Documenting Christmas . . .

It's hard for me to believe it's really the last day of 2008. I think I just got used to writing it on my paperwork not too long ago. Seriously.

Our family had a week long Christmas and we didn't even travel anywhere! It was GREAT. Vaughn family Christmas started the Friday night before Christmas with Donny's parents coming to town. We had a gathering over at Randy and Kelly's house and started off the celebration with an activity for the kids that helped them remember that Christmas is about Jesus - and that all God wants for Christmas is the gift of YOU - each one of His precious children giving themselves to Him and Him alone. I was excited about this activity . .. unfortunately, Colby and I had to miss it. He came down with a pretty severe headache and sore throat that afternoon (at his class Christmas party - bummer) and went downhill from there. We ended up at the Urgent Care when he woke up from a short nap with a pretty high fever. He had strep throat, so they started him on antibiotics before we even went home. Thankfully, he was feeling much better the next morning and was able to be a part of everything we did the rest of the weekend!

You need to understand that Vaughn Family Christmas (or VFC as we call it!), is a very special holiday to the Vaughn family that is full of fun traditions. Thanks to the planner Vaughn boys, it is always detailed to the hour as to what needs to happen when (with room for some rest time, game time, etc - but it needs to be in the schedule! he!). This year, we had a treasure hunt for the kids where they took turns searching the house for a hidden sack of treasures with their names on it (since they aren't quite old enough for a Chinese gift exchange), and an adult Chinese gift exchange.

We had a yummy Pizza Hut and Sonic drink lunch one day, and all enjoyed playing a new game that Nana had brought with her. Can't remember the name of it now, but it was kinda like a big "I Spy" type game that we all enjoyed. Kelly and I got to sneak away for a little bit of shopping time which I really enjoyed, then we all went to Saturday night service together and out to look at Christmas lights after that.

On Sunday, the kids all opened their presents after family pictures, then we had a big brunch of breakfast casserole, biscuits, and "table cakes" for the kids. If you haven't read my post about Donny's table cakes, you're on your own to find it on my blog somewhere . . .I'm not patient enough to dig around and find the link for ya! he! The adults opened our gifts after that, then everyone had a little rest time before our fun outing to the Omni to see The Polar Express!! Nothing like a great movie on in Imax screen!! Wow!! We went to Rosa's for dinner after that, then home to bed.

On Monday, we had lunch with Nana's sister, who lives in South Fort Worth, and went to Frisco that night to have dinner at a cool hamburger place in the square. And the dancing lights they had there were FANTASTIC!! Loved them. Reminded me of last Christmas at Disney MGM. Amazing!! My favorite part of the Frisco outing, though, was seeing our good friends, the Davis' there. We had called them to see if they could come meet us since they are fairly close to Frisco. I miss them being here so much - the boys loved seeing Jake and Drew, and Donny and I always love being with our Davis friends.

Randy "helps" Jonathan look for an object in the game (something tells me the up close and personal approach didn't work??)

Brady designated himself as the official timekeeper (and got his eyes crossed in the process!!)

I sure loved having some snuggle time with my Lael. I'm so glad she's a Vaughn.

The kids were excited to start the treasure hunt!!!

What a sweet family picture with my youngest sticking out his tongue at the photographer!!

The Vaughn Family Christmas official 2008 family picture

Brady enjoys a cup of tea with cousin Lael!

Up next, Sorrells family Christmas . . .

Donny's parents stayed with us through the day after Christmas, and my parents arrived late Tuesday night, so we had the unique experience of having both sets of grandparents with us at our house for Christmas day! They had gone in together to buy the boys a Wii (oh my fun!!), so it was nice to have them both there when the boys opened it and started playing!

Mom and Dad brought all sorts of food with them and we cooked even more when they got here, so there was lots of eating, that's for sure!! We all went to the Christmas Eve service at RHCC together, and loved it. I should have been good like my friend, Kristen, and taken my camera to capture some of the beauty of the candlelight service. Tyler was afraid he would catch on fire (safety boy), but we assured him we wouldn't let him burn and convinced him to hold a candle. It was just beautiful to see all the candles in the auditorium (which was packed to overflowing!!) and to hear the voices sing beautiful Christmas carols. Just a sweet time of praising the God who created Christmas by sending his Son in the presence of a little helpless baby.

Christmas morning was so fun with the boys - I heard their cute little giggles and whispers in the living room, and quickly joined them to see what Santa had brought. Tyler got his Bionicle, Colby his Aggie's helmet and jersey, and Brady got his coloring book! Good ol' Santa!! We had our Sorrells family traditional homemade cinnamon rolls with eggs and sausage, then had a ball playing the Wii upstairs for most of the morning.

