Merry CHRISTmas!

So..... I kinda missed the month of December!  Where did it go?!  Did anyone ever mention that the last two months of the year are quite simply THE busiest time of the year for photographers?  They should be enjoyed and leave you feeling blessed.  They leave me exhausted and quite frankly sometimes just disappointed in folks.  (Hey, we're being honest right?!)  I didn't say all folks, just some, sometimes.  For the most part December was a terrific month for me!  For us.  We are blessed beyond measure and spending time with family the last few days have reminded us of that fact.

I had a long post I was going to write about Black Friday last month, but everytime I started it.....well, it was always so negative I couldn't click publish.  It was such an awful experience.  Simply put, I was reminded why I do my shopping online!  I almost sat down in the middle of the WalMart on black friday and cried.  Yep.  That bad.  I hadn't been in over ten years.  So my first 're-encounter' was more than I could handle.  They now have security and police in the stores to keep people from stealing and fighting.  Which doesn't always happen, preventing it I mean.  There were actually grown women fighting over bed sheets.  Yep..... I almost cried.  So I'll spare you the gory details of that trip.

I discovered yet another new online friend, Christie Cotney and learned all about her return to Uganda, Africa to serve the people of Bugaboo Village.  The even better part...  learning that it only cost $100 to sponsor a child for AN ENTIRE YEAR!  We now have a new boy to add to our 'family'.  =)  Meet Samuel...

He is 5 years old and lives with his grandmother. He wants to be a pilot when he grows up. His favorite color is red. He loves to eat rice & meat, and his favorite animal is a cow.  And now, Samuel is a part of our family.  ♥

The really awesome part about Christie's ministry and sponsoring these kids is that your donation covers the children for the ENTIRE YEAR!  Samuel will now get to go to school, have a meal provided to him everyday, and have dental and medical check ups on a regular basis.  You can read more about Christie's mission on her blog and she updates with photos regularly!!!  We may even get to Skype Samuel someday.  We sent him a letter for Christmas.  One of the men that is helping Christie was reading her newsfeed on facebook and actually ask if 'Santa' was real or just a game?  Can you imagine living in a country where Christmas is celebrated ONLY as Christ's birth and nothing else added to the mix?!  What a testimony.

I also spent a week or two in December following Kristi & Kelly's trip back to Ethiopia!  I found these girls online over a year ago and love seeing what their families are up to and what Kelly is doing with Ordinary Hero.  They traveled back to ET to meet Kristi's daughter's birth mom.  WOW.  What an adventure in pictures and words.  My heart was overwhelmed with emotion just from a far.  I can only imagine the girls' excitement and love of the people there.  What a blessing to be able to share their trip through their blogs and facebook!  You must go read!  Especially if you are considering adoption!  Kelly has some new photos of waiting children on the Ordinary Hero site that are waiting for a new mommy & daddy!  Be still my heart!  ♥

I'm a room mom and got to help plan the Christmas party for Tanner's first/second grade class at school.  I'm the cool game mom! ;) lol  We had a blast!  So glad I get to be a part of his life (all my kids' lives!) like that.  Time goes by too fast not to take time to enjoy the little things!

And of course school Christmas programs were too cute!  The North Pole Goes Rock-n-Roll!  I made my little man an elf costume.  I turned this:

 into this:  (not too shabby if I do say so myself!)

 Santa visits the school every year after the program so the kids can tell him what they want for Christmas.

Then we had the Christmas program at church that Joy and I were in charge of with our youth group kids.  And I must say they did an AWESOME job!!!  We were so proud of them all!  And I was rather fond of one of the little wise men. ;)

Note to self.... next year teach dad how to shoot around the people in front of you. ;)  

And, well, then Christmas hit!  We spent Christmas eve with family at my Granny's.  Tanner hauled in on the golf gear.  Not sure where that came from but he was tickled to death!!! =)

Sugar high!  LOL ;)

Then we had Christmas at home with just us and the kids.  Aaahhhhh...... didn't have to go anywhere, drive anywhere....just enjoyed our kids and each other on Christmas day.  My parents came over, had lunch and gave the kids their presents and then it was just us again.

Did I mention Samuel!?! ;)  That was my Christmas present from my hubby.  His sponsorship and the most amazing letter from my man.  He's so wonderful.  I couldn't ask for more.  I am blessed.

Taylor made homemade 'Elf Cupcakes' from a recipe book she got for Christmas!  They were adorable!  Even if it did take her two days to make them!  LOL  Poor girl doesn't like cooking, and this little project reinforced her dislike for the kitchen.

The boy got us up at 5:30 a.m.!  Seriously!  Ugh...... ;)

  

Even Gus got a stocking with beggin' strips in it.

I was hoping Tyler would get a haircut as my Christmas gift.  ;)  Didn't happen!  lol  I still love him and his fuzzy locks!

Then today we went to my aunt and uncle's house for another Christmas dinner after church.  Lots of good food, more family and fun!  We went sledding just like when the big kids were little kids.  =)  Makes you wonder why you don't do these things more often.  ♥  We are blessed!

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and look forward to a bright new year!