Foto Story Friday #134--

Christmas pajamas!

Well ya gotta be good or ya just might get a surprise in your sock!

 Some breakfast...... fruit smoothies and homemade cinnamon rolls!

 Guess they were good enough for gifts after-all.

 Now for a few shots of what's inside......

 A My Twinn doll.  She was very excited!  Now she doesn't have to ask her sisters for their twin dolls.  She dressed her up and brought her to church.

 Cody helped Grampa customize this board for Shantel and he will be adding graphics soon.

 What little boy doesn't want trucks and cars?

 Cody's gift is a little ate in arriving..... so he got a picture of it!

 Robby wanted to get a pictuer of all of his stuff..... wish he had made his bed!

 Teenagers are talented.... texting with both hands?!

Savanna also wanted to have a photo.
Sunday morning the trees were covered in frosty beauty!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

I think I've stayed up too late with my kids watching movies and playing games, this week for my brain to work properly.......
Wishing you all a happy new year!

Foto Story Friday # 79-- decorating the tree and lighting is my boon!

It's that time of year again when we get out all our pretty things and celebrate the birth of Christ. We normally tend to put off all the decorating, but our children are all excited and Scott started to ask if the tree could go up last Saturday. On Monday, we went in search of Christmas decor and located everything except the tree (yeah, I know we just use a fake one, we're lame). Having promised Scott that we would put up the tree I was obligated to go purchase another. We remembered that last year the tree broke and we threw it out (it lasted us about 12 years- not bad for the Kmart special!) Finally, after dinner, we opened the box and set to work.
Scott could hardly wait for the lights to be tossed on before he placed the first ornament.
EmmaLece was right behind him placing hers on.
Robby too was thrilled to be decorating with his ornaments.
BahHumbug, aka Savanna, placed hers in the very back and vowed to not put another one on. (I forced her to place 5 ornaments and she put them all in the back away from sight.
Shantel still enjoys decorating the tree and put several of hers on.
Cody, decked out in his wrestling sweats, happily placed a few as well.
The finished product. Really, I have such a hard time getting the right settings for capturing the right amount of light for the desired effect. While the tree is clear and crisp, you can not tell that the lights are on and you loose something in my opinion.
So I turned off the lights and the flash and got the tripod. Still not exactly what I was hoping for but you can see the lights!
Wishing you all the the Merriest of Christmases and may the Peace of the Babe born in a stable settle in your hearts at this time and throughout the year to come.

Hosted by Cecily and Rachael

52 Weeks of Blessings- week 48 Christmas

The magic, love, hope and promise of Christmas seen in a child's eye.
The careful removal of their ornaments.
Choosing the right branch.
Each child making the choice for where to place it.
Carefully placing them high
and low.
Each child remembering Christmases past 
and dreaming of Christmases to come.  

But most importantly remembering the true meaning and magic of that first Christmas.

What a blessing Christ is in our lives!