Christmas Festivities

Today was not our official Christmas because Ben is not home and we will fully celebrate Jesus' birthday next week, but we were able to have lots of fun with great family and friends today! First, Jack and I went to Nana's and saw Ben's family for a few hours. I didn't get any pictures, but Jack and Brannon had lots of fun together!

Then, for the first time, we had Ella Charles with us on Christmas with the Fores and Smiths. This was Jack and Ella's first meeting and it was a sweet one!! Jack was a little shy with her a first which was kind of funny. We have talked about her so much and showed him pictures of her so often, I think he thought she would always just be in pictures. He was a little freaked out when she was here in the flesh, but he assures us that he loves her:) She couldn't have been cuter in her Christmas outfits. We were all so thankful that she's here. We really just sat around and looked at her for hours!

This is the first (of many) pictures of the four of us and I will cherish it for so many reasons!

This is the Christmas outfit that I got Ella and I personally think it is beyond precious!!! Her feet are at the knees of the pants - so cute!


Then, to make the day even more special - shrimp fetuccine with the Wilkinsons!!! YUM-O!! One of my favorite dishes and nobody does it better than Laura! Jack had sooooo much fun with Han and Joel Jackson and he cried when we left. One of the few places he ALWAYS cries when we have to leave!

This is part of the present we got Hannah Grace. It's a rainy day kit with all kinds of neat crafts. She has started her crosstiching project and seems to like it really well. We got Joel a paper airplane kit which is a great idea for boys who like those. He flew airplanes all night.

Jack followed Joel around ALL NIGHT!! Joel was so sweet to let Jack play with all his toys he got for Christmas, especially since Jack hasn't gotten any yet. He even let him play with the Batman Cave (which was a VERY big deal:)


Three of my favorite kids right here!! Add Ella to the day and it was a really great one! We've missed Ben a lot but are so thankful for the way that God has blessed us this year!

I have to say that with us waiting a week for most of the eating and presents, I have really been able to focus on the Savior this year. The silent Lord's Supper at church on Christmas Eve was a very meaningful and sweet time for me. I have had several different days this week to meditate on the story of Christ coming to dwell among us and have been amazed by the wonder of it all in new ways this year. I am amazed at the glory He shone around us by coming to make a way for me to have a relationship with the Creator!! I hope you all were able to behold the King of Kings during this Christmas season!!

More Christmas to come for us!! We get to anticipate the Holy Child's arrival for a few more days at my house:)

Christmas Fun!

Jack and I decorated a Gingerbread House today and it was lots of fun!! I use the term decorate loosely, of course. I think there was more eating candy and icing than decorating but we are still proud of our result:)

We are trying to fill our days with lots of fun and crafts. Christmas isn't for another week here (when Ben comes home), so we wish you all a Merry Christmas tommorrow and we're going to continue to enjoy the anticipation of the Savior's birth for a little longer!!

"Santa, Santa, Ho! Ho! Ho!"

(I'm curious to see how many moms know where the title is from. I can quote the whole show in my sleep:)

Here are Jack's pictures with Santa. We like him so much, we had to go see him twice. Plus, it took Jack a while to become completely certain about what exactly he wanted!!

Daddy's favorite:

and Mommy's favorite:

Ben hasn't actually seen these but I'm making an educated guess about his favorite:) Merry Christmas!

With My Own Eyes!!

Yes, I have seen Ella Charles WITH MY OWN EYES now!!! And she is more beautiful and perfect than a picture could ever show (but that didn't stop me from taking several:)!!! I haven't gotten to hold her yet, but it was enough just to touch her little fingers and look at her for several hours!

Ella Charles is home and all are doing well. They are still waiting a couple of weeks for all their visitors so she can get acclimated to the new environment, but overall, she has done well so far. I just wanted to share some of my favorite shots from her first night home.


"I need my diaper changed, Mommy, but first I'll give this cute look to Ree!"



I think she has a lot of Carrie's features, but overall looks much more like Jason. But in this picture, her expression is JUST LIKE her Daddy!! I think she was tired of me taking pictures by now. She'll get used to it though:)

My new favorite!! I just think she looks like a little doll here. Actually, she is almost exactly the size of a doll my grandmother got for me and Carrie years ago. I'm going to try to find mine and lay her beside Ella for a comparison!

She weighs a little over 4lbs. now and is only having those little dips when she eats. Carrie has pretty much figured out when she's going to do that and can stop it before that happens. She's not had any since she got home. We are so excited to have her with us for Christmas. It's going to be several weeks before Jack B gets to meet her b/c she can have no children around her right now, but maybe soon!!

We are very thankful to God for his faithfulness and love in this time!!

The Girl with the Magic Camera

If you've been reading my blog very long, then you've seen her work, but she really does make magic every time we see her. Patsy Brown has been our photographer for five years this month (WOW!) so she's just part of the family now. We love her and get to see her at least twice a year. Here are just a few of the 190 images she took of us yesterday!!! Thanks again Patsy - you know we love you AND your magic!! :0)

Thanksgiving

We were very excited to have a different kind of Thanksgiving this year. Since several VERY IMPORTANT members of our family are in Pensacola with the newest member of our family, my mother cooked and we loaded it up and took it there. We got a suite in a hotel close to the hospital so that Jason and Carrie and Uncle Charles and Aunt Judy could celebrate with us. We had soooo much to be thankful for and it was a great time. Here are a few pictures from our special day.

Lynsey Dubose made Jack's turkey shirt and we LOVED it!!