Our little family Christmas...

With my work schedule this year, as well as our trip to Uganda, we decided to celebrate Christmas this year on the 23, which made the 22nd our Christmas Eve.  It was rainy and the kiddos had runny noses, which meant that we crafted and watched movies.  I have been wanting to try these two finger paint and hand print paint projects... 

 Did you now that you can let Santa know if you need to make any changes to your festivities?

You just call this number and leave a message:

It was so cute to listen to the kiddos tell Santa how their mama would be working on Christmas day and if we could move it sooner that would be amazing...❤︎

We ate our dinner of steak and potatoes by our tree...

The evening then led to us eating chocolate mousse topped with chocolate ganache by our fire while we read the Christmas story from the Jesus Storybook bible...

Which then led to hyper kiddos and a dance party... 
(All videoed!❤︎) 

The night ended with getting the hearth ready for Santa:

Santa did not dissappojnt:

After the kiddos were down for the night (more like sugar crashed...) we went to work finishing everything up for the next morning!

On the morning of the 23, our day started with so much excitement and HUGE cups of coffee...

Eden calls the stocking "bean stalks"...

We kept making her say it...❤︎ 

 Among some little treats of legos and art supplies and play dough, the kids received two very special gifts:
1. Eden got a "new" Bike that Kit had completely remade for her and
2. Ryder got his first guitar. 

After presents, Kit made an incredible breakfast...

We sang happy birthday to Jesus and then Eden taught us the song that her school sang at their Christmas party for Jesus...

I can not tell you how special the day was... As far as our little family was concerned, it was December 25th, it was Christmas day!
What an incredible time it was...

Then off to Christmas Eve services, taking care of moms and babies at the hospital, and then after dropping the kids off, we are headed to Uganda!
We will see you in 2017!

Merry Christmas

To all of our friends and family~

As we go into this weekend of Christmas activities, we wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Vacation...

This Christmas  break has felt crazier than breaks in the past since we have our upcoming trip to Uganda happening on December 27.  I feel myself straining to be present with the kiddos in whatever Christmas activity we might be in, but then I sense my mind wandering to the to-do lists and the things that need to get done prior to leaving.  From packing, to finishing up presents/wrapping for our families, to running errands for the special things that we need for Africa (and the almost 30 hours of traveling to get there), not to mention writing out the schedules for our sweet families who have stepped up to care for Eden and Ryder while we are gone.  I am working Christmas Day and we have all of our special Christmas Eve services on Saturday.  

So this is where I am trying to be...

I have been struggling to slow down long enough to take in all that is happening around me... Well, yesterday two things happened:

1. The kids woke up with head colds and 2. It was POURING rain.  Both things brought us to a halt.

It forced us to take a deep breath, stay in our pjs and hunker down at home...  I am so thankful for this season. The trip will be incredible and I know that God is doing amazing things.  The way I have to depend on God for everything leading up to it has been intense.   Dependence has never been easy for me, and this is no exception.  I know that we will look back on this month and think how crazy it was, and wonder how it all came together, and then we will take a deep breath and give praise to the ONE who made everything possible and beautiful.

Christmas Tree Lane

Last night, we spent the afternoon and evening with our sweet friends, the Crabbs.  Each year, their street that is lined with Christmas lights!  It is such a fun reason to be together!

 On her screened in porch, she had a cocoa bar set up so that each person could take home a jar of cocoa mix as a gift...

 So we came home with this beautiful, tasty goodness:

 As the lights went down, we headed to see the lights...

 Their house belongs in a magazine... The lights made it so magical!

Dinner...

I can't tell you how special the night was! 

We love you, Crabbs!  Thank you for all the ways you pour into those around you... What a gift you are to our family!❤︎