Family Christmas Portraits

2009 - Our Year Long Camping Trip…

2009 - Our Year Long Camping Trip…

2009 has been a blessed year of trial. Too many things have happened that I don’t have enough room on this paper! First let me begin by introducing our camping experiences: every time Tyler and I go camping, something HAS to happen! Like the time he nearly set the forest ablaze with a flame that shot 3 stories into the air during the “dry season.” Or the time it rained and rained on us, only to put the tent down in the rain with 2 stinky wet dogs to drive home (one dog with diarrhea – enough said)… only to put the tent BACK UP when we got home to let it dry. OR the time that right as we were getting close to our campsite our brakes quit on us and we had to make a repair over the holiday when everyone is closed, Tyler walked 7 miles to a Wal-Mart to buy brand new tools and new brakes, only to come back to the campsite and in the middle of the brake change it starts to DOWNPOUR and he finishes the brake job underneath a tarp with a flashlight. Camping trips, love ‘em, but only because we have things to look back on and say, “REMEMBER WHEN…” have a few good laughs, and Thank the good Lord above that it’s all over.

2009, at the end of January we decided to put our house on the market (not the way we were hoping to), nonetheless, we found a rental and moved in May to Gilbert Arizona (closer to the City than Queen Creek was). Also in May Tyler finished up his college finals and got his first 4.0, and then finished the summer semester and continued to keep his 4.0. Way to go Ty!! We didn’t quite know what we were in for this year; As it was Hank’s first full year of life, we both decided we could work full time (opposite shifts) to take care of Hank so that he didn’t have to go to daycare. Tyler decided to throw going to school full time nights into the mix (since January 2009), and thus began the biggest growing pains of our lives! Fall semester has certainly been the hardest of the year (keeping Tyler out of the house 7 days a week). We haven’t seen each other much, but supporting one another has been one of the hardest and most loving acts we believe has brought us even closer together, soaking up every moment we do get to have.

We have said many, many times this year: “I cannot wait to be done with this camping trip!” But we know, one day we will look back and laugh at these hard years, and they will be just a distant memory…

On top of our insane schedules… God decided to bless us with a child that would develop this year into MR. PERSONALITY! Hank is so full of life and energy from sun up to sun down! He loves being awake, loves attention, and loves to play, nonstop! He is so much like the two of us that he fits perfectly right into our family puzzle. This year, Hank started his army crawl at 5 months and before we knew it at the middle of 9 months he was off and walking, and running at 10 months. Yikes kid, you are way too little to chase! Hank has 6 teeth (4 top, 2 bottom) and has had these teeth for the last 5 months. But he can sometimes be rather ornery which I like to blame on the rest of the teeth. He says Dada, Mama, Dog, Woof, and Dude. “Duuuuuude.” This year the church nursery also taught Hank to blow kisses and say “Mmmmwa!” So sweet, the first time I saw him blowing kisses to the kids leaving the nursery I teared up.

In early October, Hank was stung by a scorpion and we had to rush him to the Emergency Room (God I pray that you never allow this to become a pattern of his life!). Where was I… oh yes, Emergency Room, where he played and flirted with the nurses the entire 3 hours we were in there. And by in there, I mean a room that is 8x10, with a kid that has figured out how to run amuck! Exhausting! Thank God, Hank was just fine and they said he either had no reaction to the poison of the scorpion or that his body rejected the poison completely. WOW!

So among other things, we felt we weren’t getting any extra support or help from church relationships, and WE NEEDED SUPPORT. At the hardest time in our life, we needed lots of people around to make ties to, connect with, express to, complain to & pray with. We decided that we were going to leave an amazing church - Living Word Bible Church, and start attending another amazing church, Mission Community Church as of September 2009. Mission has given us small groups, we are connecting, I found a baby sitter (much needed after the past 12 months), and have gotten to know people that we can relate to with the areas we are going through. We are loving it! Visit http://www.mission68.org/ to see what we’ve been learning about and connect to the podcasts.

Blurbs of 2009: Tyler got a college 4.0 twice. Buster ran away. Braylin, our nephew moved in. Our house is supposed to close on Dec 23rd. Hank is busy. Working our buns off! Hank turned 1 on Oct 25th. We visited New York for Valentines day/week and spent it in an 80 million dollar penthouse – so cool! June 22nd we had our 7th year wedding anniversary. We’ve grown the most this year, and have grown closer together. We started doing photography as a side business ( http://www.bornagainphotos.smugmug.com/ ). By next New Years Eve Dec 31st 2010 - Tyler and I will have been together 10 years! Weight loss 2009: Tyler 23 pounds, Lindsey 15 pounds and still at it. AND a final blurb: a Reality Check!

2010 – A whole New Year! 2010 has so many things to offer. We are going to get re-organized, changing our way of thinking, our way of spending, and possibly create more time for each other (we hope). May this Christmas remind you of the birth of Christ, and may this recession remind you that there are those less fortunate. May 2010 be a blessed year, and may we be thankful for things in life that actually matter.

With All Our Love and Happiness to You and Yours this Christmas,

Tyler, Lindsey, and Hank Labrum

Website: http://www.labrums.blogspot.com/

Thankfulness, Holi-days, and Family

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we hope yours was great also. We have so much to be thankful for. A healthy happy family, a God that loves, a Savior that lives. Life is GREAT! The picture above was one of the best memories captured, all the kids laughing so hard at some funny videos. They were all so cute, it melted my heart. We miss you guys!!

Here's Kelsie and Mac above having some milkshakes at Johnny Rockets Mmmm

I just LOVE my nieces and nephews - you all are amazing, and I missed the ones that couldn't be here too!!!

Jesse and Z above playing with dough at our favorite restaraunt OREGANOS! Mmmm

Hank had SUCH A FUN TIME with his cousins, oooh, more memories to melt my heart!!
Taylor with Hankie - Look at that Cheeser!

Mom with the Sistas!

Braylin getting razzed by Mick (Bracken's girlfriend). Ah, it's good for him!

T and Luge - Buds

Bracken taking Hank outside to play Saturday morning.

This picture above cracks me up!! How many guys does it take to run a vacuum? 4 - Thanks for cleaning up boys!!

With Christmas right around the corner, I always LOVE to remind ya what it's all about. :o) Each year I seem to be not as in the mood to pull out my snowmen, or my Santa Claus. I love saint Nick for what he did (giving gifts to orphans), and once more I am reminded by his symbol that it really isn't about us and what WE want. Three gifts has become our new tradition - so we've tried anyway. I also heard one family that did this: Something to WANT, Something to NEED, and Something to READ. I love that and may follow on as a new tradition.

As I pull out my small Nativity that Grandma and Grandpa Labrum gave us a few years ago, I will wrap up baby Jesus once more and place him under the tree to open up as the first gift Christmas morning. Jesus Christ born on Christmas morning, this will continue on (from last year) as our tradition to realize the importance of Christmas and talk about the birth of our Savior before we open presents.

You may think I am rambling... but just know, that feeling that is in the air this time of year... you can have it in your heart YEAR ROUND! God sends His Son to live in our hearts for every day. NEW BIRTH! Thanking God for sending JESUS CHRIST. A MIRACLE OF A VIRGIN BIRTH! -let me say that again... A VIRGIN BIRTH.... hello people! :o) LOL

Happy Holi-Days and Merry CHRISTmas! With LOVE!

our site: http://labrums.blogspot.com/