Our Merry Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year! It was so good to be home! On Thursday night we went to my parent's house to have dinner and open gifts with them. I love my Mom and Dad! They are so special to me!

Little Miss Callie Grace's first Christmas. She didn't really understand the whole gift thing. She really just wanted to chew on all the packages. She did manage to work on cutting her first tooth though. It broke through on Christmas Eve.

Each of our 3 oldest kiddos bought a gift for their Grandparents. Josh was very excited about the rug he picked for his Grandma.

-

Elisabeth picked out some fat quarters for Mom. I love the colors!

Beth and Brenna were excited to help Callie with her gifts. Yay for girl toys!!

Our children received lots of goodies from Grandma and Grandpa. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

And so did Patrick!

And me, too! I've been wanting this Sanibel fabric by Heather Mulder Peterson. I love her blog and her style of quilting! When I opened up my package of Sanibel fabric.... I was a little excited! Mom and I share a major passion for quilting!

Silas was extemely excited about his horse! It neighs and sings, and rocks back and forth! He grabbed my Dad's hat, jumped on his horse and said, "Yee Haw!"

Christmas Eve we enjoyed dinner with family and friends at my sister Tabitha's house. It was so fun celebrating with so many people that we love to be with! Then, we enjoyed our Christmas Eve service at our home church, Winkler Road Baptist Church.

After church we continued on with our tradition of opening up gifts from Mam-maw and Robin. Our kiddos received some more fabulous gifts. The girls love their necklaces from Mam-maw. Wow! They are growing up!

Silas got some cute jammies. He's the big brother!...to Callie Grace!

Our kids always sleep together in the same room on Christmas Eve. That way, they can endure a hard night of waiting together.

Merry Christmas! Around 5:15 we heard singing and saw the lights were on. Guess who woke us up? Denise! Patrick's Mom! She was very excited for Christmas. We started with our Stocking for Jesus and then enjoyed some time in prayer together, thanking Godfor sending His Son. The Greatest Gift ever given!

I received so many things! Patrick had my ring fixed for me. One of the diamonds fell out. He replaced it and had some repair work done on the other prongs. Denise bought me a Singer Quilter's Sewing Machine. I was so shocked! That machine does soooo many fun things! Now, I get to try my hand at free motion quilting!

Silas received 2 Thomas the Train sets. He LOVES them!! I wonder what my little guy should get for his birthday?? :o)

I think Patrick likes all the new toys just as much as my kiddos do!

Then, we went to my Mom and Dad's house for lunch. All of my sisters and their families were there, too. It was so nice to be with them!

Silas eating with his cousins. Are any of you northerners jealous? We're eating outside for Christmas!!!

We were excited to see my nephew, Isaiah. He's gotten super tall. I sure do miss him!

Emily is such a sweetie with my Callie. I love to see cousin bonding!

Then, we enjoyed a new game to my family...Mafia. It was soo fun! I didn't realize how deceptive my sisters can be! :o)

Then, that night we went back to Denise's house for a Standing Rib Roast with all of the fixings. We were all pretty exhausted from the day. But, a good kind. I love being with all of my family and all the laughing we do! Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Our New Tradition, Jesus Stocking

We introduced a new tradition to our Christmas season. Last year my friend, Laura Green, mentioned that her family does a stocking for Jesus every year. We decided to adopt their tradition, but first we needed a stocking for Jesus. We assigned Elisabeth the task of making a special stocking for Him. We gave her a budget, then took her to JoAnns to buy the supplies she needed. We were excited when we walked in the store and saw Christmas was 70% off! Yay! She picked out a beautiful green stocking. Then, she found glittery, iron-on ribbon and rick-rack

to embellish it. She also bought gold glittery iron-on letters. She diligently took her time and ironed everything in place. It turned out great!

We talked with the children for a couple weeks before Christmas, asking them to think about what they want to "give" to Jesus this year. They didn't have to tell us what it would be, it's between them and the Lord. To be honest, I had a very hard time deciding what I wanted to give. It's very humbling thinking about what to give to the God of all creation! What could I possibly give to Him? As I prayed the Lord revealed something that is missing in my Christian walk. Something that I've been saying I will do for years, but never getting around to it. It's something I can do to be closer to the Lord and more like Him. I decided what I would do, then on Christmas morning we all wrote down our "gifts". After having a time of prayer asking the Lord to bless our gifts, we put them in the stocking for Jesus.

It was different for us to start our Christmas morning that way. Usually we start tearing into our gifts! It was a great way to start our day! I'm so thankful for a day set aside to remember Christ's birth. I love Christmas!

Making our Cookies

JEB and I have a tradition of making Christmas cookies together every year. This year we went a slightly easier route and found some great Betty Crocker Recipes using sugar cookie mix. They were delicous! We made Snickerdoodles, traditional Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs, and Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, too. Joshua, Elisabeth, and Brenna (AKA JEB) worked diligently and the rewards were so sweet!

Then, the next morning we delivered some of our creations to our loved ones. How fun!

WRBC Christmas Dinner

We were so glad to be able to be at our home church for their annual Christmas dinner. Every year they pack out our fellowship hall, eat together, and have services there. It's always a special time! My smiley girls. They sure do love this time of year!

I'll never understand my son...why does he have a pen and not a fork?

Sweet Aunt Tay helping Silas Boone. Why did we sit next to the dessert table? It was a little tempting for him!

This is the dessert table. That's right, just the dessert table. Pretty impressive!

We do have an amazing Pastor. Pastor Strange is such a Godly man that loves the Lord and feeds his flock. I'm so thankful he's our pastor!

My Joshua intently listening. Such a sweet guy!

Marc and Denise helping feed little Miss Callie Grace. Thanks, guys!

Yay! for being home for Christmas!

Sunburst Cider

I've been experimenting with my juicer again and I found a sort of nice combo. I'm actually enjoying the carrot flavor...a little.
So, here it is!
Sunburst Cider (Brenna helped me name it)
Put 5 carrots and 1 apple into the juicer (It made a little more than a cup for me)
Then, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg
Stir with a cinnamon stick and microwave for a minute and a half.

A little bit of holiday goodness with an energy packing punch!

Decorating with Mom and Dad

I was so excited when Mom and Dad invited us over to help decorate the tree. (I think they invited us...or maybe I invited us :o) It brought back lots of memories bringing out Christmas stuff and having the tree in the same spot it's always been. Some of my favorite memories growing up are the traditions my parents had during Christmas. There were always things going on, busyness of the holiday, singing, baking, eating, and lots of time together. They let me put the star on the tree! :o) Something I remember doing growing up.

Callie's first Christmas and she's learning lots about all the fun decos that she can get into!

Silas has a lot to learn about Christmas. He's actually tackling Mary and Joseph. Oh Dear.

Patrick and Dad think they're supervising.

My kids love to decorate the tree, and notice where my little Callie Grace is. Hmmm.

Silas loves to look (and sometimes touch) my Mom's many Nativity scenes. He likes to point at the animals and make their sounds.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting us come. I'm so glad we're home for Christmas!