Celebrating Christmas

Friday, December 11, 2009, me and my gals meet at Red Lobster in Bloomington for our Christmas GNO.  I love these ladies to pieces...we've been going (or at least trying too!) out to eat once a month ever since my Natalie-bug was 5 months-old...and she is now 9! Oh my goodness until I just typed that I didn't realize it's been that long! God is good...he brought us all together and we've been through thick and thin....births, weddings, death, sick children, surgeries, Shopping, miscarriages, "transactions", new homes, old homes, cancer, troubled child, Women of Faith, stalkers, more births, LOTS of LAUGHTER, boating, bloating, PRAYING, fund raising, irritating, LOVING, ballgames, SCHEDULES, family matters, new business, old business, children's triumphs, dealing with PRAISING our husbands, recipe exchanges, babysitting, and SOLVING WORLD PEACE! phew there is nothing that isn't covered under GNO and I am truly one blessed woman to have these ladies in my life...don't know what I'd do without them!  We had a great time eating out and yes I enjoyed every butter dripping bite of my seafood!! We made a quick trip through Target and headed home...where I found the hubby and Griffin sleeping in the recliner, Meg sleeping on the couch, and Nattie-bug snug on the rug asleep!  I've learned through GNO, Les may not "take care" of the children the way I would but At LEAST he is taking care of the children and giving me a break and for that it makes me LOVE him all the more! And besides he's the best Daddy they have and they LOVE their thee-on-one time with him!

(Lisa K. Carrie H., Vic M., Bobbi C., Theresa S., Me, not pictured Lori L.)

Saturday night we traveled to Evansville to our friends, Brad & Kiersten's annual Christmas open house.  And wouldn't you know I went off and left my camera at home.  She always has such wonderful desserts and appetizers, my favorite of her new sweets, was her eggnog cookies! She always has crafts set out of the kids to do and I noticed when loading pictures that Megan took a picture of her Christmas creation sometime since we've been home.  Megan came up with this all on her own...I thought she was pretty clever with her creation of Santa and his reindeer.  It was wonderful to get to spend time with them, there is never enough time to get caught up on visiting!

On Sunday, December 13, 2009,  I had a BIRTHDAY PARTY for JESUS in the Sunday school class that I teach, which is Kindergartners and 1st graders.  Just so happens that Griffin is in this class.  These little people just bless my heart!  We went over our memory verse:  "I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me"  Each child had a party blower at their seat and the kids enjoyed blowing those throughout the entire class.  We read a poem about the Candy Cane and each got to take a Candy Cane home with them.  We told/reinacted the birth of Jesus and Mary even got a donkey ride from our "pretend donkey" Tim, who is a helper with the class.   We followed that up with "Pin the tail on the donkey" the kids seemed to have fun with that.  They finished up their Christmas ornaments they made to "give" to someone.  We also had Christmas tree brownies with birthday candles in each child's brownie and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and they all blew their own candles out.  I think they all LOVED doing that!  They finished up their snacks and some had a short time to color some pages and left happily on their way with treat bags in tow....reminding them to celebrate Jesus birthday!  We went back to church Sunday evening and enjoyed movie night with the Veggie's new Christmas video St. Nicholas a story of joyful giving.  It's very good totally recommend it! 

I'm finishing my Christmas cards now and awaiting more festivities!  Friday the kids and I along with Aunt Lisa and Kaelyn will be ringing the Salvation Army bell at Wal-mart so come see us and bring your monies! It's for a great cause!