Twas' The Night Before Christmas...

Twas the night before Christmas when in blankets of red...the Kinnamon and Downs' kids all went to bed.

After a play where they acted out the story of Jesus's birth and all of it's glory...
And made houses of candy with nice little treats, that they knew St. Nicolas might want to eat...

With frosting on their noses and a twinkle in their eyes, they had these smiles before each received a surprise...

A gift for each one before off to sleep, so Santa could bring Christmas memories to keep!!!!!

Update: Extreme Home Makeover Progress Sunday

Update for today :  Sunday

I went back out to the site today to volunteer again and there was a lot to still be done.  

Here's Ty walking up to the house to check on the progress.

Me and the power team - they were entertaining the crowd and were so nice!  My eyes were closed - it was sunny!

I helped hide wires in the flower beds -  maybe for lighting - not sure!

Pic of the back yard porch/fire place area!

Getting dust and dirt off the flag stone for the outdoor fire place

Saturday night's progress and taking the kids to see the show!

I'm still amazed at all the people helping and how quickly things are getting done.  Lots of painting today, moving appliances in, dusting furniture, cleaning, etc.  I can't wait for the family to see it all tomorrow!  Check back for updates on that!  

Fabulous Fridays - Curtis and I volunteer for Extreme Home Makeover

It was such a blessing for us to be able to volunteer for Extreme Home Makeover and help build a house for my friend Amber Augustin!  Thanks to my friend Stephanie for watching my kids COUNTLESS hours so that Curtis and I were able to do this!  This show really is amazing.  Just Wednesday the original home was still standing and today...a beautiful new one in it's place!  Everyone was working non-stop to get things done.  The site is VERY busy and it is awesome to see all the people who have graciously given their time to help in this project.  Curtis and I mainly worked inside the home today sweeping up insulation, bagging it, and moving that and sheetrock to the dumpster.  Literally...that's what we did for 6 hours this morning.  But...I believe if you do something you do it 100% or don't do it at all.  Well...this verse that we saw on the studs today just about sums it up!  LOVE IT!  

If only everyone did this  all the time - AMEN!!!!

In the living room area looking toward the stairs!  Note the verse Jeremiah 29:11 on the stud on the left!

Guys on stilts hanging sheetrock!  These guys were so fast!

Curt and I in front of the house at about 11:00am!  Bellisimo!

This was the first pic in front of the house at 5:30 this morning!

Extreme Home Makeover in Keller

This past summer I helped to nominate a friend of mine from church for Extreme Home Makeover - well...SHE GOT IT!!!!!  You can imagine how excited I was to hear of this blessing for my friend Amber and to get to be a part of this amazing show and gift for a precious family!  Here are some pics from today!  

Waiting with Ronald McDonald before the big Braveheart March (for those of you that watch, this is the part where all the volunteers walk up to the home excitedly!)

Me and my friend Mandy (she's the one taking all the pics cause I stupidly left my camera card at home)

Me, Mandy and Anne waiting in the cold - by the way...none of us are this fat...we just all had ALOT of clothes on, and shirts over our coats!

me with Ty Pennington's back - yes I was this close!!!!

Me and my friend Anne with Ty in the back

Anne, Eduardo Xol, and me - he was REALLY nice!

me cheering at the scene

standing next to Ty (yep I got to stand by him for awhile!

again, standing next to Ty

me and anne ready to walk with our March of Dimes banners and EHMO shirts and hardhats

Christmas "Girl" Time

It is always a joyful time each year when Jae and I have our Women's Ministry Christmas events.  They always happen on the same weekend but luckily mine is a dinner on Friday night and hers is a luncheon on Saturday!  Mom always gets to come along and it is a blessing to share these days with two of my most favorite people!  This year both events main theme was to focus on Christ amidst the busyness of Christmas!  Oh how we need to be reminded daily!  

Jae, Mom, me at Jae's lucheon in front of the stage decor Jae designed!  She can do amazing things! 

Jae's beautiful table!

Mom and me at my dinner

Jae and Jen at The Met dinner

my table

Cool Christmas Service Project

I am blessed to get to help with the most AWESOME Christmas service project EVER!!!!  Check back this weekend for details!  Can't wait to post pics!  I'll give you a hint, is has something to do with the initials E.H.M.O

See ya soon!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like CHRISTmas!

Christmas really is my favorite time of year, and..it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house this weekend!  

First we set up our nativity!  

Then Curtis and I put up lights - okay mostly Curtis, but I did hand him the clips:)

I've been wanting to do this for years!  Isn't it beautiful?!  Thanks hon!

We also bought and decorated our tree - a real one - smells great!  Here's Kaden putting the star on!

And just for fun...our dining room decor!

Service Projects and Christmas Decorating

I'm so proud of Kaden and Kinsley!  They both participated in their first service project at our church for kiddos at Cook Children's hospital.  They worked so hard to put together up to 1,000 bags full of fun items for kids that might end up in the emergency room over the holidays.  I love that they are blessed to go to a church where this is taught early and often!    

Here's Kaden in front of all the bags! 

Here's Kinsley delivering her bags!

Then...while Kaden and Curtis cheered on the Sooners, Kinsley and I went to mom and dad's to help them decorate for Christmas.  Here's me helping hang ornaments on their HUGE tree.

And here's Kinsley helping hang ornaments where she could reach!

Two Thanksgiving Feasts

To kick off Thanksgiving this year we had two wonderful feasts.  The first at New Creation Preschool with 120 other little precious kiddos.  And the second at Bluebonnet, Kaden's school.  Both were so much fun and it was great to see the kids faces light up as they showed me the Thanksgiving projects they made and ate by their friends!  In their own words - Kaden is thankful for me (promise I didn't pay him to say this:)), his family, friends, toys, and his cousins!  Kinsley is thankful for pancakes, TV's, art things like her two paintings, and her brother!

Wonderful Wednesdays - Happy Fall!

I took advantage of the beautiful fall weather today and decided to have a photo shoot in the freshly raked leaves the neighbors raked over to our yard! I thought these pics turned out pretty cute!