Christmas with Family

We were sick through Christmas this year, so Justin's Mom, Sister, and her son came over today, and we celebrated Christmas!

While they were here, Bre and her Nanny got some "selfies," and I got some pictures of them! :)

More photos are in the Members Area.

Merry Christmas 2014!

While our family has been sick with the flu during Christmas this year, we've tried our best to make the most of this special holiday.  The holiday where we celebrate the birth of Christ...what a special time!  Although some of our family is still sick, we have cherished the time we've had to celebrate Christmas 2014!
We've spent time together as a family, built Gingerbread Trains, opened gifts, ate great food, and most importantly, we've celebrated Jesus!  Last night, before we went to bed, with our minds all excited about what Christmas morning would hold, we still had our minds and hearts to dwell where they should...on Jesus, on the birth of Jesus, and the Reason we celebrate Christmas!  Last night, on Christmas Eve, before we went to bed, Justin, the kids, and I still sat down and finding time in between coughs from those of our family who are sick this holiday, we read a great bedtime story.  This story was the Christmas story from our Bible.  Each of us took turns and read from Luke Chapter 2.  This is something we try to do each year, as our hearts always must dwell on the real Reason for the celebration...we want our hearts to dwell there!
So, yes!  We've focused on family and Jesus during this special time!
We have built Gingerbread Trains...








We've laughed and made memories...
















We've opened gifts...




We've relaxed...

And...once again the gifts are opened, and the floor underneath the Christmas tree can be seen.  There was one thing that I had to do for this Christmas to be complete though.  As we finished up the day, Justin and I went out to the cemetery to visit with my parents.  It's not the ideal way of spending Christmas with them, but at least we got to go.  
As I sit here reflecting on the day, and on the Reason for the day, I realize how blessed I am.  Yes, it's been a hard Christmas...some of our family has been sick, it's been a few years now since my Dad has celebrated Christmas with us, and this is my Mom's first year of not celebrating Christmas with us, so it has been a very, very hard Christmas.  I realize though as I look at the empty space under the Christmas tree where there were gifts earlier today, that we were blessed to be able to give great gifts to those who mean so much to us, and even more importantly, we got to spend time with some very important people who we got to give those gifts to!  And...we celebrated Jesus!  God is good!


More Photos are in the Members Area.

And the Stockings Were Hung...

This evening, as we decorate stockings, I am reminded of the message on the sign in the background of this picture...


The message on the sign says O Come Let Us Adore Him.  While we prepare our homes, our lives, and our hearts for Christmas, and while we celebrate this joyous time, this is what I want to constantly remember.  We are to adore the One who came so very long ago to give the world the opportunity at Salvation, the opportunity of Everlasting Life!
I want to remember the Reason that we are decorating stockings.  What a great Birthday we are celebrating.  It is the Birth of the Risen King!
We're so blessed!
More Photos are in the Members Area.

Candlelight Service and Christmas Dinner at Church!

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So We Went to See Some Christmas Lights...

We went looking at Christmas lights tonight. Here are some trees and swans we saw out on the water.

Wrapping Gifts...

The moment when you wrap a gift for someone in front of them, and they don't notice because they're on their phone...I just totally did this to our Daughter...



and it's still as much of a surprise for her now as it was before I got it out to wrap it!

I did put it in a different box before I got it out in front of her in case she noticed, but she didn't even have a clue. She knows she has another wrapped gift now! :)

This post is also in the Members Area .

A Christmas Celebration with Friends!

Yesterday, we had our Christmas celebration with some of our best friends. We plan a Christmas gathering with these friends each and every year. This year's celebration for the Christmas season was nice!






More photos are in the Members Area .

Celebrating Christmas with a Friend!

Not just any friend...my Mom's friend! The first time I met Elaine was when my Mom was on life support right before my Mom passed away. She drove probably six or seven hours to be with my Mom during her last day on this Earth.  Elaine was my Mom's Best Friend, and my Mom spoke of Elaine often.  Since my Mom passed away, Elaine and I have kept in touch, and today we celebrated Christmas with lunch and gifts!


