Julie Brooks

Merry Christmas

Our Christmas card that I finally mailed out yesterday. Better late than never...right? :)

Here are the pictures we took for our Christmas card.

You can click on each picture to make them larger. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Focused....

Hello! Anyone still out there? I know I hardly blog anymore and I'm ok with that. I use to stress out if I didn't blog fearing I would lose any readers I had, but it just doesn't bother me anymore. I came to the realization that this time I have with my kids I will never get back and so blogging took a back seat. I don't plan to give it up, but it's also not top priority. I know there are a few families in Crossett that still read our blog and like to keep up with us and I think that is special! Hi Richardson's and Outlaws! :) Those are the two that email and message us about our blog and we love it! We miss y'all! Come visit us!

Anyone else out there still reading? Leave us a message and say hello! We would love to hear from you.

I titled this blog post focused because that is my one word for 2012. FOCUSED. As we are nearing the end of 2011 I'm full of joy, but I'm thinking about several things that I want to see happen in 2012 and the word FOCUSED keeps coming to mind. I'm still trying to decide on a verse for 2012. I know the Lord will give me one and I can't wait to see what it is.

There is something so exciting about a new year. With it comes a fresh new start, a new calender/planner that is a blank canvas, new goals and dreams, the anticipation of what this year will hold. ALl of these things are exciting to me. I've got my new calendar/planner and I'm praying that I fill my days and year with things that matter. Things that bring me closer to God and things that are in line with His will for my life. I want to look back next year at this time and say that I was FOCUSED and did what God called me to do as a wife, mother,daughter, sister, aunt, friend and minister's wife.

My prayer as I close out this year and celebrate Christmas is that I stay FOCUSED and keep my children FOCUSED on the reason for Christmas. Brian preached a great message to the students last night at church. He nailed it....or so I thought....I may be a little biased. :) The main point he drove home is that while Christmas is about a baby in a manger it is also about serving a Lord that came to save, serve and die and now HE is in all His glory seated on the right hand of God waiting to bring his bride home. That is what we celebrate.... a Saviour that is waiting to come for us. What are we doing until that time comes?

There are some very creative people out there.....Enjoy this video! Merry CHristmas from The Brooks Family

 

 

 

Luke 1:31-33 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever: his kingdom will never end.

 

Halloween 2011

This year for Halloween, we had a nerd and Darth Vader.  Mason played it cool and didn't dress up.

Isn't that the cutest nerd and Darth Vader you have ever seen?

Carson was set on being a nerd this year and played up the part very well. Not sure where this idea came from, but the costume was free so it worked for me. The Darth Vader costume has now been worn by Mason, Carson and Garrett so I feel like my money was well spent.

We spent the evening at the church for Kids Fest. Before we left "Jessie" AKA Addy stopped by to see the boys. Isn't she precious??

Mason is sporting the Jessie hat becuase Jessie would have NOTHING to do with it! Getting pictures of this bunch is a challenge!! Lol! The only thing that would make these pictures perfect is my other two nieces. Next year we need to plan better and get a group picture.

Is this a fun looking bunch of kids or what? I will assure you of this every last one of them is FULL of life and ENERGY! :)

As I was trying to take some pictures of Addy "the Nerd" came out with a new head of hair.

Check out the lack of teeth in his mouth!! I've always wanted a kid that could sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth." Now I have one! I just love his toothless little smile and you should hear him talk. So cute!

Darth Vader was not up for any more pictures....he was busy heading to a galaxy far away.

Happy 4th!

Hope you all are having a Happy 4th! We are going to our 3rd fireworks show tonight. We went to the one Mansfield put on Friday night, City of Arlington last night and tonight we are going to Duncanville. Fun times. I love fireworks, but I'm not so sure Brian shares that love. Ha! He asked me last night, "why do people clap after each one?" Lol! After he asked that a few minutes later I caught him clapping and cheering! Busted.

 

It's so hot here we are heading to the pool today. It's the only way to beat this heat. The boys have turned into fish this summer and for the  first time in my life I have a tan. Yea!  This summer seems to be flying by. I can't believe it's already July 4th!! Mason leaves for camp friday and then Brian and I have youth camp the last week of July. Before we know it August will be here. Enjoy these summer memories and stay cool!

