Christmastime

Our family of four has had a wonderful Christmas season, being able to celebrate with most of our families. A belated celebration will happen in a few weeks when we head to Atlanta to see my sister and her family, including their newest addition, Miss Charlotte Diana. Can't wait to squeeze her any her big brother and sister.

Christmas just gets more fun every year now that we have little ones to celebrate with. Creating traditions of our own has brought the most joy and excitement for years to come. I remember Christmas morning, looking at Justin sitting under the tree with the girls as they played with their new toys thinking, 

This is us. Our family, complete. God-willing, it will be the four of us celebrating together for many years to come. 

And it made me smile. 

First, we got to celebrate with Grandma, Papa and Uncle Mitch. It was nice having them all here to celebrate our first Christmas in our new home. 

Eloise got her first Barbie doll from Uncle Mitch.
And she just had to change into her new cupcake pajamas from Grandma. 

Smooches from Grandma. Mirabel doesn't mind a bit. 

There's just something so sweet about your little (but big), burley brother sharing snuggles with his nieces.

There is just something about this progression of photos of the girls, that I think their expressions look so similar. Love them to pieces. 

One of our final advent activities was to decorate gingerbread cookies and deliver them to our neighbors. On the way back from delivering, Eloise just had to make a snow angel in the driveway with the dusting of snow that we got that day. 

Christmas Eve dinner at Gran and Papas. 

The first of two princess dresses that Eloise got this year. Without my prodding, this girl loves to play dress up. She'd wear a "twirly dress" every day if she could. 

And finally, Christmas morning! I think Eloise had forgotten what we told her the night before, that when she woke up the next morning, it would be Christmas Day! Jesus' birthday! She had gotten a new Percy train engine at the gift exchange the night before and he we sitting at the end of her bed. She remembered he was there and the first thing she wanted to do was to "put baby Jesus in the manger!" She'd been asking pretty much every day in December to put baby Jesus in the manger and we'd have to explain that it wasn't Christmas day yet. So we got baby Jesus out and sang "Happy Birthday" and "Angels We Have Heard On High", or as Eloise would call it, the "Glo-o-o-o-o-ry song". We then had to remind her that she had some new presents under the tree! (I think Justin and I were more excited than she was.)

What a wonderful season we had! We are so very thankful for 2013. Being in our home as a new family of four has brought us so much joy. Our lives are hectic and messy. And we are thankful. Blessed beyond words. Thank you, God, for your Son. Our Savior. Our Prince of Peace.