Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Sprague Family!

May the holiday season find you all happy and healthy and ready to celebrate in the joy...

We hope the year to come brings you good tiding and fortune...

You can be on the look out for this beauty in the mail!

Thank you to our friend Nicole for helping us capture the whole family!

Just Looking...

Look with your Eyes Boston... Boston is in complete awe of the Christmas Tree! He kneels down beside it so he can look at the lights and every once in a while, when no one is looking he points and touches with his small little finger! It is just so innocent and precious! I love to watch him explore and wonder what it all is!

Advent Calendar

I am so excited... Every day it is more and more like Christmas... Even for me! I have memories as a child of my Grandma Lairmore sending us the paper village that you opened a door for each day and got a piece of chocolate... I always looked forward to seeing fewer and fewer doors to open... even though the chocolates weren't very tasty! I knew I wanted to do one for my kids... but I had to wait until they weren't so little! I have waited and waited to do an advent calendar until the kids were "old" enough...
I finally decided this year I would get it done!
I have searched for years... and if you know me... You know I saved pictures, cut out ideas in a magazine... Found a hundred choices and then had so much to chose from I didn't know where to start! That is only a small part of my disease!
This year I decided to JUST DO IT! I found a picture from Martha Stewart that were all these cute little baby socks and they all matched so nicely and looked just perfect hanging on the sweet piece of rope she had hanging in the doorway...
Well... I am not Martha Stewart... those socks are too expensive... and I didn't like the rope!
So... I found some socks in the dollar bins at Target and found some really well priced at Ross... Then sent Shawn out on another mission for a few more pairs. We were not allowed to spend more than a dollar a pair. Then I tried not to spend more than ten dollars total for the stuff inside for all three kiddos! We did it!
we took our very first Christmas tree from before we were married and turned it into an Advent Tree! I made tags for each day of the month and glued them to a clothespin... I filled the sock with something little for each child... and clothespined the sock to a tree branch!
It has been so much fun for the kids to hunt for the number... empty the sock... and see that they are one more day closer to Christmas!
I must say... I liked this idea even better than Martha Stewart! Here is some Jo Lynne Sprague!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Buried with Christ... Rise Up to Walk a New Life!

I must say this is one of MY PROUDEST moments!

I was baptized as an infant... I was confirmed to the Methodist Church as a child... I walked in and out of Faith as it was comfortable or convenient... I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior... I was a "fan" of his when I had time to be... In the last six months or a little more I decided I needed that God whole filled in my heart. I knew how good going to church made me feel, but I wanted more than a Sunday relationship with God. I wanted to give myself to him to use and to serve. I walked into Central Christian Church in Las Vegas and nearly fell to my knees at the size... I thought I had made a big mistake in the Church I brought my family to... Oh Boy... I couldn't have been more wrong. Every week Pastor Jud talks right to me and say God opens my heart a little more. Neon Faith was a Church wide campaign that we did and it put me over the top in knowing I was making the right decision for my life. I wanted to take a step of Faith and declare to myself and to God that I am ready to walk in a journey with Him and through Him. That I am prepared with open hands to give all I am to Him. Shawn, Tye and AdeLynne were there to support and cheer as I made a step of Faith for myself and also for our family. Some members of my small group family came to witness and support me in my decision to be come a Christ Follower... not just a Fan... One of my small group family members said, "Welcome to the War"... though it sounds unfriendly... it is very true. Learning to live and make decisions that are truly Christ Following is not easy and not something people should take lightly.

... No... I am not a Bible Thumper... I don't turn away those that are not on the same journey as I am... I am by no means a pro at Christianity...

I am a Follower of God that wants to do things that are pleasing to God and His word... I want to teach my children what true Christianity is... Not just what the words in the Bible say, but what they mean... I want to be remembered for walking the walk and for practicing, not for preaching.

13 Months Old!

Who is that cute boy?
Yeah... It is Boston!

