Christmas Wrap Up

(Cousin Gift Exchange)

 

 As always, I took hundreds of pictures in the month of December, but alas New Year's Eve is upon me so I must get this wrap up posted before time runs out. This means you will only get some of the highlights of our Christmas festivities....so enjoy!



 

We had our annual Cousin lunch and gift exchange

 at my sister's house this year.

 

 

 

We got to see more cousins though when we enjoyed breakfast at Terrance's house!

 

 

With the help of The Srader Family and a generous new bike donation from a family in our town, we were able to shop and prepare gifts and dinner for a single dad and his two sons. Then we drove an hour and delivered them to his apartment through the organization The Pearson Project:

 

The kids had a blast doing this and so did I.

We will try to do it every year!

 

 

The dogs enjoyed their Christmas toys and treats:

Grandma and Grandpa came for dinner and gift opening on the 23rd.

 

Grandma brought yummy mini bundt cakes!

A relaxing Christmas Eve spent at home opening our stockings.

 

Jasmine was up late into the night long after the other kids fell asleep... waiting in anticipation.

Christmas morning was met with yummy cinnamon rolls and wrapping paper galore.

 

 

Then two days later, Nana and the Aunts

rolled in for more gift exchanging!

(Our kids are just a tad bit spoiled at Christmas, can you tell?)

 

Coming down the stairs again to see what awaited them...

 

Nana with her FIVE Grandbabies.

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

 

The Sibling Gift Exchange

 On the Sunday night before Christmas,

we started a new tradition this year:

 

 The Annual Sibling Gift Exchange

 

The kids enjoyed pizza and dessert of Jayden's favorite: The Red Kettle Pizza Cookie!

 



 

Then they trooped upstairs to the Rocking Horse Tree (our playroom tree that holds Billy's childhood ornament collection) to retrieve the gifts they had shopped and wrapped for each other.

The little ones worked hard in November to

 save up $20 to spend on their 4 siblings.

 

The excitement mounted as the gifts came down

 and were passed out.

 

And because they are each other's best friends they knew just what to buy each other from our local Five Below.

(everything in there is $5 or less).

 

The reactions were priceless!

 

Keishun chose basketball earrings for Vivi because she has started Bball for the first time this winter.



 

This is an event we will eagerly anticipate each year.



Happy 18th Birthday, My Son

Today is Keishun's 18th birthday!! I cannot believe the boy we met at the age of 13 has grown into a man. I also cannot believe that Billy and I have an adult son. He was not ready to turn 18 and has been talking for weeks now about how he wants to turn back time...to not have to leave the high school he loves and home. Growing up is hard. But starting over again when you have had to do that so many times, is even harder.

He will graduate in May and leave the nest for college in August. Most parents get a whole childhood to prepare their kids for the rest of their life. We were given four years. I have faith that God will continue to redeem the time lost.

Happy Birthday, Baby. Like the text I sent you the other day said, "If I had my life to do over again, I would have found you sooner so I could have loved you longer."

The Week of Christmas And All Through The House

This is what we have been up to this month!!