Joy to The Earth

It's been a while since I've posted and I was starting to get that guilty pull toward the computer that tells me....you've kept this blog for almost 8 years, don't let it slide now! A voice that directly conflicts with the one telling me to relax on the recliner, keep reading Divergent and let Facebook mobile uploads to all the work for me.

Part of the reason for my absence is that we've had a super busy, super great month of December. I might even venture to say that it's been the best Christmas in our history as a family. Everyone is healthy, thriving, energetic and we try to give credit for that directly to the Lord where it is due. We feel blessed.

When I left off we had just been to the PMO Christmas Show and Tessa's first grade pageant. So here's a highlight reel of things that followed.....

Charley had a Christmas program too, for his Pre-K class. Is was short and cute and we sat right in front of him so he made faces at us the whole time.  Even though we had done some test shots of Tessa to hone in the best camera settings...is is downright IMPOSSIBLE to get good pics of kids on stage.

We've been trying for a couple years now. Impossible. But there he is, you get the jist.

I wasn't super happy with the family picture on our Christmas card this year...where was this one when I needed it?

Tessa's class also invited parents (and little brothers) to come in one day and make gingerbread houses. Charley commandeered my camera and I got a good close up so I could check out my makeup skills...yup, lookin' good.

I'm pretty sure Charley wasn't aware there was a house involved. Just a tray of candy placed before him.

I never did make any super cute Christmas lunchboxes, just this with some cheese and candy cane shaped cheese and tortillas.

We went down to celebrate Mamaw's 88th birthday with her. She's a smart lady...put on a pot of chili, buy a sheet cake and then ask all of the energetic great-grandchildren to decorate your tree for you. I like her style.

I spied the dusty fondue maker in our closet and decided that cheese fondue should be our first meal of Christmas break. Then forgot to buy sterno. Since our local market didn't have any, we had a choice to make....send someone out to the local super-store on a Sunday evening three days before Christmas or plug in the crockpot and eat fondue directly from the kitchen counter.

We chose wisely.

Christmas Eve we spent all day at Mom's eating cheeseball, Ro-tel in on the mountains, drinking Cran-a-ritas and watching Christmas movies on TV.

Eventually we opened presents as well.

Then that night headed out to the farm for more food and more presents.

That night we stuck around for the candle-light church services as Mom and Dad's church. So so different from our church but it was really cool.  Five of those manger people are family members!

Christmas  morn was biscuits and gravy, fireplace, pajamas and presents. For whatever reason our camera took only crappy pictures that day so these three are all that turned out well.

Jeremy gave me this awesome frame with pictures of our four grandmothers as young adults. I had given him the one on the right of our grandfathers on his 30th birthday (many MANY years ago). I was totally surprised and love how nice they all look in the dining room.

On the 26th we took a road trip with Mom and Dad up to visit Gramaw (lower right in the picture above) at her assisted living facility. They get a kick out of kids riding walkers in the hallway there.

We spent a night in a hotel that had a pool and waffles for breakfast, and the kids were both super sad and dragging their feet about coming home to a house full of new toys.

Speaking of waffles, some six year old is super excited about her Christmas present. Waffle Fridays every week where Tessa is in charge of finding a recipe and cooking for us? Man I hope that idea sticks!

And that brings us to today...getting ready for Small Group game night and NYE tomorrow.