Reflections...

This year was quite a year and it has ended with a magnificent celebration of Jesus and family. I will post some favorites from this holiday season. It covers many of our family traditions, so I apologize for the length...

Trim the Tree

Traditionally, because our tree is real, we wait to trim the tree until the weekend before Christmas. This year, we decorated the tree on Friday evening. We had pizza and enjoyed getting all of the ornaments back out. I thought this year's tree was one of the most beautiful we have ever had. Emily and I are allergic to the tree (bummer). Hannah loves it and gets more joy out of taking ornaments to play with than looking at them on the tree:)

Many years ago, my dear friend, Mary began blessing me with Lenox crosses for the tree, she has never missed a year and now, I have this wonderful collection that I love - the children know not to touch them. This years is called China jewels, how incredibly appropriate -- I just love it!



We received a beautiful Asian inspired ornament from our bloggy friend Connie, that I have already posted, however our family has two ornaments that also represent the addition of Miss Hannah to our family. One is a bear that Emily selected for Hannah last Christmas, assuming she had been born and was waiting for us in China and the other is an airplane that Emily and I gave Daddy last Christmas to celebrate his trip to China.

My absolute favorite ornament is an angel that Emily made in preschool - it is quite large and I was sure there would be no good place to put that beautiful angel, but behold a big gap provided the perfect spot for Emily's precious angel.

My dear friend Lisa, sent holiday greetings in the most special of ways by giving us a lovely ornament for our tree. We loved placing it this year and know it will forever be a reminder of the friendship we have been blessed with.



Jumping for Joy!


Cookie Baking & Christmas Specials Galore!

I usually bake about eight or nine different types of cookies, but this year seemed to go by much quicker than previous years. So, I accepted that so many cookies would not only be daunting, but just plain NOT fun. I want the traditions to be fun, not forced, sooo we settled on four types of cookies and everyone was game for the event. We remained in our pajamas the weekend before Christmas and baked away. In previous years, I had always mixed everything by hand. Needless to say, by the end of cookie baking, my selection of words were not pretty, this year my new best friend (see below) helped out tremendously:)(Thank you to my mother-in-law who agreed to combine birthday and anniversary and spring for our mixer friend!)



Hmmm, I saw Mommy do this...(yes, dad was just behind her out of range, no worries:)


Em, quit mugging for the camera, I think this is done!


Emily selected two recipes from her American Girls cookbook to make herself


We have so many of the special Christmas movies and TV shows, but it is just somehow more fun when they are on regular programming. The girls were watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in these photos. Hannah is a little copycat and she follows Emily's lead.





Santa Claus is Coming to Town
The weekend before Christmas, Santa always rides the firetruck through each neighborhood to wave to the children. It was very, very cold and raining, so we watched out the window...Hannah was fascinated by the whole scene and she kept visiting the window with hearty, "Santa!" throughout the evening.



My sister-in-law's family has an over 30 year tradition of Christmas Eve gatherings. One of her aunts used to host the fete, but since the year Emily was born, my brother and sister-in-law host the celebration. It is really fun and we feel so grateful to be included. Santa comes to visit with gifts for the children and the adults have a pollyanna. The food is always super yummy and everybody enjoys time together. Emily has earned herself quite a reputation for fleeing the premises as soon as the big jolly guy arrives (usually she dissolves at first glimpse of him) but this year...oh no, she marched up and hugged him, gathered her gifts and even flashed a number of smiles as she perched atop his knee. The entire place erupted in applause. What, Hannah, you ask...she dissolved as soon as he arrived, back to the drawing board!

Hugging Santa!


Gleefully clinging to Dad


After the big party, it is home to read from the Bible and place cookies and milk in their perfect spot for Santa to visit. Emily transcribed a letter to Santa this year. She said she had lots of questions for him (and she did). The letter was adorable and she insisted on putting the treats on the hearth, so he would have them as soon as he got to our home, even though our tree was in the living room this year.




Christmas Day!


What they saw...


Emily and Hannah received about 6 gifts each. Emily's favorite was a Littlest Pet Shop Town and Hannah's favorite was a toss-up between a girly vanity and a moving Poky Little Puppy (Puppy was a gift from the family I work with:) Hannah kept going to stare at herself in the mirror, "HANNAH". She also took great pains to brush everyone's hair.

Opening




Hugging


Impressed with herself!




Emily was more than happy to help


They finally begged me to put the camera away...okay ladies, Mamarazzi gets the picture!


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!