holiday activities

This last weekend was a busy, fun-filled one as we had lots of holiday activities going on. First, my parents arrived Friday night and stayed with us until Monday... there were 2 community craft bazaars, 2 kid's Christmas programs, my mom and I went to our friend's wine tasting party and, Katie & Tys went to their friend, Riley's birthday party. We also drove around town on Saturday evening to see the colorful Christmas lights! Tys and his teacher, Mrs Brannon. The preschool had their Christmas children's service Sunday afternoon...

The kids with Pastor Mark

Tys and Katie at our church's Christmas program. The kids did an amazing job at singing and reciting their verses!! This was Katie's first year to recite a paragraph and since she couldn't read it yet, she memorized all of it. Tys learned the Christmas songs and sang them for weeks at home before singing them with great gusto at the program :)

Riley and Katie at our community Light the Night parade

Trenton wasn't happy about the loud fire truck sirens but, still had a good time!

Gift Exchange

As in holidays past, our kids got together with their good friends, Taylor & Dalton last Friday to exchange Christmas gifts and have a "play date"!

Gingerbread family

Last Saturday the kids got to bake their much anticipated gingerbread men. We borrowed various sizes of gingerbread men and women cutouts from Judy so they could make gingerbread families. They had lots of fun cutting out their people then, decorating and playing with them... AND, eating them :) My little bakers (never mind Trent's wet, nerdy hair... he had just gotten out of the bath)

Trent's gingerbread people... he was very creative with their eyes!

Tys searching for candy for his man

Katie and her family

Thanksgiving

Again, I'm just a little late but here are a few pictures from our Thanksgiving Day. We enjoyed a relaxing morning at home and I baked 15 pounds of garlic mashed potatoes and 4 pies. In the early afternoon we went to Ken & Judy's house for a huge Thanksgiving feast! It was so nice to be able to hang out for the afternoon/evening and enjoy fellowshiping with about 20 other friends who were also there. Thanksgiving breakfast consisted of pumpkin pie and cool whip... yum, yum!

Kristiana's 1st Thanksgiving! As I peeled 15 lbs of potatoes I thought about how wonderful it was to actually have her here with us this year vs. last year when I was still in my 1st trimester and so sick!!! (it was also nice to actually be able to enjoy all the yummy food!)

I am so thankful for my husband and all that he does for me and his family!

Time to eat!! Tys and his friends... I am also thankful for our church family and the times we get to share with one another.

Casey and Ken

Katie and Alaina

Judy and sleeping Kristiana