Our 2009 Christmas Letter

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Our hearts are filled with celebration this season. We have so much to be thankful for as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. What an EXTRA special gift that was sent for us that night long ago in Bethlehem: the gift of knowing God personally, and the grace he shows us through forgiveness and life with him in heaven forever!

Just thought I'd give a little update of what each of us in the family are up to these days. If you would like to see more pictures and details of our year please look through this blog!

SHELDON: Sheldon continues to work at Allied Insurance as a commercial claims manager. There have been lots of changes in his company the past year, the biggest one being that in April his office will be closing down and moving most people to work from home. He has been working from home about once a week this year, and we love those days, so we are looking forward to this big change.

Sheldon continues to take lots and lots of photos as a hobby. He's had a chance to connect with several other local guys and go on photo shoots with them to very beautiful places around the state. Check out some of his landscape photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldonnalos/
In addition he has had the opportunity to use his studio lights and backdrops to take family portraits for not only us, but many other families.

When he's not taking our kids' pictures he loves playing daddy "bear" and giving lots of snuggles and love to our kids. They LOVE it when daddy comes home from work each day and he's always greeted with MUCH enthusiasm!

He's also been playing his guitar on the worship team at church and enjoys meeting for men's Bible study before work on Fridays.

Jamie: I have been staying busy around the home! The biggest endeavor for me has been homeschooling Braden for kindergarten. It's been very rewarding teaching him, as this is my passion! We've also enjoyed being part of a homeschool coop with several other families and attending Friday school class.

In addition to teaching, the past few months I've been pretty consumed with being pregnant with baby number 3! The first trimester I was very morning sick, but I am feeling much better now. I'm so happy to be back in the kitchen cooking/baking for the family, as I enjoy finding new and healthy recipes to make.

At church this fall I helped with women's Bible study by leading a small group, and I also taught Braden's Sunday School class over the summer. As a couple, we have enjoyed our couple's/family Bible study, and are blessed by christian friends at our church.

Hobbies I enjoy are working in my garden in the summer and reading.

Braden: Braden just turned 6 this month. We've really seen him grow up this year, especially with the start of kindergarten. We enjoy listening to him read to us and HE would say that he likes numbers...the bigger the numbers in the equation the happier he is (enough with this simple 2 + 2, mom, let's move on to googolplex)! He also has become quite the inventor as he has his very own corner of the kitchen as his workspace where he keeps all his boxes. Give him yarn, some scissors, a hot glue gun, and tape and these boxes may turn into a very detailed flying machine. We can even keep using the same boxes as he's willing to take apart hours of work to start over and make something new. Braden's enthusiasm for life and his love to be with people are still some of his strongest traits! He can make friends with almost anyone even on a simple walk or an hour at the playground. We are thankful for the joy and excitement he spreads to others...and have seen his love for God grow this year, especially as he likes to share the good news of Jesus with friends.


Ashlyn: Ashlyn turned 3 in October. She seems like such a big girl now and is capable of doing so many things on her own. I'm almost out of a job when it comes to the basics. She loves to be my helper in the kitchen, help clean, or fold laundry. She enjoys playing boy stuff with Braden, but is also very content to play alone in her own world of pretend. She especially likes caring for her babies and stuffed animals. She also enjoys making her own crafts with crayons, paper, and scissors. In fact, she likes cutting paper SO MUCH that our kitchen floor is often covered with paper scraps. She stays very "busy," so I must keep my eye on her as I never know what I may find if she's unattended for too long. She has picked up on Braden's sense of humor, and it's been fun to see her tell her own little jokes and laugh and laugh with her! She brings so many smiles to my face as I watch her grow!


Baby Nalos #3: Baby Girl Nalos is due the beginning of May. All the family is excited about this new arrival. Both children cannot wait and enjoy hearing about how big baby is each week. At 19 weeks she is currently about the size of a heirloom tomato. Ashlyn is especially excited and is already taking on her big sister role, for instance: she'll shake a rattle in front of my tummy or "tickle" the baby! For me, May cannot come quick enough!


Make sure to check out more details of our family highlights throughout this past year on the blog such as our trip/cruise in Alaska, special days and visits from family, and our recent trip to the Redwoods in California.

May your season be filled with the joy of the Lord as we celebrate Jesus' birth.

With Love,

Sheldon, Jamie, Braden, Ashlyn & Baby Nalos

It's Christmas Time...

Merry Christmas!! We're getting ready for Christmas at our house. It's such an exciting time of year, and it's especially joyful to watch the kids get invovled. We're doing everything a little bit early this year as we are heading to Iowa to celebrate with my family this year and attend my brother's wedding. Can't wait for special times with the family!

The kids setting up the Christmas tree...Braden checks out the directions first!

Making and decorating gingerbread cookies is a family tradition that I remember doing as a kid. The recipe comes from my grandmother, and my dad says he even remembers making them. The kids have loved this tradition, so I think it will be tradition passed down throughout the generations!

