O Christmas Tree!

In 2007 Mike and I bought our first home. That year our family decided to have Christmas at our house. I was so excited and I anxiously prepared months ahead of time for all the fun that I wanted to have.

Fast forward Christmas Day- We didn't really want to cook a dinner so instead we had a feast of goodies. We made finger foods of various shapes and sizes from stuffed squash, breads and desserts galore. It was really yummy and more than enough for both of my sisters families.

Before opening presents I had a few task that were required of the children. At this time there were 3 on Jennifer's side and 5 on Heather's and of course 1 on mine. Each of the kids had to do a scavenger hunt to find their stockings. I made each kid do it one at a time so that we could have fun watching them all. The smaller kids had to have help from their siblings. I remember that one of Zoltan's clues led him into the bathroom. I think he thought I was crazy. I had considered hiding some outside but that year there was a lot of snow and I didn't want to work that hard. But my house was big enough to hide all of the stockings without them being in the same place.

The next task took awhile to prepare for. Each of the kids had to decorate their dads up as Christmas Trees. I bought crepe paper, tape, foil and anything they could find in the house to use. I am not sure how the dads felt about it but each one of them participated. Since Malachi was so small, all the kids helped with Mike. Below are the pictures from this O Christmas Tree Adventure.

The dads did great. And this is one of my fondest memories. Its also the last time we had Christmas at my house. It makes me sad. After that we all opened presents and played games. I would say that  Christmas in 2007 was the best one yet.

One other thing I miss the most is his smile. The story behind this smile is Andrew loved McDonalds and so that year one of his gifts from us was a gift card to his favorite place.

I miss that face, I miss that smile and most of all I miss him greatly.

Its not goodbye, its see you later.
One thing I do know for sure is that I will see you later.

Love you brother.

Memory Lane...

Last night or I should say early this morning my sister Jennifer and I were taking a walk down memory lane. For as long as I can remember our dad always made sure we knew his side of the family. It was important to him so he made sure it was important to us. Today I am thankful for this. So here is our trip down memory lane. Take this journey with us and enjoy.

Grandma Sutton (Irene)

 Our grandma Sutton was wise beyond her years. I think it was the long life she lived. Since we were small we made many trips to Winfield where she lived and she came here to our house. Many great things I remember about her. When we went to visit her the house I remember the most was 1104 B. Manning. She always made the best home made bread ever. She always made sure we got Burger Station in Winfield (which is still there I might add, and the best burgers ever). We would spend the whole day there. When she would come visit us no matter if it was during the school year or in the summer we would play endless games of scrabble. She would help us, she taught us the game. Now you know why Jennifer and I can play the game so well. She would always take us to McDonald's and buy us a happy meal since there wasn't a burger station in Independence.  I loved loved the wrinkles on her hands and face. I love touching them, it never bothered her. I would just hold her hands and touch her face. I loved it. She always packed in a blue suitcase. Grandma was a writer. We started writing letters to her when we were kids and wrote her letters until she died. She always made sure we had stamps to write her. She was our pen pal and we would wait by the mail for her letters. After she died we got some of the letters we wrote to her back not realizing she had kept them. I bet she laughed a lot. Some of the things we wrote when we were young were so funny. Til this day I have the last letter she ever wrote us. I am sure there are many more memories but this blog will be long enough without me adding all of them.

Delbert Sutton and Gordon Sutton

 Delbert and Gordie were two of grandma's son's. They also lived in Winfield. Blocks from my grandma if I remember right. We also spent many hours there with them as well as them coming to visit us. My uncle Delbert has and still does always call us 6th graders. It makes me laugh because we are married with our own children and he still will say "hey 6th grader". I love it, and it makes me laugh. We spent hours at Delbert's playing with Jarrod and Lacretia, his other son Micah was smaller so we didn't play with him much he was the cutest little baby ever. We would play at the park that was a block or so from their house. One year we took my sister Heather's best friend Bridget and she had blacked out and hit the slide head on. We all laughed, when she came to she didn't think it was funny but she was fine. There as this old man who used to ride on a riding lawn mower and we had heard some bad things about him, don't know if they were true but every time we would see him while we were in Winfield we would run. Silly now that I think about it. If the things about him were true they probably wouldn't have let us out of the house. I remember spending the night at my Uncle Gordie's house one Christmas. We all slept on their living room floor and played I spy in the dark for hours. Its much harder to play in the dark. My Uncle Gordie was a big man and I always remember worrying about him sleeping in my bed. I had a twin bed and there was a spring that would pop out of the bottom when he slept in it. He and Delbert could snore with the best of them. I always heard that my Uncle Gordie could eat and onion like and apple (that must be where my son gets it). I remember one time when Uncle Delbert was visiting, my Aunt Amy was brushing Lacretia's hair and she wouldn't sit still so Amy whacked her on the head with her hairbrush, needless to say she had her undivided attention after that.

