Our 2008 Christmas newsletter

Merry Christmas, friends and family!

Whether you're a regular follower of this blog or followed the link from our mass e-mail, WELCOME!



2008 has flown by for our family!

This year, Drew



...started a new job as the accountant for Baker Commodities (an animal rendering plant) and is really enjoying it. His co-workers are all wonderful people and his hours and commute suit us very well.

We are both still active at Compass Church and have been enjoying our new pastor and the energy he brings to the congregation. We have finally broken the 500 attendance barrier and are looking forward to getting to know lots of new people. Drew is in his fourth year as an elder, leads a membership or baptism class occasionally, facilitates our home group and attends a bi-weekly leadership class.



In his free time, he likes to host UFC fight night events, watch "Modern Marvels" or "Myth Busters," listen to talk radio, follow politics, read, attend gun shows and watch football. He spends a lot of time playing with Andrew, too, mostly at our nearby park, where he is teaching him stellar climbing skills and how to navigate the monkey bars.



They also enjoy playing trains together. Andrew knows Daddy builds the best tracks!



And when Andrew gets especially feisty, I always send him to Dad for a good "wrastle."

Drew and I celebrated six years of marriage this year and both turned 31 recently. Drew got prospecting equipment for his birthday so we're hoping to take up gold panning as a fun new hobby to do together and plan to get started after the holiday craziness dies down. When we have a rare moment alone, we like having a quiet meal, visiting local historic sites or just hanging out at the local coffee shop. We got our first night alone together over the Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed snacking, watching a movie...and sleeping!! :)

Andrew just turned three and is every bit an active three-year-old BOY! He is obsessed with all things trains...



and loves to watch "Max and Ruby." He would live outside 24/7 if we let him and likes nothing more than burying his trains in the sand, watering the plants in the back yard or drawing on the patio with sidewalk chalk.



He adores swinging, running, throwing a ball, riding his tricycle, blowing bubbles and coloring.



All summer (which is May through October here) he spent a lot of time in any splash pad or pool we could find! Here he is with his cousin Logan...



...and his cousins Judah and Jason.





He even attended his first reptile encounter on Halloween at Nana's school.



I love the "yikes factor" in this shot!! :)



We are amazed at how well he communicates now and all the new words and phrases he comes up with. He provides us with endless joy--and makes us endlessly tired!!

As for me, October marked one year helping out my friend and neighbor with her daughter about 20 hours/week. She is two years old, adorable and such a pleasure to be with. Andrew has learned a lot about taking turns and sharing over the last year (preparing him for big brotherhood, we hope!) and while they often play separately, they are playing together more and more, whether it's throwing a ball back and forth, racing down the slide or filling and dumping trucks full of rocks. We read a lot of books, listen to music, watch a video now and then, snack and just hang out! My "job" (it's hard to call it "work!") is a tremendous blessing and my "boss" (she hates it when I call her that) is like my fairy godmother and continually blesses me and our family in more ways than I can count.

I'm in my fourth year with the same Bunco group and look forward to it every month. It's a great "mom's night out" for me!

I also serve at Compass, on the women's leadership team with six amazing, Godly women (pictured at our women's ministry Christmas party this week)...



...on the greeting team; as the moms' group facilitator; and helping Drew with our home group, besides attending women's ministry events and weekly Bible studies. Our church family is truly a family and we are honored to serve with so many gifted people. I'm hoping to join the teaching team in 2009 and teach a ladies class next fall.

I still love hosting tea parties and crafting and my new obsession is making cards. I even have a dedicated crafting space now, where I hope to host many "Crafternoons" in 2009! Here's my table, given to me by a sweet friend...



...and just some of my goodies! It's such a fun hobby and a wonderful way to express my creativity!!



AND I opened an Etsy shop! Visit me at the link below.

Proudgrits11 on Etsy

Our biggest news of 2008 came on September 2, when we found out that I was pregnant!



When I initially calculated my due date, it was May 13, the exact day I miscarried earlier in the year. We felt like that was an affirmation of God's providence. My doctor has my due date as May 6 and we are eagerly awaiting an ultrasound on December 22 to make sure the baby is developing well and to (hopefully) find out the gender! If you haven't done it already, please visit the link below...

My Pregnancy Blog

...and click on the ExpectNet.com box at the top of the right sidebar to record your best guess on the baby's gender, birth date and more.

This holiday season, we have over half a dozen parties to attend between our jobs and church (tough life, huh?), then my grandparents arrive from Florida for two weeks, just in time for my grandmother to go to the ultrasound with us! I'm hosting Christmas dinner twice, participating in a craft show fundraiser with my cards and jewelry and helping put on a moms' tea/luncheon. PHEW! I plan on a lot of baking, too, and taking Andrew north for the first big snowfall of the winter. It's what I like to call "a good kind of busy."

We expect 2009 to be a wonderful year and hope that it holds much joy and prosperity for you and yours! Of course we'll be sending out baby news when the time comes!



Lastly, this is now our "main blog" so this is THE place for family news and photos (plus my comings and goings and latest craft projects). Make it a favorite and check back often!

To see the actual blog instead of this specific post (with new pictures added frequently!), go to

Roots & Wings

I'm on Facebook, too, and pressuring Drew to do the same!

Feel free to e-mail me your latest and greatest at tabandrew@hotmail.com

Love from
Tab, Drew, Andrew...& Kate or Ethan :)