Christmas 2022 Photo Dump

Olivia had a solo at the school Christmas concert

MW Christmas Tradition

MWHS choir alumni are invited up to the stage to sing  “Psallite” with all 3 choirs. That’s about 280 voices. It’s breath taking. This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions! Emma went up this year, surprised how well she remembered the song. 

As always, Nana is there to support

The 12 days of Christmas at the office proved to be a lot

A lot of what you ask… a lot of everything!

Here we are on the hot chocolate bar day in our ugly…ur um I mean festive sweaters. 😉

Candle Light Tradition

Christmas Eve services at Christ Community Church ends with singing Silent Night by candle light. Here’s another Christmas tradition I LOVE! 

My challenge each day is to be a light to a dark world. Jesus came so there would be light in a place filled with darkness, sadness, pain and sin. A light lead the wisemen to Jesus all those years ago. May we be vessels of light that attract people to Jesus also. 

Raabe Tradition

I am so thankful to have a family who gathers.

We had good food, laughter, gingerbread house decorating, games and a few gifts. While my kids have always wanted cousins they are fortunate to be the only grandkids/nieces on Christmas Day because they still ALL gets gifts.

These are the hats papa gives

Christmas at the CSF house

Christmas morning Tradition

Breakfast and gifts with just the 6 of us 

And Molly too of course

Gingerbread House Tradition

This one goes back to when we would take the girls home to Smith Center to see my parents. Mom and Dad’s house didn’t have much for my kids to do so we took projects like tie blankets and gingerbread houses. The houses became a favorite with my creative dad. Year after year dad helped us design as masterpiece. Oh dad, how I miss you!!

Chris and Stephen team up to make a chaotic masterpiece including a port-a-potty and fire pit

Holly and Reagan design together

Nana and Emma design beautiful little gingerbread house that would take 1st place of there was a competition 

Angie and Joe built a home for the Grinch or the Hulk, someone green anyway. 

Olivia and I didn’t get a picture taken since I’m always the photographer. Our house was decked out in pastels and ginger. 

1. Ang/Joe

2. Mel/Liv

3. Nana/Em

4. Chris/Stephen

5. Holly/Regs

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

She was just 17!

As I started to write this post the song by the Beatles popped into my head. 

“She was just 17 and you know what I mean” 

It doesn’t really apply to Olivia’s birthday but you are welcome because I know you now have that song stuck in your head. 

So many fall birthdays in this family! The following pictures will show the story of Liv’s birthday week (or weeks). We had a great time celebrating our girl. 

Saturday morning coffee and quality time together. 

Sunday morning: she wakes up to balloons on the floor, steamers, notes and a birthday sign. 

Sunday Lunch: LaMesa…a girl after my own heart

Sunday afternoon: finally double pierced ears

Wednesday: family dinner at Tap House, strawberry pretzel salad and gifts

Papa’s creativity shared: flying pigs, dinosaurs and so much more 

Friday: Friend Party

her 2 favorite desserts

1. strawberry pretzel salad 

2. cherry brownies

This girl is beautiful on the inside and outside. What a joy and honor it is to be her mama! Thrilled to celebrate her today! 

Lord, give me your wisdom to be the best mom I can be. Draw her to you and allow her to see every day that she is cherished by you and created perfectly for your purpose. Amen. 

Happy 17th Birthday Liv

thankful for you

Our 2022 Thanksgiving Crew!

Dean . Lynn . Chris . Ryan

Helen . Levi . Kelly . Selah . Lisa . Linda . Melanie . Joe

Jael . Reagan . Olivia . Emma . Emma L

Davis' are missing from photo

We are thankful for these peeps

We hosted the great day of gluttony and football, which I enjoy. It gives me motivation to really clean and usually do a couple little projects around the house that have made it from the "to-do" list to the "procrastination" list. Chris has said before multiple events, "you aren't repainting a room!" So I may have done that in the past. I try to keep the projects on the smaller side now. This year it may seem like I redid my fire place for thanksgiving. In actuality, I planned that project about 2 years ago and we finally got it started this November. There are a few things that need tweeked but for the most part I love it! You can kind of see it in one of the pictures. 

I am thankful for the clean house and revamped fireplace.

