2008 favorites

Since we have just a few more hours left in 2008, I thought I'd take a minute to list a few of our favorites from 2008. I tried to stick with three for each category. Especially when it comes to books and movies, these favorites weren't necessarily released in 2008 - we just experienced them during this year.

Favorite books:
Madman by Tracy Groot
Emma by Jane Austen (so much better than the movie!)
Innumeracy by John Allen Paulos (this is Pete's contribution to the list)

Favorite movies:
Juno
Once
Neither Pete nor I could think of a third. We saw just a handful of movies in the theater this year (Prince Caspian, Wall E, The Dark Knight), and none of them were all that wonderful. And we had a long lull in our Netflix movie watching, and even the ones we got were so-so. Here's hoping for better movies in 2009!

Favorite CDs:
Bebo Norman by Bebo Norman
Resurrection Letters: Volume II by Andrew Peterson
With Hearts As One by Hillsong United

Favorite TV Shows:
American Idol (much to Pete's chagrin - he hates this show)
Chuck
The Office

Favorite moments:
Peyton's dedication day
Walks around the neighborhood as a family during the summertime
Discovering mushrooms growing behind our kitchen sink (we had a little leak...)















There's more to 2008 than our favorites, however. Thinking back through the year, I'm struck at the ways God has blessed us, watched over us, taught us and carried us. He gave Pete a new job in a really tough economy, with no "lull" between jobs, when that was a very real possibility. He's provided for us when we've had several unexpected house and car repairs. He's opened a door for me to work from home one day a week, when I thought that door was shut tight. He's taught us so much about Himself through our relationship with each other and with Peyton. And those are just a few of the ways He's revealed Himself - there are so many more. 2008 was difficult in many ways, but we end it joyfully and in gratitude to Him for His sustaining grace and mercy.

scenes from Christmas

Christmas was truly a joyful celebration this year, and we are blessed with wonderful families to share it with. Here are some pictures from our gatherings.

Christmas Eve with the Meyerings:

Christmas morning:

Christmas Day with the Andersons:

Stockings hung by the chimney with care:

A special place for a special nativity:

the great Christmas tree disaster of 2008

It's been a long time since our last post. I'm not sure anyone even checks our blog anymore! But with Christmas comes new pictures and stories that I thought I'd share.

This year, we ventured to a different tree farm for our Christmas tree. That farm left much to be desired, but we ended up with a tree. We had no idea what variety it was, but it fit in our house and looked pretty nice. For a few weeks anyway.

Soon, we noticed a few needles on the tree skirt. And then we noticed that we never needed to water it. A few days later, we began to hear the constant dropping of needles whenever we sat in the living room. There were futile attempts to vaccum up needles. There was talk of taking it down the day after Christmas, instead of leaving it up until New Year's like we usually do. And then we started losing lights and ornaments. So on Christmas Eve, our fire hazard of a Christmas tree went out the door. Using the shop vac at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve is not something we'd like to repeat next year. :)

Before:

The accumulation of needles on the gifts

After the removal of the ornaments and lights - most of the needles are on the floor

The needle aftermath

We simply couldn't be without a Christmas tree, so Mom Anderson let us borrow the top of an artificial tree. Pete rigged it to the tree stand with duct tape, strung some lights and hung some ornaments. It leaned a little, but it was a tree (with needles that didn't fall!)

Our poor Christmas tree is now rolling around in the backyard like a tumbleweed until we get a yard waste tag and the city takes it to its final resting place.