Our Family Adventure

Sheldon took the week after Thanksgiving off work, and we thought it would be fun to take the family on a little trip down the Oregon coast to the Redwoods in California with a stop at Crater Lake on the way home.

Our first day was a 5 hour drive down I-5 to Bandon, OR. With lots of potty breaks and snacks the kids traveled very well. Bandon is a little tourist town on the Oregon Coast, and our hotel had a beautiful view of the beach. When we arrived we were ready to bundle up and play on the beach! God even gave us a SPECTACULAR sunset, a perfect photo opportunity for Sheldon!


It was SO FUN to see the kids get so excited about eating out at a restaurant and swimming in the pool that evening. Braden mentioned several times with every ounce of enthusiasm in him that "this was the best day ever; I just LOVE trips....!"

Our second day we enjoyed a beautiful drive down the Oregon Coast. We could see the morning sun rays shining through the mist on the rocky coast...WOW! We arrived at sunny Crescent City, CA by late morning with the rest of the day to enjoy the Redwoods. We drove on a windy gravel road through the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, hiked, and even walked into the trunks of some of these HUGE trees (up to 350 ft tall with massive trunks) . Braden was impressed by how old these trees were (some 2000 years old) and would say to everyone he saw that: "these trees are so old that they were here when Jesus was on Earth! "




We made it back to our hotel on the beach for another sunset photo and an evening highlight for the kids of eating out and swimming!
The next morning we headed back north up to Crater Lake, OR. Sheldon was hoping to get a sunset shot of the lake. We made it by mid afternoon with plenty of time to play in the the snow atop this volcano while we waited for sunset to arrive. Since we don't get snow at home very often, this was a treat for us all.



Our drive down from Crater Lake was dark, but the snow sparkled as our headlights shone on it, and our windy drive through the Cascade Range was amazing as we could see silhouettes of the trees and mountains from the light of the full moon.

The kids got pretty hungry as the drive through the Cascades took much longer than expected, and we were truly in the middle of nowhere, but we finally made it back to the freeway, with much relief that our restaurant was near. We ended up driving all the way home that night and making it there before midnight. Lots of hours in the car, but much to see along the way.

This opportunity to take the family to see God's creation beyond our local area, and to spend time doing activities out of the ordinary for us as a family was such an amazing experience!

Hope you enjoy this video clip of some of our highlights:

Family Vacation Video

Give Thanks

"OH, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."
Psalm 136:1

There is SO MUCH to be thankful for, and this time of year reminds me of how my heart should be thankful in all things, not just at Thanksgiving or when things are going as they should. I often pray that I would have a thankful heart in daily life, as it's so easy to get busy and overwhelmed, often forgetting to come before the Lord with Thanksgiving.

Here are some "normal life" photos, all moments of which I'm so thankful for...

Times of helping Daddy in the kitchen: decorating Ashlyn's Birthday cupcakes.

Watching Daddy make breakfast with the new stove/convection oven and griddle
(mommy's birthday gifts).

Creative Messes, I mean Crafts: Braden loves to invent things with boxes, paper, and glue! Ashlyn usually joins in on the fun by cutting paper into tiny pieces. The outcome: craft stuff and paper ALL OVER the floor, almost everyday! BUT, everyone is creative and happy, and I'm always amazed at what they make.

Braden's fall tree project!Ashlyn dressed up in mommy's boots! We just love having cousins Melea, Lily, and June across the street. They sold their home and are looking for a new one in Portland, but are our neighbors for now. It's so fun to play almost everyday! Braden is showing all those girls how to build a campfire!

Thanksgiving with Sheldon's family! Here is Papa and JJ with all their kids & grandkids
(plus 2 more grandkids on the way)! Making our own candles after learning all about the Pilgrims. Braden is hand dipping this candle.

Thank you God for these special people and moments (and so much more)! Help me to rejoice in the Lord always, and be thankful IN all things. I once heard it said, "If we find ourselves complaining about our situation or longing for a better life, we need to take a few moments to worship God and allow His goodness to wash over us until we are consumed with gratitude."

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thess. 5:18

Embracing the Season

There's no denying that fall is in full swing now. Even though I like fall, I still try to hold onto summer for as long as I can. Mostly because I know that long winter days are soon on their way. However, this year I've been trying to embrace this season while it lasts and delight in all that it brings! One of my favorite things about fall is the beautiful colors!

Here are a few of our favorite fall moments...

A "stroll" in the park...

Picking out pumpkins at the pumpkin patch

Our little jack-o-lanterns.

All dressed up for our church harvest party! The cutest fireman and fairy I've ever seen.

Fun games, candy, and prizes at the harvest party!

The glow in the dark games were especially FUN!

How thankful I am for a change of seasons. Even though I sometimes find myself having a hard time letting go of summer, I am thankful for the creativity of our God in bringing the change of seasons. Embrace THIS particular season (in your life). For it is just a season, and a new one is always around the corner.

A Few of our Highlights...

I haven't posted in awhile and wanted to share just a few of our highlight moments over the past couple months:


When we go to the park Ashlyn spends most of her time in the swing. Mommy just doesn't push her high enough...she prefers Daddy's SUPER FIRE HIGH pushes!

