Today started our many family Christmas parties and gatherings. The morning started with Randle and I teaching the High School Sunday School Class for the first time. Then KOR (Kids of the Rock) did their Christmas program. It was really cute. We had so many people come to see them. My mom and dad, Randle, Brenda and Julia, Mamaw and Pawpaw Catfish, Mamaw Foster, and even Miss Harris. I was so excited to see Miss Harris. The kids did an excellent job.
Then we headed straight from church to my Aunt Lib and Uncle Mickey's lake house for the Adams' Christmas gathering. I got to see several aunts, uncles, and cousins that honestly I haven't seen in years. It was nice. We ate lots of GREAT food, and then did a craft with the kids. We took water bottles and filled them 1/2 full of chicken feed. Then Randle read the Christmas story, as he read we had the kids put in items from the story. They put in a baby, an angel, 3 crowns, music notes, a gift, a nail, a light, etc. Then we put more seed in to fill it about 3/4 of the way. It ends up being a 3D I Spy game. They really seemed to like it. Each family also got a printed copy of the "Christmas Story" and a list of the hidden items. Then we went in and the kids opened their gifts. After we got that all cleaned up the adults played Dirty Santa. It was a lot of fun. After we got most everything cleaned up we headed home. The girls went straight to bed, with lots of excitement about playing with their new toys tomorrow.
This is the first of our Christmas Gatherings. We also have a Foster Gathering, Chapel Gathering, Zbinden Gathering, Christmas Eve at my Grandmothers, Christmas Eve breakfast with Randle's Dad and Brenda, as well as sometime with my mom and dad and Randle's mom. Lot's to look forward to. I know the girls will love meeting all of their cousins.
Well, we made it through another very busy weekend. We started out at Westover's Christmas Parade. It was really good. After the parade they had hot dogs, chips an drinks that they were handing out. So after the girls ate a hot dog we headed to the Christmas Party. This time it was the Foster Christmas gathering. The girls had a blast playing with their cousins again. This time their were five girls (including mine) and one little boy. They pretty much stayed outside with the dog, or upstairs with the toys. It was a lot of fun to see everyone again. We played Dirty Santa again. After the party, we were supposed to go to Randle's Nana's house and help get out Christmas decorations. She was tired from a busy night before and cancelled. So we went shoe shopping for the girls instead. Both of them were wearing shoes that were too small. We found great deals at Target. Harley's were actually only 3.50. I was super excited about that. Then we had to run back to Shay's house b/c I left my moms camera and needed it for the next day. We got home around 8 or 9 and got ready for church the next day. Sunday the girls and I went to see the Nutcracker at the BJCC. It was really good. Harley liked all of it except the last 5 minutes of the girls dancing with the toys. After the ballet we rushed to meet Randle in Chelsea and headed to small group. It was a nice night. We had two new families come and we talked about how to keep Jesus in the center of our kids minds at Christmas. Then home to try and get ready for the coming week.
Well, I lost time and didn't keep updating after or gatherings, but we had another parade and then the Zbinden gathering. We were late for the gathering and didn't' get to see everyone, but had fun seeing those we did. We got to see Nana a bit more than normal and that was nice. We had Christmas with Randle's dad the Monday before Christmas. The four cousins, Natalie, Harley, Carson and Micayla, had a blast playing together. Randle, Jessica, Michael (Jess's boyfriend) and Randle Sr. and I played LRC. It was a great night. Harley got to go to her Ballet class party. We had Christmas with my mom on Christmas Eve around 3. I don't think either one of my brother appreciated this, but we wanted to spend Christmas day at home with the girls. After that we went to Family Communion at New Life. Then to my grandmother's for her Christmas. The girls got to play with Victoria and LOVED that. Christmas day we did our family tradition. We get up eat breakfast and go to church. After church (the local Lutheran church) we come home eat lunch (usually hot dogs and sandwiches) we read the Christmas Story and open gifts. We stayed home all day and let the girls play with all of their new things.
December had become a very rushed month for us now that we are near family again. While I miss the quiet nights around the tree and relaxing on the weekends, it is nice for the girls to play with cousins. I have irreplaceable memories of running after cousins and playing all kinds of games at family gatherings. I hope that my girls get to remember it both ways. We are heading back to normal life now, with school starting Tuesday. I have to say I love having Natalie at home and hate to have school starting back. We are now officially in 2010 and I can't wait to see what it holds for my family.
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