Sharing the joy in this season of life: Merry Christmas!!

We felt bad leaving out photos in this years Christmas cards, so hopefully some friends and family make it over here for a quick catch up. We keep this blog to record our days together, so please feel free to stop by anytime and catch up. We love getting comments : ).

This past year has been a fun one. Having a 3 and 5 year old is never boring. Emma started dance in February and fell in love instantly. She is taking a combo class and learning tap and ballet. She had her first recital in July and took to being on stage like a fish to water. In fact, we have yet to get her off the stage. She also performed at our local fair during the summer and really enjoyed that too. She is quite the thinker and talker. She really is a 13 year old stuck in a 3 year old body. The things she comes up with just boggle us sometimes. She has a true love for the Lord, and it is precious to witness. She has so much faith at 3, not yet tainted by the world. I'm learning so much from her.

Zachary has been a light in our life since the day he was born. Every day with him is a true gift. He is the most thoughtful 5 year old boy I've ever known (yes, I'm bias... but really). I started homeschooling him last spring. I found an awesome curriculum that made me courageous enough to make me believe I could teach him. You can look back in our blogs for some fun school days. We have started out very slowly, but are starting to pick up the pace. Of course, we could not leave Emma out, she's been doing a preschool curriculum. Zachary started racing BMX (bicycle motorcross) in October. We have a great track near our house and he is over there a couple times a week for practice and races. He is really enjoying it... so much so that Dan has joined him. He races with the "old men", the cruiser class. I am hoping it turns out to be a fun activity for the two of them for many years to come. Emma and I sure enjoy rooting them on.

Dan is still working out in San Jacinto welding and fabricating for Saddleback Valley Iron. He has recently changed his schedule to working four 10 hour days and taking Friday through Sunday off. We LOVE it!! It is so nice to have him home. He still enjoys getting out in the ocean and put aside the long board for a change and got a short board this year. We are still praying that the Lord will see us closer to the sea one day.

I am still blessed to be working from home. It's been a very busy year, praise God, the economy has not effected my work yet. Between teaching, working, being mama, and wife... I am pretty busy. I did take up knitting this summer and still love scrapbooking (my paper therapy!!). The kids and I joined a MOP's (Mother's of Preschoolers) group this year, and it has been so nice to get out with other mommies.

As a family we have done a lot of camping this year in our toy hauler. Most toy haulers haul motorcycles and dune buggies... ours hauls surfboards and bicycles for now. Zachary still has his quad. Now that the weather has cooled down we hope to use it more. Hopefully 2009 sees more sand/dirt. We took quite a few trips to the beach last summer, Doheny, San Clemente, Bolsa Chica and we have enjoyed using Dick and Mari's membership at Silent Valley in Idyllwild.

Well, there's much more in our past blogs. We would like to wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

In His Grip,
The Noack Family