Christmas Chapters

PRE Christmas

The week before Christmas was a whirlwind. I made Peppernut cookies with the kids. It took me four days to bake them because they are tee tiny cookies, about as big as a fingernail. But I tried to put on my holiday spirit face and dig right in to baking. I let the kids help me mix the bowl, and they were so proud. I was trying to teach them about measuring, and they kept sneaking in extra scoops of ingredients. Little rascals!

We also refinanced our home. I had to take the kids to an attorney's office to sign the papers. Haleah declared out loud, "I pooted," in the conference room while Kaelah swiped the attorney's sticky notes and then proceeded to try to color on the glass table. I was sweating buckets in that room!

At the home front, I had to strip down my tree a week or two after decorating it because over half of the lights went out, and the tree was too small to be able to conceal another set of lights strapped on over it. During the season my kids also pulled off and/or broke about seven ornaments. I kept saying, "Don't touch them!" And Kaelah would say, "I'm just lookin...." Yeah, right.

During Christmas

I was working so hard to get everything done before Christmas, despite my tiredness, as David's family was having his brother, wife and son come to visit. We were all very excited about this. But those stinkers decided to "ambush" us and show up a few days early while we were still trying to prepare for them. My mother-in-law said they showed up at her house as she was spraying carpet cleaner on her rug. And the spray just ended up staying there all week. I had made a run to Walgreens in the pouring down rain to obtain some last minute Christmas items. Then I was going to come home and clean the house. Instead, I saw the Colorado license plate in my driveway and I was like, "Noooooooooo!" Ah, the element of surprise!

Anyhow, the time with John and Mar was so nice. I know everyone was tired by the end of the week, but it was fun. Our nephew, Joshua, is almost one, and he is the sweetest baby. He is so laid back and just loves to play with toys and is content. And he has the cutest giggle too. He also liked to tackle Bekah. They are 4 months apart.

During the week we got family portraits taken, attended a lame company party with bad food, went shopping, saw movies, ate food, played the Wii and sang Christmas carols at a nursing home. I found it sad that the view from the nursing home's dining room where we sang was a cemetery. Every day those people see where they are going to end up, on the other side of the street. I said to my niece, Cora, "Do you see the irony in this?"

We also had a family party at Aunt Annie's house. We had an ornament exchange and ate Mexican food. Christmas Eve dinner was at my house, and we had pepperoni rolls and a new recipe for homemade white hot chocolate, which was a hit. My niece, Gracyn, got to read Twas the Night Before Christmas. I gave the children some reindeer antlers to wear, and later we sang Christmas carols and then some old negro spirituals with Grandmama on the guitar. It was wonderful. We also made Frosty the Snowman sugar cookies for Santa and put the kids in their Christmas jammies. Excitement filled the night. Gracyn also assured me that she was going to stay up in her living room all night to get a glimpse of Santa.

Marlena and Joshua

Gracyn preparing to read Twas the Night Before Christmas

Kaelah decided that Santa might want a candy cane on his cookie plate.

Christmas morning was a hit. My kids were amazed at all the presents. The night before, Haleah had told me that she only wanted "just one present" from Santa. And I'm not sure why. Anyhow, she was glad that he had brought her more than one. Their favorite part was merely opening the presents. And after every gift opened, Kaelah would say, "nother one..." They got a bunch of tiny fun things and a couple a bigger gifts, not to be overdone. They loved their own personal toddler couches the best. I am thrilled with these.


Later Christmas morning, we headed to their Aunt Missy's house for Christmas breakfast. We had a pancake and egg feast. And later in the afternoon, we headed to Grandmama's for more presents and dinner. It was nice to be all together, and I kept the kids up as long as I could.

The Whitt women in matching jammies, making Christmas breakfast.

Our time with the Colorado Whitt's came to an end after celebrating Joshua's 1st Birthday party at Grandmama's. He had a Handy Manny theme, and became a sleepy head right after his cake. I guess that's a typical one year old for you. :)

Overall, it was a lovely holiday season. David and I were able to give a little to others in need, and people also helped us through where we needed help. God never fails us. And we are so thankful for His gift to us in the form a perfect baby named Jesus.