We had 4 people unable to come at the last minute which brought our numbers down to 19 people and 2 dogs. Poor Bella and Luna were shipped to Nana and Papa's house for a couple days. They cats don't like dogs and I'm not sure how well the dogs tolerate cats. We didn't want to perform a Black Friday burial. We are thankful for good health and well behaved pets

The other thing I really enjoy doing is cute little chalk board drawings or quotes. I started with just a plain piece of black board. Before Emma's wedding I had Chris build an easel. I love it! Now I use it all the time- birthdays, celebrations, holidays, work, husker games. 

I am thankful for Chris' ability to make things and my love of doodling.

Thanksgiving Chalk Sign 2019 above .  2022 below

We have so much to be thankful for even in the midst of really hard situations. I'm trying to focus on the blessings I do have. The world is full of negativity and sin but Jesus came as the solution. We all need a little more Jesus. That's my daily goal. More Jesus!

 

Family, Burgers & Guns

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER!!!

I love birthdays and I love this guy!

Chris had a great weekend of burgers with the family (and all the fried food he could order), shooting with Joe and game night with his buddies. 

I know it's goofy but I enjoy making chalk signs

 

Penn State Tackle Ended Her Season

She made it to the second to the last game of the season with only 4 minutes of a 90 minute contest left on the clock. The Huskers were leading a very good Penn State team when Reagan had a breakaway. The frustrated (Canadian) Nittany Lion, just as competitive as our #7, was determined to stop Reagan...she did. The tackle came in exceptionally hard as Reagan was striking the ball. Her foot stopped abruptly while her knee continued on resulting in a torn MCL. Devastating yes, but it could have and should have been so much worse. Watch the video below

(sound on)

I am so thankful for NWSL's KC Current player and ex-Husker Jaycie Johnson

Due to another knee injury for Jaycie, she was at our last home game. As the team was celebrating a HUGE win, this previous Husker sat on the field with my girl to comfort and encourage her. I hugged Regs and prayed with her but Jaycie knew all the right things to say as a player to a player.

Teammates (Riss & Sydney pictured) are the best!

That night we left Reagan in the good hands of her roommates. I offered to spend the night not knowing what her physical or mental pain would be that night. My girl is strong, she told me I could go home and come back in the morning for the MRI. As I struggled to fall asleep I prayed for God to be with Reags and give her peace. 

This view makes this mama's heart hurt

Twelve hours later we were at the stadium getting an MRI of her right knee (same one she tore up 5 years ago). What completely surprised me was Reagan's state of mind. She was in good spirits and confident she had not torn her ACL. This kid had the peace that passes all understanding. Where was my faith? That is exactly what I had prayed for and God delivered! Dr Claire, the university surgeon called about 5 hours later. Reagan was right, just the MCL was injured and no surgery was required but her season was over. Recovery is 2 months.

Again, we know God uses all things for good. Our favorite Husker spent the rest of the season leading her team from the sidelines and preparing for a great comeback. She has 3 weeks of rehab under her belt and has already run a few times. She'll be back before we know it, stronger than ever. I look forward to watching him work in and through Reagan. God Is Good!

 

Same game but before the injury. She really is an amazing soccer player!! 

Half Century

T H I S. I S. F I F T Y

I woke early on Sunday the 23rd. We were in Madison Wisconsin for what should have been Reagan’s last regular season Husker soccer game. I’ll address that in a different post. In order to keep the blues away I put on my jogging shoes and headed to the park near our hotel. It was a beautiful morning for late October in Wisconsin, t-shirt weather and the leaves were turning. I managed to get lost which ensured I got 3.5 miles in. Hmm, first signs of old age. Ha ha. 

Family celebration 

Soup and great conversation 

Vala’s Pumpkin patch with my fav guy

Celebrating with our soccer family 

My Birthday in Wisconsin at a soccer game

Our girl on crutches

Flowers at the office

Dinner and hot tub with the OGs

I believe in celebrating all month long. I had a couple lunches and coffee dates with girlfriends, a 4 mile walk with another friend, gorgeous flowers from Emma and the cutest hat from my girls. Seriously, it’s been a great way to bring in my 50th. 

Time to reflect: I have been blessed! Life is not always easy to live, but the opportunity to do so is a blessing beyond comprehension. We don’t always have everything we want but we have more than we need. I get lost in the game of comparison from time to time and then realize I am the lucky one. I am rich in love, friendship and scrapbook supplies. What more can a girl ask for?

Thank you Lord for the people who love me and may I learn to distance myself from those who don’t. May I live more like Jesus each day. I have only one life on earth may it glorify Him. Amen