Another AMAZING Lil' BanksTradition...

This is my FAVORITE Christmas tradition we have with our kids! Each year they have to spend their own money and buy a gift for a child in need.
They understand and LOVE doing this!!! It makes me so proud of them!

They are getting so BIG...

I can't wait...

... to meet these amazing people FACE TO FACE!!! We get to talk/text/facebook but it just isn't cuttin' it anymore! We are literally months away from a trip to LOUISIANA!

Meet our family, the BANKS...Cute huh???

Doug, is Ben's Brother and this is his Wife, Scarlett

I love them both VERY much!
These are my Nephew's Seth & Stanton and my sweet little Niece, Sabrina

Are they the cutest?

Even 1, 704 MILES away... Doug and Scarlett have ALWAYS made me feel loved!!!

Gingerbread Houses 2011

We are continuing our "Lil' Banks" Christmas traditions (these are the tradtitions that Ben and I have started with just US and our BOYS)... Making our Gingerbread town is just ONE of the many.... Mom's House & Dad / Jensen's Masterpiece Our FAMILY PHOTOJaden's CANDY GONE CRAZY House and Jackee Bums creation!

Ginger-BANKS Village Last year...

"He is SO your Son..."

The other night Jaden came into our room and said "I think my singulair (asthma pill) is stuck in my throat, it's burning and I can still taste it." I asked him if he swallowed it with water and he said "NO! That would make it slide right down." Ahahahaha!!! I looked at Ben and he said "he is SO your Son."

I love you Jaden Layne!!!!

I love the FAITH of a child...

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and, has made the Lord his hope and confidence.

- Jeremiah 17:7

Last week Ben, Me, Jaden, Jack and Jens were all in the car driving home. Out of nowhere Jack said "Mom how are we going to know where Aunt Ruth is buried?" ( Aunt Ruth passed away the beginning of November.) I said "Well honey, Aunt Ruth wasn't buried, she was cremated." He thought for a minute and said "Why did they do that?" We went on to explain that some people choose to be cremated and some choose to be buried. Jaden immediately said "that's what I want, to be cremated." (As if this whole death/kid conversation wasn't hard enough to swallow...) Jack jumps in and says "Not me, I don't want to be burned." Jaden stopped him and said "sick Jack do you just want your body to rot?" Jack (without missing a beat) says "NO! I want to be buried so I can be REINCARNATED!" Really??? Where does this kid come from?

In the same car ride home we have another similar conversation. It went like this:

Jensen: "Mom I want to hug Jesus."
Me: "I do too Jens, wouldn't it be great?!"
Jack: "It would be so neat because even if we have just a bruise, Jesus would hug it right away."

I wish he'd listen to me like he listens in church!!!

My 2011 CHRISTMAS Goal...

Call us crazy if you wish... I just want to remember the calm feeling I have right now as we approach the busiest time of year.

The last part of October while Ben and I were watching TV, a commercial for the list of upcoming Christmas movies came on. I thought to myself (the same thing 99.9% of adults think)

"YUCK...Christmas already???"

I looked at him and said "let's get all of our stuff done as soon as possible so that when we hear or see the word CHRISTMAS we don't have to flinch." He agreed and by that weekend... we were at the starting line.

It has been almost 3 weeks since we decided to celebrate Christmas 2011 STRESS FREE, and I am ECSTATIC to report... not only are we 95% finished with our shopping but, we are done wrapping and we have decorated!!!

I want to remember Christmas as a fun time with our little boys. I want to CONTINUE and MAKE NEW, traditions. I want to give to the less fortunate and most of all I want to snuggle on the couch in pajamas with the love of my life and our amazing little boys while watching Christmas movies and talking about Jesus!

Jensen's Christmas List

A few nights ago I was reading a story to Jaden, Jack and Jensen. In the middle of the story I was stopped by Jensen as he began randomly rambling off his Christmas wish list.

"I want a BATMAN BAT CABE (cave) with BATMAN, PENGUIN & JOKER. I want a COMPUTER. I want a FLIP CAR (?) with YELLOW & BLUE stripes. I want a COMPUTER. I want a PLAYSTATION... a blue one. I want a COMPUTER. Do you think I could have 2 PLAYSTATIONS??? Oh.................... and I want a MUSTACHE."

Seriously... this kid cracks us up ALL THE TIME!!!!

Jensen Dean, remember I will ALWAYS love you like my own!!!!