Christmas Recap

I hope ya'll had a wonderful Christmas!  My whole extended family agrees that this was the best Christmas yet.

I have been pretty busy, but I have enjoyed every moment.

We baked...

Wrapped....

Went Christmas caroling with the youth and then helped at their Christmas party...

I had to get a photo since we were all color coordinated.

Ate amazing food...

Got a TON for Christmas...

    

All of these along with so many new clothes I now have to clean out the closet for space.  

Also got a few charms for the Pandora Bracelet.  (seriously was not expecting all of this!)

Enjoyed spending time with my family...

(Somehow I managed to not get one photo with any of my family.  I know terrible!)

Got to catch up with old friends..

And got to cross off one more thing from the Bucket List.

I'll post more later this week about the Bucket List and catching up with friends along with some photos.

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

As promised I told you earlier this week that I was in our youth and children's play at church.  I didn't include the details of what I played...

Here is a photo of me and my sister.  She did an awesome job of directing the play!

Yes, I was the granny.  For the play, it was pretty simple.  We pretended that all the youth and children were my children and grandchildren and we "shared" with the congregation our tradition of the Christmas story.  It was of course accompanied with singing.  I know through the scripture and our songs that the gospel was clearly presented.  I could feel God's presence as we were on that stage and hope we planted a seed in someone's heart.  I think the kids really enjoyed it!  I mean come on, what kid wouldn't want to be able to wear their pajamas on stage at church?

Finished up my last day of work (we got to leave early) and excited to start my Christmas break!
Only 3 days til Christmas!

My Favorite Things of Christmas

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?  Hot Chocolate with marshmallows of course.  Confession...I have never tried Egg Nog.  I can't bring myself to even taste it.  The thought alone is enough to not touch it!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?  Santa use to leave things out so that my sister and I could discover them Christmas morning.  We even have been on scavenger hunts to find our presents, but now Santa wraps everything.  I'm pretty sure its because I can't stand the excitement of not knowing what I am receiving.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?  I prefer white or clear.  I think the clear lights make everything look elegant.  It is a must for our family tree since we have a certain color scheme.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.  Not necessary!

5. When do you put your decorations up?  We usually try to put them up as soon after Thanksgiving as possible, but sometimes that just doesn't happen.  As long as they are up and we can enjoy them Christmas day, I'm a happy girl!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Gosh, this one is hard.  I would say my favorite dish (it's not so much holiday) is my grandma's mashed potatoes which my grandpa has continued to perfect since my grandma is no longer with us.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?  One of my favorite Christmas memories as a child is my sister freaking me out about this "elf" she saw.  She said he was standing in our doorway of our bedroom that we shared at the time making sure we were asleep.  We still laugh about this today!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?  The truth about Santa?  What are you talking about?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?  Yes.  It's a tradition in my family to go over to my grandpa's house every Christmas Eve where we have a meal and then exchange presents with him.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?  We use clear lights, then every year since we were born we were given a dated ornament from my parents that was a Precious Moments so those are always on there, then we continue to use white twirly twigs and white and blue decorations to finish it out.

                       

11. Snow!  Love it or Dread it?  I love snow, but now that I am older and have to go into work even if schools are called off I dread the ice and danger that comes with it.  I am still like a kid though, wanting to play in it!

 These are a few photos from last winter.  I love playing in the snow with Jana and the Eaker girls!

12. Can you ice skate?  I try, but last time I went ice skating in college at the outdoor rink at Appalachian Ski Mountain I'm pretty sure I left my tail on the ice.  I fell...hard.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  Honestly I think every year I had a different favorite gift.  It was that one thing that you just had that was on the top of your list.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?  Christ and celebrating his birth!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?  It would absolutely have to be my Aunt Sue's peanut butter wreaths.  Those things are to die for!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?  I think my favorite tradition is that we all gather at my mom's house to open gifts as a family.  It's the one tradition that even though my sister is married and they have their own house or my parents have divorced we still all come together to continue this.

17. What tops your tree?  A Precious Moments angel

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?  I prefer giving, but receiving is nice too.  I think I just love the idea of lighting up someones face when they unwrap their present or the feeling I get when I'm so excited to find out what that person got me.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?  I like them, but don't really eat them.

20. Favorite Christmas show?  I love the Santa Clause Movies and I think Prep and Landing cartoons are cute too!

      

21. Saddest Christmas Song?  Christmas Shoes by Newsong.  It makes me tear up everytime I hear it.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song?  He Made a Way In a Manger.  Click here to hear the song.  This song was one of the songs we performed in the Christmas play at church and I absolutely love it!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Wednesday before Christmas y'all!

I'm linking up to Jamie's weekly "What I'm Loving Wednesday" post.

This week I'm loving that I have one, count it, one more day of work before I begin my much needed four-day Christmas break!

I'm loving it's only four days until Christmas!

I'm loving that I get to see these ladies tonight!  These girls I have known since my first years in college and we have been making it a point to get together around Christmas ever since.

I'm loving that I have all my presents wrapped so far.  (I still have one left to buy!)

I'm loving that Christmas falls on a Sunday.  I know that some people might view that as an inconvenience, but what better way to celebrate the birth of our King then to be in God's house worshiping him with all my church family!

