Christmas just kept on going with some fun in Tennessee; there was even some birthday fun mixed in. Here's a sweet little recap from my mama on our time together the weekend after Christmas (which also happens to be my poorly timed birthday). Cheers to a fun weekend with lots of hugs, time-outs, memories, and pictures.
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| PapPap & MarMar with Harper (4.5), Willa Kate (21 months), + Win (3) |
Now that it is mid January, this post may have lost some of its luster, but the sparkle is still in MarMar's eyes from sharing Christmas with Ally, Harper, Willa, Leah, Edwin, Win..and PapPap. We all MISSED you Sam!
Our family is scattered across three states...Alabama, Georgia, and Ginga (as Harper pronounces Virginia right now), so I am so very appreciative of everyone's efforts to meet up in yet another state, Tennessee, to share a post Christmas celebration at the house we purchased in Dandridge two years ago this month!
After we had spent Christmas in the Bluefield, Va/Princeton, WV area and the Sweetens in Columbia,SC...and my homebody daughter in Roanoke, we had all finally converged on Douglas Lake by the wee hours of Saturday morning. Allison braved the lone drive with the typical Willa screaming in the back seat and Harper dutifully sleeping on the way to her "faraway grandmother's house that lives past the big green bridge". Grandson Win arrived after midnight..and several hours of sleeping..and greeted me at the door with a huge hug and an enthusiastic "let's go play in the big room, MarMar!" And that we did..until almost 3 a.m.
Which is probably why our Christmas morning didn't start until almost noon, but the leisurely breakfast and late sleepers gave us time to play with the real nativity set and a cardboard stand up figure one and chat about the real story of Christmas. My heart was thrilled to hear Win and Harper recite the Biblical characters with little Wills chiming in with baby Jesus! Precious to hear them learning and remembering the things that even Mary pondered in her own heart.
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| Santa came again! |
In traditional fashion, we took a moment to hold hands and thank God for His indescribable gift to us and for the blessing of our salvation, for our dear family, and for the love and joy in sharing our time and gifts with one another. The kids went through their gifts first, and MarMar with her themes and chosen Thomas the Train for Win and like almost every other little girl in America, Frozen for Harper Mae and Willa Kate. From sleeping bags to pajamas, books to puzzles, outfits and hairbows, they seemed excited to have their toys to play with while the big kids opened theirs. Isn't it something though that with all the toys to be played with they seemed to still just want to hang around where we were and be part of the action!
It was even nice enough to go outside for while that afternoon and walk the neighborhood enjoying the company of Leah & Allison, and Willa Kate could try out her new Frozen riding toy (Win's Thomas trike arrived moments after the Sweetens left on Monday..boo!) Naturally, we tried for a photo shoot during a rest stop and hopefully got a few good smiles!
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| there they go! |
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| I could just eat them up! |
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| Bestest sisters ever |
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| My giant birthday rainbow |
::: Though Mom is sweet and won't mention my age, I will-- the big 3-1! How is that possible? Last year when I turned 30, I was not prepared for how melancholy I would feel, but boy, did I! I was happy for that day to come and go. Not this year! My family loved on me, my firstborn prayed for my birthday meal (though earlier in the afternoon she had a meltdown and told me I "ruined her life even worse than she thought." It's hard not to laugh at the über dramatic back talk. Just keepin' it real.), I saw a giant rainbow, the chocolate syrup spelled an A in the milk I poured for my girls. How could it not be a great day? And better yet, how could this not be a great year? It's off to a wonderful start. I'm even showing some signs of definite maturity-- like not crying when my precious sister asked each family member to go around and say something that they love about me. :) I felt so known, so loved. Ok, back to mom before I start crying just thinking about it. Ha!
Win had been singing Frosty the Snowman in his sweet voice, not quite sure of all the words (must get that from MarMar), so we did a Frosty balloon that somehow managed to make it through the next few days. I didn't have the heart to pop him, as it made me smile thinking on the previous days, so he sort of just "melted" into a shrunken, wrinkled version.
Sunday morning, we headed to our church First Baptist Dandridge, with gifts in hand for baby Jesus, to once again emphasize with the kids that Christmas is about His Birth! Each grandchild had an age appropriate toy to give to their classroom teacher as a present for Jesus, a set of puzzles, a farm tractor, and a musical toy. Win was quite distressed that he left church without having ever gotten to play with the farm tractor!
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| Naming the Nativity characters |
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| All the kids loved the dumplings... |
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| especially... |
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| this one! |
There was plenty of merriment and excitement for us over the next few days. Late nights snuggling, movie, lots of treats, Dutch Blitz (a card game that is mandatory whenever Leah and Allison are together...thanks to Aunt Christy Page! Lo and behold, I even won a few rounds of this fast and furious card game. I have a little plaque sitting out in the foyer area that pretty much sums it up.... We didn't realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having FUN!
If you'd like to see the rest of our Christmas fun, check out these links:
5 Days of Christmas {Our Merry Little Morning}
5 Days of Christmas {Tennessee Christmas}
5 Days of Christmas {Christmas Dinner}
5 Days of Christmas {Smith-mas Eve}
Christmas with Kasey
Christmas Pictures 2014
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