Christmas 2012

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year - I love the anticipation, the music, the gift hunt, excited kids (and adults!), gatherings with family & friends, the yummy treats, and worshiping with Christmas songs that have been sung for generations.  There is something about Christmas that brings me to a time of reflection and awe at this gift of Christ and what that really means for this world: Hope.  There is hope.  No matter the situation.  

Here is a little summary of our Christmas fun this year.

We celebrated with just our family on Sunday, Dec 23.  We had a candlelight dinner followed by gifts.  After gifts we continued our tradition of Christmas cookies and homemade hot chocolate.  Yummy!    

This year I decorated above the cabinets in the kitchen with Christmas gifts.  This kept them out of reach of a certain 2-year-old but I didn't have to store them in a closet.  I will probably do this again next year with Makayla at the stage where ripping paper is a delightful game!

A picture of our tree for the brief minute before the gifts were opened.

Bringing gifts...

Waiting to open their stockings

Makayla making funny faces

Christmas cookies after presents.

It has become tradition for Jason to bring the kids to get a doughnut in their jammies on Hailey and Brynn's birthday (Christmas Eve) and then we drive to Grandpa and Grandma Talma's house.

Christmas Eve morning - doughnuts for breakfast!

Playing in the snow at Grandpa & Grandma's house.

Makayla got to stay inside with Grandma while Grandpa pulled the sled up the hill outside :).

We celebrated Christmas with a great dinner and gifts with my side of the family on Christmas Eve. Grandpa Talma read the Christmas story.  This book has magnets of all the people so the kids get to put the magnets on the page as the story is told.

Klayton and Makayla getting their Christmas jammies on.  It is always special for  Hailey and Brynn to stay overnight at Grandpa & Grandma's house on their birthday!

On Christmas day we celebrated with Jason's side of the family.  We had a great lunch followed by Grandpa reading the Christmas story.  This book folds out so all the kids gather around to see the big pictures.

Great Grandpa also came so all the kids sang Away in a Manger for him.

We are so blessed to have families to spend time with on Christmas.  A big thank you to our families - we love all of you very much!