What's On My Happy List?

Friday, December 24, 2010

Just enjoy'in the Christmas Eve festivities...

                                   baby Kate, in her Santa tu tu, found an Oreo and devoured it! That a girl!

Emma and grandma decorated for our traditional seafood feast....

After our bellies were full we played the crazy 7-11 dice game to open our gifts...

Grandma and Grandpa have the spoiling thing down pat. We always come away with our fair share of loot!

     Have you seen these Sing-A-Ma-Jigs? Depending on who you ask, they are either creepy or cute but they SING! alone and or together...in harmony. Kate loves them!  


Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has a whole new meaning for our family now. Who should come sneaking in the house Thursday night to surprise us all? Uncle Ryan! All the way from Bamako, Mali in Africa!  Shocked the heck out of us! My girls were thrilled.

  

He came bearing gifts ...African jewelry for us girls... 

After our party we had our own little family celebration...

we opened our p.j.'s and Christmas book...

daddy read The Night Before Christmas to the girls....

                                                  we sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn...

left a plate of fudge and peppermint Oreos for Santa {Oreos and milk are his favorite!... at our house anyway}

 Before the kiddos were nestled all snug in their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads... we watched the Motion Picture movie..The Nativity Story...

This movie, which came out in '06, is so beautifully done. We love it!  It sets the perfect mood and gets our hearts centered on the true meaning of Christmas... 

The whole day was delightful. {despite a bit of drama in the morning hours between Kyleigh & Emma} Even got it on camera. But that's a whole other post for another time. LOL

I'd have to say one of the ultimate highlights of Christmas Eve day for me was reaching my goal of visiting all the widows in our ward. We have 25! plus the little lady in the rest home. It took me two days to get 'er done but I did it with the help of my four older girls who took turns going with me.  We lucked out with only six that we didn't catch at home. We took a little gift to them but I'm sure for some of these ladies it was the visiting that meant the most to them. Some of them get so lonely. {breaks my heart.} I love these ladies! Without a doubt, this is the single most important thing I have done this Christmas Season. period. What a sweet, sweet experience it was for me. 

And I couldn't have been prouder of Kyleigh who spent hours volunteering at the Food Bank on Thursday with Grandpa {pictured with neighbor boys}.  

Giving is truly Living...

Christmas Day post coming soon.....