Traditions for Christmas

This Christmas we have enjoyed "old traditions" and some "new traditions".  

Here is what we did:

Old Traditions:

Our advent calendar that tells the Christmas story 

Christmas Card tree

Breakfast Cake Christmas Morning

Christmas Memory book to record our time

Shopping for gifts for others and Angel tree gifts

Traditional Meal- Rotisserie Chickens and Homemade Pound Cake for dessert

Manor Christmas carolling

Christmas lights

Christmas Eve Service at the STONE

New Traditions:

Christmas Tree Farm in Elgin

Gingerbread house

Intentional gifts (we decided to give our kids one gift that would encourage them in something to be or work on in the coming year...WG-TBall set "team player"  Sally-Apron and pots - "Serving Others")

Acting out the Christmas story on Christmas morning

We truly felt the Joy of the truth of Emmanuel who came for our souls!  Merry Christmas!!

Christmas with family

Stew's Family came down from Georgia this Christmas! It was so wonderful to have them in our home! We ate a wonderful christmas eve lunch together, went to the christmas eve service at our church and then came back for homemade hot chocolate and presents.  Only the kids get gifts and so we watched chelsea-our neice and wesleygrant and sally open their gifts.  Then on christmas day we eat "Breakfast Cake" and celebrate Jesus by acting out the Christmas story.  Wesleygrant and sally were the stars of the show, of course....but we all had a small part and it reminded us of the joy of our Saviour's birth.  We love our family so much!!!  We miss you guys already!

Gingerbread House!

We started a few new traditions this year...and a gingerbread house was another one! This wasn't quite as crazy as the tree experience, although after they snuck about half their bowl of candy into their tummies, it was a little crazy...but good for a long crashed nap later...=)

Aunt Marcia!!

My aunt marcia always surprises us here in Austin when she comes to town!  This time she brought gifts (from grammie sally-my mother/her sister)  and some fresh christmas cookies and pecan pies!  Marcia is famous for her christmas cookies! she would outdo a bakery anyday! Thank you so much, Marcia and Beth!! We love you so much and always love seeing you here in Austin!! 

Christmas Programs!

Neal and Christel joined us for the kids christmas program a few weeks ago!  It was hilarious! but loved it! imagine lots of little toddlers trying to be organized and sing...that is truly impossible! but all was fun and brought a lot of joy to the evening.  We love this mother's day out that the kids go to! this spring, sally will not be attending anymore so that I can spend more intentional time training her in different things, but wesleygrant loves it and will be going back in january!  It has been a wonderful thing for our family!

Visiting Friends

My dearest friend Laura was in St.Louis with her family, as they are visiting from India...Karis and I flew up there to see them.  It was such a wonderful time...stew and i love this family so much and they are truly like family.  Laura and I caught up on our conversation over coffee and lunch at a favorite bread company place....and i got to see Ivy, their newest addition.  Ivy was born just a week after karis.  Laura and I have had all of our kids around the same time! Laura is truly a "heart friend" where it doesn't matter the distance or time, we can always pick up right where we left off...our lives have continued to grow through email and letters, but it was so good to see her in person! Laura, I love you so much!!  We can't wait to see what God does and how he provides for you and Matt in a few months!!