Merry Christmas

To all our Family, and Friends. We love you, and hope with all our hearts that this little email finds you and your loved ones well. Things are a little heavy and slow for me at the moment, ( only a couple more weeks and we hope to be holding our baby girl in our arms) and so Christmas cards were not at the top of the list, but we did want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and remind you that we think of you, and pray for you often and love you, so very much. Brennan has put together this small festive picture of our little ones for you.

May the quiet peace and gentle love of the first Christmas be yours today and always. Love you all.

Brennan & Hannah, Jarom, Lydia, Elizabeth, Matthew, Kathryn, Abigail, and the little unknown Orr.

Baby Orr #7, second peek. 36 week along

 I was able to con my Dr. into a second ultrasound, because we were measuring a little large. It was really fun to get another peek at our baby girl. We've never had an ultrasound at 36 weeks before, so it was really fun to see how chubby she has gotten. She has nice round cheeks, full lips, and is kickin up a storm. She weighs in at about   6 1/2 pounds. Our due date according to this ultrasound is Dec 31st 2012.

Little Girls

 I took Kathryn and Abigail over to the school on retake day to have their pictures taken, so that they would match the other kids school photos. Well the photographer was several hours late and we were unable to get pictures. In our disappointment we had to take a few quick snap shots when we got home. I am not a photographer, but I do have really cute kids. It was five minutes of fun, and they even both smiled.

 These two were my favorite. they are both growing so fast.

Kids and Costumes

 Matthew's Grade one class.

Matthew, our mummy.

 Kathryn, our beautiful princess, as usual

Abby, with a pretty skirt ( the maximum she was willing to wear)

All our kidlets and our adopted extra. Jayden and Jarom were men in black, Matthew the mummy, Kathryn was Bell this year, Ellie and Lydia were little pioneer children and our little Abby wore a skirt that was sparkly.

Pumpkins

 pumpkin carving is just one of those things at our house that never gets old and is just as exciting each year as it was the year before.

 This was Abby's first year of really participating. And i wish we would have caught it on video. she was incredibly excited, but really grossed out each time she would touch any part of the inside of the pumpkin, which was fallowed with a squeal and giggle. Each time she would try to grab a seed, she'd put her face right up to the pumpkin.

 Boys will always be boys. And we will always love them for it.

 Its always a surprise how gooshie and gross it is inside the pumpkin, every year.

 Gross!

 All finished and lit up. Jarom and Lyd's cut their own this year, with only one small injury. All the kids designed their own, except Abby did have to have some help, but we did put a bug on it upon her request.

You just gotta love these kids.

First snow man

 After a few days the snow wasn't so fluffy and the kids were able to build with it a little better. This is the first snowman of the season at our house.

the boys and their really small tunnel.

6:30AM wakeup "SNOW"

 Our little Kathryn was so excited about the snow, that she woke up at 6:30am, before the sun was up, asking if I could please help her get her snow suit on so she could play out side. She was not very impressed that I made her wait for the sun to rise.

Family Tradition, Apple Juice Making!

 First you start with large crates full of beautiful crisp apples. which the kids love to help load into buckets, that are then dumped into the wash basket.

 Second we spray (or wash as we call it) the apples with "really" cold water.

 Third, some one throws the apples into the garborator, that chops the apples up into small bits and spits them into another bucket.

 Fourth, The buckets of apple bits are put into the press. where the men then take turns, turning and cranking back and forth until no more juice can be pressed out of the apple bits.

 Fifth, the press is disassembled, and the unwanted pulp is shoveled into the tractor or wagon.

 Sixth, the pulp is then taken up into the mountains for a tasty treat for the bears.

 Meanwhile the buckets of apple juice are strained through cheese cloth, and then poured into clean jugs for our super delicous, happy enjoyment. YUM!

Great Grandpa & Grandma Henrie's

 We were blessed to be able to visit Grandpa & Grandma Henrie this fall thanks to Miah and Allen and Sharlene. Visiting the Henrie Forest is like escaping the worries and struggles of life, even if only for a day it is always worth it, and something that we all greatly look forward to. The forest, fresh air, family, and Grandpa''s sense of humor make it an incomparable event for our family.

 Grandpa and the Uncles have created a small zip line, swings, and the "space ship" that the kids look forward to each time we come. But even without all their fantastic creations the kids always find many fun adventurous things to keep them busy.

 almost missed Ellie's picture.

 Brennan was a little to big for the zip line but Abby really needed a turn.

 this space ship has been here for as long as I can remember. There is always kids in it having a blast. Sometimes its the silly, small and simple things that the best memories are created from.

Abby was terrified of the sound of the quads when they were on, but when they were off she played with great happiness.

 Grandpa has built bridges over every little stream, and my kids think they are the coolest thing.

Kathryn walked the log piles for quite some time, very proud of herself each time she made it to the other end and didn't fall.