Please Pray for baby Brandon!

Brian and Melissa's twin boys Aiden and Brandon are very dear to us. They are the about the same age as Meghan and Melissa is my best friend.

Brandon has a tumor in his liver and surgery will be done today. If any tumor remains they will have to do chemo.

Please pray for this beautiful little boy to be healthy and for his parents to have strength to get through this.

We made the Front page!!!

The 3 angels on Top are left to right ~ Alex Warner, Emily Hazen, Tarah Barclay
We are of course, Mary, Joseph and the lovely Meghan starring as the Baby Jesus.

I have to say as much as I love making the costumes and seeing all my work constantly in the newspaper, it ROCKS to be the person in the costume!!!!!!

Article about Nativity

Christmas seen and heard around town
By Renee Caldwell(Created: Thursday, December 14, 2006 12:52 PM CST)


The weather outside may not be frightful, but local celebrations will be delightful. Button Memorial United Methodist Church will be transformed into a virtual Bethlehem on Saturday and Sunday as it hosts its Seventh Annual Live Nativity and Bethlehem Marketplace.The free events begin at 5:30 p.m. both evenings with the Bethlehem Marketplace, a visual account of Bethlehem in the time of Jesus' birth. Live Nativity performances begin at 6 p.m. and will be staged every half hour until the event closes at 9 p.m.Visitors can behold the birth of Christ in a live nativity performance that boasts a cast and crew of 125 with the theme "Finally Believe." Three camels along with horses and sheep will add to the authentic feel of the scene.When not viewing the nativity, visitors can get a hands-on feel of the crafts and trades of biblical times.Booth merchants will aid guests in making beeswax, clay lanterns, honey, and jewelry. Visitors also may learn how to weave baskets and make goat cheese, get their hair braided, and play dreidel games.Every booth operator researches his or her subject and what it would be like in biblical times, so they can teach that craft or trade, organizer Kristy Vivian said.A Masonic Jew will share his own ministry, write blessings for people, and read from the Torah in Hebrew. The church has added a dancer room and snake charmer area to the marketplace.Between nativity presentations, Chris Thomas and Encore Dance Studio will perform Saturday and Creative Spirits for Christ will perform Sunday.

Vivian, marketplace coordinator Royanna Chappell, and costume designer Ginger Hansen and scores of volunteers have devoted much of the last six months to see the nativity expand not only in scope but in reach."It's been a joy. I hope that it grows and grows and grows," Vivian said, noting that Oak Grove United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church Little Elm, and Living Word Baptist Church members have pitched in on the production."... we want to make sure that when people come to our nativity that they know it's a community event, and that it's not just one church's perspective of the gospel. It's a community of Christian believers' perspective," Vivian said.

She said she has been amazed by the spirit of people wanting to participate in this year's event.A woman with Multiple Sclerosis who has volunteered in past nativities to hold the baby for various mothers said she wanted to be in the nativity this year. The woman uses a wheelchair, so costume designers made a shepherd's costume that covers the wheelchair.

Inspiration has come from all areas, including the new movie, "The Nativity Story.""Ginger was so inspired by the movie, she went home and made six costumes that night," Vivian said. "We're trying to grab the best of the best and incorporate it here in Little Elm."For information or to view pictures from previous years' events, visit www.livenativity.org.

A few of the pictures from the Nativity

This is also the costume Kevin and wore as Mary and Joseph for 6 of the 8 shows. We are going to be in the paper tomorrow!!!
An older mary talks to young boys about Jesus. These are the favorite costumes I made this year.
For the camels I had to make saddles as well as costumes for the leaders. Better pictures to come.
A boy and his goat. The kids were constantly taking off their head scarves and messing with their costumes.
Kevin's chiropractor Dr. Cox played the Apothocary in the marketplace. I practiced making men's headpieces this year.

The Christmas season is in full gear!!!

Meghan and Kevin doing their special Daddy forehead kiss....I call it "a meeting of the minds"
Meghan is not happy unless she is scooting under something...
Johnny had a school Christmas show last night. Here are the 3 and 4 year old boys singing about getting chicken pox for Christmas. Johnny is to the left of the giant 4 year old.
Thank you Aunt Nina!!! I love my Farm animals and cool tractor!
Meghan's first baby doll. They giggle at each other all day. Thank you Auntie!

We lived through the Nativity weekend and it was great. I will post a seperate post for all those pictures. We had so much fun and really had a special weekend as a family. Kristy surprised me with a birthday cake after church on Sunday. I sang with the choir for the special Christmas Cantata. It was so much fun. I can't wait to do it again. Tarah and Kevin said it was great, which is an extra special compliment from a teenager.

