2022 Endings and 2023 Beginnings(forewarning: long post)

Hello all :)

Since Thanksgiving, things have just been a whirlwind around our home and in our lives. So the end of 2022 decided it needed to join up with the beginning of 2023 for this post. Besides the extra whirlwind and flurry of activities, things have been blessed, not always 'easy', but a blessing still the same. Growth in our lives is always a blessing, and more often than not, growth comes with stretching, tweaking and growing pains. Here is a snapshot trail and tidbits through 2022 Endings and 2023 Beginnings...and with keeping up with the KeKe blur some events and activities are rather scarcely captured and others are plentifully captured ;D...

...a homemade candle by Kirk with an Old Jail House Art Center art kit...

...another OJH art kit that Kirk helped Janessa complete...

...another OJH art kit...this is a fun silk printing one...

...some of the best Classic Shortbread Cookies made once a year for Christmas...

...Kirk's creation of messing around in the kitchen...they were actually very tasty...

...another once-a-year tradition we have in our house, making Peppernuts in November and then serving them at Christmas...

...our Mittens cat, at our neighbors house getting a treat! He truly reminds us of the James Herriot story with the cat that goes about town...this cat makes us smile :)...

...Kirk playing around with the phone camera, with the bubble blower out back...

...Kirk updating his decor on his headboard...

...this cat...is quite the cat...he is currently banished from the house, and may soon be from the garage...he does look cozy here though...

....why yes, I did want to see what all was in here and NO big brother does not know what I'm doing, lol ;P...

...Jadon and Kirk went with a group to sort and pack Operation Christmas Child boxes into shipping containers in Dallas...it is something they really enjoy doing in December...

...yep, Kirk had my phone again...after it is in his hands, I find pictures galore on it :)...

...bed hair and snuggling...

...enjoying the warm fire...

....packing for our Kansas Christmas trip...hmmm, I think we are packing 'live', lol :D...

...Kansas sunset view from the upstairs guest suite at the house we stayed at...it was a blessing!

...the COLD landscape...yes, it was FRIGID while we were back in Kansas...negative below temps and WIND!!!!...

...these kittens were seriously some of the most chill kittens ever...

...spending some time with family...we had extra time with our family that has the guest suite upstairs due to the weather, we loved it...I think everyone had lots of fun :)...snuggling the kittens here again...

...decoratiing cookies...

...the bunnies that were gifted to KeKe and ended up coming south with us...they are getting ready to load up to head south :D...

...blocks, cousins and a chill kitty...

...many card and board games were played...

...why yes, the kittens are in again :D...

...what do you mean I shouldn't choke the kitty? LOL!

...all you need is cousins, energy, some orneriness and furniture :)...

...caught napping ;)...

...enjoying some rejuvenating face masks...

...a sweet aunt, kitty and KeKe...

...these two got along so well, plus whichever kitty would let KeKe hold it...

...love this pic...someone received 'bunny' ears ;)...

...slipping down in the morning to grab some fresh, hot coffee...this time the girls and a kitty tagged along and snuggled with Aunt Elli while Mommy got her morning brew...

...this little man, watched out so well for KeKe girl...

...these two got along energetically well :)...

...puzzles can go really fast when multiple people are working on them ;)...

...yep, a common sight as we were getting ready for the day or ready for bed...these kitties about got packed south ;D...

...we were even gifted in the guest suite with a true live country tree...it made the best night light ever...

...games at the Rokey Christmas...it was a great time there, but here is a place that was failed in that I didn't get many pictures. It was a great time and we loved getting to spend time with our Rokey family! It is always a blessing to visit family and we miss those that we don't get to catch up with and see...

...a fun challenge of a game...

...a fun winter drink from Shaw's coffee haus...

...Keanna doesn't just go to anyone, but this sweet lady, she goes to very readily :)...

...a hand-me-down toy from some of her cousins is one of the best loved toys...

...I am absolutely in love with this loveseat couch!!!...

...within just a few minutes this kitty had to test it out...

...the hugh of this sky...

...this room has to be the most refreshing room in the house...

