New Plan

I've become woefully lazy in my blogging lately, and since it's turned into a glorified Instagram account, I decided to just switch over to Instagram. So, for those of you who check my blog, you can now go to www.instagram.com to find pictures of our family. My handle is jessicjoy (notice, it is missing the 'a' on Jessica). Grandma Christensen might be the only person who still reads my blog, and I love you for it, Grandma.

For those of you who don't know, you can go to www.instagram.com and make an account really quickly by signing in through Facebook. Then search for my Instagram name (jessicjoy), and click follow. I made my account private, so after you follow me, I will approve you, and then you'll be able to see all my pictures. You can check Instagram online just like you can check my blog, so I'm hoping it will be as easy for you (talking to you, Grandma). :)

Snow Tales

Makeup

Have I said this yet this winter?

I love Texas.  We are at the park sans coats and Seasonal Affect Disorder is nowhere to be found.

Reflections from a Sunday morning

I came out of my bedroom after my shower Sunday morning to find my husband playing the piano and my children running around in circles; loud, busy, and lovely.  I was filled with love for my little (or big depending on your perspective) family and a sense of rightness in my little world.  Our family is going through some spiritual upheaval at the moment, and we felt the loss of community and purpose particularly keenly on Sunday.  I was particularly grateful to have the security and love of family to juxtapose that.  I wanted to take a picture to capture the moment, but blurry children running around a messy living room just wouldn't do it justice.  So I decided to include some pictures of the boys playing in the leaves instead.  Yes, Max is wearing Charlotte's shirt.  You can't tell from the picture, but it's a peplum top. The girls did a bit of leaf jumping, but were more interested in bike riding at that moment.

Christmas the First

We spent Christmas day in Houston with family, but didn't want to bring four kids worth of presents with us, so we had our own little Christmas the weekend beforehand.  The kids did not complain about having two Christmases.  Susan and Jeff came out and spent the day with us, and brought a fun little truck for the kids to play with.  Everybody had a good time pushing the baby around and Christmas the First was a success.  It was a slow day with lots of playing.  Life is so very good to us.

Christmas

I am so grateful that we are close to so much family!  It's fun all the time, but especially at Christmas.  We spent a little time at Susan and Jeff's with Richard and Jess and their kids.  Isaac and Beckett are getting to be pretty good friends.  And I swear the last time we went over to their house Isaac grinned at Beckett with recognition.

Sisters cuddling in their Christmas jammies at my sister, Laurel's house.

Laurel and Hunter turned on the pool heater for us (it was in the high 70's in Houston).  I love Texas.

Charlotte and baby Abbi.  She's darling and loves running around after her cousins, who all seem to dote on her.

My date today.

Ella and I went on a date to Marble Slab where she chose chocolate ice cream with gummy bears, York peppermint patties, marshmallows, and hot fudge.

My eldest.

Isaac made a new friend.