Christmas without you....

It is with deepest sympathy that I pray for my girlfriend who lost her father a week before Christmas. I know how hard it is to lose someone so close to your heart and to wish that they were here for the Holiday season. Every year is a reminder of how important it is to cherish your family when they are around because you are never promised tomorrow. When my dad died this friend was there for me through all of it. She was the one who was actually watching Christian the night my dad died while Colin and I were on a date. She was there to pick up the broken pieces and to fill the emptiness in my heart. I will devote my prayer time to her sweet family. Her dad was an amazing and loving father. I cannot stress to everyone how important it is to forget about what everyone else is doing and just to focus on your family when you have them around. When our family comes to visit I want to spend every minute of every hour with them. I love you Heather and will be praying for you.

Enoying the Season for what it truly is!

Hmmm....

All about Jesus! This year the kids have been so into Christmas. We ordered The Advent book which I highly advise you to get. Every morning the kids ask who will open the book today! It has been such a wonderful blessing to have such a great tool to explain the Christmas story. Here are a couple of pictures of the kids enjoying the Holidays!

A Random welch Christmas 2011

Christian thought the video camera was the best gift. Gunga told him
to have fun taking it apart...

The kiddos and their grand-parent's

Waiting for what's behind him.

Daddy's turn.

Awesome diffuser for the home! SCORE!

The last past two days were jam packed with festivities. We had Colin's parent's in and you know Gunga she always like to do things a little different. ;-) On Friday night we had diner and then Saturday morning Colin's mom decided that she would like to create a Random Welch Christmas. Let me explain what this means. We had to sit in the middle of the floor by birth order so Avah was the youngest so she went first. Gunga would go into the kitchen and dig in the Gorilla(suitcase) and you had to close your eyes while she placed the gift in front of you. It was actually really fun! The kids loved it and the excitement. After we opened gifts we prepared our prime rib. We had diner rolls and potatoe casserole and The pioneer woman's pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake! It was to die for. Needless to say diner was awesome. If that wasn't enough excitement we went see the lights at Bull Run with a pit stop to Starbucks for hot chocolate on the way. The kids loved all of the lights and I think the most exciting thing for them was being unbuckled and sitting in our laps. The next day we went to church then at night we went to the Children's musical. The kiddos enjoyed singing along and dancing in the pew. It was a fun filled weekend and an awesome one!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!!

Nothing like a good ole Turducken feast with some of our Good Friends. We had the Stevenson's and the Allen's over this year for Thanksgiving and had a blast. Did I mention that the food was amazing!

It's the busiest time of the year!

I haven't blogged in two weeks and that's because I have been SWAMPED. My poor friends have got to be sick of me working so much or talking about it. The busy season has however been a blessing and I am so glad that I get to share my talent's with friends and families this Christmas season. In the meantime when things get slower I plan on taking more pictures of my own children and focusing the next couple of winter months on spending time with them. In all honesty it's what God wants us mother's to do!

Update on the kids:
The kids just had their grandparent's day at school. We are blessed to share this special day with friends since our grandparent's live out of state. Zara went with Avah to her class and Mrs. Teri went with Christian. They both had a blast! I cannot tell you how blessed we are to have such wonderful friends here. I wonder if we lived around family if we would take our friends for granted an not support one another as much. I will try to be better about posting updates of the kiddos!

Lesson Learned!

Well Christian we told you not to eat all of that candy. While trick or treating the kids were eating some of their candy. When we got home I told them they could dump out their buckets and eat just one piece of candy. Avah picked out hers and C picked out his. After their baths they went straight to bed. At about 12 at night C was throwing up. Come to find out he snuck candy into his room and ate it. He def. had to much candy! Poor guy! Tough lesson to learn but all I could tell him was I told you so!

Creepy, Cooky & Spooky

Halloween parade! Look at all the paparazzi! I had to throw elbows just to
get this one pictures... jk :-)

Ninja vs Geisha!

Ninja aka Christian

Geisha aka Avah!

Silly name to a blog title right? I can't help it when I volunteered at Christian's school they sang a Halloween song that went something like the title to this blog post. That song was stuck in my head for an entire week! This morning Christian's school had a Halloween parade where all the kiddos got to wear their Halloween costumes and parade around the school. It was fun and C was super excited that he was getting the chance to parade around incognito. Avah and I went to take pictures and be a part of Christian's special time. Avah wanted to be in her costume really really bad so when I turned around in the car she took the lip liner to her face right as we were going to get out. She def. resembled the Joker. We had friends over for lunch and then in the evening we went to FBCW's annual Trunk or Treat. The kids had a great time!

Growing pains.

Christian you are growing way to fast! So fast that you having been experiencing Growing pains. A friend informed me today that kids can experience pains in the legs and thighs when growing. You woke up this morning with pains in your calves...GROWING?!?! Can you please slow down before I know it you will be as tall as me.

Pumpkin Carving 2011

Christian putting his hands in the pumpkin.Sissy so proud of herself!

She did it!

Christian was having a great time. We put pandora on
and listened to a Halloween station.

