree. Lots of fun for Libby She wanted to help. She started out by singing "jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells," and ran on a large circle for about 15 min. I don't know where she got the energy but she only knew the 2 words and so that's what she sang.

Libby found grandmas Christmas stash

sorry for the blurriness.
She asked grandpa for help it was cute.

She had 1 ornament all night a handmade one
of Haley's from when she was five. She placed and replaced that item
so many times it was funny. She would ask grandpa to "help papa" and
they would put it on the tree and 2 min later she would move it and ask for help.

Thanks to my family I got to get pictures of Libby putting up the tree.

I am glad that we got to help.

It this time of year I thought a good thing to leave you all with is a Christmas thought.

there are lots of stories at Christmas time of people giving service. Maybe this year we might create our own story about how our family gave service. Christ said in Matt 25:40 " in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.". Lets Remember that this season is in remembrance of the gift given to us... the Christ... Let us give back to him.

Merry Christmas

Christmas projects

This week I have devoted my time to not cleaning my house. I know that is sounds bad, but let me explain. I had all my Christmas shopping for the Hooper's done before thanksgiving, I had an Idea of what I was going to do for Libby, Marshall I still have no clue, and my parents are a mystery especially when their list is only like 6 items and there are 7 people buying for them. So instead of just thinking about what to get them I decided I didn't want to wait till the week of Christmas to finish Libby's bedspread I am glad I did. It took me an hour to put the frame up and attach the fabric then I have watched: the 6 hour pride and prejudice (my favorite), shrek, kung fu panda, backyardagains robots on a rampage, 6 1 hour recorded TV shows,and many 30 min nick jr shows in the morning. I only have 12 butterflies to stitch into the quilt. my pointer finger on my right hand hurts my back aches and I see butterflies everywhere. Every time she sees it she says they are beautiful and she loves butterflies. Those comments make it all worth it.

Libby the past few weeks had become the little talker. Marshall says that every Wednesday he comes home and realizes that she talks in more sentences than before. Yesterday while watching the backyardagains robot rampage one character does his evil laugh and she copied it and I about fell off the chair laughing. She is so polite saying thank you to everyone (I am glad that we have instilled good manners... if only I was part of the everyone group). she can repeat the alphabet when she says it with Marshall only not me. She wants to dance to every song that comes on and I wish that I had the energy to do it with her. She also has fun playing in her room. One morning I went to go get her out of bed when I opened the door this is what I saw

She smiled and said she wanted me to leave she was playing so I got my camera and took this picture. She really is getting to be very creative.

If you want to see Christmas pictures we have check out the adoption blog by clicking on the picture of our pass along card at the top of the page. We really would love to have the button on as many blogs as we can. this helps get our name and info out there and will help in my feeling productive and active in the slow moving process. Thanks to everyone for all your support. We Love you all.

Thanks Giving

We are always glad when thanksgiving comes around. The Food , the Family time, Being off work, Black Friday shopping. Our family has had a lot to be thankful for this year. Let me name Just a few. We have been blessed by Marshall's job and being able to provide for our family so that I don't have to work anymore. Libby has been healthy, Marshall will be finishing his bachelor's degree in 2 weeks. We have all our family around us. We are thankful for all the support and the kind words of confidence they have all given us. We are grateful that we are able to get started on the adoption process.