Productive Weekend

I am so proud of myself for having such a productive weekend.  This weekend I wrapped almost all the presents that I have ready and they are now underneath a completely decorated tree!  I was able to finally meet up with Rici long enough to cut her hair and give little Teagan a trim.  We finished shopping for our adopted family this weekend and our Christmas play at church was a huge success.  I loved playing a special role.  (I’ll post more about this one with photos later this week.)

As I was preparing my Sunday School lesson for my 1^st graders I realized something.  As the shepherds were in the field and the angel came before them that was the ONLY sign they had of this king and of this promise.  Think about what we have today.  We have the entire bible, cover to cover.  We have the promise that Jesus came and was born to the virgin Mary, that he died on the cross for our sins, and that he rose.  Why would we not believe that he is coming back one day?  Why do people not believe in Jesus?  And what kind of faith did those shepherd have to simply believe and trust the angel?

This week is going to be busy, but I am excited that I get to have dinner with two of my college friends, I get a day off this week, and Christmas is almost here!

Weekend Recap...

On Friday I was determined that my Christmas shopping would be completed this weekend.  I cannot handle how busy it gets the week and especially the day before Christmas!  It seems like I always try to avoid getting caught up in that madness and every year I end up needing to run get something.  So Friday I met my mom after work and we set out to finish our shopping together.  After hitting up a few stores we ended up calling it a night. 

So of course we decided to take my sister along and head back out for more shopping on Saturday.  It's kind of crazy because I usually love shopping.  No matter who it is for I love the going around shopping for deals and finding different pieces to make an outfit, but I just haven't been feeling it lately.  I'm thinking it is because of all of the rush that goes on this time of year.  I wished people would really contemplate why we celebrate Christmas.

I began thinking on Saturday, if people do not celebrate Christmas for the birth of Christ what do they think Christmas is all about?  As I pondered this question I then began to feel convicted.  As a Christian I should be focusing my attention on the true meaning of Christmas…Christ our Savior’s birth.  I shouldn’t worry if Aunt so and so likes what I plan on giving her or if all cousin’s gifts are equal.  I should be praising God for fulfilling the promise of Jesus’ birth. 

So I’m challenging each of you to really celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

On Sunday after church my sister, mom and I hosted a baby shower for Kyra Mae.  Kyra is the daughter of one of our family’s close friends, Rici.  Rici grew up with us through church and gymnastics.  We always referred to each other as cousins!  I am so thankful I get to be a part of her little girls lives.

Here are some photos from the shower.  I attempted my very first diaper cake.  I think it worked out pretty well.

 The finished diaper cake.

 Kyra, Rici's former neighbors, and Teagan

Jana did so well with those pom balls.

Teagan with Santa

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm linking up to Jamie's weekly "What I'm Loving Wednesday" post. This week...

This week I'm loving that I am finally starting to feel better.  I made myself go to the doctor on Monday and have since been feeling much better.

www.people-clipart.com

I'm loving that L and I started week 2 last night of the Couch to 5K program and successfully completed it.

I'm loving that we are close to the weekend.  I feel like I have got to force myself to start wrapping presents and finish my shopping, but it just does not feel like Christmas when its 60 degrees outside!

I'm loving that I get to see the Reid family as we host a shower on Sunday for our childhood friend Rici and her new little girl Kyra.  Of course big sister Teagan will be there too.  I have missed not seeing these guys since Rici had Kyra.

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I'm loving that I get to see all my preschoolers and kindergartners tonight at church.  I'm excited that we will be making Lottie Moon Christmas banks tonight.  I can't wait to share more with them about missions and Lottie Moon!

I'm back...

Since I have been MIA lately I thought I would share a couple of photos and tell you a little bit about what has been going on since Thanksgiving.  Gosh...it seems like December is zooming by.

1. It has been a tradition for well almost 7 or 8 years now to get up (or not even go to sleep) and go shopping on Black Friday.  This year I went with my mom and sister.  My sister has wanted some new casual boots, so when Belk advertised their casual boots for $19.99 it was a required stop on our night long adventure.  I have experienced my fair share of Black Friday shopping and waiting in lines, but let me tell you...you do not get in the way of a lady and her boots.  These women were pushing and shoving and cussing each other.  A little too crazy for our taste!

2. The Saturday after Thanksgiving we were able to go with our church to pack shoeboxes at the Operation Christmas Child operating center in Charlotte, North Carolina.  It always amazes me at the time and thoughtfulness put into these boxes.  Knowing that God already has a specific child picked out to receive the very box you have in your hands at that moment is beyond anything I can say.

3.  This past Saturday was our Singles Ministry Christmas Party.  We all signed up to bring certain dishes.  By the time I was able to see the list, salad it was.  Needless to say we had an awesome time of food, fellowship, and sharing.  We are currently exploring what direction our singles ministry will be going.  We want it to be about discipleship and outreach and not so much about activities.  Do any of you or your churches have a singles ministry?

4.  On Sunday my sister, our childhood friend L and I all attended a Zumbathon.  It was hosted by one of my Zumba instructors so I wanted my sister and L to experience what my Zumba class was like.  We had so much fun working out, catching up, and cutting up.

5.  We finally have our Christmas tree.  Although it is not completely decorated, it is up and making our house smell so good!

Now that I've caught you all back up, I'm ready to keep up with my daily/bi-weekly posts!