Christian was big enough this year to carve the top
of his own pumpkin sigh!

Last night we finally got to carving! We had four pumpkins from our trip to Belvedere farms that were waiting outside to be carved. The kids were so excited..even Christian. If you have been following my blog for the past three years Christian has screamed when Colin stuck his hands in the middle of the pumpkin. This year he actually had fun and wanted to stick them in himself. Avah was pumped as well. She was really to get her little grubby hands into the pumpkin. It's amazing how different Avah and Christian are. Each kid got to pick out their own stencil and mom had the task of carving them. Colin cooked the seeds because he is by far the best seed roaster in our family. I forgot the lights so I'll have to do another post of them all lit up.

The Great Outdoors!

Playing wiffle ball!

Avah being tickled by her adopted brothers :-)

Getting the campfire going

Colin mater of the fire!

Bruce Howard just couldn't be left behind!

Orange leaves, a cool breeze, roasting brats by the fire and listening to wind blow in the woods all reminded me of my Dad. We took our family camping this weekend and had a wonderful time but on the inside it brought back so many memories of the times my sister and I would walk through the woods with our Dad. Camping with my family was wonderful and I am sure that my dad would have loved to hear the stories of the kids camping adventure. I know people think I am crazy but I did see a deer as we headed out to the campsite under a tree on the battle field it was so gorgeous and it reminded me that he is always watching over us. Here are a couple of pictures from our camping trip. I love creating these memories with my children and sharing with them the special times that I had with my Dad while he was here on earth....

Daddy goes to Belvedere!

Give a girl a jumping pillow and she goes straight for the dirt!

Me and Avah!

This pictures makes me giggle!

Christian out of the slide.

C and all of his class mates!

Nothing like having a big bow for the fall festival :-)

Christian and Avah had a fall field trip to Belvedere plantation. Since the kids are in school on different days this year it was no surprise that their hay ride times would be different either. So Dad came along for the trip to the farm. The kids enjoyed riding the tractors and picking out their perfect pumpkin. We haven't carved them yet because I have been out of town but will carve them this weekend.

Stribling Orchard 2011

Welch family 2011

Avah having a blast picking her apples! The kids did really well with picking
all of the good apples.

Christian eating his Golden delicious apple!

Me and Avah!

Christian and Avah..This picture killed them. They really wanted to be playing
with their friends.

It's officially fall now in the Welch house hold. We took the family for another Apple picking afternoon. We met our friends at the top of the Orchard and headed down to pick apples. After the kids were done picking, eating and throwing apples on the ground we headed back up the hill to have a picnic lunch. Christian had a wonderful time seeing all of his friends since they are all back in school now he doesn't get to see them that much during the week. Avah also enjoyed playing with Kate cake and her Moira. When we got home the kids helped me count the apples while I peeled them then we made a yummy apple crisp dessert!

School started and Fall is here!

It's the end of the summer and the kids are finally into a routine. Christian and Avah have both started school! Christian enjoyed showing Avah the ropes around school and even met up with his little sister on the playground. (So sweet) It has been fun to watch both kids start school together but it has also been hectic for me as far as getting not one but two lunch boxes packed in the morning and making sure that two kids are ready for school! Christian is thrilled to have Mrs. Mclaughin and Mrs. Atkins this year as his teachers! I don't know whose more excited him or me :-) Avah has Mrs. Lungrin this year and I think they will make a fabulous pair since Avah loves music!!! I am certainly excited for fall to be here but I am also sad to say goodbye to summer. It seems like summer went flew by. Anyways cheers to a new school year!!

Beach Vacation 2011

Kitchen not so spacey considering we all feed our children at the same time! (yikes)

The family room! And my Lens shade haha!
The Perry's cooking diner! We all take turns cooking! Each family only
has to cook one night while on vacation!

Boogy boarding on the beach!

Avah and Christian Destin 2011

Tim and Colin playing ball on the beach!

We are finally settled in after going on our week long family vacation. We loaded the kids up again this year for the 16 hour drive down to FL. Thankfully we made an over night stop this year in Jacksonville. Everyone felt well rested and it made for a new start on the next full day of driving. Jacksonville is GORGEOUS at night. After driving for the 16 hours we drove straight into a tropical storm. It rained for the first three days we were there and I even got to hear the sound of my first tornado! Very Scary indeed. Once the rain subsided we enjoyed going to the beach with the Perry family and some shopping at the outlet mall. On day six we had encounters with sharks! Yep, you read that right sharks. So many that morning that we couldn't count them all. Needless to say the kids weren't allowed to go in the water. All in all it was a great vacation but i'm glad to be back at home and the kids are getting into their school year routine. I am excited about what God has in store for our family this year.

MIMI and the kids go to the Gym!

My mom came in for Christian's 5th birthday and she got to go to the gym with the kids! Both kids are in gymnastics due to the fact that we have no yard. It's a great outlet for some physical activity during the week. They got to do bunny hops, swing on the bars, jump into the pit and have a great time. She will be missed!