Judy Byerley

I don't have many memories of her but the few that I do remember is when we had a 4th of July reunion at her house. Everyone was there and there were lots of food. My most fondest memory was every year until she died on our birthday she would send us a card with two quarters taped inside. She even sent them when I thought most people would think we were to old to be receiving money in our cards. She was one special lady.

Peggy Barber

 
 Oh my Aunt Peggy how I loved her. We come from a long line of cookers. We were taught well how to cook. She had this cafe, and I remember when we spent one Thanksgiving there. She also lived in Winfield. So when we were visiting Grandma we always visited everyone else in the family that lived there. I can't think of any specific memory I just remember her always being there and I loved her.


Vic Sutton

 I don't remember the first time I met my Uncle Vic, I just remember loving him. Like my dad, my uncle Vic also has three daughters. Maybe that is why he took to us. I remember one time Uncle Vic made Jennifer and I these pens. We still have them. I thought we were so special.  I never get tired of seeing him and I love him so much. He always used to ask us if we wanted quarters out of his pockets at family reunions. I don't ever remember actually taking them. I guess I will have to ask him about that.

Uncle Mike and Aunt Kathi

 Where to begin, for some reason the memories I have them are the clearest right now, that is why I waited to do them last.  I remember watching Hoosiers and Field of Dreams for the first time at their house. I remember when we were out their house, and they used to raise these big white dogs and they had about four puppies that were big for puppies and they let Jennifer and I bathe them. We weren't very old I think we got more of a bath then they did. They never made us feel like we were kids. We were never in their way. They never got tired of us. Aunt Kathi always made sure we had something to do. They never felt bothered by us. My uncle Mike was a John Deere man, so nothing made him happier when I married a John Deere man (well he works for John Deere-so its close).
Uncle Mike and Aunt Kathi always was able to get the family together for the Fourth of July. That is when we had the best cooking in the county in one place and great time, lots of laughter. The last one that they had I missed because my daughter had gotten married. But the one before that, Uncle Mike had surprised Aunt Kathi by renewing their wedding vows. So glad I didn't miss that. They are a great example of what love is all about. The two of them together were the perfect match, a great example. I never remember hearing them ever raise their voice. Always kind and loving. I never got tired of hugging them or being around them. I love to hear them both laugh. My uncle Mike was a hard working man. His hands were proof of the hard work he did. He never was a person to waste and hour in a day.
I remember a different house that they had lived in on their farm, while Uncle Mike worked on the other house. I don't remember them being in it long, just that their was work he had to do on the other house. I remember spending lots of time with them. I remember one time we were in Independence and Uncle Mike was driving his truck and Jennifer was in the middle and I was sitting on Aunt Kathi's lap. We had drove through town and I remember seeing a couch in Westco's window and I had said Ewww! I like that couch, and Aunt Kathi had said I wonder why we say Ewww when we see something we like.  I remember laughing about it. That may not be accurate but its how I remember the memory.

I am know there are a hundred more of these memories. I will be posting more soon. Please feel free to tag anyone that may want to read this, for I am not friends with everyone. Please leave comments if you would like to.

I love you all

Crazy...

I have been such a bad blogger lately. There have been many things I keep saying I am gonna blog about and then I don't. Well today I am going to blog and I actually mean it.

