christmas 2010

Christmas 2010 in a nutshell . . . .


I love our Christmas tree. It's the best fake tree ever.


The kids putting together Ben's stocking - which consisted of coffee pods for his Kuerig. Completely full of them.

We opened gifts with the kids on Christmas Eve morning. Which you will find out later why I am completely grateful that we did it that way.


Sophie got a fort. You can make it however you want. It's indoor/outdoor. It'll be great fun!


This was the gift of the morning. It's from Ben to me - a head massager. Oh my goodness!!


Sophie got a giant dry erase board.




Every Monday when Sophie and I are grocery shopping at Walmart, this is the cell phone she plays with in the check out aisle.


Ben's stocking debris.


Ted got the Playmobil stage.

We played all day and then left for New Martinsville. We didn't go to church here in Morgantown. It was just a weird evening for us. Different. One of those sad moments for us and not being in Charleston at River Ridge. We drove through Chik-Fil-A for dinner (missing the "sorry you had to work tonight cups") and then to New Martinsville.

That night, I fell asleep with Ted and told Ben to wake me up for midnight mass with my family. He woke me up at 11:00 and that's when it started. The nastiest sickness I've had in a very long time. Seriously, I'm pretty sure the last time I threw up was when I was pregnant with Sophie. It was brutal.


So, this is me. This is where I went to bed at 9:00 pm on Christmas Eve and crawled out of bed the morning after Christmas. I tried to do gifts with the kids Christmas morning but that lasted through Sophie's stocking.

The following pictures belong to my mom . . .







Ted got more playmobil, lots of dress up stuff and a Leap Frog Explorer. Sophie got lots of princess dress up stuff, a vacuum cleaner, aqua doodle, and other fun things. I've discovered most of it as I've unpacked today.

Sunday morning I was still feeling not so great. We hung out with my family some and then Uncle Andy and Aunt Courtney came. Funny how all these year's Ben and I have worked around Christmas Eve and Sunday church and now that we don't have to Andy and Courtney do!


Ted got a transformer costume and wore it for 2 days straight - took it off to sleep. Today he wore his new pirate costume all day. Simply b/c the transformer costume is still packed away in someone's suitcase.


I slept a large part of the day. Oh yeah, I neglected to tell you that Christmas evening my sickness (I'll spare you the details) started all over again. So I self medicated with some peptobismol. Only to wake up an hour later with a huge rash. Thankfully the benedryl actually let me sleep for more than an hour. I was so tired after 36 hours of up every hour.


Mario Kart was our family game of the year. Well worth it if we only played it these three days.


This is what Doh and Pap's living room looked like most of the weekend. Just rotated people.


Bumble Bee the transformer.


Sophie the princess. Ted was dressed up as a princess for awhile b/c there was nothing else to dress up in. Made Ben nuts.

So, we were supposed to go to Parkersburg on Monday night and Butler on Tuesday. We decided not to do all of it and to come home. I'm still not feel 100%. Our house has absolutely EXPLODED with laundry, suitcases and many small pieces of many toys. I'm not handling it very well. Ready for the tree to come down and the toys to be put away.

So, it was a weird Christmas all the way around. We're hoping for a relaxing week and some good family time.

This picture pretty much sums it all up . . . Ted took a 3 1/2 hour nap today.



PS - that penguin behind him is the prize he won for playing Bunk(c?)o yesterday. He said that was the best part of Christmas - winning a prize. And his new transformer underwear. I should keep that in mind for next Christmas. In case you wondering, that's his pirate costume he's sleeping in!

PPS - i will say that the only good thing about me being sick over Christmas is that I didn't eat my weight in scotch-a-roos. See's the bright side to everything!

Merry freakin' Christmas!

2010 christmas letter

If you didn't get our Christmas letter this year, I'm sorry! The Christmas postage budget was a bit small this year. So, here you go. Virtual Christmas cards.

As a disclaimer, if you did get one in the snail mail, this little man did ALL the stamps and return address labels. So, if something was askew, give the guy a break!

