Christmas 2020

Did you all have a nice Christmas?

Ours was wonderful!!

We started our Christmas celebrations on Wednesday of last week when we started to make some yummy food.

Everyone was home (I KNOW!!!), and we all pitched in in the kitchen at different times throughout the day.

It was fun!


Thursday afternoon we decorated the table, put the finishing touches on the food, and got all of ourselves ready for the candle light service at church.

It was BEAUTIFUL!

Our church family likes to sing, and sing we did!!

Once we were back home we heated up our meal of finger foods and sat down to enjoy it all.


We stayed around the table a long time sharing and talking.

I asked the kiddos what their favorite part of Christmas is.

Everyone of us said the candle light service at church, except for Tate who said “family.”

Cue all the tears! Sweet boy!


We played a routy game of Just One to finish out our evening!


Christmas morning the kiddos slept in a bit, and then we had a small bite to eat and got ready for the day.

We had our favorites joining us for a big brunch and to spend the day with us!

Before they arrived the kiddos opened their stockings.

The stockings just had small simple things in them, but everyone was surprised and enjoyed them a lot!


I surprised Blake too, with some wireless ear buds!

They were much needed now that everything he does is over zoom or conference calls!


Pretty soon Kay’s arrived and it was time to eat again!

We have done brunch for Christmas day for at least two years now and I think it is a tradition that will stick around.


Our grands had opened stockings at home too, and had brought their new harmonica’s with them.

They got really good at them before the day was over!


Soon it was time to open more gifts!

Our seven children and David had exchanged names to exchange gifts.

Blake and I bought a few things for our grands!

David and Kayla also had a stocking to open from us!

It was SUPER FUN to watch everyone open their gifts!

School books and new personalized pencils for the grands from us –


and a new tee pee from us as well!


Everyone had bought such thoughtful and purposeful gifts!

Including the new drinking glasses that I received from my four oldest kiddos!


In the afternoon, even though it was below zero outside, we bundled up a bunch of kiddos and they headed out to play!


We finished the day with another round of those finger foods, some Christmas cookies, and hot cider!


Kay’s headed back home in the evening to get their crew ready for bed.

We are all trying to stay rested for when that baby girl decides to make her appearance!

No baby yet!

We are SO EXCITED though as we wait!!

I sat in my big comfy chair in the quiet next to the lights of the Christmas tree very early on Christmas morning.

I had finished my Bible time – reading the Bible, a devotional, and some journaling – and I bowed my head to pray.

My mind immediately went to Joseph and Mary all those many years ago and what it must have been like to give birth to a baby who was to be the Savior of the world.

Can you imagine?

A baby born to die.

For us.

Then my mind went to what it must have been like for the Son of God to be beaten and hang on a cross WHEN HE HAD NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG.

Because He did it for US.

It brought tears, and awe, and a thankfulness like no other as I sat there in my chair.

Does it for you?

Have you asked Jesus to be your Savior?

If you haven’t, He’s waiting.

Waiting for you to ask so He can come and change you from the inside out and give you the promise of eternal life.

Jesus was the BEST GIFT EVER.

The whole reason for Christmas!!

Don’t wait until it’s too late!

Except God’s free gift NOW.

I can promise it is something you will never, ever regret.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Happy Birthday, Chad Ryan!!

Another birthday!

It was Chad’s turn!


We celebrated on a Sunday evening with a big meal, a few gifts, and a chocolate chip espresso cheesecake!

Chad chose grilled steak and shrimp, baked yams and potatoes, and a tossed salad.

It was yummy!


After dinner and all that yumminess, Chad opened a few gifts!


The best part about birthdays (and Sunday evenings) is just being together!!


I love this photo of Briar hanging on to Grant’s leg and being pulled around the kitchen!


We sang to Chad and then enjoyed some of that beautiful grain-free and dairy-free cheesecake!


We finished out the night with a routy game of Dutch Blitz!


What a fun evening we had!!

Chad Ryan, we are SO glad you were born!

All those years ago your big sister Kayla prayed so hard for another sibling, and God answered her prayers with YES!

Your steady qualities are a blessing, your vision is inspiring, you are wise and mature beyond your years, and your super quick wit keeps us in stitches!

