The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis
Christmas Day has come and gone. The day has passed, but the reason we celebrate will live on in our hearts not only during this season, but all through the new year!
It is true that there are many blessings in disguise, and the ice storm in our area I think has been on of them. We've had power outages, very near car accidents and the inconvenience of not being able to get to town. Yet, when we put all these small irritations aside, we can find so many treasures that we have despite the weather and we realize how much we really have and how grateful we ought to be.
Our small, trivial problems and pains in no way compare with the humiliation that our Lord endured whilst here on this earth. And yet, He emptied Himself of all but love and came to be our spotless sacrifice. What a joyous occasion we celebrate! Without Him, we would have no reason to hope, to love. Because of Him we have so many reasons to live. As the captain says in Wall-e, our desire should not be to survive, but to live. May this new year find us learning from our past with our eyes ever fixed on the love of our Lord, seeking His face and doing His work!
It is true that there are many blessings in disguise, and the ice storm in our area I think has been on of them. We've had power outages, very near car accidents and the inconvenience of not being able to get to town. Yet, when we put all these small irritations aside, we can find so many treasures that we have despite the weather and we realize how much we really have and how grateful we ought to be.
Our small, trivial problems and pains in no way compare with the humiliation that our Lord endured whilst here on this earth. And yet, He emptied Himself of all but love and came to be our spotless sacrifice. What a joyous occasion we celebrate! Without Him, we would have no reason to hope, to love. Because of Him we have so many reasons to live. As the captain says in Wall-e, our desire should not be to survive, but to live. May this new year find us learning from our past with our eyes ever fixed on the love of our Lord, seeking His face and doing His work!
Hummus and veggies.
While looking awfully short, Jessica is finishing up some appetizers for Christmas Eve dinner.
A festive centerpiece.
He has a spring in his step and light in his eyes.
Uncle and Nephew...best buds.
Every baby needs a lap. ~Henry Robin
Auntie Em resting with dad before our Advent reading.
Healthy snacks!
A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away.
~Eva Logue
Lighting candles.
Even Joshua sang with us!
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...expect for those who were wrapping presents and talking and taking pictures...
Scissors by Mel.
But the coming of Christ and his presence among us—as one of us—give us reason to live in hope: that light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices, that we are never alone or abandoned. ~ Edward Hays
This year, William was extremely irritated if every little bit of paper didn't come off of the box...hopefully he'll outgrow this before next year. ;)
Awww...a new Christmas outfit from Grandma Betty!
Dad was thrilled to find a Cribbage board in the blue box...complete with his name etched into the wood!
"Oh....thank you...what is it?" :)
The second book in the new Douglas Bond series!
Happy Auntie Em with her new baby sling.
A fascinating book to inspire more frequent uses of our telescope.
It looks like that coffee cup covered Shakespeare quotes was the perfect gift for Jess!
New pajamas must need a new picture...especially when such cute little girls are wearing them!
If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.Vincent van Gogh
"Would ya' get this silly hat off of me?"
"That's right, Joshua...say b-uuu-b-eeeee..."
Father and son...Brother-in-law and adorable nephew.
That's my little man...looking dapper like his dad!
Awwww...aren't they just darling?
"OH! You shouldn't have, Jessica!!"
Mom's new sweater.
My, but doesn't he look mighty dapper?
Oh, the detail on the handles of these servers is just exquisite!
What could it be?
A warm and squishy white lamb blanket! There's an adorable face on one corner and it matches my slippers...maybe William will let me use it...
The little girls love to help people open their gifts. :)
One foot, two foot, three foot, four...on the table not the floor... Okay, too many Dr. Suess books? ;)
Our Christmas breakfast feast.
Poor Dad has been battling a nasty flu-bug-thing. So we didn't mind when he found a comfortable place to rest in the early afternoon.
Yup, it sure is nice to have her back to handle the shrimp! :)
Mom prepares a fabulous Christmas dinner in her favorite cast iron pot.
Shrimp.
Dad's Cribbage board.
The inscription on the inside.
Big foot, little foot.
Reflections.
Devoted sisters sporting our new adorable aprons!
Reading the rules to a new game.
Christmas Dinner.
Merry Christmas from our home to yours! May your new year be filled with the joy, love hope and peace that come from our Savior alone!