I just re-read our 2009 Christmas letter. Pretty much everything about our lives has changed in the past year. But, I’m thankful to say it’s all for the best!

In January, we started praying about where God wanted us and what we should be doing. By the end of February, we knew that He was calling us to move to Morgantown, WV. The Young Life Area Director job was open. It was a pretty big spot to fill which made it all the more scary and adventurous all at the same time. Through that process, we have seen the Lord in miraculous ways – individually, in our marriage and family, and in ministry.

We didn’t have to put our house on the market as a friend bought it. We moved out in June and into some very dear friends’ basement (all of our stuff went into storage at another friend’s house). I’m thankful to say we’re still friends! Ben and I finished up our jobs at River Ridge Church (worship and family ministry) in June. We spent the month of July at Rockbridge. Ben had another fantastic month of program with a great team of people. It was hot, hot, hot and I was super thankful that both kids loved the pool and lake. Ted actually conquered the diving board and the water slides. There were lots of kids on our assignment this year, which made for great fun. After assignment, we got our stuff out of storage and moved to Morgantown. Some other great friends from Charleston are allowing us to rent their house which suites us so nicely.

We’ve been in Morgantown about 4 months now. As much as we miss Charleston (which really means people to us), we are making a home for ourselves here. Ben has jumped into Young Life with both feet. He has a different role and is not doing direct kid work for now. He has the great privilege of leading college leaders (who are quite stellar) and working with adults in the community. It’s been a growing experience for him. We’re thankful to have him home most evenings and for a total shift in how our family functions. Ministry is happening here. Kids are hearing about Jesus, leaders are being discipled and we are confident that things will begin to happen financially as a result.

I am not working right now. The shift to stay-at-home mom was not nearly as difficult as I anticipated. However, things that factor into that include Ben being home a lot more and Ted being in school 4 days a week. I miss working but I’m thankful for this time to regroup as a family and my role in that. I’m getting on the sub list here (if I ever turn in my stuff), but definitely not crazy about it. I’m praying that something will come along that suits more of my gifting. Ben and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in April with a trip out west. It was such great timing as we got back, hit the ground running, and haven’t stopped since!

Ted started a new preschool program this year. He goes 4 full days a week at a public school. He really loves it. His teachers are wonderful about helping us reinforce our hope for him to make good choices and be a good friend. Ted is very kind and patient with Sophie. She definitely gives his life a twist. But he is so helpful. Ted has developed an incredible love of dressing up and telling knock-knock jokes. He has recently discovered drawing and coloring and is interested in starting to spell and read. He’s also the tallest kid in his class. Ted is tender hearted and kind. This was, by far, our healthiest year for Ted and for that we are thankful! He is much more adventurous and loves a good game of “Angry Birds” on an iPhone.

Sophie is 2 ½. She is the funniest kid I’ve ever met. She didn’t say a whole lot until she was over 2. Then about 2 months ago she started talking in full sentences. She has no trouble expressing herself. Hilarious! We’ve turned the corner from toddler world (I’m into everything and have springs on my rear end) to preschooler (I’m more independent and will sit and engage myself in an activity). It’s glorious! Potty training has topped off our year as another major accomplishment and great help to the grocery budget. I’m certain we’ve touched every public toilet in Morgantown! We seem to be on the 6 month plan with some sort of injury: January she had an out-patient surgery for reoccurring nose bleeds, in July she had a concussion while we were at Rockbridge, and just last week had a fever induced seizure and got to ride in the ambulance. I guess we’re up again in June!

Life is different. Life is good. More than ever, this year we have felt incredibly loved. After 9 years in Charleston, we left with more encouragement, love and support than we would’ve ever dreamed. Relationships are wide, deep and enduring. The word that I would use to describe people is GENEROUS - completely, utterly, unabashedly generous. We have been the recipients of so much, in so many ways, I can’t even tell you. We are truly rich.