Friday we spent a good portion of the day out at the Head family farm with Aric and Monica, then had our Sorrells family Christmas Saturday afternoon. See - we just kept Christmas going for a good week, didn't we?! Loved it. I've had a hard time letting go of Christmas and getting ready to move back into "real life", but that's ok - I still have a few more days left before I have to! Vacation is fun, and being with my little family is a blessing. Right now, DV is getting the boys to help him put the finishing touches on some homemade ice cream that he made with the new ice cream maker we got him for Christmas . . .yummm. Tonight we're going to go out as a family and celebrate the New Year and talk about what we want 2009 to look like for the Vaughn Family. Then I think I really need to get serious about taking down all the Christmas stuff. But not until tomorrow!


Happy New Year, everyone!! Blessings!

Nonny brought a little craft project to do with the boys, but it was tricky. Actually she called it "stupid". Yes, the boys and their mommy reminded Nonny that "stupid" is a bad word, but she informed us that sometimes it is just the right word for certain things! Never for people, but just things. ha!

Brady learning the art of eating a "snitch" of cookie dough while we roll out the dough to cut our traditional cookies. My favorite, too, Brady!

We paint our cookies with egg yolk paint then hang them on the tree. They never made it to the tree this year . . we just ate them instead!

You are so close, Annie - just a little more reach . . .

My cute little Christmas boys on Christmas Eve

Cookies for Santa along with a special candy cane for Rudolph and a couple of notes (reminder list and a thank you note from Tyler!)

A very proud Aggie

"Our very own Wii!!!!!"

Playing Backyard football - Colby's favorite!!

Kendra throwing a pass and Mom trying to tackle. This game is fun but I have NO CLUE how to read a football play!!!! Tyler and Colby and officially better than their mama in just a couple of short days of play. Oh well . . .

Cookies and Elves . . .

Oh, I'm lovin' this season!! Every day has some fun Christmas magic attached to it somehow, and it's just getting more and more fun!!

This Saturday was the day for a fun tradition began by a couple of cuties - the Davis girls Holiday Cookie Exchange. I made 12 packages of cookies - 1/2 dozen in each - and took them to the party to exchange with the other 11 women who were there. I came away with a sack full of yummy treats (that I promptly put on a pretty tray the next day at our Care Group Christmas party over at our house!), but more importantly, what a fun morning to spend with some of my favorite people. I only wish we could have had even more time to chat, laugh, share - all those fun girly things we like to do!


Speaking of traditions, though, we have started a new one at the Vaughn house. A friend of mine gave me a gift that had a book and toy elf called "Elf on the Shelf". She thought I might want to start the tradition with my boys as she had done with hers. I showed Donny, and we both thought it might be fun . . .you read the story about the little elf who Santa sent to your home to watch over you and see if you are being naughty or nice. Every night, he flies back to the North Pole and gives the Big Man a report - you can even tell him messages for Santa if you want - he'll deliver them for you. You just can't touch him . . .he looses his magic if you do! ha! Every morning, you have to look around the house to see where the little guy has landed for the day. You also have to give him a name that is special for your family. So we've been doing this since Friday, and all 3 boys LOVE it!!! They get so excited in the morning looking around for Sid (that's what we named him, you know), and I crack up when I see Colby talking to him in a quiet voice, or hear Tyler instructing his Dad to not touch Sid . . .too cute! I think Donny and I are having a lot of fun coming up with new places for Sid to be the next morning! he!

Blessings!

Eleven Years . . .

Eleven years ago, I became Mrs. Donny Vaughn. He and I had a sweet time yesterday where we talked about what we were doing at about that time 11 years ago - I remember how very excited I was to get married, to start our life together, and to just be Mrs. Vaughn!

Monica volunteered to keep our kids for us all afternoon and evening on Saturday, and we loved going Christmas shopping! Then it was off to Saturday night service (with no kids - fun feeling!!) where we enjoyed worshiping together. We tried a new place for our "dinner date" - El Paseo in Keller. It was good - but even more than the food, I think we enjoyed talking, laughing and just being the 2 of us.

Life is good as Mrs. Donny Vaughn. I know other people have good husbands, but I'm just stating it for the record books that mine is better than yours! He takes his covenant with me very seriously, and I love him for that. Scripture tells men to love their wives as Christ loves the church, giving His body for her. Donny does that daily. He puts my needs above his own. He sacrifices for me. He's always looking for ways to bless me and help me.