You bring such JOY and LIFE to our lives and our home, and we are so thankful that you love the Lord!

We are excited to watch God write your story!

Happy, happy birthday, Chad Ryan!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend 2020

Thanksgiving this year was so WONDERFUL!

We had a very full weekend, starting around noon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving when I decided to decorate the house for Christmas!

Chad was actually the one who asked if I would like him to put up the trees, and YES, I loved that idea!


We got both the upstairs and downstairs trees up, lighted, and decorated, as well as getting the porch and a few other areas decorated.

It turned out beautiful!

I love the lights of the Christmas season!

Thursday morning we hopped out of bed early and bustled around the kitchen all together to make a noon time Thanksgiving meal for our guests!

Tate was in his element!!


Pretty soon we were all ready!

We had a yummy meal prepared – roasted chicken, cubed & roasted yams, smashed red potatoes, green beans and bacon, rolls, cranberry relish salad, broccoli salad, and a tossed lettuce, pear and pomegranate salad.

We had hot cider, hot coffee, and cold juice spritzers to sip as well!

Here is our traditional Team Moschel Thanksgiving photo!


Our friends arrived and while the food heated we had a time of singing and sharing!

It was THE BEST.

We ate all that yummy food, visited, played games, visited some more….and then there was PIE.

My face hurt the next day from laughing so much – that is how you know you have had a blast with your friends!


We hopped out of bed early Friday morning to get ourselves ready to travel to a wedding.

We rented a van to travel in so we could all be in one vehicle and have some space.

We loaded up around 8 a.m. Friday morning to head out.

I took my breakfast to eat along the way – and yes, it was pie!


The wedding was BEAUTIFUL.

The music was AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL!

It filled our hearts to over flowing to share in SUCH a special day for our friends!


We also got to spend some time with our dear friends who traveled to the wedding as well!


Saturday we were tired, so we slept till we woke and had a slow lazy breakfast.

Breakfast looks like this when my hubby makes it.

He makes me smile!


Then the guys decided to take all of the kiddos hunting (the littles have been BEGGING to go with them), so I headed to town to get grocery and run some Christmas errands!

It was a gorgeous day!


I clearly did not think this grocery shopping trip through because when I arrived home there was not one soul to help me unload all those bags!


We had looked forward to Sunday all weekend – it was time to have Thanksgiving with Kay’s!

We made a simple meal of soup, bread, and fruit for after church.

Then we spent the day together playing with the kiddos, chatting, drinking David’s amazing lattes, and playing games.

It was PERFECT.


Pretty soon it was time to get ready to go to a (different) wedding reception that evening.

As we got each one ready, I sat them in the office to watch Nutbrown Hare – you know, in an effort to keep everyone clean and happy and all!

As I stood there I was overwhelmed with gratefulness.


JUST LOOK WHAT GOD DID.

Our children, our grand children….I could never have imagined this season if I had tried!

What a wonderful season it is!!

Our littlest ones growing up as best friends with our grand babies.

How it love it all.

We have so much to be thankful for!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend too!!

More Birthdays!!

We have a string of birthdays in November and December!

We started with Clyde back at the beginning of November.

Next up was Briar and David!

Briar was born one day before David’s birthday!

She is now TWO years old!

It has went SO fast!

We had a little celebration at the farm!

With chicken and beef fajitas and all the fixings for dinner.


David requested Boston Cream Pie for dessert!


A couple of weeks later (this past weekend) it was Ellie’s birthday!

Our Ellie Joy is FIVE!!

Crazy as that sounds, it’s true.

We had another little celebration at the farm!

This time it was baked potato bar with all the fixings!

Birthday parties are YUMMY!


Ellie requested chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, smart girl!

She is one adorable five year old!


Next up is Chad!

Stay tuned to see what he chooses for his meal and dessert – but I know it will be yummy too!

Hopefully for Chad’s birthday I will be able to take a decent photo, ha, ha!

Please excuse all the blurry ones!

Birthday season is a great season!

What a joy it is to celebrate our favorite’s birthdays.

Happy, happy birthday Briar Promise, David Joel, and Ellie Joy!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!