MAY 2009

Okay...so lately...(as in the past several months...) I have done zero blogging. Sorry about that. I have been taking pictures but for some reason I just never found the time to sit down at the computer and make a post. Hopefully, with summer just a few weeks away I will have more time to blog. Enjoy these pictures from the past few months. I will try my best to post more frequently in the upcoming months. (Somewhere between potty training, picking up after a very active two (almost three year old) cleaning the house, organizing the storage unit filled with school junk and getting rid of old stuff at the house...I will find the time!)

Winter Fun

I am finally updating this blog! It seems like FOREVER since I have added any new pictures. We have just been so busy with life lately that I haven't had any time to get the pictures from my camera onto the computer for uploading. We have been going to birthday parties, dealing with ear infections and sinus infections, and getting back into the groove of school and work. We found out last week that Marc was not laid off (Praise God!!) and that my sister inlaw and brother are having a baby!!!! Anyway, enjoy the pictures of Matt!!

Merry Christmas!!

Family portrait taken Christmas night

Matthew opening presents Christmas morning

My grandma with all her grandchildren and their spouses (Matthew is the first and so far only great-grandchild)

Making Christmas cookies with Mommy

Riding the Christmas Train with Mommy

How the Russell family celebrated the Christmas Holiday...
1. Marc and I took Matt to see the tree lighting on the square downtown.
2. My mom and I took Matt to ride the Christmas Train.
3. Santa stopped by our house just to say "Merry Christmas".
4. We made Christmas cookies together.
5. We saw all of our family (including grandparents and great-grandparents!).
6. Matt sat on Santa's lap at Bass Pro Shops...(the picture was FREE!!)
7. We sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus" (a tradition my grandmother started with us when we were kiddos!)

I can not believe this was Matt's third Christmas! Time flies!! He is definitely growing into a little boy now. He loved EVERYTHING about Christmas! He danced and sang to the Christmas carols, he gazed at the tree and demanded we turn it on every morning, he laughed at our snowman and lights in the yard and LOVED opening his presents on Christmas morning. I love this time of the year and I am so glad that my little boy does too!

Lullaby

I have been singing songs to Matt since he was born. We sing together all the time but especially at night before bed. Lately, I have been asking him what songs he would like for me to sing to him. He usually requests "Pop Goes The Weasel", "Baa Baa Black Sheep", and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". After singing his requests, I always sing the following three songs "Jesus Loves Me", "How Great is Our God", and a little song I made up when he was born that follows the tune "Are You Sleeping". Sunday night when I started to sing Jesus Loves Me, he sang with me! He then sang the other two songs as well. It was so precious!! My heart melted when he grinned at me and sang the words to the lullaby I made up for him..."mommy loves you, mommy loves you, very much..." It was priceless!

Little Boy's Best Friend...

Man's best friend is proving to be little boy's best friend too! Matthew LOVES his puppy. (Who happens to be a three your old German Shepard.) I often wonder if she is as crazy for him as he is for her! The poor dog can not just "chill out" when Matt is around. He is constantly taking her ball, her bone, poking her eyes, and pulling her ears or tail. He thinks it's all "fun." She is totally irritated. Thankfully, she has a gentle nature and doesn't seem to mind...too much.

The Signs of Christmas

Matthew had more fun with the tree this year than ever before! Even though he still doesn't really understand what this is all about he knows it is something fun! As soon as we got the tree set up and the lights plugged in he marched his way up the stepladder to check it all out.

He was so funny with the ornaments. I had to rearrange the ornaments he had so carefully placed on the tree because they were all on the same branch! He was very disappointed when he ran out of candycanes.

Matthew grabbed these stars as soon as he saw them and started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
A picture of our snowman and his candies. As soon as Matt saw it all lit up he became so excited! He didn't know what to look at first. He glanced all over and just shouted "Whoaa, whoaa, whoaa!" It sounded so much like "ho, ho, ho." It was too cute!

Another picture of the front of the house. Marc and I both agreed that this is the best the yard has looked since we started putting lights on the house four years ago. Maybe we are finally getting the hang of it! It only took us a few hours this year to get it all up instead of the whole day. (Do you think it was because we bought all new lights this year and didn't have to make any extra trips to Lowe's?)

Matthew wanted to get on the roof with his daddy so badly!

I tired to keep Matt occupied in the yard while Marc was up on the roof. Matt and I did all the little things like the wreath and the snowman on the front porch. This wreath was pretty big for Matt to carry. At one point he started dragging it up to the porch.

Thanksgiving Blessings

God has truly blessed my life! I am so amazed at his love for his children. I am so thankful for:
1. My salvation in Christ and his love for me.
2. My wonderful husband who loves and supports our family.
3. My sweet little boy Matthew.
4. My wonderful family. (Mom, Dad, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents...)
5. My amazing friends.