A couple weeks ago I posted this picture (see below) on Facebook with the caption this is what I want for Christmas. My husband laughs and tells me no, but just like most things I didn't believe him. I knew that if I really wanted it come Christmas morning I would probably have it.

Now with that being said, two weeks ago Mike and I are in Kansas City for the Chiefs game, since it was a night game we decided to do some shopping at the mall. I knew there was a Zales in the mall so I was excited. I wasn't thinking that he would buy me the ring but I thought he might at least put it on layaway. So we go into the store and I'm looking and I find it. Its a beautiful as the pictures. I try it on and I love it. So the sales lady ask if she could wrap it up for us (as if we made any indication that we were going to buy it.) Mike said no, not right now and I am okay with this. So since she didn't get the response from Mike she wanted she says to me, how about you just purchase it for yourself.

I laughed...

First of all maybe not every family is like this but I do NOT purchase a $500.00 item with out discussing it with my husband first. We discuss big item purchases before making one and  a 500.00 ring falls into that category.
Second, was she trying to start an arguement. Could you imagine if I would have said oh yes, please! (he all ready had said not right now)

I realize she may have been doing her job but I refuse to do business with a company that tries to get you to do something like that. It was all business to her but that is not how we do things in this household and I won't be doing business with them. SO needless to say I will NOT be getting that ring, my choice. I just told Mike I would find another ring or something that I like. I have no desire to do business with a company that promotes that kind of thing. Now if my husband made 100,000 per year it might be different but for no more than he makes I would never make a purchase (even for him) without discussing it first.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you." declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."-Jeremiah 29:11

I have encountered this verse four different times over the last several weeks. Maybe God is trying to tell me something. It is something I needed to hear.

YOU ARE MY BELOVED CHILD. I chose you before the foundation of the world, to walk with Me along paths designed uniquely for you. Concentrate on keeping in step with Me, instead of trying to anticipate My plans for you. If you trust that My (God) plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, you can relax and enjoy the present moment.

Your hop and your future are rooted in heaven, where eternal ecstasy awaits you. Nothing can rob you of your inheritance of unimaginable riches and well-being. Sometimes I grant you glimpses of your glorious future, to encourage you and spur you on. But your main focus should be staying close to Me. I set the pace in keeping with you needs and My purpose.

Random Thoughts..

1) BEAUTY COMES WITHIN, BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. I WOULD RATHER HAVE MORE BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE, THEN THE OUTSIDE. I BELIEVE YOU GET MORE POSITIVE AND PURE THINGS WITH IN THE INSIDE BEAUTY THEN YOU WILL EVER GET WITH THE OUTSIDE. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL-EMBRACE IT 

2) REMEMBER- "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENS ME" PHILIPPIANS 4:13. YOU CAN DO ALL AND ANYTHING BUT ALL THAT INNER STRENGTH THAT HELPS YOU DAY TO DAY IS NOT YOU, ITS GOD. START PAYING ATTENTION PEOPLE-YOU NEED HIM! 


3) THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD CANNOT PROTECT YOU 

4) THROUGH HARD TIMES AND GOOD TIMES-THANK GOD! HE GAVE YOU THESE TIMES FOR A REASON. DON'T BE ANGRY,BE THANKFUL, HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH EVERYTHING-READ #3 AGAIN IF YOU DIDN'T GET IT THE FIRST TIME. 


5) FAMILY- LOVE THEM, FORGIVE THEM AND KEEP THEM. FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT WITHOUT THEM, THERE WOULDN'T BE YOU. NO MATTER THE COST KEEP THEM CLOSE FOR THEY ARE THE REASON YOU ARE HERE AND FOR SOME THE REASON YOUR CHILDREN ARE HERE.


6) LOVE- LOVE IS A POWERFUL THING-OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS I HAVE SEEN MY CHILD LOVE WITH THE PUREST OF LOVES. HE KNOWS NO OTHER. HE ONLY SEES THE GOOD IN PEOPLE AND LOVES THEM INSPITE OF EVERYTHNG HE DOESN'T SEE. HE IS INCAPABLE OF ANY OTHER LOVE. SO LOVE PURE. LOVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LOVE EVEN WHEN IT HURTS. NO ONE SAID THE JOURNEY WOULD BE EASY IF THEY DID-THEY LIED. LOVE ANYWAY! 


