After our visit in Mobile, we headed over for Jay, FL to spend a few days with my fam. The girls love being in "the country". Jocelyn had a blast riding on the tractor with PawPaw. Gabbie was a little too afraid of the big tractor...she decided to just watch Jocie on the tractor from a distance while daddy held her :)
On Dec. 23rd, we had our Christmas gathering at my grandpa and grandma's house. All the Uncles, Aunts, and cousins come over and eat an enormous meal and then the kids open gifts. After that, all the adults play dirty Santa (which can really get interesting :). The finale of the evening is building a big bonfire and shooting fireworks. (Does anyone else shoot fireworks on Christmas Eve? The first year Shane and I were married and we did that, he thought it was so weird...he had never heard of anyone doing that. I thought everyone on the planet shot fireworks on Christmas Eve...hello?!?)
My cousin and his wife have 2 year old boy/girl twins. Here are both sets eating Grandma's country cookin'....yummy
My Uncle, Aunt, and cousins are ENORMOUS Alabama fans. My dad hates Alabama. When Alabama played Florida a while back my dad made a bet with my cousin that if Alabama won, he would wear an Alabama hat and cheer for them in the championship. Well, here he is in the hat my cousin gave him for Christmas :)
I remember as a small child every Christmas at my grandparents, my grandma would get us all to sit down before we opened presents and she would read the Christmas story to us and then talk about it with us. I love this tradition. Every year it get more and more crowded in their tiny living room because there are more and more great-grandchildren. It had an extra special meaning for me this year as I sat there listening and watching MY children hear the same story that I remember her reading to me when I was little. She has truly put a lasting mark of her faith on her family. I am so thankful for such wonderful grandparents that love Jesus.
Grandpa with cousin Landon
Jocelyn giving a kiss to the baby she just got from grandma
It gets just a LITTLE chaotic when the presents are handed out :)
Gabbie showing off her new baby
This, my friends, is my grandparent's purple 2 foot Christmas tree. The picture says it all....
Aunt Emily and Gabbie (who refused to look at the camera)
The best family pic we could get :)
We opened presents at my parent's house on Christmas Eve this year. The girls had so much fun opening their gifts this year.
Cousin Landon was being sneaky and stole Jocie's cup....look at that face!!
Cousin Kaylea and cousin Ashton patiently waiting to open their gifts :)
My sis, brother-in-law, brother, dad, and Landon (Juliet, where are you? I don't have any pics with you in them!!? Were you hiding??)
Jocelyn trying on her new striped tights
Gabbie was obessed with the bows. She stuck them all over her face....
and on PawPaw's head....
and on Jocie's head...
My mom's decorated gourd...maybe the most unique gift of the day...
Jocelyn taking a break from playing with Gabbie to answer her phone :)OUR CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Since we opened presents on Christmas Eve, we really didn't have any plans for Christmas morning. However, that did not mean we could sleep in...oh, no...our children, especially the Gabster, ALWAYS wake up at the crack of dawn or earlier :) Shane and I were sleeping in the living room and when I woke up, I noticed that there was alot of light shining into the room (the previous two days we had been there, it was still almost dark when Gabbie would wake up). Confused, I looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 8:15 am....WHAT?!? Of course, immediately Shane thought something was wrong with them, I mean, why else would they still be asleep?? OK, Jocelyn has slept a little later before, but Gabbie has NEVER slept past 7 am....NEVER. OK, so maybe they are awake and we were just sleeping so hard that we didn't hear them?? We look at the monitor and they were both still sound asleep. Of course, since we didn't wake up until 8:15, it felt like we had slept in till noon! Shane actually goes into the room and touches them to make sure they are breathing. No, I am not joking. So, we are sitting there in complete amazement. Waiting....Waiting....Waiting...
8:55 am!!! Jocelyn wakes up. We couldn't believe it. And yes, the Gabster is still asleep.
Daddy and Jocelyn having some chill time....still WAITING on Gabbie to wake up...
9:37 am!!! Gabbie wakes up...We totally were in shock. We didn't think it was humanly possible for her to EVER sleep late. She was incapable of doing such a thing! Then we realized....this was our CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!! I took a picture of the clock just so I could have proof that it really did happen!
Our sweet, VERY rested Gabbie...
They loved running up and down the ramp at grandpa and grandma's house....
The swings are their favorite at PawPaw and MawMaw's house....They fought so bad over the tree swing that PawPaw bought another one while we were there to end the dispute. Thanks PawPaw!! We love you!
I forgot to mention that while at my parent's Gabbie got the stomach virus, then I got it, then Shane, then my dad, then my grandpa. Not fun. SOOOO sorry we brought sickness with us! We are so glad we got to spend Christmas with you!
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