Merry Christmas!!!

(12-26-07)

Our Christmas was wonderful and blessed,

we hope yours was as well!

(Due to the fact that I left my camera locked in our church Christmas Eve, I had to borrow a camera. So, the pictures are a little weird and yellow because of my inability to work it properly.)

Here is the token arm shot of Gary and I first thing Christmas morning!

Each year we do a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party with the kids. We try to do this on Christmas Eve so that it comes before the gifts. We want the children to understand that we celebrate Christmas because Christ came to earth as a helpless baby so that ultimately He would one day willingly sacrifice His sinless life so that we could be offered the most marvelous gift of forgiveness and eternal salvation if we accept it. We want them to know that we give gifts as a representation of this most wonderful gift of grace, regardless if they have been good or bad.

Justus is helping me crack the eggs, he loves to help in the kitchen!

Justus and Bella are mixing the BLUE cake mix,

they wanted to make a blue cake this year.

(After we finished, I licked the spoon and Justus said, "Mom, don't eat it all, it's for baby Jesus"! It was so cute!)

Pierce was hanging out in the walker for the event.

Now they are ready for presents!

Already with the stare down?

This is the "We are already tired of Mommy Paparazzi!" shot.

Pierce is content to watch for a bit...

Pierce's first time to open a Christmas gift!

As young as he is, he is going for it!

All smiles here...


Opening gifts was a tough workout for Piercy!

Bella on the other hand is having a Bear Grylls moment (with her fake pickle) to build up her energy for gift time!

Justus with his "Justus" puppy.

Bella so serious in her cowgirl boots...

Another break to rebuild energy, or enjoy candy from the stocking anyway. (Side note - if you look in the walker, you can see Bella's white puppy in the seat. Lately, she has been a little mommy to everything she has, even puzzle pieces. She puts things in the walker, the swing, under blankets, etc. It is so hilarious and so precious!)

On the mommy note...She received her first CP doll and was amazed that she had a real diaper on!

Guitar time!!! Now between the two of them there are four guitars, two keyboards, a saxophone, many drumsticks, drums, maracas, jingle bells, two recorders, and a harmonica! This is part of the reason it always sounds like a circus if you call!

After the event....

Yes we did pull the old "I think there is one last thing..." trickeroo.... Justus kept saying WOW, WOW, it is a basketball goal!!!

Ahhhhh -- after nap time....

Then comes Bella as soon as she wakes up....

and finally Justus too.

Is it guitar time again???

Of course.

I love this squishy pic of Pierce!

Still playing.

Finally, we get to have our Happy Jesus Party! (We Were late this year)


Bella blew out her first candle by herself! (We each blow out a candle to tell God thank you for either something He has done in our lives or thank you for the gift of Christ.)

She kept trying to get me to lick the icing off her hands -- no thanks. :)

Mommy and J.

Finally, a little basketball before bed in his whitie tighties!