This year we celebrated Christmas with family 4 different times in three different states!

December 19^th, 2015

We started in Fargo, ND with my Dad’s side of the family. The time we get to spend with family is precious to us. The distance doesn’t help but it sure helps us be intentional with the time given. This year on the Barrus side of the family we drew names, but not to give gifts, but words of encouragement to each other. We shared fun memories and encouraging words. This is truly a great gift. Thoughts that are not often shared but are truly valued! I hope the a new tradition sticks 🙂  Greg was sick that day so he missed the festivities.

December 21^st, 2015

Our second Christmas was with Tim, Kaley & Lucas in Hutchinson, MN. We were anxiously awaiting the newest nephew/cousin to come. In the meantime, Lucas and our kids enjoyed playing together. They wore each other out! It brings me great joy to watch the cousins open Christmas gifts together. Especially Uncle Greg’s homemade wood gifts! This year it was a catapult. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, Lucas, Tim or Greg :).

While we were there Nolan decided to make his entrance into the world on December 23^rd. Of course that was the day I got sick along with Rahab. Fun fun. Greg held down the fort and watched all the kids and I cleaned and prayed over their house so no one else would get sick! God was good, Tim’s family never got the stomach flu! Praise God!

December 24^th & 25^th, 2015

Our third Christmas was hosted at the Wharram’s household in Orono, MN. My extended family was there along with my parents and brother! Christmas for me growing up was always with a house full. This Christmas was just that. Jadon got sick after church but before dinner. Poor guy had to wait until Christmas morning to open his presents. He didn’t seem to mind all the attention was on him and he didn’t have to wait his turn :). We played games, piano, in the snow, and wondered who would get hit next with the flu bug.

December 30^th, 2015

After two full days of traveling, see Rahab’s birthday post, we made it home to celebrate our 4^th Christmas at Don & Ferol’s in Yelm, WA. Esther got sick the night before, but was feeling up to joining us that morning. Our kids opened more presents with their other cousin. I’m so thankful for the time we have together especially when we celebrate our Lords’ birth. Owen also received his Uncle Greg homemade wood gift, the catapult. It was a day later, and Uncle Brad & Grandpa got hit with the flu we brought home.

We had a great Christmas. Even with the stomach bug that seemed to plague us this Christmas. It truly is all about our Savior. I love that we get to spend time with family celebrating it. Even if we are the ones who brought the sickness this year! Sorry family!

To follow in her brother’s footsteps, Rahab celebrated her birthday in the airport! We wanted to be home for Rahab’s birthday since Greg was coming home that day. We tried to leave on the 27^th, but we missed two flights and then stayed at Uncle Mike’s for the night. On her birthday we tried for the 6:40am flight to SEA, but there were not enough seats. We tried every flight to SEA that day and finally made it on the Delta 7:35pm flight. Thank goodness for really amazing kids and the play park to help them have a place to run. We read and played games all day! For the record she did say she loved her birthday! She got to pick all the places we ate and order whatever food she wanted :). Her birthday treat was a hot chocolate from Caribou Coffee. I bummed because I didn’t get a picture of that :(.

When we got home part of her birthday we decorated gingerbread cookies that Grandma Ferol had made. It was fun to have us all there decorating!

She’s 4 now and full of life. She loves to dance, do gymnastic, sing, read, play with her dolls and kitchen items, color, be the star of the show, and she loves learning about Jesus. I’m so excited to see how the Lord will use you, Rahab, for his Kingdom. I pray I can guide you in the ways of the Lord. Always continue to seek Him all the days of your life!

Love Mom

Jadon had quite the 6^th birthday this year! He spent the whole day in airports, on airplanes or driving! We landed in ANC at 12am on his birthday. Then took an all night flight to SEA. Our hope was to take the all night flight to MSP so we could enjoy his birthday later that evening, but no such luck. He was pretty excited and tired when we got to SEA. Jadon wanted bagels for his birthday breakfast. Greg and Jadon went searching the SeaTac airport for bagels. He was very proud to share his birthday bagels with his family.

We made it to MSP later that morning and then drove to Fargo. We were all extremely tired and we would celebrate his birthday the next day. We took Grandma & Grandpa Barrus, Great Grandma Joanie, and our family bowling the next evening. Jadon requested sweet and sour meatballs with peppers for supper. He loves his peppers! “He is a pepper machine.” He had a great time celebrating!

