The most fun celebration was here, at our own home Christmas morning! For the past 4 months or so, Elizabeth had been talking about wanting a "fwing," aka a "swing." When I told her maybe she could get one for Christmas, she replied, "Let's go to Christmas to get my fwing!" This prompted many explanations of what Christmas is and why we celebrate and why we give gifts. I knew we didn't have anywhere to just hang a swing in our yard, so I began my Craigslist search for a swingset. I came across one that I really liked that we were able to get for a third of the retail price, so one November night, Adam and Taber watched the girls while we went to pick it up! The many pieces in our garage were a mystery to Elizabeth for the next several weeks, and then on Christmas eve, with Adam's help, Justin put the swingset all together in the backyard! Let me just tell you, Elizabeth's reaction Christmas morning was priceless! She was so very excited, and it has been dificult to get her to come inside even for meals! If you ask her what she got for Christmas, she will respond with, "I got TWO swings, a slide, a peek-a-boo house, some steps, and a bar to swing like Nastia!" I think this was a good investment!
All Elaine wanted for Christmas was for her first teeth to pop through and to stop hurting so much! Well, she got her wish! On the 21st, her first tooth made its appearance and on Christmas eve, its partner was made visisble . So cute:) Otherwise, Elaine loved the wrapping paper, bows, and anything else that was shiny or she could get into her mouth.
Justin and I really enjoyed being in our own home this Christmas! I had fun decorating inside, and Justin humored me by putting up lights outside:) What a great blessing God has given us in our new home, close to our church family, and even with a gate that opens into some of our best friends' yard!
It was so awesome to watch Elizabeth soak up the various pieces of the Christmas story and to recall them without even being prompted. For example, when we would see an angel as a decoration, she would say, "Mommy's that's an angel. The angel said, 'I bring you good news! In Bethlehem a Savior is born- JESUS!'" Or, "Look at the Christmas lights! Jesus is the light of the world!" I hope that I am able to continue the consistent conversation about Jesus as we move into the new year and always!
We pray you had a very merry Christmas as you celebrated the birth of our Lord!
The pics that follow are in no specific order, but they show the fun of the season for our little girls!
Since I was Elizabeth's age, I have been baking Christmas cookies with Granny! How cool is it that she is now able to take part in this fun tradition!?!
Paw Paw got the girls matching outfits! Way to go PawPaw!
A peek into our home on our first Christmas on Butterfly Way.
My Christmas Village (we get a new piece from Justin's parents each year) and my snowglobes (Justin has given me one every Christmas since we began dating- this was my 7th!)
Stockings! Lizzie picked out hers and Elaine's new ones for this year.
An impromptu way to display our Christmas cards. When they come down, they will go into a basket, and we will pick one out each night and pray for that family. (A cool idea from my friend Steph)
Elizabeth with her "new friends," Jack and Marin- also her 4th cousins! She and Marin totally hit it off and had a blast together!
Our best gift of 2008!
Our precious girl!
Grammy knows how to make and fill a stocking!
Ribbons are the best!
Oh wow!!!!!
We had both sets of our parents over for breakfast buritos on Christmas morning, and the centerpieces were the homemade gifts of the year- photo trees.
The fun continues...
Where is my space?! Justin did great on the dresses he got for the girls this year (that is his "thing" each Christmas). I can't wait to see them matching!
The end result of Justin and Adam's Christmas eve labor! (You can also see the gate in the background the guys put in)
A VERY THRILLED LITTLE GIRL!MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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