Jesus, No other king!

 

Jesus, the King. Jesus, King of the ages. Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Royalty of Jesus - the only Son of God - the firstborn over all creation -  is woven into the very fabric of the scriptures.  He is a lamb with the lineage of a lion.  He is a pauper with the unsearchable riches of an inexhaustible Kingdom.  He is a Man with no home whose Eternal Throne rests in the Courts of Praise.  He is a teacher with no formal credentials who is the Creator of all Knowledge.

No one can ever lay claim to His unique station as Savior of the World.

And yet, Christ Jesus.....

Who, being in very nature God, did consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death -  even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:6-11)     

This is the story of our redemption.  This is the story of the miracle of our moving from bloodline of Adam to the bloodline of Christ.  Only one figure in all of history could have accomplished this.

This is His story...........Jesus, No Other King !

It's Friday....Sunday's Comin'

Christmas Day 2010

For Christmas Eve, my entire family(sisters, brother, brother in-laws, neices all stay at my parents house. I love it! It makes it fun and we get to see all the kids open their presents. I'm 34 and I have never spent a Christmas not waking up at my parents with my sisters and brother (except for the year they all came to Crossett, AR) I'm so thankful that Brian allows us to keep this tradition along with my wonderful brother-in-laws.We love being all together and I can't imagine it any other way.  My parents house was busting at the seems this year due to the fact that our families keep growing. :)It was crazy, loud and fun!

This was the first year we all had everything wrapped and ready to go for Christmas morning. Usually we are up until 2am wrapping gifts. It was so nice to be done and just enjoy the night together. Last year we were all excited because it was snowing.......not so much this year. We are still holding out hope that we will see a least one flurry before spring.

Christmas morning all the kids were up ready to see what Santa brought by 7am. The adults were slowly dragging behind. Ha!

Here are a few pictures from our morning.

Both boys wanted Bibles this year with NO pictures. They are growing up.

 

It was all about the Lego sets this year! All the sets combined equaled over 3,000 parts. Am I crazy or what? YES

Scott's growing up he got 2 suits for Christmas! :)

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! BJ did a good job on my sisters gifts!

Mom joined the iPhone ranks this year! Dad surprised her with the iphone 4!!

We all had a wonderful Christmas! We are so, so, so BLESSED!!

 

 

Christmas Eve

This year was the first year we were able to host Christmas Eve at our house. Another perk of living in the same town as family again!! :) We hosted the first part of our Christmas Eve activities with Brian's family at our house. After we opened presents, we headed to the Christmas Eve service at church where my family met up with us. After the service we headed to Brian's cousins for a yummy Mexican dinner. It was a full day of family and fun. Being "here" this Christmas made things so much easier. No more packing up the van and cramming everyone plus the luggage and presents in. It was so smooth and laid back. I didn't have to worry about heading back home and packing everything up for a 6 hour drive. We still stayed at my parents Christmas Eve and Santa came there, but a 15min drive across town to get home was much easier. It was wonderful! We are blessed!

Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve. I forgot to take any pictures at Charity's :( Oh well there is always next year.

Can you tell Mason was thrilled to take a picture. I guess at 11 years old (turing 12 Jan 2nd) You come to a point where you are way to cool for a photo in front of the Christmas tree with your little brothers. Ha!

Our tree! Don't mind the fact that I haven't made curtains yet. ;)

Dining room table that is soon getting painted black! :)

Mantle with Christmas cards......now it looks sad and bare. :(

Tree in the kitchen. These are all ornaments that my mom and I made when I was pregnant with Mason.

Brian's uncle, Charlie, made him the sweetest gift!! He framed a picture on him from his TCU football days along with the tickets from the first college game he played. On the back he wrote the sweetest letter to Brian. Uncle Charlie was at every single football game Brian played in High School and College.

Christmas Day post coming up.........

If Facebook existed 2,000 years ago

Love this!! Very Clever.

 

Wordless Wednesday