Jadon is now reading! He has really taken off these past few months. He is very close to finishing up the kindergarten curriculum and excited to start first grade. He loves playing cars and building train tracks. I’m always impressed with the tracks he can build! They have many switchbacks and bridges. His imagination and creativity comes through when he is creating with Legos. He is working hard on his Revelation study with BSF this year. I pray God will always be the center of HIS life. I’m thankful for the groundwork God has provided for Jadon, truly a blessing.

Happy 6^th Birthday Jadon! My life is blessed because of you. May you follow the dreams and inspirations the Lord has laid on your heart all the days of your life!

-Love Mom

It all started with Greg and his brothers delivering letters to Santa from their kindergarten classes. Now it is Jadon’s turn to hold on to the tradition to go to the North Pole. We told the kids we were going to North Dakota/Minnesota for Christmas. Which of course is true, but we took a detour to the North Pole first to see Santa. Getting to North Pole, Alaska was the easy part of this trip, a direct flight to Fairbanks, AK with a 20-minute car ride to the North Pole. We arrived into Fairbanks early enough to go play in the pool together as a family. My kids love to swim.

The next morning we were off to see Santa’s workshop, drop off letters, visit Santa’s reindeer and play at the ice park. A few weeks prior to the trip, Jadon made a candy cane out of beads for Santa and stuck in his stocking. He then wrote a letter to Santa telling him to look for his gift from him. Instead of Santa finding it in his stocking on Christmas Eve, Jadon was able to give it to Santa personally along with his letter. Precious Mom moment!

Santa told our kids that Donder and Dasher got into a fight last night and were missing antlers. We all got a kick out of that when we saw Donder and Dasher. They still had blood on the heads from the fight.

We had a blast at the Christmas in Ice park. Rahab actually enjoyed the ice and cold more this time. When we were here for Esther’s kindergarten year, she screamed every time we went outside. This time was much more enjoyable all around. They enjoyed playing on the ice train, schoolroom, and maze. We spent most of our time on the ice slides, a favorite. The ice rink castle was also a favorite. It was fun to see my kids enjoy walking/running on the ice. Something I did every winter for 22 years of my life.

After all fun was had we headed to Greg’s favorite BBQ place in Fairbanks. Yum! Then off to the airport to start the long trip to MSP. The hope was to take the all night flight from SEA to MSP, but that did not pan out. There was a canceled flight out of FAI to ANC, and the flight we were going to be on FAI to SEA was diverted to ANC to accommodate those passengers then onto SEA. Several hours and missed flights later we got onto a flight going to ANC, it arrived on Jadon’s birthday 12:01am.

-Chris

This week in school Jadon wrote and illustrated his first book.  He was so proud as well as his Mom and Dad!  He went to bed asking me to put his book in a safe place.  He is also excited to write his next book.  Keep writing my son, keep writing!

-Chris

Our little Rahab spreading Christmas spirit through her singing and piano playing.

She had to do one just for her Daddy!  I think she is missing him 🙂

-Chris

We hosted our 3^rd annual gingerbread house-making contest. This is one of my favorite hosting events of the year! Several families join us for dinner, fellowship, and a family friendly fun competition. Each family creates their own gingerbread house. This year we had official, not related to us, judges. Each family won a prize; swag for the most woodsy looking, cards for the house of cards look, etc.

I love how this kicks off our Christmas season!

-Chris

Today was the day Rahab wrote her name for the first time!  She did it all by herself.  I told her the letters and she wrote them!  It was a teacher/mom moment.  She has been working on her R’s for quite some time and tracing a lot of dotted words.  What I didn’t know was she knew how to write a, h, and b.  Moments like these make it worth the sacrifice of teaching my own kids.  Love.  Praise the Lord.  Still need to work on the a.  Precious.

-Chris

Esther has been working hard to learn the Little Drummer Boy on the piano. It brings such joy to our house to hear the piano being played! She did a great job at her Christmas recital! Can’t wait to see how God’s uses your musical talents.

Its that time of year again to find, cut, and decorate the perfect tree for advent and Christmas.

This year we will be traveling for Christmas. Greg was looking to do a smaller tree this year. You decide how he did. Compared to last years, its about 6 feet shorter, but 3 feet wider. In my head it’s about even!

Our Christmas tree is one of my favorite traditions! B.A. made her presence known with her own special tree and décor. I love getting out the ornaments and telling the story behind them.

Ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

-Chris