Merry Christmas 2011!

Merry Christmas, friends and family! Another year has gone by and another season of celebration has arrived. As a family, we are determined to focus our celebration on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, above all else. The Christmas decorations, packages around our tree, and time we spend with loved ones are a grand celebration of His love and sacrifice for us. Jesus’ birth brought our salvation into human form to save us once and for all – what an incredible God we serve!

This time of year also seems to usher in the desire to review how the year has gone and how the Lord has blessed us.

In January, Madelyn started piano lessons, lost her first tooth and we enjoyed our first homemade snow fort (with the hip deep snowfall we got).

In February, we made birthday bags for the local food shelf for Valentines Day and saw Greyson’s preschool program where he sang and danced with a big voice and smile.

In March, Greyson got his second round of stitches in his forehead after a fall while Melissa turned 35 and accompanied Liz with her bridal entourage to New Orleans (what a Blast!).

In April, we started our seeds for the summer garden, watched tulips peek up at us through the snow, Madelyn lost her second tooth while Greyson got his third set of stitches in his chin, Ben went from shoulder length hair to a crew cut (and donated it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths), and we roadtripped to Oklahoma for Easter where we met our newest niece/cousin, Kate Elizabeth Pruitt.

In May, it was finally warming up outside, Madelyn finished 1st grade, and we went to Milwaukee to help prepare for my sister’s wedding.

In June, we started out right away with the beautiful wedding of my sister, Liz, and her new husband, Nick Schanz, followed by our annual trip south to Petit Jean where Greyson hiked to Cedar Falls for the first time. It was also a great month of gardens, tea parties, snorkeling in sprinklers, popsicles. We ended the month in Tampa with the Cobb Clan at a second reception for Liz and Nick where Madelyn fell in love with horses.

In July, we camped in the backyard, declared “God is Good!”, and Greyson shed his training wheels and started soccer lessons.

In August, we spent lots of time with Jean and Mickey while they spent the month at a nearby RV park, went to the Minnesota State Fair, Ben turned 35, and Madelyn turned 7.

In September, Madelyn started 2nd grade while Greyson started his last year of preschool, we planted an apple tree in our yard in honor of Greyson, Madelyn had her first horseback lesson, and we went to our first Minnesota Twins game.

In October, Greyson had a LEGO birthday party and for Halloween, Madelyn dressed as Lilo (from Lilo and Stitch) and Greyson dressed as Batman (again!).

In November, it was unusually warm this year and the leaves were beautiful. Liz and Nick came over for a weekend where the kids went bowling for the first time, and Ben and I celebrated our 13th Anniversary eating Japanese hibachi (yum!).

In December, Madelyn attended our annual outing to the Festival of Christmas with us (a annual choir and orchestra progam at a nearby college) and was mesmerized, we got some sledding in after the first snow and before it melted for a our BROWN Christmas, and are looking forward to the time with Melissa’s family for Christmas.

And just some notes about the kids that I don’t want to forget:  Greyson is still Calvin to his Hobbes, Blue Bear. He loves playing with Madelyn until inevitably she starts bossing him, but hates to be alone. He LOVES rock and roll.  Madelyn astounds us with her reading and writing. She definitely has a unique style that keeps us smiling and sighing. She LOVES classical and jazz music.

Now, if you have gotten through all of this, then you must love us! Thank you! And may God touch your heart and life in the coming year!