I got two of my back teeth cut out yesterday so I am going to go take a nap. I really feel like crap. I'll be back soon with all the wonderful details of the weekend.

The kids gear up for the Holidays!

Johnny is Meghans favorite toy these days. She can get stuck under anything now (chairs, stools, etc.)
Johnny on his nap pad. He likes to sleep at the foot of our bed at naptime. I am all for anything that helps him sleep longer. He insists on his "Christmas hat".
Meghan is a very happy baby these days. She is starting to scoot but uses her face instead of her hands so I have to lotion up her poor chapped face every day! She generates enough static electricity to power our house and shocks every one she touches!
Johnny loves his couch! A little snooze, a little cartoons and he is in Johnny heaven!

We had dress rehersal for the Nativity on Sunday. I am almost completely done with costumes. I am finishing up the last headpieces, saddles and childrens robes. I actually have made extra this year so it is much less stressful. I will include pictures of the market place as well as the Nativity. All together in the last 3 years I have made almost 100 costumes. But I have to say this year the costumes are a much better quality. I can't wait to post the pictures. We are Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus for the first 2 shows on Saturday and on Sunday.

I am also singing in the Choir's Christmas concert on Sunday morning. Once the weekend is over I get to look forward to massive Dental work on Monday morning. I want to be healing before we go to San Antonio for Christmas.

Even with a broken camera~~~~~~

I still manage to coax a few more pics out of my wounded camera. I can't believe I dropped it on a tile floor. I have to hold it just right and stand on one leg but it is trying......

Johnny has been having tea parties with Pooh, Elmo and SpongeBob. He is boycotting the raised pinkie for tea!
We are having trouble in toliet training land...Johnny has decided he needs a wing man in the bathroom deptment. Who knew Elmo wore tidy whites?
Meghan wants to crawl so bad. She can roll 50 feet in under a minute! Her new favorite chew toys are power cords and shoes!
Johnny shows off his host skills.
Meghan is hooked on trying to eat Johnny's plastic chair.
Johnny loved touching the snow. He got a chance to wear his snow shoes from Aunt Cathy.

Johnny and Alex learn how to use Granny's water pump.

Patrick, Alex, Johnny and Christoph pose for me.

Johnny was obsessed with the water pump.

We had a wonderful time in Amarillo for Thanksgiving. We got to see over 45 relatives. Johnny asked if we could go to someone else's house before we had even pulled into our drive way. The kids did great in the car for 6 hours. Teresa set up her web cam and our younger sister Cathy was able to join us from Germany. We even had a "girls night out" while we were visiting.

Play time and the daily grind!!!

Daddy helps Johnny make krabbie patties with play-dough.
Meghan is daddy's little girl.........
"I need to make a call please...."
My little boy is growing up fast!
Kevin and Johnny made their first woodworking project-a cedar bird house. Great job guys!

We are hanging in there. Everyone is feeling better and we are just trying to get all our various jobs done so we can relax in Amarillo for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to hang out with my folks.

Meghan is nine months today!!! 3/4 of a year old!

Johnny cleaning up his mess....he took his yogurt and smeared it all over the table.

Johnny handed out candy all night. We had fun getting all those visitors.

Meghan loves to play in her little house.

A family pumpkin carving~my first time ever!

Let the messiness begin!

Tarah's favorite spoon is drafted into duty.

An artist at work

Three bright smiling faces

Not bad for our first time.......

Johnny's 1st school party! A cowboy has FUN!

I am considering smiling but it doesn't really go with the outfit.

Meghan explores gravity.

Johnny and his favorite school friend, Nathan.

Ms. Patti and her boys!

Mommy and Meghan get to be in a picture together!

Pumpkin Patch Day!!

Johnny and Meghan love their Daddy!!Alex, Ashley and Johhny hanging by the windmill....

" Look guys, they are flinging pumpkins and when they land it smashes them!"

We can put pumpkins on our heads!
Cool a hay maze, let's get lost..
Alex and Ashley with their pumpkins on their heads Cutie pie kids.....watch out for stray hay!
Johnny and Meghan had a great time picking out their pumpkins. We will carve the big one tomorrow night...

Meghan has another tooth and Johnny has his fall party tomorrow at Kids Day Out. It is going to be great fun. He is doing great with his toilet training. His only accidents are at home when he is too busy playing to go to the bathroom. Tarah had a birthday party at the Dallas Zoo all day so she wasn't able to go with us. Next year I will get some of the whole family.