365 Joys- December 26th 2015

12/26/15

Nathanael received Lego ice cube/candy molds from a cousin for Christmas.

This Lego guy is looking rather freaked out at seeing his frozen friends melt.

Lego ice bricks!  Perfect for tiny snow forts...

Michael's new, awesome, shirt.

365 Joys- December 25th, 2015

12/25/15

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

We had a fun, family filled and simple day.

Looks like someone visited during the night... we love this tradition of secret giving and sharing.

The stockings were filled...


Even to setting up breakfast for the family. It makes things really easy in the morning!


Juliana found a giant fluffy giraffe under the tree with her name on it.

Ginny found it, too.

First fun present of the morning!

Lego/Duplos are always good for all ages.





A new friend.


Art projects of the future...

Hmm...


Emilie has new friends, too!

Benjamin laughing at someone...


Tolkien anything is good, right?  (this is an atlas, really cool.)

Magnets...


A Coloring book from cousins!

Zebra friend, named Stripe!

And a big dinosaur from a cousin secret Santa!


For some strange reason, Michael got a lot of ties... hmmm.  (and a cool BYU shirt!)


Drawing stuff and more yarn for Emilie!


Emilie?  (these pens are great... her cousins know her!)


An element of danger here... hide!


Always humor in Dad gifts... cookie cutters that look like they've already been eaten!


Nathanael's favorite gift...a Book of Mormon in Greek.


I loved seeing the joy in my children's eyes as their siblings opened gifts especially chosen by them, usually worked for and sacrificed for, and sometimes just thoughtfully found.

I loved the interest in each other and their likes and dislikes.  I loved that their cousin gift exchanges went well and they wanted to know how their far away cousins felt about the presents they had found.

We are blessed, no more on Christmas than any other day but I think we had time to sit back and think about it this day.  This is the last Christmas we all will be together for quite some time, and Tom and I may have been more mindful of this than the kids, but as we watched Michael enjoy this last Christmas at home, we definitely thought about it.

Next year, a few minutes skyping with a missionary may be the best present of all.  Remembered as we talked about it with the Elders over dinner tonight.

Merry, merry Christmas everyone.  We love you.

June 26th 2014- A Daily Valencic

6/26/14

Nathanael took about 20 pictures of himself with a Model T car he built to send to Lego Magazine.  Just in case it doesn't get published, here is my handsome 11 year old son.

January 7th 2014- A Daily Valencic

IMG_2591, a photo by atvtnv on Flickr.

1/7/14

Samuel and his Back to the Future Legos...

He likes that it can build the cars from all 3 movies.

November 10th Picture-A-Day

IMG_1972, a photo by atvtnv on Flickr.

11/10/13

Happy 7th Birthday to our Timothy!

He loves Batman... and this just was a great day for him, even though he had to come home from church early with his sick sister (Liberty is now sick also...) it was still a great day with cake, his favorite meal, and some fun presents. We love you Timothy! We are so glad to have him as part of our family.

October 28th Picture-A-Day

IMG_1859, a photo by atvtnv on Flickr.

10/28/13

Superhero poses, GO!

Timothy and Christopher (and Liberty) being creative with Duplos (big Legos) and wanting this to be memorialized forever in a photo... they even said this could be their movie cover photo.

July 1st Picture-A-Day

IMG_1039, a photo by atvtnv on Flickr.

7/1/13

Sam is scared. Frodo has no idea why.


Samuel's playing with Lord of the Rings Legos and wanted a picture...