It's Been a Merry Week!

Just a few of the scarves/cowls that I made for Christmas gifts this year. I wish I had thought to pile ALL my Hooky Christmas gifts together for a picture like Sarah did before I gave them all away. Oh well.....live & learn.

For Clay's birthday (Dec. 20) I gave him Miss Kay's cookbook since he had been looking at it & really wanting it. He was SO tickled & began making a mental (ok, verbal) list of the recipes he wanted to try. His first choice was Egg Custard Pie. He said he remembers eating it at church dinners when he was a kid. I'm proud to say that they turned out awesome. My man was 'Happy, Happy, Happy!'

I didn't have quite the same luck with my pumpkin pies. Ok, maybe I did......maybe it's because they were just so tasty that Charlie couldn't resist sampling one. I tell ya, I about strangled me a cat when I heard that he was up on the table eating my Christmas pie! *sigh*

Now that our kids are older & stay up later than we do......'Santa Clause' had to kind of do things backwards this year. Instead of sending kids upstairs to play video games/go to bed while Santa worked his magic....WE went to bed & figured that since Clay wanted to video opening gifts.....meaning the girls would need time to primp in the morning.....Santa Clause would come while the girls were primping & the guys were still snoozing. Whatever works, right?!

Frederick looked so cute with his red Christmas bow.....though it didn't last very long at all.

This right here was one of the main reasons we were videoing this year. We pulled off a really cool surprise.....along with Brendan & his folks. Ashley had been needing a good camera for her classes & so she can hopefully shoot for the school newspaper this coming year......so Brendan came to us with the idea of all of us going together to get her a good camera for Christmas. He & Clay had been texting/researching since before Thanksgiving. There was alot of texting/messaging/deleting of messages going on.

And even though EVERYONE knew about it......no one slipped up.....& we were able to pull it off!

Just look at that face! It was great!! What made the surprise even better was that several times Ashley had mentioned to me that she & Brendan had decided to start saving all their loose change so they could go together & buy a nice camera. And Clay & I had even given her loose change & a dollar here & there telling her it was for her camera fund. We can be pretty sneaky when we try.

Homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast made by me & Ashley. I think these turned out the best ever. I guess practice makes perfect.

Alli took all these pictures of her goods. She knew MOST of the stuff she was getting, but the ukulele was a total surprise for her.

She was really spoiled by her brothers this year. Chris knows the way to this girl's heart.....a CHOCOLATE cookbook. She says she & Cori MUST have a sleepover soon so they can try out some recipes.

Faith & Purity

And the ipod is from Jon. His room-mate was just going to get rid of it....said the battery was weak & he wanted a new one. So Jon took it & surprised Alli with it. Only Ashley knew about this.....so, another great surprise pulled off. I really thought she looked like she might cry when she opened this one. I just love how my kids love each other!

Christmas evening at Maw's house. The lighting was terrible for pictures, but I took them anyway.

Sarah's really 'glowing' there! And just for the record.....Clay & David have on matching flannel shirts. LOL! Totally NOT planned. That's what happens when you find flannel shirts on sale at JCP for $4!

Poor Anna felt so bad.....you can see it in her eyes.

Sporting her new 'Olivia Owl' hat that made for her.

I love my super-sized Chickfila cup that Sarah gave me!!

David thoroughly enjoyed playing Alli's ukulele all evening. I think that might give Sarah an idea for future gift buying.

I love this painting that Alli did for Clay & I!

Ashley, Jon & I went to meet Brendan at the train station in Charlottesville last night. He spent the night & then I took he & Ashley back & put them on the train this morning going to DC to meet his mom & brother. They were going to spend the day in Baltimore & then I'm not sure what else is on the agenda for the rest of the week.

 And they are off.....Ashley was excited to ride the train for the first time ever & mark yet another thing off her bucket list. From Charlottesville, I headed back to Lynchburg & did my usual Friday grocery shopping, etc. Now as I sit here typing.......I realize just how tired I am!! It's been a busy week & looks to be another busy one coming up as we ring in a new year.

 

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Counting my Blessings--

 

Birthday dinner with Clay at Macados*coffee*sunshine*hanging clothes out on the line*Ashley's cleaning around the house*Taking Jon Christmas shopping with us to Richmond*Clay shot an 8pt.*homemade cinnamon rolls*celebrating Jesus' birthday*Christmas dinner at Maw's with family*health--last year this time everyone was sick with the flu*Brendan got to come visit*Putting Ashley & Brendan on the train to DC this morning*new flannel sheets on my bed!