Pettijohn Christmas 2011

Greetings! We hope the end of this year finds you warm and snug, surrounded by loved ones and full of the freedom found in Christ. We’ve had an all-too-familiar crazy year marked with many trying events coupled with many joys. Here’s our synopsis:

Lee: “After owning my new business for a year now, I can truly empathize with those that have gone before me. It has been challenging, rewarding, stressful, tiring, and a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity and I wouldn’t trade for anything. God has been so gracious to me and this family. He continually finds it in His heart to give us mercy and favor through this time and we can certainly feel His closeness, even through the process of losing my father. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful network of friends. And my family is the bestest in the whole wide world!!!”

Keely: “I continue to home-school the girls, chase after Wesley, spoil Lee, and maintain our home. I still take care of my grandma and a gentleman named Bill. I continue to struggle with health complications from my appendix bursting this past spring, and wish alternative doctors were more reasonably priced! I found a caffeine-free chai and a new resale shop that I LOVE. I’ve given up on trying to keep my scrapbook up and my weight down. Sometimes I contemplate the idea of a 5^th-wheeler so we can just travel around visiting and helping people everywhere. I am still as ornery and energetic as ever, and look forward to another year with my friends, family, and savior whom I adore!!!”

Julie: “I’ve been going to the district school for an hour everyday. I like going there, but kids fight over me, and I don’t like that. I just had my Christmas concert and a small part in 2 performances at a local theatre. Home school is going well. My favorite subject is science. Dad’s reading through the Chronicles of Narnia with us at night. “Narnia in the North!” I’m glad we have so many people to love, and I’m glad you are all a part of our lives.”

Elly: “I’m cute and funny. I like school because it is really fun. I think I’ll be reading soon. My hair is very long and curly and everyone wants it. My sister wants a perm for Christmas so she can look like me. I want to eat candy all day long, but broccoli is good too. Goodbye.”

Wesley: Frequent smiles. Double dimples. Contagious laugh. Crooked run. Calls mom “dada.” Signs frequently. Sleeps rarely. Bright blue eyes. A HUGE blessing!

Our Year in Quick Review:

Lee’s business branched out and took on another partner in January.

Disney World in March.

Christa and Keely’s mom came for Keely’s 34th bday in April.

Lake of the Ozarks in May.

Colorado trip in June.

Wesley turned 1 and Julie turned 8 in September.

Lee’s bday in October. (The year of 11’s: Charles 66, Kay 55, Christy 44, Lee 33)

Charles Pettijohn passed away and Elly turned 5 in November.

Here we sit in December. Thinking about and loving on YOU!

DISNEYWORLD

We had the opportunity to go to Florida this spring. I had never been before, and we had essentially had NO vacation since our honeymoon...so we were due. It was wonderful. We spent a day at Siesta Key beach (white sand!), a day at Epcot, and a day at Magic Kingdom. We filled the rest of the time just enjoying the amenities of our hotel...and shopping at IKEA. Here are some of the pics. Enjoy!

a water fall that ran upward...loved it

77 reasons to update your blog...

"Hi, I'm Keely, and I am NOT a blog-a-holic.
In fact, I stink at it.
Again, it's been half a year since I've updated
you with pictures of our vida loca.
(Where does the time go?)
So, sit back and enjoy.
You're about to partake in 77 kodak moments."

SOCCER 2010
Team Lady France
almost undefeated

P.S. Julie played a season of basketball as well,
but guess who forgot to bring the camera to a single game?!



-SISTERS- PHOTO SHOOT
"Look, we can be nice to each other"

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

"We LOVE fall leaves!"

"Rain, rain, come our way..."

LET'S GO FLY A KITE
(until the neighbor boy gets it stuck in a tree)

JULIE'S SCHOOL CELEBRATION #2
Every 9 weeks, Julie gets the chance to shine in front of family with all the knowledge she's picked up throughout the unit. She presents all her projects, and gives us a synopsis of material learned. It can take up to an hour! Good thing she's not shy. LOL

Pot holder Julie wove

Oxen cart made out of clay

FAMILY PHOTO OP

WESLEY AND ELLY SOUND ASLEEP

SLURPING SPILLED PROTEIN SHAKE

HOW DO WE GO DOWN THE SLIDE? FACE FIRST!!

DEAD DEER TIME
Our dear friend James shot a deer for us this year. Yea! Deer here tastes good...not like sage brush in Colorado. Oh no, here they're all grain fed. Yum! Plus, Lee got the chance to butcher meat for the first time in his life. And yes, this was exciting!

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES
One go 'round with our friend Grace in GJ...

one go 'round with our friends in Hermann.

ELLY'S 4th BIRTHDAY
She woke up to a decorated house,

enjoyed a cake made and decorated by her sister,

received her forever-wanted Butterscotch horse,

and hosted one heck of a party!
There were presents (for Elly and every attendee),

and tunnel systems to play in. This is Elly's BF Trigg. Perfect match aren't they?!

There was giraffe-a-laugh limbo,

a play dough station,

and a bounce station. Plus, so much more! Whew!

LANTERN WALK 2010
We love the annual lantern walk around downtown. It's just fun. However, this year had pluses and minuses. Pluses: Lee's sisters and families joined us for hot cocoa, smores, and kettle korn. Minuses: we arrived late and missed all the caroling. Boo hoo! And our family photo for Christmas cards...has a tree growing out of Lee's head. C'est la vie.

ST.LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER
St.Louis has a lot of really great FREE attractions, one of which is the science center. Here we are learning how to build a stable archway,

playing a harp with no strings,

jumping to musical hopscotch,

learning about dinosaurs,

and people-powering a ball exhibit. Now if we could just hook one of these up to the meter box outside, we could lower our utilities a little bit. Run kids run!

WESLEY THE WONDER BABY
Wesley is a very very happy baby. I can count the number of times he's cried (since birth) on one hand...and three of those were injuries from flying toys. What a joy he is to our lives. Check out some of his finer moments...

CHRISTMAS 2010
Julie got a guitar (ignore Elly's indecency)

Wesley (also naked from the temp of our house that morn) got a shape sorter kangaroo

Elly got a pillow pet

Our family received Mo Willams books...yea

Mimi and Vicki were here,

as well as Kay and Charles.

Wesley slept through most of the excitement.

But we partied on anyway...with Nana Mary on skype on the laptop.

Ta-da

THE DIFFERENCE IN SISTERS
Julie is a dress-up kinda girl.

Elly? Not so much.

She's more about being goofy!! Wonder where she gets that from?

MORE CUTE WESLEY PICS
Snoozing

Smiling

Everyone's new pjs

Favorite yoga pose

Trying to get the camera

SNOW DAYS!!! LOTS AND LOTS OF THEM!
What a great year for snow lovers! We had such a good time in the white playgrounds of winter.

Who needs a beach? We'll bury people in the snow.

snowball fight

angels making angels

sledding with dad

giddyup daddy

wipeout

Note to self: Wesley shares his father's emotions for cold weather.

Seriously people! It is 6 am and we are out in the snow. 6 am!! (Still dark)

My love note from wonder-hubby

snow cave