Christmas Fun!

Christmas this year was really a fun (and busy) time, but very special as we anticipate a break from our traditions next year. Throughout the season, here were a few of our favorite moments:

-Choosing our tree and decorating it together. We always go to Marvin's (really cheap trees) and get our tree, and then we go eat breakfast together. It is usually supper time, but always breakfast food. Now I will say that last year we had a small glitch in our tradition, because we went to Huddle House, and they were out of waffle mix. We would have left but we had already ordered our drinks. Thankfully this was a time when our children were very self controlled and chose something else on the menu with no tears shed. Anyway, then we go home and start the process of lights, ornaments, etc. NEVER is there any arguing! (ha ha!)

-Lawndale Girls' Tea: Evidently, this has been a longstanding tradition for many years at our church. It was my honor last year and this year to have it in our home, although I am very thankful for Mrs. Judy Taylor, Mrs. Ann Benson (Annie) and Mrs. Lee Jones (ChiChi) to plan the details and make it happen. We had some fun snacks for the girls, a craft (they made a cute necklace this year), and Allen Bradford shared what Christmas is like in Peru. They also sing Christmas carols and have the opportunity to play their own song on the piano. Fun and sweet memories for these little (and big) girls!!

-"Elf-is" appeared: once he had flown into the chandelier hooks, he was found hanging upside down, and was also found riding the rooster and decorative elf!

-Christmas parade. I will say this year was a little on the down side as far as parade watching goes, but we do usually make a big deal of this. We aren't sure why it just wasn't quite the same this year, but it was still fun and we have good memories of watching the parade with all of our buddies!

-Choosing our tree and decorating it together. We always go to Marvin's (really cheap trees) and get our tree, and then we go eat breakfast together. It is usually supper time, but always breakfast food. Now I will say that last year we had a small glitch in our tradition, because we went to Huddle House, and they were out of waffle mix. We would have left but we had already ordered our drinks. Thankfully this was a time when our children were very self controlled and chose something else on the menu with no tears shed. Anyway, then we go home and start the process of lights, ornaments, etc. NEVER is there any arguing! (ha ha!)

-This year we had a fun night of going to see the lights at Cottonplant with Justin, Rebecca, and Graham. Mia Katherine also joined in on the fun. We did the complete walk-through, had hot chocolate, and visited with Santa Claus!

-This year we started something new, that I think was the most fun thing we have ever done! On the 23rd we went to the dollar store, and each child had ten dollars to spend. This all started when Sarah Caroline had heard about Dirty Santa, and wanted us to buy gifts for us to play that with our family. Then they decided to also buy gifts for each other and Marcus and me. First of all, this gave us an hour of entertainment in shopping. Also, it made them focus on someone else and the act of giving, not receiving. Another good thing about this was it took another hour or two for them to wrap all of these gifts. One more reason - it added to their pile of gifts on Christmas morning without spending much more money. (They only get three gifts from us). But the best part - it was hilarious!! We loved seeing what they bought for each other and us! I was given a monkey loofah for the shower, a card with a dollar, and some matches. Priceless and precious!!

-We had a great family day on Christmas Eve, complete with Dirty Santa, stockings from Mimi, and lots and lots of fun presents! And a lot of food! Yummy brunch food - cheese grits, pineapple casserole, cream cheese braids, yum!

-Christmas Eve night we went to our church service, which is so wonderful to get us focused on Christ. It seems no matter how hard we try to focus on His birth it is so easy to get distracted!! We went back to my parents for more food then home to get the kids ready for bed. We read some sweet books (my favorite Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown) and Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have this beautiful large copy of it with a beautiful font and pictures, and we actually have had it since I was expecting Sarah Caroline.

-Sarah Caroline is quite a night owl, and doesn't sleep late either. Particularly this Christmas she was very excited, and had trouble sleeping! She woke up at 3am and could not go back to sleep, then Sam woke up at 3:30 coughing, and I got in bed with him. Then about 4am she proceeded to come "check" on me and Sam in his bed, and woke him up again. We moved downstairs to try to go back to sleep in my bed, and saw that she had also woken up Luke, who had also moved to my bed. She then convinced us that Ben also was awake (as she went and woke him up!). Marcus ordered them to stay in her room and play until 6, but finally by 4:45 I was so awake I convinced him for us just to go ahead and get up too. What a sleepless night!! (We had been up until 12.) Sarah Caroline said her excitement was because she saw Santa outside her window five times!!!

-The kids were very excited!! What fun times to have four precious children all still young enough to jump up and down with joy!! We also always have a birthday cake for Jesus, and this year we realized we didn't have any candles. Hence the matches on the cake. But Luke had just given me matches for a gift, so they were already coming in handy!!

-The day after Christmas we headed to Forest to enjoy more holidays with Mamaw and Jim. And more gifts! And lots of rest for me! I get pretty spoiled not having to cook or do laundry!