There is a whole in the living room where the tree once was. An empty spot on the mantle where Joseph, Mary and the purifying Emanuel was. We woke up and it was the first thing Lils noticed. Then she said somehting in her nasally sweet/sad voice that made me think: "Iguess it is just back to normal life-Christmas is over." But will it be? I flashed back to yesterday's conversation with Carol about the undone advent calander and "nerfblaster" "nintnedo dsi" filled week. Such a shame. Such a waste. They fight over their presents and hord them. Many times they sit left alone unplayed with for the fear of having to share. It makes me think-what have I done? I have encouraged the love of things that moth and rust and thieves destroy. For fear that it will not be my own and someone will "mis-use" or "break" it-I have also hid gifts left alone unused. This was the first Christmas that Dan and I missed the kids with the video camera. LONG story-but the camera was not ready when the kids woke up and we missed capturing it on camera. We missed their excitement of the mental Christmas list disappearing as they got each present. I was sad about it but I am not sad now. Things are good alone but they are not good when they are all we want. Oh how I wish we all could get it. So, hopefully it is not back to normal life. Like Pastor Alfred Young said on Christmas Eve-Have you unwrapped the gift? Mercy, Grace, Love and Everlasting Peace was given that day. I long to have that on my everyday list so that I can glorify Him and Love His people. I want to be satisfied. Why not have a advent calander year round? I want my list to contain the wants of the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, kindess, long-suffering, paitence, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. This rainbow we saw coming into Christmas Eve service-It was a full rainbow that was so close Dan could not fit it into the frame of the camera. Amazing.

Apparently the vocal Voelkel's have less to say and more to DO!

AHHHHH.... I remembered that I have a blog and how much I like to blog-but time has not been my friend. I could list many excuses but i choose to press on and not look back! Let's see alot has happened since August 27th-Hayes is 3, Lily is 5 and Camille is 6 months - Greg is a giant highschooler and I am a room mom. Yes me. Never Again. Room moms are organized, thoughtful, and have clean cars. People who know me would not describe me as any of those things. And the funny thing is I am okay with it! I am happily enjoying our new book club with some fabulosly real ladies, lovin' my chubby baby Camille, secretly thinking I am getting paid back in full all of things my parents dealt with via Hayes and am excited that Lily is turning into such a lady. Greg is still in Baton Rouge and I miss him terribly. He graces us with his presence occasionally, fericiuosly eating everything in his path. Handsome young man. I sent out my Christmas cards today, yes it is the 16th of December. Dan kindly pointed out that Greg is shirtless. It is strange. I was in a rush. Hopefully next year's card will make up for it! If we would have taken a true family picture Hayes would have been in his superman tshirt, athletic shorts, crocs and baseball cap - instead he is wearing a coordinated outifit and he is staring daggers through the camera lense. Camille is loooking down, lily ahs a fake smile and I need to shed my winter layer of stored fat. Pressing forward..... that will be my 2010 motto!

WHAT a week!

I know, know it has been a while-1 week to be exact and I should be listing my ebay items and not blogging - but anything to not list ebay items-which include: playing soccer outside with my kids (so avoiding the ebaying) and reading many books over again and enduring vaca bible school CD performance complete with "moves" by Lils. The good news is that I am feeling EXTRA grateful and thankful that hayesy boy is better and that no one else seems to be blue at 1533 Marigny. Last week started off full of anticipation as we were planning on going to Destin to stay at Angele's condo and hopefully get to spend some time at the beach as i missed the June family trip due to Camille's arrival. Well plans quickly started to fade as hurricane bill's waves were growing stronger and within a 9 hour drive to the east coast of Florida-Dan decided to head that way and for-go Destin-i could have still taken the kids-but you do the math: me+3 kids at the beach alone? nahhhh-I'll wait. not to mention how Camille "loves" the car-NOT! Any who-back to the no-blogging excuse-Hayes started feeling sick on wend and by saturday we were at the hospital with bronchilitis... Thank the good Lord above for MeMe Dale! I surely would have crumbled to the ground without her help! Dan relieved my mom Sunday evening and Hayes was home Monday afternoon! Tomorrow is Hayes birthday and we will be celebrating extra hard thankful that he is well! MORE PICS TO COME!

Miss Penny Murray and her talents....

www.pennymurrayphotography.blogspot.com

Check the Voelkel Kids out!

Big boy bed & NO more bottles!

For those of you who were unaware of Hayes' bottle addiction-not to worry it has finally come to an end! Hayes is a big brother now and with that has come: a big boy bed and bottle abandonment! Hayes and Lily will also be starting school in September! We all cannot wait! What a cute little guy!

Sponge Bob and Hot Boy

okay.... I am only posting this before pic as motivation and because I can't move right now.... I am so sore and so weak! Notice- Dan is smaller than I am - I am so brave! Yes this is with out my spanx! We started P90X sunday and by wend we were paralized.... I mean we are WEAK! Me more so than Dan -by the way-what I would give to look like that doing nothing! Anyways, I hope to get back on track tonight and I am very excited about bible study!!!

Saturday Snowballs

I am not particularly fond of Saturdays-they usually involve trying to keep the kids out of Dan's project - which right now consist of the shed. It is a nice shed -when it is finished it will be even nicer! I can't wait! The heat-I mean it is down right hot-hot enough for a delicious ball of snow!

Notice everyone has banana- yellow is Hayes' favorite color, Lily can't ever commit to a flavor so she tries a new one each time and Dan just loves banana. I, on the other hand love some cream action-nectar creme to be specific. Did I mention we all love light syrup and are still baffled at how much syrup is in light syrup? Here are some more pics Dan took-he is so much better than I am with the camera!