Well... as he grows by leaps and bounds... there are so many things that I take for granted... I am so blessed with another beautiful and healthy baby. I can't help but think he is one of the cutest little guys ever! I am pretty sure that after "13" months... I will lose track until he is 2! I always look forward to when they turn 1 so that I don't have to count months anymore! We are weeding out the baby items in our home... It is strange... for the lst 5 years we have had "Baby Stuff"! It is exciting and sad all at the same time!

What does he do now you ask...

1. Eats people food

2. Loves to drink from a sippy cup

3. Walks fairly well...

4. Runs like a duck

5. Squeals

6. Plays ball

7. Uses sign language for please, thank you, milk, more, and all done

8. Jabbers while playing

9. Loves Daddy's hat collection

10. Blows kisses, waves bye bye, and plays peek-a-boo

Dress Up

Dress up... I am pretty sure that for generations children have been playing dress up. This is a loved past time by most kids! It isn't something just for girls... ALL three of my kids love to play dress up! The stories they create and the costumes that go with their creations are just priceless to me! This particular morning in the picture... they had spent watching Peter Pan for the first time really... Shawn was out of town... I was playing with them and creating a fort in the toy room to be used as "Neverland"... Ok... so maybe it is fun for all ages even! There was Captain Hook (Tye), Tinker Bell (Ade), and a member of the Lost Boys (Boston)... They played for a good two hours with sword fights, swimming, eating at the table... They had so much fun!
Captain Hook!
Tinker Bell
A Lost Boy
Then on another morning recently...

Tye asked, "Mom, can we get dressed and go play outside?"

Mom replied with enthusiasm, "Of course... go get some fresh air and burn some energy! Just make sure you get dressed, wear shoes, and put on a light coat because it is a little chilly."

So... I go to my room to get ready for the day.

Shawn says, "Jo... Did you tell the kids they could go outside like this?"

Jo replies with a little frustration, "What is the problem? I asked them to get clothes on, shoes on and to make sure they have a light coat. If they have done that, please let them out."

Shawn says, "Well I think they did what you asked, but you might want to look at this."

So... I stop everything I am doing to go see what the problem is. All to find out there is no problem and that the kids had their own interpretation of what they were to wear!

Tye... Ade...

Oh... How could you not just love them!

Creativity Please...

Just a small soapbox from "The Wife"!

I want that... I don't need it to say will you marry me... I already did that... but could someone put some creativity into my life please! Is that too much to ask... sometimes I wonder if there is ever a thought that goes through his head that says... "that would be fun to do for my wife!" I don't need the diamond earrings (Although they sound pretty) or all the fancy stuff (Although it would be nice too!) ... just a small acknowledgement that you thought about me and it wasn't something you HAD to do... but that you WANTED to do... Just a thought!

Halloween 2009

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Halloween...

What a great year for Trick-or-treating! We went to Seven Hills with a few friends and had a wonderful time... the streets were packed with families walking and enjoying the evening... The weather was nice and cool... Tye was a trooper to carry his tail all night as it was a little longer than he was... Ade discovered she really liked to knock on the doors and holler "Trick-or-treat!"... and Boston... well he got carried and pushed in the buggy! He was the cutest lion on the block though! We had a wonderful time... got plenty of candy... but sure missed our old fashioned Halloween tradition and family... Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween as well!

Boston's First Birthday!

What a milestone... the first time a little one is "allowed" to eat cake and icecream! He had no problem digging into his cake! We are sorry not many got to celebrate with him... but we are sure glad for those that did come to watch him eat cake! He enjoyed a wonderful day!

Boston turns 1!

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Pictures from JoLynne

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Pictures from JoLynne

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Dance like a Ballerina!

... Or Not! Ade chooses to hang like a Monkey! Yep that is her... the one in black hanging from the bar during warm up and technique! She makes me laugh... She does have fun she smiles big... This was only her second class at the recreation center... I am just thrilled that she will go in and not make a fuss about us leaving her... She doesn't mid doing something by herself... She smiles and has an hour to be Ade! After she is done with this we will see if she wants to do it again! Shawn would like to see her in gymnastics... maybe she fits better there! She loves tap... go ahead and ask her why... well I will save you some time... I asked her... "Because everyone can hear my shoes!" She just makes me smile! Hopefully you will smile too!

Oh it has ONLY just begun!

She isn't even 4 years old and already knows how to catalog shop!

What have we done!

"Will it come in the mail?"

"Oh, I really like this bed... It has drawers"

"Maybe I think I like this one for Tye."

"Can I dress like a ladybug?"

"I would like the purple pack pack for school."

All things Ade had to say as she flipped through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog... She stood at the coffee table and pointed out all the beds that she liked and showed Shawn and I so that we would know. All we have to do is get it to come int he mail! This little girl is not even 4 years old and she knows when we order from the catalog it will come to us in the mail... Who cares about the details of how much it is, who is going to get it, and how we are going to pay for it! She sure makes me giggle! She must be spending dream time with her Meemaw and learning how to catalog shop!

Dance Has Begun!

Daddy and Ade... Tap shoes too!
She looks so tiny!

Her bag from Meemaw... Need a better picture of it!

Oh how long I have waited for this moment! A little girl in Dance!

Leotards, tights, ballet slippers, tap shoes, buns in her hair... All the pieces I remember so clearly!

Now that she is 3 she can go without Mommy and try dance... We signed her up at the Rec Center first to see if she would like it... If so we will venture out to find a dace studio to enroll her in!

It was so cute to watch her point her toes and do all the things the teacher said!

Next week we will be sure to get pictures of the class so you can see this little munchkin in action!

Meemaw made her a special "pack pack" to take her shoes to class in and make sure she had everything all together!

Tye's First Day of Preschool

His paperwork all filled out and completely delivered... His school tuition paid... a little boy so ready to see what "school" means! We have talked about it for a few years as school buses went down the street, or saw older cousins at their schools... Tye is off to his first step in formal education!

An orange backpack... a matching lunch sack... all with his name on it... his school supplies all neatly packed in his orange pencil case... his lunch packed with a napkin and a special note from Mommy... a goodie bag for the teacher of Kleenex and Ziploc bags... he is ready to go! He was so excited to go to school!

I am so excited for him to have some time with kids his age and to get to

learn and grow more and more everyday. It is just on Tuesday and Thursday morning... which is just enough I suppose. I wish he could go 3 mornings a week, but I will take what I can get!

I could hardly wait all morning to hear him on the phone to tell me what he got to do today!

While sitting at lunch with Tam and Ed talking work... a little voice speaks to me on the other end... so full of excitement I can hardly understand what he is saying! He had such a GREAT morning at school! When Daddy picked him up he didn't want to go home! He wanted to stay and take his nap there with his friends. He had Bible time and that is also when they do phonics. He learned the letter "I"... he got to learn about the germs that are on hands and to do so... he rubbed some oil on his hands and then put cinnamon on them so that they could see what the germs would like like if they weren't so tiny! He said he got to do some math... not exactly sure what they did there as he didn't have much to say about that. I can hardly wait to hear what Thursday morning will bring!

I know... It is just the beginning... but what a great beginning it is!

My Beach Bum...

Well Ade and Mom had a chance to take a weekend trip to California to see Grandpa Hasler... We met up with Meemaw, Uncle Jimmy and the boys... and to top it off "Her" flew in to spend time with us all too! We had the best time! Meemaw sat on the beach and cried as we all played making sand castles and jumping waves! I think her cup runeth over! It was so relaxing to play in the water, build with the kids, bounce around in the good old backyard pool, eat dinner on the patio... Oh so many memories I have there... It was so fun to share a piece of them with Ade! Ade and I sang the whole road trip... except for when she was sleeping! We got to see my Uncle Gary, Aunt Nancy and Bryan. It is always fun to get to catch up and make some connections! We missed out on the Ya Ya Grandmas, but hopefully next time! Uncle Jimmy got to see days of his "Tank" and get squeezes to last him a little while!