The rest of that scripture tells me that I need to submit to my husband and respect him. That's not something he's supposed to earn - it's a gift I need to give him unconditionally, every day. I tell ya, ladies, when a man is loving his wife like Christ loves the church, it makes it easier to submit to his authority and respect him, but I still struggle with my part of the scripture. It's a daily choice and I'm a work in progress for sure.

But life is good with Mr. Vaughn, and I just wanted everyone (him included) to know how very much I love that man!! He's the Lord's first, but I'm #2 for sure!!! I love you, dear.

Giving Thanks . . . .

Our family went to Midland to be with my parents for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. My Aunt and cousin with her family joined us from Carlsbad, and made it even more special. Time with family is so very precious, and living away from so many of my family members makes me want to savor every minute I can with them.

I love going home to my parents' house . . .something about my mama taking care of me just makes me happy! And there's nothing better for me than watching my kids interact with and be loved on by my parents. It's greatness.

So here's some things I'm thankful for this year:
1. A husband whom I've watched take several of the biggest leaps of faith in his life . . .and God has blessed His faith.
2. Three beautiful kids who have challenged me, taught me to love more, to enjoy life more, and to cherish every moment more. I love them.
3. My sweet sister - she's my best friend.
4. My parents - I won't go into all the past details from my childhood, but I have every right to be a textbook basket case of a woman. By God's grace and provision . . . I'm not. My mom and my sweet Daddy are the gifts of grace God gave me years ago. Changed the course of my little life.
5. My church body - I LOVE worshiping with the body of Christ at RHCC. I smile and tear up a lot when I see special people walking in the building, knowing how they have impacted my life in the 14 years I've been there and knowing all they've been through . . .I love love love the people there!! There is an amazing testimony every way you turn.
6. My friends - sweet, sweet ladies and a few gentlemen. They encourage me constantly, stand beside me, and remind me how very sweet heaven will be with them surrounding me. Praise the Lord for friends!

*This is a very short list .. . .God has given me more than I could ever ask for or imagine. Life is good.

Brady and his best buddy, Annie

Sisters with their brood of babies!

I LOVE these blue eyes!!! Not that I don't love the big chocolate brown eyes on my big boys, but these eyes are just so beautiful to me . .

Sharing is not quite their strength . .

Bunch of Tony R boys playing the annual t-day football game!

Colby and Tyler are introduced to the worl of PSP . . oh dear.

Birhtday #2 . . .

First I just need to say . . .read down lower for posts I just put out there that I like better than this one - they can impact your mind where as this one's just for the record books, so to say! ha!

November is a fun month for our family - Tori's bday, Randy and Donny's bday, my bday, Monica and Hailey's bday, then on to the holidays! Good month. I love November! Last Sunday was my birthday, and it was a great day!! You know it's a good day when your day starts off with 4 boys making you breakfast and singing "Happy Birthday" to you as soon as you come out of your room. And it's a really good day when a special friend seeks you out at church to give you a gift and an amazing card. And the day just keeps on getting even better when your sweet sister fixes you your favorite food for lunch. And your family has your favorite cookie cake for you with candles for desert. And there are presents. And it's an even better day when your hubby "takes over" for the afternoon so you can take a nap and scrapbook the afternoon away! And then it's the best day ever when you get to go out to dinner with your hubby for a great evening of talking, laughing, planning, sharing and shopping. It was a really great day! Thanks, everyone!! Getting older isn't so bad when you are so cherished. God is good!

DELICIOUS!! Cookie cake and ice cream - mommy's favorite!!

This is what your face looks like after you grab a recently blown out candle by the wick. Lesson learned!

Christmas is coming . . .

Ok, if you read below this post, you'll see something I stole (or shared, however you look at it), from a good friend's blog. Here's another thing I stole (borrowed, lifted, spread the news about?) from their's as well. It's a you tube video about Christmas. View with caution - it could really challenge your thoughts about the upcoming holiday season . . .in a good way!

Click here to see it . . .

This needs to be said . . .

I was reading a post today on one of my very favorite blogs, Days of Grace, by my good friend, Randy that the Lord punched me in the gut with and I think He might need to sock it to a few more of us as well. Read and be challenged:

Lamentations 4. Have you read that chapter lately? I encourage you to open up your Bible and just glance through the descriptions of what a fallen nation looks like. Here's a sampling. . . "Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps." "Her princes were purer than snow. . .now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones." "The hands of compassionate women have boiled their children; they became their food. . ."

