Our Christmas... iPhone Style!

When our first child was born, there was hardly ever a moment when I didn't have a camera in my hand, snapping her every wink and grimace. Almost 5 years later, I'm not even sure I even know where my camera is. When moments come where I can actually get my rambunctious two to sit still for split second, I just grab my phone and get the job done... And this Christmas was no exception.

Here I give you highlights of a Klapper Christmas 2011 in iPhone pics:

Our Xmas Countdown: Each envelope had a special activity inside.

Decking the halls... sort of.

With friends at the Xmas parade.

Rangled in a family shot!

Making Xmas tree cones.

This one ate more than he decorated. 

Our little holiday forest.

Xmas party date!

Our half-eaten gingerbread house the kids made with their Nana.

Sister enjoying crafts at her Pre-K party.

Little brother got to join in on the fun, too.

Face painting.

Xmas lunch with kissing-cousins.

Our birthday boy!  With blue fingernails...

A happy pair on Xmas morning!

Her face at bedtime says it all!  

Hope each of you had a very Merry Christmas, as well!  

Many Blessings,

30 Days of Thanks

It's December 1st already.  That date always blows my mind because I really do believe it comes a bit faster every single year.  But before I get to posting about our upcoming Christmas adventures, I wanted to be sure and stick a another post in from November.

You might have seen the meme going around Facebook last month called "30 Days of Thanks."  Basically, if you participated then your status update for each day of November was to be something for which you are thankful.  I really enjoyed taking part in sharing with others the many things that I'm grateful for and was later encouraged by a friend to compile them and record them somewhere to remember each year.  And what better place is there to do that than our family blog?!  So here they are...

• Today, I'm VERY thankful for my friends!!!
• Today I'm thankful for the two gifts who call me Mommy. Words cannot describe how much I love those babies.
• Today I'm more thankful than ever for God's unfailing promises: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new EVERY morning; great is your faithfulness!" Lam. 3:22-23
• It has been an awesome fall morning! Today I'm thankful for seasons... both their purpose and their beauty.
• Today I'm thankful for health... For my own, my husband's, and my children's. This is a huge blessing that I take for granted way too often.
• Today I'm very thankful for a warm shelter for me and my family.
• Today I'm very thankful that my daughter has the opportunity to attend preschool this year. She absolutely loves it and is soaking everything up like a sponge!
• Today I'm thankful for the few hours of alone time I get to spend every morning with my little buddy while sister is away at school. I absolutely adore the special relationship the two of us have. :-)
• Today I'm thankful for my church family at The Bridge Church...
• Today I'm incredibly thankful to all the men and women who serve our country. What a huge sacrifice this is and we all honor each of you today!
• Today I'm thankful for my community, neighborhood, and great neighbors. : )
• Today I'm thankful that because of Jesus I never have to spend a moment wondering and worrying if everything will be okay... Because it will...
• Today I'm thankful to have Susan Howerton in my life... a Godly woman who has walked alongside me for the past year... unselfishly mentoring me, encouraging me, and praying for me and my family.
• Today I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom and for all the sacrifices my husband makes to keep me here...
• Today I'm so thankful for impromptu dates with good coffee and great friends!!!
• Today I'm SO thankful for the journey I unknowingly began almost 18 months ago when I stepped into my first Zumba class. Today I'm 30 pounds lighter, healthier, and have some AMAZING people in my life because of it. A big thank you to Audrey Goodwin and Tasha Brown for encouraging me to "just try one class." :-)
• Today I'm thankful for the freedom of religion in our country... another huge privilege that I take for granted.
• Today I'm thankful for a good sense of humor... which saved Alec Klapper from having to sleep outside after secretly short-sheeting the bed.
• Giving thanks today for the peaceful, happy, and restful weekend I had...
• Today I'm giving thanks that I can be "sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion..."Phil 1:6
• Today I'm very thankful that, instead of severe storms that were predicted, we have a beautiful sunset in the making. LOVE IT!!!
• ‎"It is one thing to release a person from prison, but it is something else to deluge that same person with all the riches imaginable. But that is what our God has done." (Edward T. Welch) THAT is what I'm thankful for today!!!
• Today I'm incredibly thankful for the gift of another Thanksgiving Day to celebrate with my family.
• Today I'm so very thankful to be blessed with incredible in-laws who always treat me as one of their own...
• Thankful that school is back in session tomorrow...
• The last but not least of my 30 days of Thanks, I'm SO thankful for my wonderful, hard-working, creative, giving, loving hubby, Alec Klapper.

"Gratitude makes what we have enough..."