Christmas in South Texas

Phillip set up our little Winter Wonderland scene.

We went down to Mimi and Papa's cozy cottage in Donna, TX for Christmas this year. 

Christmas Eve: Went to a communion service in the area. Came home and read the Christmas Story from Luke, listened to "O Holy Night," heard a reading of "Gift of the Magi," and shared Christmas memories.  

This was before Christmas. We had several Chik-Fil-A gift cards to use up before the year ended, so we had a family evening out. Ignore H's messy hair. I always have said that Harrison is the most homeless looking of our children. But really, why not have messy hair and holes in your pants if your gonna be scooting in the dirt outside every day? He and the neighbor kids always have big plans going on out there, and he's too busy to be bothered with smooth hair at 8 years old.

All my kids. Shaking their head at Mom trying to take groufies. 

(Did you know that was a word? It's a group selfie that includes three or more people. The more you know....)

Phoebe decorated this cookie for her art teacher at Co-op. He likes the tree in "Starry Night."

Harrison decorating a gingerbread man.

Leila's gingerbread man.

I made date pinwheels for the first time in forever. This is traditional cookie that my mom makes for Christmas. I didn't have enough date filling, so I added in some strawberry rhubarb jam that I had. So really, they're fruit pinwheels. 

Back to Mimi and Papa's place. We did our usual Bible study with Dad on Sunday night. We've been going through the Sermon on the Mount and were on the Anger part. It was really neat to hear Mimi and Papa's stories. They have a lot of wisdom to share. 

They just goofy.

We went to a restaurant called Willie's for Monday lunch. They have the best baked potatoes with chopped brisket and bbq sauce. Phillip and I can share one and have plenty to eat. See the cowboy hat topping the tree? 

It was warm enough for a swim on Monday. Phoebe and Harrison were the only ones who wanted to though. The other two are growing past swimming.

I absolutely love to hear the wind in the palm trees at Victoria Palms. 

Harrison used to call them South Texas trees before he knew to call them palm trees. 

Christmas Day! 

The kids had been teasing to try to get to open a gift earlier than Christmas Day, but we held them off at gunpoint. 

Phoebe and her necklace.

Jon and "Down the Long Hills."

Liz and ...... earphones?

One of Harrison's favorite gifts: a little Ufufy Piglet. He really likes Winnie the Pooh books and movies and likes Piglet the best. 

Dad's helping him put together his jeep.

Look in the mirror at that sibling love. A chokehold for Christmas.

We're back home now. We have another week off until we start school again. I'm so glad!!!! We needed a school break. 

I'm so happy to be able to be with family for the Holidays. My parents and Cory got together at my sister's house this year and I loved seeing all the posts they put on Facebook. I missed seeing them; one year we'll have to all get together for Christmas. But I was very glad to be with Phillip's parents despite missing my own. 

Elizabeth Turns 17

That's crazy. Seventeen years old. 

She was born a tiny little thing with a head covered in black hair. She slept through the night about 2 1/2 weeks old ~ very independent from the very beginning. When Mimi tried to snuggle and rock her, she would swing her arm and face out to look at the world. She figured out how to get around as quickly as she could, which was army crawling. Since that worked so well, she didn't bother to learn how to crawl. She went straight to walking from there, although a little late by "average" standards. I think she was 16 months before she walked. 

She would get into ANYTHING she could reach. Flour strewn around the kitchen. Art drawers emptied onto my bedroom floor. Cotton balls made into "snow." Every. Day. I figured if I told her no and punished her, she would quit. But she didn't. So I finally figured out how to tape the art drawers shut and moved the flour up to the upper cabinets and put the cotton balls into the taped art drawers. One time during "nap time" (she quit naps at 18 months or so), she had everything out: drawers pulled out and emptied, closets emptied as far as she could reach, books pulled off the shelf. And she had found Vaseline and had it over E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Including herself. It was in her eyes, and I think she had finally starting crying which is what brought me in to check on her. I think that's when I quit "nap time." That little bit of "quiet time" that I had to myself just wasn't worth the mess to be cleaned up at the end. 

Anyway, all of that to say that she's still a go-getter! Still loves to explore new places, will go at a new interest with everything she's got. Thankfully she cleans up after herself now. She's an awesome older sister. She had so many ideas for the kids, and they would play right along. She drives them around now (Yes!), gets them in on ordering a pizza from Pizza Hut for themselves.... It sure is fun to watch these kids grow up together.

She made her birthday cake, per usual. 

She drew little pictures of her favorite things on this edible paper and attached it to her cake. 

Yarn and knitting needles, camera, the floor plans of The Mill, which she loves to visit in New Braunfels. 

A stand mixer, hot coffee drink.