As I read these verses earlier this week I let my mind go a bit, and wondered what God has in store for our nation. From our nation's beginnings, where faith in God was assumed, we have come a long way. I don't know where the slide will end, but I pray that we don't get to where Israel was when these verses were written.

So what keeps us from it? Is it our economy? :) Is it our educational system? :) Maybe our strong morality? :)

The truth is, the only obstacle between our nation and the horrors described in Lamentations is the church. When I say the church, I mean the people who love and follow Jesus. We are the ones holding back calamity like an army of little boys with our fingers in a leaky dike. But if all we do is plug the dike, we will lose the battle. Someone has to start rebuilding what is broken. Either we see God's kingdom advance, or our nation falls into utter collapse. Revival is the only option.

So I challenge you to hear the words of Jesus, "Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers." Are you working? Are you diligently, passionately seeking Jesus and living to advance his purposes on the earth, or are you distracted? I meet people, almost daily who are desperate for hope. My neighbor has cancer in his 40s. My friend hates her husband and wants to leave him. Another friend loves her spouse but hopes against hope that he will wake up. My pastor friend just got tired of being married and left. My other friend is addicted to alcohol. Today I told my Buddhist friend about Jesus, but he didn't care. I could go on, but I'm sure you could insert your own list also.

I know I can't save the world, but Jesus can. I've started telling people about Him again. I'm less afraid than I used to be to go up to strangers and just flat out share the gospel. I was timid before, thinking I wanted to be appropriate and leave a good impression. I'm noticing that I can't give most people a worse impression than they already have.

If you love Jesus, you are weird. You aren't like the people living in your city, or even your neighborhood. And when the day comes when we find our mothers boiling their babies for food, I pray that you will be able to say, "I tried. I prayed for revival. I loved my neighbor. I followed the King to the highways and byways to bring in the lost. I didn't hide my light under a bushel."

That may sound melodramatic. Maybe it is. But I have come to believe that revival is not just a neat idea. It wouldn't just be cool if people got saved so I could have neat stories to tell. The truth is that if we don't have revival, it won't be long before we cannot bear to look at the scene outside our windows. And those of us who are paying attention are already starting to cringe at the scene we see now. So embrace the only option we have left and go for Revival or Bust! As for me and my family, we're not seeing it yet, but we're praying for strength to fight the fight of faith until our Master takes us out of the battle.

I'm married to a geezer . . .

Not really . . I've just been teasing him that he's an old man now, so thought it appropriate to have a blog entry title that honored him as well. he-he!!

Donny turned 40 last Saturday!!! I think he's fine with the new decade beginning, but I tell ya - it's making me feel a little bit old to know I'm not that far behind him!! ha! (almost 4 years exactly!)

Friday night, Donny and I were keeping kids for our monthly date night - bummer that it was his birthday and we had childcare duties, but it was very fun. We decided to turn it into a birthday party for Donny and Randy, and let the kids all celebrate them with us! Randy and Kelly and their kids came over, along with the Plemmons kids, Maddie Christian, the Yowell girls, and my bunch of boys. We had the twins' favorite - homemade Buttermilk pie (thank you, Kelly, for bringing cookies for all the kids so they didn't eat up the yummy pie!), and the kids loved singing to them. Kelly and I had a framed 1429 logo with Matthew 14:29 under it for the guys to hang in their respective offices. If you don't know much about their company, 1429 Creative, the name is very special. They grew up at 1429 Cherry Blossom, and Matthew 14:29 is a very special verse where Jesus invites Peter to "COME" and walk out on the water to Him in faith. I love this - it's what our families have been doing for over a year now - day by day walking by faith on water. Some days we loose sight and slip down - ankle deep, some days to the waist, but He has been so very faithful and patient to get us back on the water to walk with Him. He's so good!


Back to bday celebration: Saturday morning, we had Daddy's bday breakfast with all his favorites - sausage, buscuits, eggs and orange juice (makes me hungry just typing about it). The boys and I had brainstormed a list of 40 things we love about Donny/Daddy (ok, the boys got to 20 and I did the other 20!). We typed them out and cut each one out to fold and put in a jar. We gave him the jar to put on his desk so he can pull out a strip to read anytime he needs a smile or a laugh. The boys thought it was pretty cool! Donny got a fun new business and home "toy" for bday / Christmas - one of those flip video things that plug right into a USB port to download on your computer. He's had fun playing with it, and the boys think it's super cool for Daddy to make a movie of them!