...with traveling to Kansas this Christmas we spread our Christmas out over about 3-4 weeks....doing a little bit tucked into the little blanks of white space in our schedule...most of us actually really fell in love with doing it this way...but our wonderful hubby and father was not too sure about it...;P...

...this lady is absolutely one of the sweetest! She is such a blessing to our lives and we love her lots!...

...a super fun gift given to us...it was so fun sampling many different things we wouldn't of normally gotten...

...yes, we do love puzzles...

...the boys loved getting to go hunting! This is the deer Jadon got and we are enjoying some amazing venison right now...

...another gingerbread house done by Kirk...he is practicing up for his AMAZING one!...

...Mom's creation...

...this is the gingerbread house that this little lady put together...

...this young man spent lots of creative hours making, baking and building his completely hand made gingerbread house! It turned out quite amazing and looked fabulous when he was done! He had a lot of fun doing it and it was quite fun watching him create it(i did have to just NOT see all the powdered sugar floating around, LOL)....

...he put a 'nod' to Maine on this one ...

...he also spent more time in the kitchen making this Pomegranate Orange Tart...it was delicious and looked so beautiful...

...simple but still festive...

...also made by Kirk...Milk Oatmeal Rolls...

...oh yes, the 'bum-bums'(as KeKe calls them) made the trip back to Texas quite entertaining for the kids...

...meet Dasher...

...meet Benjamin...

...made some sourdough bread in a cast iron dutch oven that turned out delicious...

...a light dusting of snow was the kids' delight...

...hmmmm, someone seemed to have gotten my phone, as I had about 100 or so pics like this on it...LOL!...

...this girl...she threw her snacks on the floor and then commenced to eating them OFF the floor...you know they must taste better off the floor, right? ;D...

...an old piece of a pot that Kirk is working on painting...

...Jadon and Kirk are ready for the White Glove Winter Gala, a homeschool event in Oklahoma City...it was an old fashioned Victorian ball...it was a commitment going to it, but it was fun and a blessing...thanks to the sweet family that invited us...

... :) ...

...painting and snacks on the front porch...

...Dasher and Benjamin playing with the girls...

...his favorite spot...

...waiting for our espresso...do you think this girlies need extra caffeine? Probably not, but they sure do like coffee :)...

...hand done silk printing on a t-shirt by Kirk...

...a science experiment of Janessa's...

...some of Kirk's trivets he painted...

...her current infatuation with hats is hilarious! She is also enjoying breakfast by the warm fire on a cold day...

...FINALLY these furry bundles are getting moved out of the garage...

...so thankful for the opportunity for our mancubs to go hunting! Kirk had some happy hunting...

...these are delicious deer sticks...

...Ahhhhh, we are finally getting our mailbox back up...now here's to hoping that it doesn't get taken out again by a vehicle! Although, this time it won't be just snapping off, I'm afraid with the solid steel construction and 6 foot concrete trench it might actually inflict damage on the auto running into it...hopefully we won't be needing to replace again anytime soon...

...this cat I truly think has a bi-polar issue...one minute he can be lovey-dovey and then the next he will chomp down with his fangs and sometimes even draws blood...he is about ready to chomp here...lol, you can see it in his face...

...hmmm, the kitty that will grab human food wherever and from whomever he can...it can be frustrating as you can't leave food sit around when he is in!...

...she loves her big brother...

...heading out into the cold to help chore...

...heading out with the other big brother that she loves...

...a sweet roasted marshmallow treat for a school break on a cold day...its the best school break, right?...

...napping and basking in the heat of the fireplace...

...Discipleship Now/Heartbeat Weekend...'Don't Let the Enemy Have a Seat at Your Table' was the study and theme for the weekend....we were blessed to host the 11th grade boys and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know their leader...it was a blessed time! Seriously, with the amount of Sour Patch gummies and Takis they consumed, I think these guys may have some of the toughest stomachs out there...

...enjoying some games during one of the breaks...

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...a game late at night...it reminds me of a dog surgical collar, lol...

...with all the cans they collected for the canned food drive for Good Samaritan they did a design...this group won the design...they got a HUGE ice cream sundae to eat later that night...