EQ dressed to go 'cwazy' with Aunt J. on the day after Christmas.

(are we crazy???? don't answer!)

We enjoyed pedicures and getting flowers in our toes...and they didn't charge for EQ!

Then we celebrated Boxing Day.  ok - not really, but i thought the crackers looked fun and decided to get a pack for us to open.  There were colorful crowns and either an old gag or some sort of office supplies.

amazingly, the kids slept in a bit on christmas morning.  we were able to get showers and be awake when they found their santa loot. Santa also surprised them with 1 large toy each in their rooms at home. He put photos in the tree for them.

We had a WHITE CHRISTMAS - ok a dusting, but according to EQ it snows everywhere on Christmas.  How to top this one???

The Christmas Jew enjoying her Cheerwine.

Performing her Christmas Jew duties... helping the princess get ready. (J. gave herself the nickname.)

santa Daddy!!!

Yummy!! Blueberry muffins - a Christmas tradition.  The bubble wrap? not so much.

Look pitiful all you want Lucy - you ain't gittin' any!!!

Can you see me now?

oh no! it's triclops!!!

Family jammie day portrait. minus Bart. He was wandering around somewhere...

the girls

No, we didn't plan for my jmammies to blend with the sofa.

The effect of a busy Christmas morning...

...although she tried to fight it!

Hummingbird cake - YUMM-o!!!

No Lucy. None for you!!! Or for you Bart!

TA and mom...self portrait

GWB

Cardinals remind me of Granny. She loved their flash of red in a winter wood.  And they were her favorite baseball team. (we loved each other dearly - this was a major difference in us - Go Braves!)

They are growing too fast - and I have proof! This is from late June 09 to Dec 09.

TA loves his new hat. "It keeps my ears warm."

S starting the oven. first you preheat it, then you tap this dohickey underneath until it lights. then you cook.

We're flying in a plane with daddy. Wonder where they're going?  It rained all day Christmas Eve.  At 4pm I sent S to the store for butter (a half hour trip on a good day - we are 3 miles back in the woods!) The creek was flowing over the low bridge.  He came back to get directions to the back way, then left again.  Arrived with 10 min to spare.  Good thank too - I needed that butter!!!

Aunt Julie needed new flannel pjs for christmas jammie day.  We were all comfy in our jammies all day - despite having company for dinner. :-)

We had tons of fun with crafts and activities.  TA made a calendar for Grandma B that included pics of all her grandkids... The kids made a gingerbread house (held up much better than last year's... something about letting the icing set overnight before adding the candy... minor detail!) and made cookies. they did a descent job of putting them on the cookies sheet with out my handy Pampered Chef scoop.  Ya know - the old fashioned way. :)

They searched far and wide to find the perfect tree. Actually - to find ANY tree. Not as easy as it sounds in a hard wood forest.  The PG showed up with a much larger one he found and we let this one become compost for the floor of the woods.

The tree unlit and lit.  The corner houses two large picture windows.  Made the lights especially beautiful. And the smell...nothing like a freshly cut tree and woodfire smoke to make a room smell like Christmas!

We have some of Granny's ornaments. And strung leftover movie theater popcorn and cranberries as well.  The critters get to enjoy them when we're done.

and no tree is complete without a puppy under it...

Our Christmas Adventure 2009...

We left home after a scout party to drive through the night to our cabin in Missouri.  HA!  Instead we were on the parking lot known as the interstate and crept along eventually traveling 120 miles in 10 hours.  but we made the best of it!  EQ and I made a little snowman at 3am on the side of the interstate near Asheville, NC.  I taught her to throw snowballs.  We had fun.  Meanwhile, the boys and dogs were in the warm car...sleeping.

That's ok. EQ didn't make it long after lunch for our grocery run...

(Inconsistent - yep. I didn't lie!!!)

The church hunt continues.  I feel like singing, "I'm going on a church hunt. Gonna find a good one."  TA loves FBC Indian Trail, but it is the same issue with all baptist churches - they don't recognize S's baptism.  We returned to Spirit of Joy, but it is so hard to attend with both kids with us.

I'm about ready to start going to Bedside Chapel.

And I am getting hungry - not physically - spiritually.

I need a bible study with meat. I need a group of Christian friends to meet with and talk to.  LC and I may do a long distance study, but she's in Omaha and I'm here...  The kids go to AWANA at Spirit of Joy and I have been in a lite bible study (video, some discussion that never stays on track, no homework or digging.)

It's frustrating.  Should I go get some cheese to go with my whine?