Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Christmas 2012

 

Christmas 1

How in the bleep is it January 16? How has it been almost a month since Christmas? Where did the time go and why is the extension chord still on the porch when I took the Christmas lights down 3 weeks ago? iphone 342

The only picture that I could find of our tree was this little gem I took when I was taking it down…do you see the sippy cup tucked in there…SURPRISE!

I looooove Christmas and I am so happy that John Brooks’ is getting older so that he can get more involved in the magic that is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We had such a busy month 6 weeks starting with picking our Christmas tree out on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I am usually a wait until December 1st Christmas tree gal but with finals and Junior League MOMS and many other commitments looming large over my head I worried that if we didn’t get the tree then…we wouldn’t get it….so after church the three of us headed out in our Sunday best (hee hee) to pick out our annual Fraser Fir at a local Christmas tree farm. I adore this place! The people are so friendly and helpful and they have all kinds of fun farm animals to talk to and observe. I actually got semi-crafty this year and made a little felt tree for John Brooks to “decorate” as well as a wreath made of magnolia leaves for our front door. To be honest the felt tree (stuck on with those wall sticker things) was a bust…John Brooks could care less about it and it fell down about 5 minutes after I took the picture but the wreath is still hanging as we speak (I probably should take it down come to think of it)iphone 274

iphone 281iphone 275On December 1st I helped the Junior League of Gainesville provide community families with Christmas gifts for their children. Miracle on Main Street is an event that the League collects toys through drives and community support and creates a toy store at the Friends of the Library warehouse so that families who need extra help can come and use vouchers given to them by community agencies to “purchase” toys for their children for Christmas. It is probably my favorite community event that the League does each year because it serves over 1500 children and they are so sweet and happy to be there! This year the Kids in the Kitchen committee that I serve on helped by providing breakfast (oatmeal with individual toppings) to the children and their families as well as distributing over 500 individual frozen yogurt cups that were very generously donated by TCBY in the Tioga Town Center. iphone 289

The second weekend in December was spent cramming for finals and narrating our church’s Christmas musical. Due to the crazy school schedule I had in the fall I was unable to attend choir practice which meant no singing in the Christmas musical for me. As this is one of my favorite parts of Christmas I was understandably bummed about not being able to celebrate Jesus’ birth through song. So I was over the moon excited when our Music Minister asked me to narrate. I hope I did a good job…I had a lot of fun with the part…even if I was the 3rd choice Winking smile

After finals were over I got to spend some much needed girl time with some of my friends out here. We met in Williston at the Ivey House (yum) for some delicious food, fun fellowship and a great “favorite things” gift exchange. I gifted three people with Starbucks gift cards because they literally kept me functioning last semester and in return I received a lovely assortment of items including a picture frame, a delicious smelling candle and a bounce dryer bar that is in fact the gift that keeps on giving (literally…load after load). iphone 287

My friend Stephanie and me at the the Ivey House!

On December 15 we loaded the boy and the grandparents up in the truck and travelled up to White Springs to get a look at the Christmas light display presented at Stephen Foster State Park. I got the idea from my friend Annie and it did not dissapoint! The trees and buildings were all lit up in a display that must have taken a gazillion man hours to accomplish. I didn’t realize that we could get out and walk around…thus the Christmas PJs displayed by John Brooks’ in the photos so we didn’t get out but next year we plan to stay longer and take in  all of the wonders. 

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LOL – He fell asleep on the way up there. This is his “what in the world is going on” face.

Then on December 16 John Brooks and I went on a hayride with the other children and their families at our church and sung Christmas carols around the community. This worked out really well until we saw the blow up Mickey Mouse Santa thing in someone’s yard….melt down. I loved going to church with my Meemaw on the 23rd and singing Christmas carols and celebrating Jesus’ birth with our family…biological and church.

The rest of the Christmas season was spent enjoying time with my brother and his fiancee who came down with my MeeMaw from Tennessee to spend some time with us. We had such a great time catching up, celebrating Paige’s (yes, matt’s fiancee is named Paige…not confusing at all) birthday with a spa day at Cloud 9, eating way too much of my dad’s great food and celebrating Christmas eve and Christmas day with all sides of the family. I loved going to church with my Meemaw and singing Christmas carols with her.December 27 166December 27 171December 27 167

Santa Claus came to visit John Brooks and brought him a Woody the Cowboy doll which was by far his favorite gift of all! iphone 322

Finally, on December 26 I was able to go to supper at Dragonfly with some of my favorite girls that I’ve known since high school. It was soo great to spend time catching up and planning what I am sure is going to be a most exciting 30th birthday year to come!

All in all Christmas 2012 was a wonderful, busy time spent with family and friends celebrating the wonderful miracle that is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am so very thankful to have been saved by his sacrifice for me. 

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