Christmas Catch Up

We were able to come HOME for Christmas, and what a time of joy it was! We started a new tradition on New Years Day! This was at a free family fun run after church on Sunday. It was a blast and we were so proud of everyone that came. My sister Laura and I have been running lots in 2011 and completed our first 15k in October. Our other sister Becki and our daddy said they would run it with us next year, so we thought this would be a great way to kick off that goal. AND, Laura and I registered for our first HALF MARATHON!!! She is flying to Atlanta to run it with me and I feel like the luckiest most blessed gal on earth!
The boys had so much fun and actually CHOSE to do the 4 mile run! They regretted that about one block past the 2 mile turn though!!! Those Grunewald boys are great athletes.

Noonie and Papa ran most of the way pushing the girls!!!

Oh man...this was right as we were leaving Tulsa and saying good-bye. The kids were all so sad. Less than 5 months guys! We can do it!

We were able to see old friends and man did it fill our love tanks!!! We are so blessed to have friends that have prayed for us while we've been gone.

We had fun with our cousins...

Our daddy even got to fly in for 5 days!!! Oh how we needed that time with him. We were so thankful.

Waiting to come down stairs on Christmas morning! Man, are we blessed! We opened WAY too many gifts. But enjoyed a new tradition of giving a gift to Jesus this year. The kids got money from us and got to choose (which meant the boys chose, the girls didn't get it) how they wanted to give something to Jesus. They chose to help our dear friend Joey Armstrong. Please take a minute to check out his blog. He is a wonderfully talented writer, and lives his life for Jesus. We were so thankful that our kids know a little bit more about all the ways to love on Jesus on HIS BIRTHDAY!!!

(Please excuse that the pics are out of order, but I couldn't move them for some reason). This is our rescue trip home. My mom selflessly flew out to Atlanta on December 12th, stayed with us and packed us up and DROVE us home on December 15th! This pic was taken at lunch when we were almost to Oklahoma!!!

My grandmother took us to see the incredible lights at Rhema. We were dying to see lights because in Atlanta, if the lights are worth looking at they cost a fortune to view!

She is so silly and LOVED these sunglasses her sister got for Christmas.

Emery got her first American Girl bitty baby! She immediately kissed all over her!

Owen's "Holiday" program at school. He sure does love his new teacher and has made so many wonderful friends!

Then my mama drove us all.the.way.back.here. Seriously, how blessed are we to have family that loves on us so well. I got to spend almost 4 weeks with my mama!!! Oh how my heart needed that. As wonderful as it feels to be here with Blake, we are all looking forward to our final return Memorial Day weekend. Both boys kept warning us they were not coming back to Atlanta with us! And even Sadie told Noonie she wanted to go with her when we dropped her off at the Marta yesterday.