Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was so nice!  All the gifts were wrapped and the house was clean, so we just played all day!  Grace made a birthday cake for Jesus!

Then it was finally time to go the Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Brad, Steph, and the boys were there too!  I don't think I've ever mentioned this here before and I guess it is about time.  We get to spend a LOT of time with this fun family as you may have noticed because, well, here goes...Brad is my brother and Steph is John's sister.  Let that sink in for a second...understand?  A brother and a sister married a brother and a sister, so Brad is my brother AND my brother-in-law!  Crazy, weird?  I know, but it is all ok...nothing freaky going on!  I promise!  

Anyway, enough of that!  Grandma made a yummy dinner and then it was the moment this little girl had been waiting on!

It was time to open presents!

This was Carter's very first gift to ever open...and, he could have cared less!  He was in a HORRIBLE mood, but he did want to play with his new toy!  He was trying to get the farmer out through the plastic!

The kids got busy quickly!  Playing!!!

Then, the grown-ups got a turn!

Grandma and Grandpa bought John this soccer jersey on their trip to England this summer!

And, they got me this happy banner that I have been wanting FOREVER!  Thanks so much, Grandma and Grandpa, I LOVE it!!!

When we got home, the kids opened up a gift from us...

...Christmas jammies!!!  And John made me open up a gift...a new camera lens!  I was shocked! Especially, since it wasn't pjs!  I tried it out on this pic...it's gonna take some practice!

Grace sprinkled the reindeer food out on the lawn.

We set out some cookies and milk for Santa.

The kiddos went to bed and John and I watched Elf before we went to bed.

Then, we laid in bed and talked and talked and talked...we were on a Christmas high!!!

more Christmas posts coming...

Happy Birthday, JESUS!

Here is a little video of Grace singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"  She was holding Baby Jesus from her nativity and kept dropping him.  Oops!  And, she may not have all the words right, but it's the thought that counts...right?

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

{John 3:16}

The Christmas Story

Grace has used her "ti-vy" to help tell you the Christmas story.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women...Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest...and

of His kingdom there will be no end."

{Luke 1:26-33}

...behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
{Matthew 1:20-21}

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.  So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.  Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.  So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

{Luke 2:1-6}

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

{Luke 2:7}

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

{Luke 2:8}

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

{Luke 2:9-14}

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger...Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

{Luke 2:15-20}

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

{Matthew 2:1-2}

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

{Matthew 2:10}

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

{Matthew 2:11}

The End Beginning!

on the EVE of the EVE of Christmas EVE

We went to look at Christmas lights!  

We put on our pjs (Grace's idea) and loaded up the car.

First, we had to stop at Starbucks for some caramel apple spices.  So yummy!

Grace brought her hot chocolate chocolate milk.

We got our favorite Christmas songs playing!

Our first stop was this house that has their lights synchronized to music.  Carter loved it and danced the entire time we were there!

Grace was just excited to be in the front!

We had a great time!

Then, we came home and Carter threw up!  Ugh!  I have been praying all night that this "incident" was a one time thing and that no one else will experience that same "incident!"

We can't be sick at Christmas!!!

It is NOT allowed!

an impromptu Christmas party

Daniel, Julie, Jenna, and Jett are in town for Christmas.  We invited them over for dinner and it turned into a reindeer party!  We put on some antlers...to help set the mood!  Ha!

Carter wasn't so sure about these silly reindeer that were in his house!

First, we made reindeer food.  Pour some oats in a bowl.

Sprinkle in some magic.

Mix it all together with a silver spoon.

Voila!  Reindeer food that will be sprinkled on the lawn on Christmas Eve.

Next, we ate dinner.

The girls ate reindeer sandwiches and carrots (every reindeer's very favorite treat).

Carter finally got on board with the antlers.  Well, not really!  He didn't have much of a choice.

And Jett just hung out under the tree while we ate our dinner...chili.  It was yummy and limited.  Sorry folks!

We also had reindeer cookies made out of Nutter Butters.  I don't know why we don't eat those more often.  

These are "licious!"  Now, I need to go eat one!

Julie and I made these thumbprint reindeer families...so stinkin' cute!!!

Grace and Jenna got in a lot of playing time especially with Barbies and baby dolls. 

We had a fun night hanging out and playing reindeer games with our favorite Texans!!!

Here is the Taylor reindeer family!  Cute!  Love it...look at that baby Jett reindeer!  Hilarious!

Yum!  I may have eaten more than one!