7) BE THANKFUL FOR EVERY SMALL VICTORY NO MATTER HOW SMALL, THIS HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT FOR US-EVERYDAY IS A SMALL VICTORY AND WE ARE THANKFUL 

8) THREE MOVIES I CHALLENGE YOU TO WATCH-NO EXPLANATION-JUST DO IT (THE ULTIMATE GIFT-FACING THE GIANTS-FIREPROOF) WATCH WITH OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS AND LEARN FROM THEM SOME OF YOU MAY NEED A BOX OF KLEENEX'S  

9) PRAY- BE A PRAYER WARRIOR, THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER. PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY-YOU NEED IT, THE WORLD NEEDS IT AND THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS IT. 

  10) DON'T RUN FROM YOUR PROBLEMS- THEY RUN WITH YOU, SO TURN AROUND AND FACE THEM NO MATTER HOW BIG THEY ARE. 

11) LOVE AND HOLD YOUR CHILDREN CLOSER WHEN THEY ARE SMALL. READ WOCKET AND THE POCKET A 100 TIMES IF THEY ASK. HUG THEM, KISS THEM. BREATHE THROUGH THE TANTRUMS AND THE TEARS. THEY ARE SMALL ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE, EMBRACE THEIR CHILDHOOD WHILE YOU HAVE THE TIME-DONT BLINK, THEY WILL BE ALL GROWN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT 

12) DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS-IF YOU NEED A ANSWER GOD WILL PROVIDE ONE, IF YOU DON'T GET ONE THEN ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS; HOWEVER AN ANSWER WILL COME EVENTUALLY.  

13) I AM SAYING THIS MORE FOR MYSELF THAN ANYONE- TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY, ITS THE ONLY ONE YOU GET ON EARTH. MARVEL IN ITS WONDER TO OVERCOME SO MUCH. ISN'T GOD AMAZING- HE CREATED SOMETHING SO SPECTACULAR! 


14) PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES THEY NEED AS MUCH PRAYER AS THE FRIENDS YOU LOVE THE MOST 

15) I PRAY THAT WHEN MY CHILDREN ARE ALL GROWN THAT THEY LOOK BACK AND THINK-WOW- MY PARENTS DID A GREAT JOB BEING PARENTS. I WANT TO LEAVE A GOOD LEGACY BEHIND TO PASS THROUGH MANY MORE GENERATIONS. (KEEP IN MIND-MISTAKES HAPPEN-IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU BAD PARENTS) 


16) FORGIVE-FORGIVE-FORGIVE!!!! 


17) THIS ONE IS HARD FOR ME TO FOLLOW. DONT FORGET TO TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD EVEN RESTED, SO TAKE TIME FOR YOU-PEOPLE WILL NOTICE THE CHANGE. 


18) 3 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER PASS UP- LAUGHTER, ITS GOOD FOR THE SOUL; DANCE, DANCE OFTEN WHO CARE WHOSE WATCHING; SINGING IN THE SHOWER, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T HOLD A TUNE. THESE 3 THINGS CAN MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU ARE FEELING DOWN SO DANCE, SING AND LAUGH!!! 


19) DON'T LET THE WORLD DICTATE WHO YOU ARE. BE YOURSELF, BE THE PERSON GOD INTENDS FOR YOU TO BE 

20) DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY-FUNNY LITTLE SAYING. WORRYING GETS YOU NOWHERE BUT A WRINKLY OLD FACE. LEAVE THE WORRIES TO GOD AND BE HAPPY. 


21) I AM NOT THE SAME PERSON I WAS 10 YEARS AGO AND I WON'T BE THE SAME PERSON 10 YEARS FROM NOW 


22) SMELL FLOWERS, LOOK UP AT THE MOON AND STARS, ALWAYS LOOK FOR RAINBOWS AND APPRECIATE GODS BEAUTY 


23) SING AMAZING GRACE- OR READ IT IF YOU WAN'T TO HEAR YOUR OWN VOICE-BUT ONCE AGAIN REFER TO #18