Dec. 23rd...

December 23rd….27 years ago today my dad went to heaven…(stupid cancer!!!) I know he was there to meet Coleman when he arrived. *sigh* Missing them both, (and my brother) but imagining what it must be like to be THERE celebrating…How blessed we all are that because of the first Christmas, we all get that chance- to be together with Him forever and ever...please pray for all of the families missing someone they love...

We are debating whether to make the trip back to my mom’s tomorrow. I know the last time I posted I said we might be leaving today- I was a day ahead of myself. It’s what happens when you’re on vacation- all the days run together until they run out way too quickly! Scott has to work a half day tomorrow and then MAYBE- we’ll be heading out? We’ll see- and in true Team Larson fashion, we aren’t PLANNING on anything- just playing it by ear. Caden’s school was canceled today, and the trees are heavy with ice- we actually got a recorded message last night from the Webster County Sherriff’s dept. saying travel was not recommended through Friday, and if you DID go out to be advised help may not be able to get to you if you needed it. They recommended a full tank of gas and carrying a survival kit. Caden started packing his survival kit right away! :) Ahhh Iowa Winters. If we can’t make it, we’ll head up when the storm passes. Better to be safe than sorry I guess.

So today Caden and I were home together again. He’s always good for keeping things interesting! We did a little baking, wrapped some gifts, and made some ornaments he wants to pass out to his aunts/uncles. Oh and then there was this…



For his birthday he got a claw machine that you put candy in…and he’s been playing with it non-stop.


It plays really annoying loud carnival-type music that gets faster and faster as time runs out. Well, he has I mean- HAD -the thing stocked with bubble gum, and ‘accidentally’ got gum in his hair today! It freaked him out and he came running crying his head off! I thought maybe I was going to have to do the whole buzz thing AGAIN- until I tried peanut butter- and finally got it all out. I told him THAT’S what he gets for putting five pieces of gum in his mouth and then playing with it! He said, “it wasn’t FIVE- it was only THREE.” :) Problem solved- lesson learned…and he was all smiles and giggling that he smelled like a peanut butter sandwich when it was all said and done.


I finished up the two videos last night I’ve been working on. (posted at the end of the update) First I have to share what happened to me last night. The house was dark except the Christmas tree lights, the song from Polor Express “If you just BELIEVE” was on the radio in the kitchen, and I was sitting at my computer finishing up…I could see the front porch from where I was sitting, and RIGHT when I clicked SAVE on my computer, the door bell rang. It scared the be-jeepers outta me! BUT when my heart rate slowed down, I giggled to think how Cman must have laughed seeing me jump! You know, I’m not usually one to believe in things like ‘signs’, but sometimes when they happen, it’s just too much for a coincidence.


Here’s another one…
Many people know Coleman LOVED it when we read books to him, but probably not many know his ALL TIME favorite book was THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR AND THE RED RIPE STRAWBERRY. The boys got it as a gift from our friends the Bundy’s long ago. Coleman had the entire book memorized word for word…He didn’t just ‘read’ it, he felt EVERY word as he read. I know I have a video of him reading it when he was 2-3 years old, but I can’t seem to find it. I can still hear him though- he’d open it to the title page and say, “FANK YOU FROM-A BUNDYS” and then start the story. Oh how he loved that book. Well, yesterday Caden came home from school and whipped out his library book…it was MERRY CHRISTMAS BIG HUNGRY BEAR.


As I read it to him, I could just HEAR Coleman saying “but witta mouse, don’t you know about the BIG HUN-GWEE BEAR???” I asked Caden if he remembered the book about the big hungry bear we used to read…he said he didn’t, but he only picked this book because the BIGFOOT MONSTER TRUCK book was already checked out! :)

And one last story I thought was pretty cool, but never got posted here…
When we were getting ready to redo Caden’s bedroom, we were shopping around for beds. One day we went into the furniture store- just looking, and the lady working gave Caden a snowman ornament. It was right after Thanksgiving- and we didn’t have our tree up. That night we were going to a friend’s house to visit. They had decorated their tree that day, and I mentioned to Caden he could take the ornament and give them if he wanted to. He said, “NO- it’s MINE!” I told him that was fine, he could keep it, I just thought maybe he wanted to give them something. He sat there for a while and asked, “well what are you gonna give me if I do give it to them?” I said, “NOTHING! I told you, you don’t HAVE to give it away, I just thought maybe you WANTED to, but keep it if you want…it’s up to you. If you give it away, give it out of the goodness of your heart- not because you’re going to get something in return. Keep it if you want to…that’s okay too. I just mentioned it Caden, and you know sometimes when you give from your heart, God makes sure it comes back to you at least three times, but you have to want to give- not because someone makes you do it. I understand if you want to keep it too…there are other ways to give, so do what you want.”
He decided he did want to give it to them. A couple of weeks passed and we forgot all about the ornament. We went back to the store to get his bed one Saturday. When we got back into the pick-up Scott and I noticed Caden had a sack…I hadn’t seen anyone give it to him- (wow, I guess I should have been paying closer attention to him!) I asked him what was in the sack…he said, “oh- the lady gave me two dusting clothes- one for you and one for me, AND she gave me THREE snowman ornaments- one for me, one for you, and one for daddy. I guess you were right what you said about God mommy!” I asked him if he had told her what I said and he said no. He brought all three ornaments home and hung them on our tree. I hope he remembers the story that goes with them in years to come.


***OKAY….our electricity just went off…and my battery is half full, so better shut this down and go wake Scott up…yikes-


Here are the two videos…one for Coleman’s first Christmas in Heaven,



And ….we go on….this was one of my gifts to Scott this year…



Ps. Check out this site…pretty cool…..SPEAKING OF COOL, I hope the electricity comes back on and we have heat tonight! Wish us luck!!!


http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/06c59c3755c9e93c973db89bd37f58fb


Merry Christmas everyone-


"For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life."

~ John 3:16


AND THAT IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL.
BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL,
FOREVER TEAM LARSON