Christmas Vacation: Day 14

New Year's Resolutions - today is the day you think about such things if you think about such things. I usually don't. But this year I think I have one. We urged our oldest to have more self-control this morning after he hit his brother. I got angry today when one child spilled a Sunkist in the garage and the other stepped on my Christmas tree that was in the way. I didn't say much, but I was extremely frustrated and I snapped at them to "go around" and "be more careful." I'm thinking I need even more than self-control. I need to consciously work toward developing all the fruit of the Spirit this year - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control. That and I picked up Jillian Michaels' 6 week six-pack at Target.

A Special Gift

This Christmas I had a really fun surprise from some families in Kaufman. When I was getting out our Christmas decorations this year, I made note that I would need to be shopping after Christmas sales for a taller tree for next year. Our ceilings here are a little taller than they were in Kaufman and, in my opinion, you must have the largest tree possible....Christmas Vacation style. For some reason, I guess I mentioned this to J. Murrey of Kaufman, TX. I knew she was quite the shopper and that she might be out and about and find trees on sale and could let me know where to start looking. On our way to Rowlett for Thanksgiving break our boys were invited to spend the night with Blain Murrey and so our families met up at none other than El Fenix in Dallas to make the swap. K. Arrington had also made the trip to EF and as soon as everyone was settled at the table, I was given an envelope that I assumed was a Christmas card...I opened it to find that it was a Christmas card, but it was filled with cash from people from Kaufman with instructions to go and buy Commons Church (and our family) a taller tree for THIS year. It was very much an EXTRA for this year, but it made my Christmas extra special. I felt very loved and remembered and we had a lovely tall tree for church and our home to enjoy. This picture doesn't do it justice. It was beautiful. I've put your names on the tree box so that we will remember this special gift every year. Thank you for your extravagant love.

Thank you: Murreys, Arringtons, Hootie & Grandpa, Costellos, Vensons, Gentzels, Sloans, Froschs, Keiths, Williams, Valdez, Williamsons, Ferrells, McCalebs, Rawsons, Bounds, Richs, Archers, Sunderlins, Groths, Spradleys, Jacksons, & Gibsons

Christmas Vacation: Day 5

We had a really fun day today! They boys played, Steve worked, and I wrapped a truckload of presents while watching: Elf, The 12 Dogs of Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause 2 & The Santa Clause. That's a LOT of wrapping!

We also made some Christmas cookies and counted down (several times) until Jesus' birthday.






This one looks particularly good!



Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests! Luke 2: 14

Christmas Vacation: Day 4

Santa was busy today! Lots of traffic and lots of people. Whew! Glad to be home with the family. Christmas movies and the couch! YES!

Christmas Vacation: Day 3

Day 3 was full of fun for me! I was able to meet up with some of my favorite Kaufman teacher friends. Thank you Raleen, Karina & Julie for making the drive to meet me. You made my vacation! Charming Charlie's will be a favorite stop for me from now on. The boys got to play lots of video games due to my outing and they have had a blast. I made Kimberly's pumpkin cake recipe when I got home in order to host a Commons meeting. Yum! So glad she shared!

Christmas Vacation: Day 2

Today was Sunday and it was also Ben's 10th birthday. We celebrated with donuts in the morning followed by a great Christmas Sunday at Commons Church.

Directly after church we drove to Lindsay, TX to celebrate Bezner Christmas.

Afterwards, we stopped for some gas at the Runnin' Red in Gainesville.

Next stop...Movie Tavern in Denton, TX with Mimi. Ben opened some gifts.

We loaded up on junk food and watched Narnia.

The boys were on the edge of their seats. A good time was had by all!

Merry Christmas

Today has been so great that I have a headache. That happens when I'm really excited.

We've had a great December. We've had lots of fun with our boys talking about Jesus' birthday and why we decorate and why we give presents to each other. They are pretty fired up about life in general.

Today I've been to the store twice to get those few last-minute-idea-cherry-on-the-top gifts and I think I have FINALLY wrapped everything.

Steve came home from work for a few hours and has just left to get ready for the first of two Christmas Eve services and the boys and I will be there shortly. Our house is clean, presents are wrapped and hidden, suitcases are partially packed. Tonight we'll have dinner together after church and hang our stockings, have Christmas in the morning then we're off to Mimi's house for more Christmas. We'll head to Grandmommy's Christmas too and see Uncle Eric and Auny Allison and of course, baby Kate....(who isn't a baby anymore.) Life is pretty perfect.

Thank you, God, for Jesus and for letting us celebrate your birthday. It's so much fun. No wonder my head hurts.

Things I am Thankful For

Thanksgiving is upon us. This time next week I will have almost completed all of my Christmas shopping and I will be anticipating eating anything and everything that is put before me on the following day. (Steve and I have been exercising like crazy to get ready for the feast.)

Every year I think that I might get out that journal with fall leaves on it that I made in MOPS a long time ago...I was suppose to write down things I was thankful for all month long in November. But, hey, I don't do good with babies and that was the very last thing I had time to do when I was a MOP. But that doesn't mean that the list in my mind was short.

That journal is really faded and still empty, but if I were to dig it out from underneath the phone books and cookie tins in the cabinet, these are some of the things that I would write:

Things I am thankful for...in no particular order:

1) Steve...my best friend and husband
2) my HEALTHY family
3) my washing machine and dryer
4) our cars that run with little work ever having to be done to them
5) our gas fireplace
6) my parents and my in-laws who are around and love us and our kids
7) our pantry that has always had food in it, even when we didn't both have jobs
8) our closets that bulge with clothes
9) last night I was thankful for my bed I was so tired I appreciated it so much
10) my big starbucks coffee cup that Farky gave me last year as a joke because it said JOY on it...it's HUGE and my favorite...it holds lots of hot chocolate
11) Medtronic, Dr. Whelan, Dr. Hall, Andy Deer & the people at Heartplace
12) my treadmill
13) our backyard
14) our soft tan blanket that I use every night while I sit on the couch
15) Paula Cox and Raleen Sloan, my "mom"/friend/prayer warriors rolled into each one
16) my great job and workplace
17) my fuzzy reindeer pajama pants
18) my new leather Bible
19) taco soup
20) Big Al

So...I'm getting sleepy and the list in my mind is still miles long. This is just the very tip of my Things I am Thankful For list....I'll try to post more tomorrow.