I gave Elaine a Christmas card with her gift from us.  In that card was a photo of my Mom.  Elaine has still been a friend to my Mom, even though my Mom is no longer on this Earth, and by doing so she has became my friend.  Even though my Mom is no longer on this Earth with us, Elaine never fails to check in with our family to see how we are doing.  It was great celebrating Christmas (even a few weeks early), with this dear friend!

As We Send Out Christmas Cards...

The kids are at school, Justin is at work, the house is clean, the laundry is almost finished (the last loads are now in the washer and dryer), and now...now, I can sit down and do what I've been eager to do all day!  I get to sit down and address Christmas cards for us to send out.  

Most (if not all) of these cards will have a photo or two (or more or less) inside.  These cards will have a message from us wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, as we think of all of our dear family and friends during this special occasion/season.  Most importantly though, these cards will talk of God's love for us.  The Lord sent His Son to die for us so that we have the opportunity to have everlasting life, if we choose to accept that gift.  What a gift that is!

During this time, as I fill out these cards, I think of all of those who are close to us, family and friends, but I most importantly think of the greatest gift that the Lord has given each and every one of us.  He sent His Son to die for us, so that we have the opportunity to have everlasting life.  Oh, how He really, really does love us!

It is a bittersweet time this Christmas.  I get to celebrate it with those dearest to me.  The birth of Jesus is the greatest birthday ever!  My husband and our kids mean so much to me, and I get to celebrate Christmas with them.  This is a happy occasion!  It is also a sad occasion...it's sad, because I don't get to celebrate Christmas with my Dad, and it will be our first Christmas celebrating without Mom.  I think though...because of God's greatest gift...His Son...and the gift of Salvation, I have the opportunity to one day see my parents again, and what a celebration that will be!

As for now though, I am going to enjoy the time the Lord has blessed me with here on this Earth.  I am going to enjoy filling out these Christmas cards, and even laugh as I lose the tape what seems like a million different times while wrapping Christmas gifts.  I'm going to drink something warm...most likely coffee, and enjoy the Christmas lights out on display.  I am even going to make great memories...memories that will last a lifetime!  

While it saddens me to realize that I don't get to spend even one second of this Christmas with my parents, I am still thankful.  What great memories of Christmases past I have with them, and that is something to be thankful for!  I'm also very, very thankful, and very, very happy to have the great people that I have in my life to spend this Christmas with.  I couldn't ask for a better husband and I couldn't ask for sweeter kids.  Then I think of all of these people that we are sending these Christmas cards out to, and how great that is...to be able to know so many people, and to be able to call them family and friends!  

Most importantly, I think of why we celebrate, and that brings me happiness.  I think of why we are sending out these cards, and why we give gifts to others during this time of year.  Jesus, He is the Reason why.  What a great birthday we have to celebrate!  May we never forget that.  Because of Jesus and what He has done, I can smile this Christmas, I can celebrate this Christmas with family and friends, and for that I am grateful!

Our Sunday

Today started out with cinnamon rolls for breakfast.


Our Sunday morning breakfast, before church: Cinnamon rolls!

We then had a great Sunday Worship Service at church. Troy also made this adorable snowman Christmas ornament during Children's Church at church today.


Christmas ornament that Troy made during Children's Church. 
Then we chose a photo for Mom's Christmas ornament and hung it next to Dad's ornament on our Christmas tree.
The front of Dad's Christmas ornament and the back of Mom's Christmas ornament (the front of Mom's ornament has a poem).


The front of Mom's Christmas ornament (the back has a picture of me and her).

New Signs!

New signs!

Christmas Decorating 2014

Today, this day after Thanksgiving, we shopped, we ate Thanksgiving leftovers for lunch, we had dinner out with friends, and we put up Christmas decorations!  :)













Each year we get Christmas decorations that are meaningful for each of us, and each year we hang the current year's ornaments on the tree as well as the ornaments that we have chosen from the past years.  I was surprised at how many "matching" ornaments Justin and I have, and this made my heart happy!  :)










The village we have is something that was passed down to us from my Mom.  The kids (especially Breann) love it!





I love the sign we made, and the message on it is great!






Each year, it's kinda' become a tradition to have snacks while we put up the Christmas decorations.  This year we had cheese and crackers and Caramel Apple Pretzels.





More Photos are in the Members Area.