Merry Christmas to All!

I'm posting this on the 20th of December, which means that Christmas is in 5 days. Dan and I (with our hitch-hiker, Kasey) are making our way to Oregon to my parent's place for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day festivities. For New Year's we'll be in Lynden and will hopefully be able to catch up with friends and family there.
Every Christmas and winter is different and every year there are new things that make my 'favorites' list. Here's a brief (and incomplete) list of my favorite things for winter and Christmas 2007:
1. Going to the Palouse Chorale concert with Dan. We have so many amazingly talented singers in the area and hearing them sing very old carols in Hebrew and Latin was a real treat. The songs that were done in English were sing-along songs with the audience, so we all go to participate.
2. My new miniature church that goes with my little Christmas village. Dan suprised me with it early. Now the little village has a church, a candle shop and two houses.
3. Baking cookies and making treats. I sent out 4 boxes with goodies and had a ton of fun making them. I made my stand-bys (fudge, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies) and added some new ones to the mix (magic layer bars, pumpkin bread, chocolate truffles and lemon star cookies).
4. Spending cold evenings trying out new and fun techniques with photography and scrapbooking. I've never been very good at taking pictures of inanimate objects, so I've been working on getting better and also playing around with my photo software to make my pictures prettier.
5. Sunday walks with Dan. Even though it's cold and has been rainy, we try to go for a long walk on Sunday afternoons and I love it. It's nice to spend time outside with Dan with no distractions to interrupt our conversation.
6. Our wall of Christmas cards. I can't believe how many super-cute cards we have from family and friends decorating the wall. Those of you who sent cards - thank you, they warm our hearts and brighten the apartment.
7. Christmas Carols! Those of you who know me well know that I am a really bad singer, but I don't care. I thoroughly enjoy singing Christmas carols and have been all season long. Our small group has been studying hymns and their origins and in December we switched to Christmas hymns. The stories behind some of the songs are very inspiring and have really led to a deeper appreciation of the hymns. I think my favorite Christmas hymn changes everyday.
8. My absolute favorite things, aren't things. They are my family and friends and the true reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Yes, the above list is certainly incomplete and I know I'll think of other things that should have been included, but I hope you take some time to put your list together.

Have a happy and safe holiday and we wish you all the best in the New Year!

Web Album Now Available

After several attempts at this, I think I finally got it. There is a picasa web album now online of wedding and honeymoon pictures for everyone to check out. It's located here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Dan.Shelle/WeddingAndHoneymoonAlbum

Can you believe it's the middle of December already? Time certainly flies when you're having fun and keeping busy!

So Much to be Thankful For!

If I were to make a list of all I am thankful for this year, the blog would be really, really long. So much has happened and I have been so blessed and I am thankful for all of it. I went from having a great boyfriend to having a fabulous fiance (we got engaged July 16th) to getting a wonderful husband (October 20th - 3 months later). Now I am married to that wonderful husband (he's the guy in the pictures with the dogs, Wally and Roxy) and I am thankful for that blessing every day. (I know, it's only been just over a month, but I can still be thankful.) We just spent a quiet Thanksgiving with my parents and brother in Oregon. How could I not be thankful for family, excellent food, shopping time with my Mum, lots of football watching and the annual playing of the world championship chinese checker game? I am thankful for Dan's new job and the new life we're building together in Pullman. I am thankful for the friends and family who have helped us out so much. I am thankful that the Kibbie Dome is heated and we were comfortable this afternoon as we watched my USU Aggies beat Kasey's Idaho Vandals in an ugly football game : ) I am also thankful that Kasey didn't take the loss too hard. I am thankful for so much and I know I've just barely started skimming the surface of it all. I do hope however, that this list of all I have to be thankful for, prompts me to reflect more deeply and strive to have a heart of even more thankfulness.

TEN!!!!

When Dan and I said 'I do' we both inherited the other's nieces and nephews. Dan brings eight little ones (he has three brothers, all married with kids) and I bring in two (my sis's baby angels). So now we have ten birthdays to never forget, ten adorable faces to frame, ten sets of cute stories and ten (additional) reasons to go shopping.
So dear Austin, Travis, Holly, Sadie, Allison, Grant, Avery, Kenzie, Clint and Sandy, we promise to be the "fun" aunt and uncle. We promise to not forget a birthday (although we might be late) and promise to give ample fridge time to your cards and drawings.

Aloha!

After a busy and exciting whirlwind of an engagement (only 3 very short months) Dan and I had a great time relaxing in beautiful and sunny Hawaii. We flew out the day after the wedding to Oahu and spent an entire day taking a history lesson. We toured the USS Arizona Memorial and also the USS Missouri Memorial. It was sobering and interesting and no how most newlyweds would care to spend their honeymoon, but for us it was important to take these tours.
The rest of the trip was spent on Maui. Oh Maui, how I miss your crashing waves and trade winds! Have you been there? You should go - right now : ) It was wonderful. We went snorkeling and sailing and exploring. We saw the neatest fish and the brightest flowers. We ate interesting and delicious local fare and thoroughly enjoyed our time.

October 20th was indeed a happy day! Dan and I got married amidst a sea of freinds and family. The church was beautiful, the service meaningful, the cake delicious, the kids adorable, the toasts tearful and the whole evening wonderful!
It was a very traditional wedding with some very non-traditional twists. The cake was frosted in chocolate brown and I had a Bride's Best Man (that would be my dear brother, Kasey). The ring bearer (little Clint) was carried down the aisle by my sister Jen, a bridesmaid. Dan and I shared communion together during the service and we greeted the guests by dismissing them pew by pew - no long receiving line for us.
Yes, the wedding and reception were great, but I have to say that being married is even better!

First Blog Entry!

I am officially joining the wide world of blogging. Dan and I will (hopefully) keep this pretty updated for anyone who wants to know the latest happenings of the Newlywed Lenssens.
We got married on October 20th and after a fabulous honeymoon to Hawaii, we're living in Pullman.
Once I get all this blog stuff figured out, I'll post about the wedding and the trip and such. Please forgive me, I'm learning!