Christmas Time is Here

With all of my immediate family's crazy schedules(one's a police officer, one works swing shifts, and another is a flight attendant) it is very hard to get everyone together for Christmas. We had to celebrate Christmas the Saturday before Christmas. My mom decided to have breakfast and my sister suggested that everyone come in their pajamas.

 My dad and my nephew, in his Angry Birds pajamas, getting ready for breakfast

 My mom and my niece celebrating her first Christmas

 My soon-to-be sister-in-law and my niece

 My brother and nephew giving each other hugs and love. I love the look on their faces in the second picture.

 Me and my sweet niece. I'm wearing my new robe that Chris got me for Christmas. I'm also wearing new Bear Paws slippers that are so comfy and warm, but you can't see those in the picture.

 My nephew playing Angry Birds. He knew exactly what to do with no help from adults. He's only 2!

 My dad got a new TV stand and needed help to put it together, so he had the son-in-laws and sons help him figure it out. Oh, and my nephew helped too!

 My dad LOVES anything National Lampoon movie related. One of his favorite movies is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

I picked his name this Christmas. I had been saving this shirt on my phone for a few months now and knew that this would be a great gift for my dad. Can you see the excitement on his face??

Later that evening, we celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family. One of my little cousins decided to push a laundry basket around the living room and pick up wrapping paper.

 A few of my cousins, aunt, and cousin's girlfriend posing for a cute photo.

I love being with my mom's side of the family. I have so many great childhood memories that include them. We had so much fun this Christmas catching up, laughing, playing Chinese gift exchange, playing games, and building puzzles. We don't get together as often as we used to, so we really look forward to the time we do get together. I wish I had more pictures to share, but I was having too much fun and forgot to take more.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and found some time to remember that our Savior is born to us. We rejoice that He has come in history and now we await for Him to come in majesty! I attended Midnight Mass with my family. This is my favorite Mass of the entire year. The church is beautiful, the choir is exceptional, and everyone is so excited to rejoice for the newborn King. One of my friends posted this picture of what the church looked like at Midnight Mass.

Here is another picture of my church at Christmas time. It is absolutely beautiful and one of the main reasons why I chose this time of the year to get married.

My next post will be about our one year anniversary trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas!!

Play Us A Song

     Last year, my great Aunt Joanie had posted on our family page through Facebook that they were wanting to get rid of a piano that had been sitting in their house. I have always wanted a piano in our home. I took lessons when I was in elementary from Sr. Kathryn and again in high school from Ms. Powell. I wasn't very good, but really liked playing. So after thinking about it for a bit, I answered that we would like to have it.

     My aunt had mentioned that it was very heavy and would take about six men to move it. We live about 1/2 mile from them, but couldn't think of six people who would voluntarily move the piano for us. So fast forward over a year later and we still had not picked up the piano. A few weeks ago, we had decided that we need to go get it and asked a few burly cousins to help us. But before we got everyone together, my aunt called and wanted us to come get it in a few hours. We tried to think of who we could get to help us in a short amount of time, but then my aunt called back and said that it wasn't that heavy and they were already on their way over. My great uncle and two cousins put it on a trailer and helped us move it in the dining room.

 

     It works as a great display for Christmas cards. It's a bit out of tune, but I don't think we will use it too much for playing. It fits perfectly in the dining room. We needed something to go along the wall and the dark color of the piano gives the room a whole new look. 

     Maybe one day it will be used for playing again...

Christmas Pictures

A few weeks ago, Chris and I arranged to have Christmas pictures taken with our sweet doggies. We have plenty of pictures with Doris, but not too many with Mr. Bates since he is new to the family. It was a perfect day for pictures in town. I hired my friend, Tammy Koch, to take the pictures. She gave us a fantastic price and really worked with us.

I had bought a "Merry Christmas" felt sign for us to hold. It looks easier than it really was. Trying to hold the sign up, hold my dogs in the right place, and stay in a squatting position was not the easiest task. But it worked

 But most of them turned out like this

It was so hard to keep these doggies looking at the camera. We had the photographer meowing and we tried to turn their heads forward, but that didn't help too much. As soon as they got a whiff of a new smell or a car drove by we lost them.

Here are a few more good shots

Tammy had some suitcases that we could put the dogs in

 But this one is my favorite

Even though we have the saddest looking dogs in the world, they are so sweet and I love this picture. The colors came out so well and the dogs are at least looking at the camera.

And the grand finale....our Christmas card

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

I'm working on writing and addressing cards tonight so they can go out this weekend. I know that if I don't get them done now then they will never get done and I will be sitting with all of these cards in a box.
If I don't post sooner, I hope that everyone remembers the reason for the season. Prepare your hearts for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!!