December 25, 2011

...this Christmas

Here we have some beautiful-silly girls before the Christmas Eve candle light service~~






Christmas morning: Dalaina was so cute.....she says "Sissy, I've never seen the tree so full!!"



Here she is at the fireplace---she told David, "Santa forgot to shut the fireplace doors!"


Faith found an easier way to investigate her stocking this year....


...she was very happy to receive a puppet:)


...priceless here-- trying to pick up as gift for her


Faith got Dalaina some Disney figurines-she couldn't wait to play with them.  She took them straight to her room, to the castle!



...here Faith tears into that big package-


AND--it's a 400peice Marble Trak!!!


Oh my gosh---thank you santa for the disaster that just exploded in the dining room!!!!


They (David) got to building the trak at 0830....little did we know what was involved


...some progress after church



...more progress by 2pm



FINALLY--after many shouts, grumbles, tear downs, and redo's,  it's finished at 430pm!!!!


The girls were so excited---it is on their dresser now and they are playing!


A mini Build-A-Bear



DINNER- pinneapple glazed ham, carrots, brussel sprouts, cheesy scalloped potatoes, and rolls!


Desert: chocolate peppermint cupcakes.....yum!



We had an awesome day;We are very blessed.  And, we thank all of you ~near and far~ for the many gifts!!! Dalaina keeps saying on the phone to everyone that she can't even say what she got for Christmas because she got so much:)
Merry Christmas!

December 12, 2011

Traditions

Our Christmas season begins Thanksgiving night.  After we are full from turkey, we build and decorate a Gingerbread house!  It is a favorite time for the girls:)




Then, it begins.....Christmas music, shopping, decorating, and baking.
We go to a tree farm and chop our tree, carry it home, put it p and decorate it together as a family:)







Most of our Christmas stuff is in Alabama...so, this year, I decided to make something for our front door----instead of the typical wreath!


...it took 15minutes, 6 sheets of card stock paper, staples, tape and a ribbon!  very easy:)




Then, we spend the next days preparing gifts, baking cookies, and driving around to see the beautiful lights!




Oh, there are now only 13 days until Christmas........and already gifts are arriving under the tree:)

CCA Christmas

Each December, our homeschool group goes Christmas caroling at a local Senior resident home.  We gather in the lobby, check out the birds, get our bells for jingling, and practice a song!



Then, we gather in a room with the residents and sing some songs:)



After that, we head back for our Christmas parties!!  There is always yummy food....




fun games...



crafts.....



story time....


and, cookie decorating!!!





It was a great day!