Tsunami State Youth Conference

This year Travis had the awesome opportunity to be the worship leader for Tsunami, the state youth conference.  It was held during Christmas break and there were a couple thousands students who came from all of the state. The conference was in San Jose which happens to be one of my favorite places in California.

Trever played guitar for Travis, so my sister Brooke got to come too.  They drove with us for the 7 hour drive so it was fun to get time to just talk. Hudson did really good on his first road trip in a car (last time we drove this far we were in a motor home).

Not only was the conference awesome, but it was also a mini CBU reunion.  A lot of our friends from college have gone into ministry serving in churches all over the country and even some in other parts of the world.  It was a lot of fun to catch up with those who were there.

On a side note, a lot of the students wanted Travis and the band to sign their CDs.  Brooke, Amanda (one of the other wives) and I found it quite amusing.   It was funny to watch the students line up just to get a picture and autograph.  Autographs are such a weird concept and they seem so silly to me.

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Travis took Hudson on stage during sound check.  Hudson seems to love music and totally focuses on it the second we turn it on.  He often will sing along if Travis is singing in the house.  It is pretty cute.

Walking downtown with Uncle Brandon to get some lunch.  Hudson is showing off his scarf Grandma Collins made him.

All bundled up...

Sleeping during the last worship set with Aunt Brooke:

Hudson loved sucking on that apple... so funny!  He wouldn't let go of Brandon's apple for about 5 minutes.

Christmas Recap

We are really enjoying our time here in Ohio celebrating Christmas with Travis' family.  It is absolutely beautiful here and it is so fun to really have a winter experience.  The ground is covered in snow and it is really cold.  We have spent most of our time just relaxing and hanging out.  It is quite refreshing after a very busy Christmas season. Between our new photography business and life in ministry, our lives have been crazy to say the least.  Below are a few pictures from the last month of our lives.

This is a picture of Hudson in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time.  He is finally big enough to use them =)

We went to Wrightwood for a few days to celebrate Christmas with my dad.  Below is a picture of us getting lunch at one of our favorite spots.

Hudson loves drinking water out of a straw:

One of his many faces:

One of the nights we were there we went out to dinner at a really good Mexican restaurant and we took Hudson in his Santa costume.  We have a friend who owns a really cute boutique downtown San Clemente.  She gave us a really cute Santa costume for Hudson... so we figured we would take him out in it.

Hudson and I were Mary and baby Jesus at the Christmas Eve service. 

Then we went to my mom's house for a little Christmas cheer.  We played games and we loved having the addition of our Rwandan brothers and sister.

soooo close to crawling forward...

I have said it before, but I love seeing life through Hudson's eyes. 

The girls and our traditional Christmas pjs...

The boys and their pjs... (I have to say I feel so blessed to have brother-in-laws who are so awesome and they love the Lord.  It is always so much fun getting together with family because we just enjoy each other so much.  I know that is a rare blessing and I am very thankful for this.)

Travis and Hudson on Christmas morning.  Santa...aka...Hudson helped pass out a few gifts.

My favorite thing about 2009....

 Hudson's first time in the snow.

The man I love, respect and share life with...

Christmas in Riverside...

After we got home from time with my family, we gave Hudson his gift from us.  We got him a set of 2 Tonka trucks.  Someday he will be able to push the big one and the back lifts off so he can ride it too.  For now he just loves the blocks that he can clank together and dig out of the back of the small one.

This pictures looks like we just said "Hudson look at the camera and smile"

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season celebrating with family the most precious gift we have ever received... the birth of our Savior and Lord.

Christmas Ornament Exchange

My sisters, my mom and I have a new tradition that we started this year.  We each made 5 of the same home made Christmas ornament and exchanged them with each other.  We had so much fun making them and surprising the other girls that we decided it needs to be a tradition.

Brittany made this one and there is a really sweet sentimental story behind it, so this one will be in my house all year round...

Here is the back of Britt's:

Summer made this one:

I made this one:

Brooke made this one:

And my mom broke the rules and made us each a small makeup bag with an antique broche.

We all love our little bags =)

And of course, Summer even made the decorations to wrap her gifts: