It's New Years Eve!

And we were so blessed to spend the evening with our dear friends Jim, Jean and Carole. They prepared a lovely dinner for us and we enjoyed being together, catching up, with lots of love and laughter.

(Maezinha, they used the tablecloth you bought them and said they use it often!)

Jim and Jean will be celebrating 50 years of marriage on July 16th, 2011 (exactly a day after our wedding anniversary)! Their marriage is an example to us and to many who know them...

Daniel, as always, loved his cup of tea...

And then he became the running fireman, running through the house!

A group photo to remind us of a lovely New Years Eve together!

We love you Purcells!!!

*****

To all loved ones around the world, Happy New Year! Our wishes for you in 2011 are perfectly summed up in Numbers 6:24-26:

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Special Times in December 2010

We've had some special times this past December which we would like to remember:

1. Enya's 3rd Birthday party - we all had a blast!

2. We hosted a "thank-you Christmas dinner" for the sweetest girls who babysit Daniel often. There are 5 girls from our church that regularly take turns to babysit Daniel for us so that we can participate in church evening meetings and the occasional date night out. They do this as a service to us, for free, and are so loving towards Daniel. We are SO thankful for these girls, they are such a blessing! Unfortunately 2 of the girls were not able to make the dinner but we got some cute photos with 3 of them:

From top to bottom: Lauren, Allison and Ashley

3. Toddlers racing:Marcus, Daniel and Lucas!

4. I only got one photo that night, but we had a pyjamas Christmas party at our church and it was great fun! More sweet girls that I love in this photo (from left to right: me, April, Michelle and Melissa --Melissa is one of the other babysitters who couldn't make the dinner):

5. Jonny enjoyed taking Daniel on the Carousel for the first time (for Jonny):

6. Lots of cute smiles...

Daniel post haircut (I still cut both of my boys' hairs!). Also, this photo shows all the stickers Daniel has been collecting from the potty training that is going very well! He has started wearing underwear at home and seems to be getting it - and most importantly, motivated to do it most of the time! I think we should have a big boy very soon!

7. And finally just today, we got babies Sadie and Maya together again (daughters of my friends Corrinne and Heather)! They are both almost 5 months old and less than 2 weeks apart -- so cute!

And Then It Was Christmas Day

...and it was probably the most relaxed and cozy Christmas day ever. We literally spent most of our day in pyjamas and just enjoyed being together, playing, talking, eating, listening to music, communicating with family and friends, and being warm inside while some light snow fell outside (a first White Christmas for us!).

We all slept in until about 9 am and then opened the long-awaited presents:

Jonny was waiting anxiously for his Kindle and is loving his new toy!

As we waited for a yummy brunch being prepared by the master chef yet again, we opened the last day of the nativity calendar. See how Daniel arranged all the figures by himself this past month - very orderly! Daniel really enjoyed doing this every day.

The chef...

And more eating...

We then decided to spend time cuddling in bed together...

And had dessert and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus again (Daniel can sing the whole song now)!

And then there was more playing...

And lots more cuddles while watching movies...

All in all, a very peaceful day... a wonderful way to celebrate the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.