We started our Christmas celebrations on December 19th with the DeBardelebens in Anniston, AL. We spent the whole day eating yummy food, opening Christmas gifts, and enjoying three toddlers run around a unchild proofed house!
Here is Nana and Pop with their three grandchildren.
Henry (3), Dexter (2), and Mary Taylor (1).
We attempted a family picture,
but their attention span was was
already gone from the grandchild picture.
We continued our Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve at Dee's parents house in Marietta, GA. We had fun catching up with Poopa, Aunt Julia, and Grandmother Dot. The boys had a great time running around wild with eachother. Mary Taylor enjoyed the extra attention.
Henry and Dexter slowed down for a second to enjoy a book with Nana.
Henry decides to read Dexter a book, while Poopa tries to scare them!
Aunt Julia and Grandmother Dot are enjoying some time on the couch with Dexter.
Henry and Pop
Around 3:30 we left to go to our first annual Christmas Eve Service at Atlanta Westside Church. It was so neat! Our church's focus is to Glorify God first and foremost, but our church is also a minimalist church. We do not have a lot of programs and activities in place from the top down, but our members are encouraged to take charge and get things started. Like this Christmas Eve Service, two "mom friends" of mine wanted to do a Christmas Eve Service, but our pastor was going to be out of town, so they talked to their husbands and a couple other church members and decided to try to pull it together in three weeks. Well, it was amazing! We had cookies and candy for the kids. We sang Christmas carols, we prayed, and we read scripture. The children went on the stage and had a Christmas story read to them and recieved ornaments to put on their tree at home. My suggestion for the service was to hold candles at the end of the service and sing "Silent Night". This brought back a lot of memories, because we used to do this at my childhood church in Birmingham. What a great Christmas Eve!
These are the members that volunteered to set up the music and be the worship team for the night.
Mary Stuart graciously volunteered to read the Christmas Story
to the children from of the Jesus Storybook Bible.
The kids sang "Joy to the World" and "Go Telling on the Mountain."
Henry is giving us a thumbs up! Dominic and James aren't sure about this.
Mary Taylor was trying to escape from me, while the kids were singing!
Leah slept through the whole thing, I think.
Jenna is one of the mamas that got this thing started!
Christie is the other mama with the great idea!
Thanks girls!
After the Christmas Eve Service, we went back to Marietta and ate Christmas Eve dinner and opened presents. Thank you, Nana for a wonderful Christmas!
Our little princess! Nana made this tutu for Mary Taylor. Too cute!
Jenn Jenn helps Dexter and Henry open their fire truck beach towels.
Our Christmas Tree on Christmas morning.
She was so excited when she saw this! Such a girl!
Henry came into our room and said, "What's that bike doing out there?"
She was trying to feed the baby a bottle.
How does she know how to do this?
Once we got to Birmingham, where my parents live. We opened imidiate famliy gifts from eachother before the other family members arrived. We celebrated Christmas by having a Christmas dinner and then by singing happy birthday to Jesus.
I made my first "Happy Birthday Jesus Cake". I found the idea online.
* The round cake represents our world
* The inside of the cake is chocolate ,which means our hearts are dark with sin
*The white icing represents Jesus righteousness, which makes us white as snow
*The red icing underneath the candles represents the blood that was shed on the cross.
*The 12 white (should have been red) candles represent Jesus being the light of the world during the 12 months of the year.
*The green around the bottom of the cake represents "new life"
* I just added baby Jesus for fun!
My cousin, Ben, my sister-in-law, Leslie, and my brother Nathan.
Don't forget their new baby... I mean dog, Hurley!
My three beautiful cousins, Rachel, Corrie, and Hannah.
Mary Taylor is not so sure about Hurley, but she is starting to warm up to him.
My brother, Matt and his wife, Kelly. Such a cute couple!
The next morning we got up and all 22 of us ate at IHOP. Henry loves taking pictures, can you tell!
We had a great time in Birmingham! Thanks Mom, for making this Christmas special! I know you sacrificed a lot! Love you!
Three days later, my parents celebrated their 35 wedding anniversary! Thank you mom and dad for trusting God with your marriage and making it this far! Your a blessing to us!
They came through Atlanta to pick up Henry on the way to Boone, North Carolina.
I made them a sugar cookie cake in the shape of 35!
Well, I think that wraps up Christmas pretty well! I am tired! Now it is time for a vacation!
*Tomorrow, I am getting my medical forms filled out and our fingerprints done for the FBI and Georgia! I am trying to check things off my list, while I have one less child this week!
Lots of family and fun. So glad you had a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Amy
Yay!!! I loved this post...and wow how much Dee looks like his dad...and so great to "see" your parents again! did you feel your ears burning over the holiday?? Had fun sharing w/ Maury, Blaire, Emily and Justin how we knew each other! They couldn't believe that we were even in each other's weddings! I love how God keeps weaving our lives together!!!!!
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