Can't wait to do it again!

Tye and T-Ball...

Well for all those that have wondered how he would like baseball... HE LOVES IT! Not really a fan of T-Ball... but we explained to him you have to go through the ranks. there are things we do in order to get to the next level and this was one of them... for Tye and for US as parents!

He works hard out on the field... he has been told basically "Don't be a ball hog"... He is about the only little boy that knows the process of ball... He is the team hitter! He gets a little frustrated that they don't play by the "RULES"! We are looking forward to the next season as he will be in coach pitch!

He is even giving a dad a workout as he throws with an arm that most don't expect out of a 4 year old!

We will keep you posted on Tye's baseball journey! I know i am waiting for next season just so it isn't so hot out... Summer ball season... not my favorite, but the first of many!

House Guests!

Well Uncle Shawn and Aunt Jo braved some time with our nephews... Zachary and William came to visit us...

They experienced sleep on a blow up mattress... not sure why both of them together... They got to meet Criss Angel and get his autograph, They played all day and night at Circus Circus, They watched Tye play T-Ball, They visited the Ethel M. Chocolate factory... and learned that they make chocolate with alcohol in them... They got to pick their own box of chocolates to have for the time they were here, They got to eat at a restaurant where the waitresses were in bikinis... not too sure they could focus on their lunch... They walked around the mall on the strip... got to see things that they say "Only in Las Vegas" to... They got to eat homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu, They got to experience church with Uncle Shawn, They got to take nap, and they learned about Sprague Smorgasbord!

We on the other hand got to experience two twelve year old boys, try to entertain those that require less entertainment and more phones and video games... that doesn't fly well with Uncle Shawn... Watch cousins play together, watch them let loose of some of the social pressures and be kids here, Got to make food for growing boys, hug on my little Zachary... he has always had a spot for me... It was wonderful to get some uninterrupted time with him and remind him that we are always here for him and William... All in all... I would say it was a good visit!

Hope you boys enjoyed... now get back home and get ready for Junior High!

Stinkbell Turns 3!

"Far, far away, in a magical place, sat a small little fairy, with her soft smiling face. She waited for her friends, in the warm summer sun; thanks for coming to join the fun? With fun foods to eat, and fun games to play, your arrival made her day. She anxiously waited, as each day past, while her fairy parents made memories that would hopefully last!

We had a great time... thank you fairy much to everyone that came and helped AdeLynne celebrate her 3rd birthday! I know it was hot and she sure appreciated all her friends and family to play with in her "jumpy house"! Here are a few pictures of her entertainment...

Her Daddy wanted her to have a wonderful Tinkerbell Bounce House... I can't say I have ever seen something quite so big for the kids to play in! She was truly amazed at the size of this "castle" for her to play in! It worked out great...

even the OLDER BOYS had a great time in there!

We were so worried about all the kids out in the heat... Guess I forget as a kid that it doesn't seem as bad as it does to me now! They played until the storm started to look bad... They were so bummed that we turned it off... Good thing they got to bounce and play for a few hours! She was so excited that her friends came to play!

The kids played in a little pool when they weren't bouncing... There were water balloons (That seemed like an adult war) and a slip n' slide that never made it out of the box!
She was just so excited to see her friends...

Her Uncle Paul (The GodFather)... what a trooper... He came as she so wonderfully requested! This little Stinkbell asked Uncle Paul if she could have chicken and rice to eat at her party and asked him to come dressed like TinkerBell... He hunted for wings and then took the time to modify them so that he could wear them. They even blinking lights on them!

Nice job Uncle Paul... It is wonderful to know there are people in this world that won't let her little heart down!

She ate her chicken and rice as she requested... No cake as we thought cake and heat... not a good combination... So she blew out her THREE birthday candles in her rice!

Then onto her presents... "prizes" as she calls them! She was overwhelmed with all the wonderful things she received. She has tried on every outfit she got... and man oh man does she look cute in them all!

Again... Thank you everyone for being part of her day... She will have things to talk about for weeks to come!