The Jimenez Family

What does this...

plus this...

plus this...

plus this...

Total?

One HUGE New Years resolution to spend all my time on this...

Seriously...you are missing out because you did not see this sweatshirt in real life! Picture if you will, the mantle on this sweater is actually protruding from Grant's chest and the stockings are dangling from the mantle! Priceless!!! He really took this contest seriously!!! :-)Surprisingly, Grant only came in second place!

We had over one hundred high school students show up for the Christmas party...but I would say only about two dozen of them actually sported ugly sweaters!!! Oh well!

But the ugly sweater contest paled in comparison to the talent show. Our students definitely brought their best to show off! We had several dancers, a country western singer, two grass-roots bands, a rare performance with an ocarina...(yes, that is spelled correctly!) and of course...we had the Jonas brothers!!! I laughed so hard I had tears coming down - these students took their performances very seriously - and rightly so, they had big shoes to fill from last year's talent show! But I can honestly say that I think they superseded our expectations! We have some amazing students in our youth group and it was so good to see them truly take pride in their youth group and just kick back and have a great time with each other!!

The "Jonas Bros"

Its no wonder they are so crazy...look at their youth pastor!!!

Okay...so most of the time I'm lamenting my serious lack of wardrobe selection! Living in the high society south...I definitely feel at a loss sometimes when it comes to fashion. But tonight will be stress free - at least when it comes to syle! The high school kids are having their Christmas party tonight and hosting their first ever Ugly Sweater contest!!!!

Jason and I scoured Charlotte for just the right sweater. Jason's attempts landed him with two very NICE sweaters that are now a part of his everyday attire. My attempts were more fruitful in the "ugly" department. As soon as I walked into the store my eyes gravitated towards the most hideous creation ever. Now, it was hung in the men's department...so I assumed it was a man's sweater. I picked it out for Jason and was off to find one that I could wear. I managed to find one more that would pass the test.

But of course, Jason is competitive...and even in the ugly sweater field...his has to be the ugliest! So I spent some time a few nights ago embellishing his sweater with a few Christmas decorations and some jingle bells to top it off. As I'm sewing I realize...it was a woman's sweater all along! Oh well...he didn't care...just rip out the shoulder pads and off we go!

Jason sporting his "ugly" look...

My "ugly" sweater...

I am a judge for tonight's contest...so hopefully I'll have plenty more pics of ugly sweaters to post tomorrow!!!

This will be our fourth Christmas in Charlotte. Prior to that we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day scurrying around back and forth between all of our different family members. (Jason has enough family to keep us busy for the whole MONTH of December :-) With not having family here, we have tried hard to make traditions that we can celebrate each year with just us! Thankfully, I didn't have to get too creative...I just stole them from my childhood!!! (Thanks Mom and Dad!)

Advent Calendar

My mom made this calendar for us when we were kids. Each day has a different object that relates to Jesus' ministry somehow. Then we read the passage of Scripture that it correlates to. This year my mom gathered all the supplies needed to stock the calendar and printed out all the little cards that go in each pocket! (If left up to me...I probably would NOT have been organized enough to have it ready by December 1st). The kids love going to to the calendar each night to see what they might pull out!!

Advent Wreath

Technically, this is not a wreath...but I did place the candles in somewhat of a circle. For each week in December there is a candle lit...the candles are Hope, Promise, Light, Love and the final candle lit on Christmas Day - Christ. We have the same book my parents used when I was a kid. As Jason is reading the devotional...I can almost imagine my dad reading and all of us kids sitting around watching the candles burn!

Advent Candle

This is our newest tradition! Our sweet friends, the Vails, lovingly passed on their advent candle to us this year. The candle is marked for the 25 days of Christmas. Each night we light the candle and watch as it gets closer and closer to Christmas day!

We are definitely counting down the days until Christmas...and in so doing...we are celebrating who Christ was and is today!!! Merry merry CHRISTmas!!

Just for fun...

Mommy and Ty-Ty

Mommy and Precious

Mommy and Chub-a-luv

Yummy gingerbread houses...

Dear Mom,

I started my baking yesterday...my Christmas baking...but you weren't here!!! I made pepper-nuts and of course I thought of you! I wish you were right here beside me making me laugh, telling me stories, helping me clean, or just cheering me on! And then afterwards...I'd want to go to Pizza Hut!!!

I want you to be here...

Or here....

Or here...

I love you, Mom! There is no one like you!!! I miss you so much!!!!

Love,

PS No...this is not a manipulative tactic to try and get you to come see me. Well...maybe...just a little!! Is it working???? :-)

A concert for Jackson...

