Standing Strong: December 2016

Friday, December 30, 2016

New Years Eve

Jackson loves a good party and loves to help get ready!

We baked a cookie cake, decorated the house, and made a photo frame together. :)

These boys made 2016 wonderful, exhausting, and full of love!

Family selfie

Neighbor friends

We love hanging with the Yangs on New Year Eve!

We ate, talked, and the kids played.

Fireworks

We played a few games with Jackson once everyone left and called it a night!

These are my favorite moments from the year!

Time with my boys is such a gift!

Happy New Year and cheers to 2017!!

#hartzeveryday2016 Week 52

Day 358: Definitely doesn't feel like Christmas time!

Day 359: Jackson got a Texas sized surprise on Christmas Eve!

Day 360: Our Christmas Day was merry and bright celebrating Jesus and spending time with each other!

Day 361: Flying fun at the park today!

Since Brian was called in to work overnight on Christmas, we enjoyed Monday afternoon with him.

Day 362: We enjoyed time with friends at the park, grocery trip, and some reading today!

Day 363: More time with friends outside in this warm weather. Feels more like spring break than winter break!

Day 364: We finally tried Sub Zero Ice Cream! Not sure why we waited for it to be in the 50's when it was 80 the last couple of days.:)

Day 365: Lunch with Daddy because he has been working long hours! We are so thankful he normally doesn't take call!

Day 366: Happy New Year!

What a wonderful year!! So thankful for all of God's protection, provision, and love in 2016! I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store!

Christmas Eve Surprise

Jackson received a huge Christmas Eve surprise!

We were all in our Christmas pajamas watching a movie when Brian got a text last minute from a coworker asking if he wanted 2 tickets to the Texans game.

He showed me the phone, and I said yes!

Brian told Jackson to go put his JJ Watt jersey on and he just kind.a stared at him like what??? Brian said it again and added "we're going to the game!" Jackson jumped up, ran up the stairs, and changed super quick. I really wished we had recorded the whole thing!

They headed downtime and only missed the first few minutes of the game

They had Club Level seats

The first half of the game was a little boring, but Jackson got some ice cream and a souvenir helmet to bring home!

Priceless moments for Daddy and Jackson, really wish I could have been there too!

With two minutes left the Texans were up by 2, and the Bengals were close to field goal range. The Bengals kicked a few goal while the final seconds were ticking off the clock...and missed! (I was so praying they would and this night would be even more memorable for Jackson.)

The Texans won their division and are headed to the Playoffs! So awesome and fun!! It reminded me of a Packer game with my dad where the outcome was very similar. :)

God is so good to us!

We are so thankful for such a fun experience for both of them and that Brian's coworker thought to offer him the tickets. What a surprising and memorable Christmas Eve!!

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

#hartzChristmas2016 Christmas Day

The boys woke us up at 6:45! They headed down straight for their stockings.

This picture shows their personality to a T. Jackson has all of his things organized, and Lincoln's are scattered around. :)

Brian read the Christmas story, and then the boys opened their presents from Santa.

Lincoln got his Lion Guard toy, he has been talking about for months!!

LOVE his face! Priceless!! So excited for lots and lots of Pokemon cards!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Cinnamon rolls and sausage balls for a birthday celebration.

After breakfast we opened the rest of the presents.

Jackson got Lincoln a remote control Mickey, so now he has a remote control car like his big brother:)

Impromptu group hug

Who doesn't love movies?

We got the boys a Wii, and it has already been so much fun racing, bowling, and golfing against one another!

Happy guy, got his trolling motor for the canoe!

So many blessings

Love my new Bible from Brian! It has beautiful scripture and space for journaling.

These are moments I will never forget!

Such a sweet day celebrating Jesus' birth, His great love for us, and spending time together!

Monday, December 26, 2016

#hartzChristmas2016 Christmas Eve

Daddy was home Christmas Eve since it fell on a Saturday. We went to the park, played games, and watched the Packer game together.

Then we got ready and headed to Church for our Christmas Eve Service. Lincoln came with us into big church for the first time.

Pastor David had all the children come up front for the reading of the Christmas story.

O holy night

My favorite tradition of all!

After church, we opened our pajamas. I went matching this year, and I think a new tradition has been born! Love my boys and this picture!!!

We ate pizza and were watching a Christmas movie when Brian got a text from a friend offering him 2 Texan's tickets! We told Jackson to go put his JJ Watt jersey on quick and that he was going to the game. He didn't believe us at first, and then couldn't stop smiling!! I wish I would have recorded it.

Watching the Texans play the Bengals.

Ice cream in a helmet is a must for your first NFL and Texans game!

The Texans ended up winning by a missed field goal from the other team at the very end of the game and now are Division Champs and going to the playoffs. Such a cool game for them to get to go to!

Meanwhile, Lincoln and I wrote a letter to Santa and put out cookies for Santa and the reindeer food.

I have loved reading all the promises of Jesus birth and salvation in the Old Testament this Advent season. Oh, how He loves us!!

I loved this from my devotional, "True love is willing to become small to offer the biggest gift of all...the power of presence."

I'm so thankful for His presence in my life and that baby that came many years ago is bigger than the world. It also challenges me to become "small" to love those around me.

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.