Apologizing now

I am going to apologize ahead of time for Thank you cards going out late and for them not being our best work. Matt and I want to thank every one who sent cards and gifts, we had the best Christmas yet and are very grateful to you for your love and support of our family. We are leaving for a few days tomorrow and in the chaos of Christmas, ringing doorbell (neighbor kids wanted to play and we didn't open the last gift until 12pm or have the toys put together till closer than 2pm) and packing I am afraid I will leave someone or some gift out.
Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Happy New Year, see you back here soon.
Amber

Stockings before breakfast

Playing a game with Ruth.
Hundreds of Kinex from Daddy, what to build first?
My bird mobile from Ruth.
A picture Ruth painted in school.
Opening the stocking.
Waiting to begin Christmas day.
Reindeer fun.

Stockings are ready

Mary is ready.
Ruth is good to go too.
Two reindeer, a monster and a game.
Two animals for Mary, a hand made doll and a new card game.
Everything lined up and ready to go.
The Build A Bear animals were $5/each from craigslist.
I made the monster and doll and the games were 75% off at Barnes and Noble months ago when Matt and I were out on a date.
Not too bad.

Ruth singing her solo

How this child can possibly be mine I have no idea, but I am grateful for her every single day.
Merry Christmas to all our friends and family. Enjoy!

Ruth sings a solo

Video hopefully to come.

Gifts Round 2, Mary

Forgot to take a reveal photo, sorry about that.
It was a jacket.

Gifts Round 2, Ruth

I think it safe to say it was love at first sight.

Professional wrappers

Matt remembered my fond Christmas memories of a chocolate orange and Ruth and Mary did the wrapping job.

Can you spot Piggy in this picture?

She's enjoying lunch with Ruth, Mary and our neighbor friends across the street.

How we've spent our Christmas Eve so far

A trip to the book store to spend our gift cards.
Laundry.
Making a pie for our Christmas Day feast.
Cleaning out the garage so there is room for the decorations once we take them down.
Cleaning the house in hopes of controlling the packaging mess tomorrow.

For all the parents with kids getting gifts this weekend

http://musicremedy.com/s/sara-groves/videos/toy-packaging-30476.html

Enjoy!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve!
Pictures of our day to come.

and then it was Mary's turn

and what a perfect gift it was.
A Madame Alexandre doll, I don't even have one of these!!

We caved

Littlest Pet Shops are the best!!

Okay, I admit it, we gave in and let the girls open one gift each tonight.
What a special night it was.

Our own pesonal book store

We picked up over 50 books at the library this afternoon.
Some are for Mary now that we are home schooling (more on that to come) and some are for Ruth and Mary to read on our trip after Christmas to Co to see Matt's Grandfather.

Tooth lost

.
This is what can happen when you have kids.
They discover they can pull out their loose tooth while they are in the car.

Thank You

To everyone who provided gifts for our family, Thank you, it is greatly appreciated.
Amber

Now it's Christmas

Look what came in the mail today!
My doll!!!
Now I am ready for Christmas.

This just in

Hey Amber,

I have a solo for Ruth if you all are going to be in town Christmas Eve. During our Christmas Eve service, Jason has a section where all the kids will gather around us and sing Christmas carols. I would like for Ruth to sing the first verse of Silent Night. It will be with piano only and the version that everyone sings while caroling. If you are able to do this, please let me know so we can add her to the worship order. If I don't hear from you by tomorrow, I'm going to have to ask someone else.

I hope I hear from you.

Thanks
Andrea Millsaps

Ruth's choir teacher sent this email to me today.
Of course we said yes!
Video to come.

Family photos, River of Lights

Ruth at the River of Lights