Joshua 4 shares about God giving the Israelites their second attempt to enter their promised land after wandering in the desert for 40 years. As they crossed the Jordon River (which was at flood stage but God actually made it dry ground) to enter, the Lord told them to take rocks of remembrance from the middle. The middle represented the halfway point. The deepest part. The place of sudden doubt and indecision. The place where you look to what is familiar on one side and then to the other side where all know is that God has called you there. Driving out of Charleston with our U-Haul was our middle of the Jordon. Thankfully, we have many rocks of remembrance that we have brought with us. So that we can always say “ . . . thus far the Lord has helped us.” – 1 Samuel 7:12.

So, here we are. Looking 2011 in the face. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in all the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen!” – Ephesians 3:20-21

With much love,

Ben, Laura, Ted & Sophie

2010 christmas photos

We took some family photos today. Bribed the kids with fun ones if we took some good ones. I think it worked! Sophie is great today - like nothing ever happened. She slowed down a bit in the evening but nothing major.

christmas day

We woke up at Doh & John Pap's on Christmas morning.




This was obviously the Christmas of drums. Ted got a hand drum and electronic drum sticks.


I opened gifts with Sophie and even found gifts I didn't know I had received when I got home b/c she kept me busy. About half way through, Pap gave her a gingerbread cookie. She snuggled up with Uncle Mark and proceeded to lick off all the icing and then eat it. That lasted until we were done opening gifts!


Ted playing with his playmobil set that Uncle Andy & Aunt Courtney got him.

My parent's came to Ben's parents for lunch. We've done that since we were married. After lunch, we headed out Route 7 for the Slider Family Christmas.


My Dad made Ted & Sophie a play kitchen for Christmas. It is AWESOME!! I'll have to get a better picture. Sophie got all the play food and stuff. It's being delivered to Charleston on Friday. Can't wait to get it. Sophie's room is rearranged and ready for it.


Eating Gary Pap's special dip with Uncle Charlie.


Playing games with Carlyn, Trey & Graeson


The Grandchildren Picture!


And the nice one. Notice the horizontal legs on the right. That's Ben laying on the floor and pulling Sophie's shirt through the rocking chair to keep her in her seat! =)

After dinner we headed back to town for bedtime. Doh & John Pap, Grandma & Gary Pap, Andy & Courtney, Uncle Mark, Ben and I played Bunco and then cards. It was a GREAT Christmas!

the night before christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
The Tuel's were doing their family Christmas
On Christmas Eve morning

The gifts were wrapped
The stockings were filled
Ted had asked Santa for a drum set
But, alas, not one had appeared

When what to our wandering ears should sound
But the Mountaineer fight song on Ben's cell phone
John Allevato had a drum set from when he was a kid
And wanted us to have it for Ted

Ben dashed out the door and called to the minivan
Help me get this drum set home so we can surprise Ted
He stayed up so late putting on new heads and cleaning it
We were thankful that the kids slept 'till 8!

So, Christmas Eve morning we got up at 8am. Had some cinnamon rolls and started on presents.




Sophie's shopping cart to go with the gift my parent's would give them later.


Sophie's Little People House


The Fishing Cabin Playmobil for Ted - this is combined with all the stuff he got in his Playmobil Advent Calender.


Cases of Diet Coke are always fun to play with . . .



. . . as are the boxes that the gifts are wrapped in.


My sister did this paintings for us and Ben got them framed for me for Christmas.




Ben hid the drum set in the laundry room.


All set up in his room - it really matches (or blends) nicely!


Sophie giving the drums a whirl.

The drum set isn't as bad as I anticipated. Really, it's a punishment for Ted (not letting him play them) that isn't actually a punishment for me!

We had so much fun! We hung out all day and then went to the Christmas Eve services. My children and I had our own personal comedy show while I tried to read a book during the children's time.


We'll just say that Ted sat beside me and his voice picked up on the mic I was wearing. He commentated and asked lots of questions. And Sophie crawled through about 30 kids to be on the other side and try to turn the pages for me. Thankfully, we only had to do one service!

We headed to New Martinsville around 8:30 pm to wake up at Doh & John Pap's on Christmas morning.