On Sunday we made a public commitment in front of our church to raise our son, Jackson, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Although we had no immediate family members there we were surrounded by those that have walked alongside of us for the last three years of our lives! They have become our surrogate grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc!!! We definitely missed those that couldn't be there...but the Lord has provided His church to fill in the gap for now! :-)

Jackson was completely unaware of all the commotion going on around him or the fact that his chubby face was on the big screen. He was also unknowing of the fact his daddy shared his nickname - Chub-a-luv with the entire congregation. He was his normal laid back, mellow self!

After church, some of the highschool students went out to lunch with us to help "celebrate" JJ's big day! It was a great day!

I am going to buy a new broom today. What's wrong with my old broom? Well, it served its purpose just fine last night trapping the mouse that has evaded us for weeks. It served its purpose making sure that the mouse never enters our house again! It served its purpose cleaning up all the mouse droppings in our pantry. And it served its purpose cleaning the crumbs littered throughout the pantry of nibblings stolen in the night. Yes, I think it is time to retire the broom...and hopefully our new broom will only accomplish such feats as...sweeping?

Wednesday was Tyler's SIXTH birthday! For some reason, six seems so significant to me. Maybe I'll say that every year...I'm sure I said that last year for his fifth. It just seems to be a threshold into boyhood...leaving kiddie stuff behind and graduating to scooters, two-wheel bikes, etc. He just seems different as well...more aware of himself, more aware of those around him and the relationships he has in his life. His personality is becoming more defined and his character, I PRAY, is being shaped.

My little bubba is no longer little. He's changing into a little man...I pray that God will be a huge part of this change. I pray that this year as he continues to learn to read that eventually it will be God's Word that he enjoys reading. I pray that as he learns his ability to choose that it will be God's Way that he chooses. And I pray that as much as people impact his life - he will impact those around him for the glory of God.

Seriousness aside...he had a great birthday! We decided to forgo a themed birthday party this year and instead he chose to go to Monkey Joe's with two of his friends. Then we had them all over for pizza that night. Jason had come up with a scavenger hunt for all the kids to go on to try and find Tyler's present. The kids LOVED it and wanted to play again and again! It was a fun day celebrating our sweet six year old boy! We are so very blessed by him and cannot wait to see what this year has in store for him!

Reading the first clue...

Almost there...

He found it!!!

Maybe next year we can play?!!

I have no formal employment...and yet, the words were definitely directed to me. Maybe spoken a little more lovingly than Donald Trump...but with the same enthusiasm and fervor!
Yes, I'm fired...probably for good...I have been asked to relinquish my paint roller and brush. Never to be put back into these willing hands. Unfortunately, I have crossed too many trim lines, brushed up against the ceiling too often, and maybe even ACCIDENTALLY dribbled a drop on our new carpet. So...the man of the house...has quite firmly said - You're Fired.

Don't tell him...but I think I'm a little relieved! :-)

Homeschool kids hard at work....

Baby hard at play...

The last vestige of color is starting to fade from fall. Winter will be here soon....but still I am so grateful to live in a place that explodes with colors at the changing of seasons. Being from the desert, I am used to a different color palate...more subdued and muted.
Jason took the kids on a walk last week to collect leaves and this is the project they turned it into. So when the leaves have all fallen and the trees are dull and colorless...we will have these leaf "vases" decorating our house! :-)

Our little chub-a-lub has "spoiled" his pants (and all his clothes) three days in a row!!!! One time between changes - I took some pics of him in his birthday suit!!!

I wanna go to AWANA!!! Isn't that what every parent wants to hear? That their child is excited to learn God's Word and hide it in their heart?

I have helped out with AWANA for many years and always in the back of my mind I could not wait for my little babies to be old enough to go to AWANA. Two years ago, Tyler started Gopher Buddies and last year Amy and Tyler were in Gopher Buddies together. This year, Tyler officially started Sparks. He counted down the days all summer long...and now several months into the year he is almost finished with his book. To say he is zealous would be an understatement....he is a driven, over-achiever, Timothy-award-striver, machine-verse sayer little Sparky! I'm glad he enjoys it and I know that most of the motivation is a teeny-tiny plastic jewel that gets lost as soon as you put it in his little hand. But whatever the motivation...God's Word is seeping into his young heart...putting down firm roots and starting to sprout up. I pray that as he gets older...that Word will become a unique part of his life...that he will never be able to separate from.

Here he is saying the books of the New Testament...

Of course...not to be out done...Amy learned them too! She has learned every single verse right alongside of Tyler - without the jewel to show for it! She'll have a head start on Sparks next year!!!

Look at me - look what I can do!

I know, I know...it can't be true.

I am only three months old you see

And Mommy thinks this is way too early for me!

Back on my tummy I go...because nap time is not over, you know

But once again I do my little trick

And this time I'll add a smile to the mix!

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine.

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty,

Thy glory in my valley.

-The Valley of Vision

from A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions-

A "hangout" day with Dad...
A special trip to the park...
A walk around the lake...
Beautiful sunshine...

The best things in life are definitely free!!!

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