That night, I took my man out to dinner at his favorite - Macaroni Grill - then we went to the Harvest concert at our church to hear Caedmon's Call perform. It was a great night. Our special friends, Traci and Cory, came to babysit the boys, which was a special treat for them! We hadn't spent any time with them since we moved across town, and all 3 boys were SUPER excited to spend time with them! I think Traci was probably the first babysitter for all 3 of my boys, and is the only person I've ever paid to keep them. We've got a lot of history, and ALL the Vaughns love her and Cory very much. I loved our time to chat with them when we came home from our date . . .they are so easy to laugh with!!


So, that was our birthday celebration weekend! I can't express how very proud of my husband I am. He is an amazing, amazing man of God. I can't wait to walk through the next 40 years with him - it's a good life. I am so blessed.

Fall events . . .

Feels like all these "events" happen at once during this time of year. . .my little family and Monica and Annie had a great trip to my parents a couple of weekends ago, and this past weekend, we had lots of fall fun with the boys' "fun run" at school and Halloween. Colby was so excited about the run - he was determined to be the fastest kid in his class. And he was. For at least a lap or so. He sprinted out when they said "GO!" and he was a good half lap ahead of anyone for a while. He was proud of himself, and wants to keep "exercising" so he can be the fastest kid in school. I never had that goal when I was in school. . .it was a close tie for last place between me and another chick consistently. Fast I was not. Colby did not get my genes, that's for sure!! Tyler had a blast, too, and I have a feeling the school raised a bunch of money with all those kids running around their little tracks so many times!! ha!

We stayed close to home this year for Halloween to walk our neighborhood. We've never done that before, and I really enjoyed the feel of it! A friend of mine from work joined us with her husband and little boy who is Brady's age. They were CUTE together!! I know the fall fest at RH was a great success . . .Tyler REALLY wanted to go up there out of tradition, so he and Brady and I went for the last bit of it after trick or treating. Most people I saw there were not members of our church, which I thought was awesome - especially since the place was packed! We saw Tyler's best buddy, Kayla, for a few minutes, which made the trip up there worth it for me. Brady and Tyler got to play a few games, see a couple of friends, then we were off back to the house.

Tonight I've had a nice quiet night with my children. Donny had a meeting so the boys and I laid low and chatted, played, did bath time / bedtime . . normal. It occurred to me as I tucked Brady in that life is moving fast. It used to be a challenge and a little bit exhausting to get 3 boys ready for bed. It's easy now. That means they are growing up and getting more and more independent. Good thing and sad thing - all at the same time. I'm trying to lock in memories - soak up moments with them. Laugh more - complain less. I can easily get too caught up in the routine of life - in the mundane details. I don't want to miss a moment or a joke or a snuggle. And on that note, I think I'll post these pictures and get back to cleaning this dirty house! he!

Ms. Rhodes' Rockets are ready to race!! (Colby's class)

Ms. McKee's Thunderbirds are roaring to go!! (Tyler's class)

Brady couldn't miss out on all the action, so he and I did a couple of laps towards the end. We couldn't keep up with Colby, though. He was super fast!!!
The kids got a plastic bracelet for every lap they completed, then tallied them at the end of the run. They had collected pledges or donations to support them. Here's Tyler with some classmates showing off his collection of bracelets.


Annekin Skywalker, Jack Sparrow, Cute little ladybug (Annie), and Spiderman
Annekin Skywalker . . .with that mask thing on, he looked FREAKY!!
Brady's buddy, Ricky - after dealing with Ricky's running and Brady's sluggish pace, we decided these two would be best in a wagon together. It was GREAT!! They chummed up and had a great time!

At the fall fest with 1/2 of the Yowell clan!

Oh, yea - I forgot to mention the annual Vaughn Family Pumpkin carving as well . . DV is very big on carving pumpkins with the boys - they each get a pumpkin and they get to pick the design and Daddy carves it for them. One stipulation - they have to clean out their own pumpkin. This was a BIG issue for both big boys in the past - neither of them liked the "goo", but the past couple of years they've gotten over it for the most part! Now Brady is the one who was a bit reluctant to stick his hand in there. Oh well. His time will come.

Donny did one for us . .awww!

Tyler's very traditional fact, Colby's pirate, and Brady's kitty cat. Can you tell Donny just strung a strand of Christmas lights into them and hooked them into a timer so we didn't have to mess with candles or remembering to turn off a light? He's genius.

This is DISGUSTING!!!

Soon to come - birthdays galore then holidays are here!! Blessings!