Holiday Wrap-up!

We had a great holiday, I pray all of you did as well. We started our celebrating on the 21st by attending the ballet. It was my second time going, but Sissy's first. We started by dressing up and going out to dinner, just me, Sissy and Gramma. Gramma presented Tanyn with some Christmas ornaments to honor the occasion, a beautiful pair of ballet slippers and a nutcracker; she couldn't wait to hang them on the tree.

We had such a great time, it was truly magical to see my daughter and my mother enjoy each other and have a great time together.

We picked up our celebrations on Christmas eve, with a wonderful candlelight service at the church my Grandfather attends.  It was so wonderful to be back in this particular sanctuary, my husband and I were married there almost 17 years ago; it brought back great memories.

The above tree is one of the things I love about the Lutheran church, the decorations on it and the vestments that the pastor wears all have meanings and tradition behind them.  It's just comforting to head back to a service that you grew up with, my kids enjoy the more contemporary services; but I feel so at home with the more traditional Lutheran service.

My entire family showed up for church service, which was really awesome; I don't think my whole family has been in the same church since I got married.  My grandfather really enjoyed showing off the grands and great-grands to his friends.

Christmas morning we got up and opened the gifts that we got the kids and then loaded up to head to Grandma Janet's(my MIL).  This is where we met with some difficulties, my husband's car broke down on the way to Grandma's house; literally.  We're pretty sure that the gas lines froze up and the car couldn't be restarted.  Now if you've ever had to have your car towed, you know that they can take 1 maybe 2 people with the car.  We are a family of 6, along with all of the gifts, snacks and drinks that we were taking along on our travels.  Luckily or maybe supernaturally, police and motorist assist showed up on the scene as well.  We had the car towed to a place within walking distance of our house, so Chris was able to walk home.  The police officer put the 4 kids in his car and I rode with the motorist assist guy, they took us to the local gas station where my mom rode to the rescue to get us home. Thanks, Mom.  I told the kids that better be the first and last time I see them get out of a police car!!  I was so grateful to the people working on Christmas day and their kindness to my family. Chris's mom, ever flexible; packed up gifts and breakfast and came to us.  Thanks, Janet; we appreciated it.   

We finished our Christmas celebrations at my moms house, where we took family portraits, opened gifts and ate until we were ill.  Definitely have a diet in my future.  I look at this picture and am shocked at how much my kids have grown, my oldest two boys are as tall or taller than I am.  When did this happen?  Am I shrinking?  It's kind of sad to look at a family photo and see young men where little boys used to stand, I'm just not ready to face it.

  This is a picture of my entire family, not my extended family, just my parents and siblings families and of course, Greatpa.  I think this might be the first picture in decades of all my family in one place.  I think it turned out great and I'm glad we were able to take it.

I hope you and yours had a great Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year!

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