ONE HUNDRED!!

It's just a little thing to most people, but it's BIG to us! When we lived in C'ville we used to have a sign in book during the summers and encourage our kids to bring over as many of their friends as possible. We'd always try to get 100 kids over, but usually hit only around 60 (which is still A LOT of kids). When we built this house, we started thinking how many people had started coming over with our kids, our life group, our family, and our neighbors and made a list.

Christmas week Ryan and Katelyn's friends from Fayetteville came over and Emilee was our 100th guest! I wanted to have a trumpet fanfare, confetti and a live video...but instead, we gave her one of our favorite things - Peanut Butter M & Ms - and took a picture.

It's fun to be able to open our house and know that we use it to welcome, love and serve others. I'm not always good at it, I often discourage my kids from inviting people over when I don't "feel like it" but I know it's what we are called to do. It's not our house, we dedicated it long ago to HIM and don't consider it our own.

WHOBILATION

Well, this year we decided to do something totally different from the norm. Ryan and Katelyn were going to be with us for 5 days, Erin was going to be at home, and the kids were out of school the whole week before Christmas so we decided to plan some events to have fun and family time! 

Our first event was a WHOBILATION! Our family loves the Grinch movie and can quote WAAAYYYYY more of it than any other movie! Last year we invited about 10 people and spent the day cooking fun food. This year we upped our game and added decorations, invited more friends, and well...we cooked all day too! It was a blast to have the house full for just FUN! 

Giving Thanks

November has been busy and I haven't taken time to post much. We've been going to basketball games to cheer on Sheridan, Richard has been traveling, and I've been shopping for Christmas as much as possible so I won't have to do much in December! We all looked forward to going to Mountain Home to be with my mom and dad and be THANKFUL for our many blessings! 

There's always going to be challenges packing and traveling with 8 people, finding a place for all those people to sleep, keeping everyone getting along and loving each other...but it's worth it when Mom tears up and tells us it's her highlight of the holiday. I'm not sure how many more years we can get everyone over the hills to MH, but I'm glad we got to be there this Thanksgiving. 

Another highlight, getting to see where Becky lives. She is my dearest friend and lives in the beautiful woods of Marion County. We weren't in a hurry to get home, so we were able to drive to see where she calls home. I love this precious friend and her woodland home is so beautiful. 

On the Hill

Every day I wonder if this is really my house. I'm so thankful for so many things here...my utensil drawer, my hidden trashcans, my big garage, our attic for storage, my jacuzzi, our closet, the kids' rooms...and more. I love our built in cabinets, the navy room and the foyer...never had those before! I'm also very thankful for the sweet neighbors we have. They wave when they drive by, watch Cameron drive his bicycle, and probably wonder why we are in and out so much!

On Friday we hosted our first birthday party here..used the WHOLE house for that and then on Saturday, we decided we'd have friends over for the Razorback game. That's all I have to say about the game...it was a horrible thing, but having three of our neighbors over...it was so sweet!

The Flemings have two girls, both one year older than my girls at home. So we had a 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade girl here. The McIllwains have two girls ages 5 and 3. The 5 year old has become a great friend for Cameron. She has toys and energy and he loves going to their house to play! And then there's Mrs Jetton. She's a grandmother who lives across the cul de sac from us. She's brought us cookies and juice when we moved in and last night when she came, she asked if she could sit at the kids' table! Really, how sweet can a neighbor be to sit and get to know the kids?!

I'm full of thankfulness today. Getting snowed in, running out of eggs and needing help at the house isn't going to be bad at all ON THE HILL.

Monday Funday

GREAT morning going to look at Lauren's wedding pictures....ahhh. And then getting to eat lunch with our dear friends Kent and Laine. This family was placed in our life during a season where we were just desperate for a friend couple who was just ahead of us in parenting and ministry. They moved a few years later but return to Russellville a couple times of year. We are TRULY SO THANKFUL they call us to catch up and eat a meal with them when they're in town. We feel blessed on a day when we are reminded of God's goodness.

Fun facts:
1. Laine is the first person I told I was pregnant with Sheridan.
2. Laine and Richard share a birthday.
3. Their three kids are boy, girl, girl, and so are our first three.
4. They gave us a baton (of their daughters) when they were moving, over 10 years ago, and we still have it. And it's still being twirled!
5. The Fanchers are the only adults we have ever gone to an amusement park together, without kids!

More Surprises...

SURPRISE #8: Sheridan thought she was just riding home with our neighbor and friend, but instead they got to go to paint together and have frozen yogurt! Sheridan knows she is blessed to have such a sweet friend living right next door. This family is the best thing about our rent house and we'll miss living right next door! 

SURPRISE #9: Jordan and Cameron took Sheridan to the movies. No matter that the Jungle Book was a little scary (with things popping out of the jungle throughout the entire movie) but they said the XL popcorn and the drink as big as their head was awesome! 

SURPRISE #10: When Sheridan returned home from the movies her room was filled with 13 balloons and a card from Grandma and Grandpa Boogaart. It's fun for someone to think of you for your birthday! 

SURPRISE #11: Sheridan's second date with a handsome guy was with her dad. They both dressed up a bit and headed out for a night on the town. I love that he wants to do things with his girls and that she got his undivided attention!

SURPRISE #12: May 29th fell on a Sunday and we couldn't have planned a more beautiful day! Sheridan was cute in a blue polka dot dress, her big surprise was our lunch. Her favorite meal, or the one she requests most often, I haven't made for a year or more. So, we had shrimp pasta for lunch! The lunch with family was all about her! She also opened some presents from us and cards from long distance family.

One last surprise to go...

Surprise Party

What's a proposal without a good surprise party with your family, your life group, some church friends, some summer camp friends, and some friends from high school? It's one of the greatest feelings for a parent to see their kids being loved on. We're super happy for Ian and Lauren, but to see their friends roll out and love on them...priceless.