Fun in the SNOW Christmas day!

We finally got to Grammy and Granpa's just in time to play out in the snow for a while! We couldn't wait to get out in it and to stretch our legs from the long drive. I will say that all the snow out the windows made the ride so much more beautiful...just amazing!
The scene at their house was just awesome! It was a winter wonderland! We just LOVE snow.

Emma and Parker (their cousins) were anxiously awaiting the girls and they all got on their coats and began playing in the snow!

Parker was getting in on the fun for sure too!

Then...they began making a snowman that they ended up working on for 2 days! It turned out awesome! A photo will come in another post.

Jay and his sister Amy. This is Jay's only sibling and they are super close. We are both blessed with wonderfully close families! His shirt was a gift that has an old Atari controller and the words say "Represent." Crack. Me. Up! It was a gift from the girls to him:)

Then the snowball fights started!

And we ran inside for a yummy dinner and opening presents together! A wonderful WHITE Christmas!

***Lots of new posts below since I am trying to get finished with my posts for December so I can order my blogbook very soon!****

White Christmas...Part 1

After we had celebrated our birthday party for Jesus...we loaded everything up in the car and headed to Jay's family's house. It is quite a drive so we always make sure to eat yummy sausage balls and birthday cake and have lots of good movies to enjoy on the way. It's never really crowded on the road, but you have to make sure you know where to stop for gas and bathroom breaks and lunch...not very much is opened on Christmas day:)

We were having a wonderful trip when I noticed...

SNOW!!!

Yes, there had been snow in NC earlier in the week...but we didn't know so much would be left over for US to enjoy on Christmas day! I can't remember ever having a WHITE Christmas! So, I began to go crazy to get out and play in it. Jay assured me (with a phone call to his parents) that there would be plenty of snow at his parent's house. Um...I couldn't take that chance...no way!

So, after some begging he stopped at a church and let us OUT in that snow for a while! It was a wonderful break to stretch our legs and we were SO excited!!!

Look how excited we were to make a snowball and have a snowball fight together...this says it all!

And then a little while later all fears of not having enough snow to play in were dispelled...

...this awaited us as we arrived at their house!

What a wonderful WHITE Christmas!!!!

Christmas Morning

On Christmas morning, we got up early and had our birthday party for Jesus! We LOVE doing this!! We bake the cake after the Christmas Eve service at church and get it all ready for the next morning. We then all sit together with hot chocolate and watch the Nativity Story. It is such a good movie that helps us to focus on the reason we celebrate this time of year.

The girls do the entire cake themselves. They make, cook, ice and decorate it all on their own! It is simply priceless.
They decorate the table with a birthday tablecloth, streamers, balloons, and a present too! Jay read the account of Jesus' birth in Luke and then we sing Happy Birthday! The girls get to blow out the candles:)
Then, it is CAKE for breakfast! Yes, I do make sausage balls that morning for a touch of protein for the long drive...but it's always thrilling for the girls to eat cake for breakfast!

Look how pretty they decorated the little tree on the table...I tell you, these girlies are very creative!

There is always a present for Jesus each year. We have this pretty little box and in it we place a card with something we want to give over to Jesus this next year. It could be our attitude, a worry, a fear, or just something we are praying for this year. We fold it up and place it in the box. On Christmas morning we each get out the one from last Christmas and we read it and talk about how we did on that during the year. It's a very special and reflective time!

We light the peace candle in our advent wreath that morning...which is the Christ candle.

We read our last section of the Jesse Tree and together they placed the star on top of the tree! It finally is complete!!!

Then, it is time for our gift to Jesus for 2010...

Merry Christmas! What a blessed morning we enjoyed!

Christmas Eve

The next morning the girls were THRILLED to open presents! They were up early and playing in their room by the time Jay and I got up and ready. We had a great day with lots of wonderful gifts to each other!
Here they are ready to go!

This is always my favorite shot of the morning!

Anli got this awesome singing game that is made by Heavenly Harmony. It comes with a microphone and it's kind of a karaoke game but with points and lessons to get better and better. We also got her a Christmas Carol CD too...so she has lots of songs to play around with!

Virginia got the horse she wanted to go with her American Girl Doll along with a new riding outfit. Don't you love the "fire" in the background? It's a DVD that we play on our big screen TV and it totally sets the scene without all the mess and the heat:)

Once they looked over what had been set out...they moved on to the presents...three for everyone! Pacey is totally in on the gifts!

Anli loved her Pixie sewing machine! Totally groovy for my crafty girl! Love the little toe in the bottom of the shot.

Virginia got a wonderful gift that we found on the Locks of Love website. It is available for those who have donated their hair. So, we ordered it in honor of what she did for another child for Christmas by donating her hair! It was her favorite gift by far and she sleeps with it all the time! It has two kids embroidered on the foot to remind her.

And last for Anli...she got her beloved hermit crab habitat! We decided that since the stores would be opened on the 24th that we would let her pick out her own crab. She was SO excited, since that is the only thing she asked for this year!

Virginia got another DS this year because she has used her other until it is literally falling apart. So, she was thrilled to not only get that but also some much loved games too! She was in heaven all day!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Virginia was able to get Jay and I some presents with her AWANA bucks. She got me a wonderful mug with RED snowflakes...girl, you hit it RIGHT on!

She got dad some socks! Now, he is well known for not having the right color socks on Sunday so she wanted to get him some black ones that would match. Good job sweetie!

They got each other Littlest Pet Shop sets...they think JUST alike! We did NOT help them...that was totally on their own!

Anli got dad an old school movie that he wanted...great job!

She got me a new shirt and scarf! I totally LOVE it!!

And yes...Pacey gets a present too! He got some treats and a bone that was unwrapped so the girls could enjoy him digging into his bag all by himself...so funny!

Jay got me a case for my iphone with a backup battery for me to use!!! It was the PERFECT gift and one that I have totally needed! Thanks sweetie:)

What a wonderful morning...