Our Minion

Merry Christmas friends and family,

The world celebrates the birth of Jesus with every vacation day, present given, and turkey leg eaten.  I'm proud to be a part of a global recognition of the moment when time itself was split into A.D. and B.C.  Along with the true reason for the season, we are whole-heartedly participating in as much family togetherness as possible.

Our pastor's wife gave us gingerbread man cookies as a gift.  The twins knew exactly what to do with these.

decorate them with icing and eat them!  Layla did as I requested by going easy on the green sprinkles.  I gave her free reign to put chocolate chips wherever she likes.

Easton chose chocolate icing and then dumped the green sprinkles by turning the whole container upside down over it.  the sprinkles made a mound that covered the entire cookie so that it was not visible.  The three of us busted out in laughter.  I dumped the sprinkles back in the container and he ate mr. gingerbread man like a dinosaur devouring a goat.

That situation could have easily turned into a shameful, angry, loud reprimand because of Easton's carelessness of the green sprinkles.  That didn't happen though.  I've had enough shame to last two lifetimes and I made an inner vow a long time ago not to do that to Easton or Layla.  They are learning.  He knows what he did was not correct, but I know he will do it differently next time because he learned what happens when he turned over the sprinkles instead of gently tapping out a little bit.  Anger is ok until it is used to change the behavior of someone.  Then it's a sin.  plain and simple.  I've learned what battles to fight and a mess resulting from green sprinkles is not one of them.

When Layla was a baby she did not enjoy being fully wrapped like a burrito with both arms in.  Easton loved it, but Layla always found a way to get an arm out and up over her head.  It started just a few days after she was born

and continues even now.  I check the twins every night.  I mean every single night without fail.  It makes Kendra feel better and I cover them up because they kick off the blankets early on in the evening when it is still too warm in our house.  I went in to check Layla and took a picture because I love capturing these moments that I can remember her by.

Matthew is one of the many friends we've made over the past few years.  He comes over for dinner every couple of weeks.  We've shown him kindness through some tough times in his life.  He adds "peace" to our house in a way Kendra and I can't.  He stopped by to say hi and gave us Christmas presents. hand-crocheted hats that look like Minions from the movie Despicable Me.  We have had such fun and warmth wearing these lately.

This is my favorite picture of 2013.  These two are the most loving, good looking kids I could ever have imagined.  And here they are growing up right before my eyes.  

I won't get in many pictures until the twins get proficient with their camera.  Until then I've always got the ability to take a selfie.

Easton and Layla pulled them down over their eyes and rode their Y-bikes around the driveway.  Probably not the safest thing to do, but we had some good laughs from it.

Matthew joined us for our family walk around the neighborhood and down the canal trail.  There are only a handful of people I feel comfortable with to be so close to my kids and Kendra.  Matthew is in that small number and we love the goodness he adds to our world.

and...  wait a minute.  who's that?  It's OUMA!  Her and Oupa came into town for a couple of weeks of family time.  Our house will be full of people and full of adventures over the next few weeks.

Kendra spent an evening at church last week with a huge group of ladies who showed up for a pajama party and movie night.  Kendra was set on winning the best dressed award.  She went all out with getting leopard print full-length pjs and wearing matching cat ears.  No need to do things half-way!

How do I get Easton and Layla to eat healthy things like celery?  Easy.  Just call it "ants on a log", add some peanut butter and craisins.  and the last part is that I eat the same thing with him.  He's growing and eating like a teenager.  His clothes aren't lasting very long before he grows out of them, and I can barely pick him up for any length of time anymore.  And his legs are long and skinny.  wonder where he gets that?

See you soon!