Thankful Thoughts, to make up for the lack of week 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 (is that it?)...haha :)... (And this is by far the longest title to date.)

(Sorry that this is so late... but I'm getting Thankful Thoughts posted to make up for all the Thankful Thursdays that should have been posted over the holidays :). I am warning you now: Although I started this post two months ago, I only really settled down to write it during the past three days. I enjoyed every bit of it once I decided to just finish it. Which means, it's long ;). I tried to do this as neatly as I can. Most pictures will be in order. The rest of it... probably not so much...)

Just some of the many things that I was grateful for over the holidays (and I'm sneaking in a whole lot of holiday pictures in this one ;).)...

~My parent's choice to home school us.
~Knitting tutorials.
~A working sink ;)!
~Abbi's hair :)...
I can not tell you how badly I wanted to do Abbi's hair for her first two and a half years, when she had just about... none ;). Look at the cute little fish tail Mommy gave her last December :)...

 
~Christmas hymns. 
~Precious girlies.

~Mommy's "new" (at that time, anyway) Pinterest account. We've found some fun ideas, like these bear pancakes :).

~Kitchen helpers :)!

~That Daddy was able to make it home often during the holidays.
~Cranberry sauce... I don't eat it, but it has become tradition for our family. "Listen for the popping sound, everybody! Okay, it's done. *Now*. Time for the sniff. NOW it is Christmas..."
 

~Baby wraps.
~Sweet "monkeys".
~Lights Before Christmas.
~Riverbanks zoo.
~The staff at Riverbanks zoo who work from as early as July to set up Lights Before Christmas for our enjoyment...

~Family fun.
~Neighbors...
~One who gave her time to teach me knitting :). I had fun making the little ones these hats in 2011 :), and I use that knowledge often for gifts!

~Mushrooms.

 ~Kangaroos.

~Pies.
~Cookies.
~Tea towel dresses.
~This sight...

~Corn on the cob.
~Little helpers.
~Corn husk dolls.

 ~Baby's first "Thanksgiving" (you may remember we celebrated the first night of Advent, Thanksgiving, and St. Nicholas day while Daddy was home for a three day visit. )
~Our special holiday plates...

It looks like he likes sweet potatoes...

But Peter's do not like sweet potatoes!

~Family traditions... (How many more people do you think we can fit around this tree to keep this tradition up?!)

~(Emmi) Lou-Who...

~My precious siblings.
~That we are still able to match...

~Chunky cheeks...

~Haha! I forgot about this until I was going through pictures. I am very thankful that we did not have to take the door apart while trying to get the house ready to sell when it got jammed after Bethi and Andrew shut a blanket in it. Haha, Emmi looks FAR too pleased that they can't get out, teeheehee... she also look extremely old in this pictures?!!!

~St. Nicholas Day.
~Tommy's candles. Mommy and Daddy got me one for St. Nichols day :). The Christmas Cabin one smells just like our house does during Christmas baking :)!
~Popcorn.

~Air poppers.

 
~Chili.
~Advent.
~Anticipation.
~Preparation.
~The angel's news.
~The shepherd's example.
~The gift of Christ.
~That Christmas pictures were done three hours from starting- I found that highly amazing, haha! I'll share the one of all us siblings together here...

~The yummy muffins Tori made us for breakfast all by herself (the day of the writing of this thankful thought...) (I am usually the resident muffin maker :).) ... They were delicious, thank you, Tori!!!
~"Feliz Navidad".
~Pianos.
~Free sheet music.
~Christmas candies.
~Christmas baking.
~Butter. Although not thankful enough to sit and do this...

~"Knitting parties". I think. At least, that's what they said. I think it looks more like they are playing Cat's Cradle, or tying each other up... but, whatever it was, it looks like fun ;).

~Yarn.
~Creativity...

~Poinsettias.
~Peter's "early attempts" at talking. Believe me or not, he did say "poinsettia". And "button". And "bye-bye". And all the first week of the new year :). Smart Boy...
 (What we find really funny, is that he looks like Abbi, and acts like her with a bit of Andrew thrown in, not to mention the natural mix of his own little self. Anyway, Abbi didn't talk very well until she almost three. (Emmi started about the same time, actually. I think they motivated each other quite nicely. So nicely, in fact, that for a while there, their communication was so similar, you couldn't trust the voice to know who was who...).)

~Christ's generosity in giving up all, including, for time, God's approval, that we might gain God's approval.
~Generous little ones... she is standing by the tree that she just finished putting *all* her toys under to give to everybody for Christmas ;)... Love her :)!

~Cinnamon rolls.
~Candles.
~Documentaries.
Every Christmas morning, we watch a documentary on the birth of Christ, after we sing happy birthday to Jesus, and blow out the candles on the cinnamon rolls :).

~Our new star, as the old one gave out on us...
~Bows.
~Wrapping paper.
~Mommy and Daddy's decision to make all of our decorations center on Christ... 

Our tree doesn't usually look this good ;). 
We have had somebody around six to eighteen 
months at Christmas time for the past seven years. 
Every time an ornament is snitched off the tree, it gets put 
higher up... which causes the bottom 

half to be kind of bare by Christmas ;).

~Peter's first Christmas.

~Abbi's lion hair :)...

~Little one's excitement.

~Puzzles :)! And really neat ones, too...

~Textured stencils!

~Jewelry kits.

~Rory's Story Cubes... now dubbed "Tori's Story Cubes :). 

~Kisses :).

~Siblings :).

~Giraffes. Abbi got a small giraffe from Grandma and Grandpa, and then a big giraffe from Gramma and Papa Nate. She was so thrilled- now she has a baby and a mama!

~Brushes.

~This P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S face!

~Emmi's squeal of utter delight and ecstasy when she saw these bracelets Bethi picked out for her. She is all girl, you all. You made a good choice, Bethi :). 

 Can you tell who is taking the picture in this picture?...

~Peter's cheeks.

~History books!
~Chocolate.
~Cards.
~Drawing kits.

~Candy :)!

Oh dear... does this look to you like it could be called "Unsuspecting Victims"? Heehee :).

Don't worry, she's just brushing our hair! She is a great multi-tasker...

~Godly science DVDs!
~The Elsie Dinsmore books.

~Tori's new colorful socks, which just delight Emmi and Peter... they are so Tori socks :)...

~This little gift...

~And all the other many gifts I have to be thankful for...
~A family to celebrate with.
~The humility of Christ.

~The Twelve Days of Christmas. (Do you know what each of these things are coded as in the song?)

~The Apostle's Creed.
~The Eleven True Disciples.
~The Ten Commandments.
~The Fruit of the Spirit.
~The Beatitudes
~The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
~The Six Days of Creation.
~The Pentateuch.
~The Gospels.
~Gold, Frankincense, and Myrah.
~The Old and New testament.
~Christ on the Cross.

~Sweetness...

~Peter's first New Years :).

 ~Wood.

~Homemade marshmallows.

~Charcoal. (Did I mention that Bethi got Daddy coal for Christmas? Haha :). Charcoal! It was her own idea, may I add! She asked Mommy if she could "so that he can grill us hamburgers if he wants"- heeheehee ;).) 

 ~The beauty of this flame (from a safe distance ;).)

~Graham crackers.

~Napkins.

~Shoes.

~Little girls who hate sticky fingers... :)...

~Little ones loving to sit with Daddy and toast a marshmallow :)...

~Goofballs ;)...

~Buttons.

~Snowflake cups.
~The New Year.
~Visits with family.
~The wonderful time we had as a family celebrating generosity, thankfulness, life, and the birth of our King!!!!