My parents came out to visit in September. The kids always look so forward to special visits from Grandma and Grandpa. Here are some photos of an evening at the park. Yep, Ashlyn is in the swing again and had to convince Grandma that she really DOES want to go high!


Sheldon took the kids to the zoo while I held a baby shower for my good friend. The kids LOVE special times with daddy.

Sheldon got some new flash/studio gear and so these last four shots are taken using "the gear." I love having fun portraits of the kids.

This first shot was taken before bed. We let Ashlyn pick out her jammies and she always picks her hand me down "Bob the Builder" ones instead of all those cute pink ones! Oh well...what can I say, other than she's still cute in blue!

This shot was taken on a wooded walking trail near our house. This particular spot is an old mill and we thought it was an interesting background.

Braden and Sheldon on a sunset photo outing. I think Braden is getting a bit tired of taking photos?!?! Just a guess!


BEAR JAMMIES! Got these jammies in Alaska, and couldn't resist a portrait.

That's just a quick overview, but thought I'd share a few of our favorites!

Adventures in Alaska

We were SO blessed to be able to go to Alaska this summer!

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline

Our Alaska trip plans started last winter when my parents invited Sheldon and I to take an Alaskan cruise with them, my sister, and her husband, Jonathan. Just when we thought we had our trip all figured out, Sheldon's brother got engaged. His fiance is originally from Alaska so they wanted their wedding to be on the coast in Nikiski, AK. Thankfully they planned their wedding to occur just a few days before our cruise was going to start, and we were able to combine everything into one big Alaskan journey!

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ALASKA TRIP:

We started our trip by attending Byron and Maria's wedding in Nikiski, AK. The wedding was outdoors overlooking the ocean at Maria's Aunt/Uncle's home, who fish salmon for a living. They served THE BEST salmon I've ever tasted at the reception!

The newlyweds: Maria and Byron Nalos!

Flower girls: Ashlyn, Melea, & Lily

The Groom's proud parents!

Freshly Caught Salmon BBQ!

After the wedding we headed off RV Camping, with 11 people crammed into one small RV (Sheldon's parents, sister/husband and their 3 kids, plus our family). We stayed in some of the most absolutely gorgeous places!

One of our campsites. The kids had so much fun playing in the trees and looking for firewood.

A moose in fireweed next to our campground

After a couple days of camping we visited Glennallen, Sheldon's hometown from birth to age 12. He got to see his old house, walk the trails near his home, and even see the old tree that he had cut down with a hatchet as a little boy! Things look so much smaller than he remembers...


From Glenallen we left our children behind in the RV (this was bittersweet) while we headed up to Fairbanks to meet up with my family....AND getting that first shower after days of RV camping! What a LUXURY!

As part of our cruise pacakge, we were able to take a bus tour of Denali National Park where we saw caribou, ptarmigan, bear, moose, sheep, eagles, and the best views of Mt. McKinley seen the entire summer!

Caribou

Bears!

Mt. McKinley, what a blessing that it was so clear!

While we were staying at the lodge near Denali we were able to surprise my parents with a visit from Braden and Ashlyn! Sheldon's parents drove several hundred miles in the RV through wilderness (over mostly gravel roads), just so my parents could see the grandkids. It was a HUGE surprise and a huge blessing, since it had been over 8 months since they last saw them!

Lots of love and hugs for Grandma and Grandpa!

Then we headed off on an all day train ride from Denali to Whittier. We had absolutely amazing views of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range the entire day. Our tour guide said this was extremely rare - the best he'd seen in three years. I guess he was telling the truth, because even he was taking pictures!

We loved the glass top train so we could see the amazing views along the way.

McKinley through the train window.

After the train ride we were off to THE CRUISE! We enjoyed spending time with my parents and Jon and Kristin, eating, playing games, eating, working out, eating, viewing the glaciers, eating, swimming, eating, great talks, eating, relaxing, and EATING!

The whole gang: Jon, Kristin, Dad, Mom, Sheldon, and I in front of our Cruise Ship in Skagway.

Glaciers! We had amazing views from our ship.

A true sense of scale...

Our "Formal Night" date at the dining room.

We stopped at many ports along the way, including the towns of Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. We were able to enjoy hiking, biking, shopping, beautiful scenery, and even a boat tour at the Misty Fjords (in Ketchikan).

Hiking in Skagway.

View from our boat tour of the Misty Fjords.

This trip was such an amazing time for us! We had the best of both worlds - being able to camp and see the "real" Alaska, and then going on a cruise and seeing the "tourist" Alaska. The combination of these trips allowed us to see so much of this beautiful state. This was my first time in Alaska and I was just amazed at how HUGE and BEAUTIFUL it really is!

Thanks SO MUCH to my parents for taking us on the cruise, and thanks to Sheldon's parents for making the RV trip happen and for watching the kids for us while we cruised! We are so refreshed and seeing our life at home from a different perspective.

Praise the Lord!