We Wish You a Merry Christmas...

Here are some pictures from our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

We spent Christmas Eve with my folks at their house and got a surprise visit from a dear friend who completely blew me away with an unexpected gift...he gave me the Bosch mixer and Nutrimill grain mill his wife, my friend, had purchased before discovering her cancer had come back. I had to work very hard at not crying...I was so touched.

Later, we exchanged gifts with the grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins, then we dined on excellent homemade crock pot soups (baked potato soup and hamburger soup), warm biscuits, and delicious desserts (strawberry pretzel cheescake and banana split pudding). We love the crock pot for Christmas Eve meals since it reduces the kitchen time for the ladies...and they soups are always delicious! Later, Nanny played the piano and we enjoyed singing a few of our favorite carols...we all especially appreciated the sweet voices of the children raised in praise.

My nephew loved the trains and track we gave him.

I am so glad. One of my faavorite parts of Christmas is

trying to find something that perfectly suits all of my favorite people.

Would you believe that my mom got my brother a

Redskins pillow pet?? What's even funnier is that

we almost got him the same thing!!

On Christmas morning, the little ones loved finding some small things in their stockings (we usually don't do stockings,  but I found some treats I had hiding in my spontaneous surprise drawer and spontaneously decided to put them out for Christmas).

Then we read the Christmas story and hung up our handmade Jesse Tree ornaments while discussing what each one represents. After breakfast, we opened our one gift per each family member together. You may recall from other posts that we had a family meeting and the kids all agreed to receive just one small gift per person so we could save the usualy Christmas savings money to help build a fence around the play area part of the yard to keep Boo from going places he shouldn't. Every child received one gift that reflected their interests or giftings and they were ever so appreciative...and happy to be a part of helping to keep their brother safe.

While the kids enjoyed with their new treasures, I prepared our traditional Christmas meal of spiral-cut Smithfield ham, scalloped potatoes, dressing, sweet potatoes (with loads of marshmallows), green bean casserole, pineapple slices, and rolls. Nanny and Poppy & Bubba and his sweet lady came by to join us for supper. We listened to some carols while Bubba's lady opened her gifts from us, then we finished off the celebration with coffee, banana cream pi,e and chocolate fudge pie.

 Random pictures for the grandparents to enjoy...

All tuckered out...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...