Christmas 2013

We had a wonderful Christmas. We went to an early Christmas Eve service at church and then out to eat. We finished the night with cookies, hot chocolate and new Christmas pajamas for everyone.

                                                                       Christmas Eve 2013

                                        Rebecca woke us up at seven and we opened gifts.
      We took it easy all day- the girls played, we ate lots of food, and watched a movie.

Ready to open presents!

Happy and quiet children playing in their room- a fantastic Christmas gift :)

 

 

Merry Christmas

Luke 2:10-11     (image from Pinterest Told Me To)

'Tis the Season

                                          The girls are out of school for Christmas vacation!!

 I can't believe that Christmas is tomorrow, so I wanted to do a little "catching up" on what we have been doing this month before I forget and it ends up being January. 'Tis the season for Christmas time events and traditions......

Jack, our Elf on the Shelf, came back to visit us this year.

The girls made a gingerbread house.

Ornaments on the tree that the girls made, five years apart.

They both made the same one-baby Jesus in the manager.

Rebecca's is the one with blue on the top.

Rebecca had a Christmas program at preschool.

I love all the girls with the red bows in their hair.

 

Rebecca loved the smell of our gingerbread house, so she and I made gingerbread cookies after school one day. She rolled out the dough and cut the cookies by herself.

I have been wanting to take the girls to see a "live Nativity" for a while now.

I finally found a nearby church that had a performance, so we took the girls this past Saturday night. It was simple and perfect.

Afterwards, we drove around and looked at some Christmas lights.

Rebecca and her dog, Jingle, reading a book.

The dog responds to certain words with a bark- pretty neat.

Rachel and Becca.

We went to see Rachel at school for her classroom Christmas party.

 

Nana and Papa sent a package with some candy and stockings.

The girls got busy decorating them.

Raphael put up some Christmas lights.

We made sugar cookies for Santa!

And we have spent lots of time playing with the Little People Nativity and talking about why we celebrate Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sound of Music

                            We had a weekend that was filled with music in one way or another.

First, Rachel went with a group of girls from her AWANA class and they sang Christmas carols at a nursing home. Rachel had a chance to do this last year and she realized how much the residents truly enjoy having the girls visit and sing. After singing, they all went for lunch at Chick-fil-A.

Then Saturday night, Raphael and I went out for a date night. We started at a pizza place called Antico. Raphael had been a few times with friends from work. It is a popular place and super busy on Saturday night. It was standing room only and we literally ate standing up at a little metal table in the corner.

After dinner, we went to Philips Arena for a concert. Raphael was able to get tickets from work for us and two of our friends. We saw Pink perform and it was an incredible show. A fun night!

It was a late night and then up early for Rachel.

 She had a performance at church for the children's choir that she is a part of. This year the choir did a show called "We three Spies". They sang and danced their little hearts out.

I took this one during the rehearsal before church.

 

After the show, Rebecca wanted a picture with Rachel.

 

Rachel wanted lunch out and she picked Subway. After that we ran a quick errand and came home to rest up and the girls played for awhile.

Raphael and I headed back to Atlanta for one more concert! We heard Andrea Bocelli sing.
Absolutely incredible concert. He has been given a special gift to sing like he does.

It is so hard to get a decent picture in the arena with all the different lights.

We had a nice night out and it was fun to dress up.

(Notice anything different?? Raphael shaved off his mustache!)

 

So music was a big part of the our weekend.

Only five days of school and then Christmas vacation!!

Photos from my Phone Friday

I keep hoping that I will get my act together and blog some other time besides on Fridays, but life has been too busy lately and so this seems to be the best I can manage :)

Michelle, Meredith and Kelly

Last week I went to my MOMS club Christmas party and these are some of my

friends that were there.

Holiday traffic--yikes!

I was not in the decorating spirit this year.

 And I never know how to decorate our mantles, so this year I went with simple.

Lola found a comfy spot to rest.

 

I was wrapping presents and Rebecca took some paper and made a "snowman".

Not sure why Lola does this?

She likes to sit by the tree and guess thought the present made a good place to sit.

 

It has felt like another long week, which is good and bad.

Busy weekend ahead and looking forward to some fun!! 

 

 

Photos from my Phone Friday

This has been another busy week for us. We had at least one activity every day this week and the Christmas events have started up.

This was from before Thanksgiving. We watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie and I made all the foods that Snoopy made in the movie. The girls snacked and watched the movie for a while.

                                                         Sound asleep with Barbie in hand.

                     Lola in her favorite spot- in front of the air vent and enjoying the warm air.

                                                                  At a bounce house place.

Christmas lunch with Rachel!

Playing with our "tell me a story " elf.

I hosted the MOMS club children's Christmas party this year. We collect toys to donate to Toys for Tots. An officer from the Marines stopped by and spoke to the kids.

Rachel, Lily and Lauren.

Happy girls and all very sweet and kind.

 

Looking forward to going to a Christmas party tonight!