Monday, December 31, 2012

Christmas 2012 Memory Album: Page 5

Christmas morning at Nana & Awpa's

Santa knows where to find us at Nana and Awpa's house!
And he knows just what we wanted...


Toothpaste!!
And Smarties!! It's amazing to me the things that get the biggest reaction :)


Layton showing off his animal call skills!


Mom was pretty happy with her custom picture for the mantle :)


No, the dog is not a new gift however much the girls want her!

Yes, that's Minnie in the giant lego cage/castle...


What a season of sweet blessings as we celebrated sweet Jesus' birthday!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Christmas 2012 Memory Album: Page 4

Christmas Eve at Granny's

Have you ever seen so many people, presents, paper, and preciousness in one Christmas?












Christmas 2012 Memory Album: Page 3

Christmas in Krum
 Thank you, Pop...
 Thank you, Mimi...

 ...for a blessed time with family...

...thoughtful gifts...




 ...and overall Christmas joy!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Christmas 2012 Memory Album: Page 2

Christmas with Nana Martha and Gina



Christmas 2012 Memory Album: Page 1

Deal Family Christmas
 
Audrey and Paxton in headgear Daddy picked up in NM
Brenna and Paxton (remember when I said Brenna loved her Jesus party hat?)
 More headgear photos

 The guys' annual football game...

 A lapful for Aunt Paula
 Cousin Amanda helping Audrey with her new Lite Brite!
 Spencer and James in the gift card exchange...hoping they didn't choose the Joann Fabrics gift card :)
 Audrey and Brenna leading a living room parade with Bree, Taylor, and Uncle Ray
Great memories! More photos from Krum later...

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Picture Advent

We had a calendar full of wonderful Christmas activities and events as we counted down to Christmas Day:

10: Watching Harper and Caden in their Kindergarten program
9: Polar Express Pajama Day at school where we boarded the train, ate cookies and chocolate milk, and received special bells with great friends
8: Comanche Lighted Christmas Parade where we sat with sweet neighbors and stuffed our pockets with candy!

7: Shopping for Angel Tree Children (The girls were very thoughtful in choosing the perfect items for the needy children. After we had already chosen the perfect things, they still pointed at toys that they themselves really liked, saying "Maybe that little girl would like this!"

6: Gingerbread House building with Layton
...and icing shots :)
5: Fun and festive school projects like reindeer food to sprinkle on Christmas Eve, handprint plates for mamas and daddys, pinecone Christmas trees, Nativity ornaments, the Candy Cane Legend, M&M Christmas...

4: FBC Christmas Program with Audrey's Church Choir and our Bright Beginnings Preschool
 (This will forever be one of my all-time greatest memories. These babies did an incredible job singing Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star; Ten Little Angels; Wise Men Traveled from Afar; Baby Jesus, Baby Jesus; and Christmas Bells.)

 (And we had a wonderful reception for the church afterwards with yummy cake, cookies, cider, and peppermint punch!)



 3: Gift giving with sweet friends


2: Preschool "Happy Birthday Jesus" party complete with cake and candle that they all blew out together



 (Brenna didn't take this party hat off for hours :)
1: And through all the tinsel and lights, remembering that this season is about Jesus, the first and greatest gift ever given, God with us in human form, sent to bear the sins of the world. When I look back on these pictures and realize everything I do is about my babies, I remember that everything should first center around that baby born so long ago on that wondrous starry night, a baby straight from heaven with the purpose of becoming the Savior for me and my little family. May we never let that be an oversight during the holidays...and all year round.

Merry CHRISTmas!