Lauren at our Church's Christmas Play.
Santa came to church to pass out gifts. The youth have been exchanging gifts and have visited with Santa every year since before I was born I believe!
I was glad to catch this moment of Lauren and Cannon horsing around. Notice how Lauren couldn't wait to change into her "cozy Christmas pajamas." She definitely loves to feel cozy. That's my girl!
While spending Thanksgiving with Aunt Anne in Georgia, Ladybug and Aunt Anne secretly made Christmas gifts for Lauren to give Aunt Julie and me. This is the box that Lauren made for Julie. Isn't that so special and sweet? Notice how proud Lauren is of herself! It will be the most beautiful gift I will ever receive for Christmas.
Baby David's 2nd Christmas with us! Boy is he growing up too fast.
Siblings Philip & Julie with their families!
Here is Aunt Julie with her son David and niece Addy. They are around 6-7 months apart in age. I am so glad that David will have a cousin his age to grow up with.
Here we are on our annual Christmas Eve picture. Don't I look all "teacher-y" in my snowman sweater!
Mike and Helen with Addy. Mike is my brother in law's (Steve Jr's) brother.
Nana Debbie, Grandpa Steve with their 4 grandchildren. All together for their first Christmas together!On Sunday, December 21st, our little Church held it's annual youth Christmas play. This year was unique in that one of the youth, Billy H., wrote the play himself. He did a fine job and received many laughs for his comedic performance. This was Lauren's 2nd year to be in the Church's play. Although she played a background character with no speaking lines, we were just as proud of our little Christmas angel just like she was the star. Well, she is OUR star after all! Lauren played one of Katie's three daughters. The little girls all looked cute in their Santa hats. Afterwards, Santa himself paid us a visit while the church members enjoyed food, gifts, and fellowship in our church's basement. After that was over, the crowd retired to the sanctuary for our annual candlelight service. No one managed to burn the church down, which was especially nice! Ha. We actually let Lauren hold a candle for the 1st time this year and she did great! Now, if I could just pay attention like she did...hum!
Our little family had a lovely Christmas Eve as usual. Our annual Christmas Eve tradition of spending the afternoon and evening with the Piller Family in Sevierville was so much fun! OH my goodness...I can't even begin to name the oodles of delicious food there. The Piller's definitely love their fancy cheese assortment and I always look forward to that each year!
Lauren had a blast playing with Cannon (age 8), Amber, and baby Addy. I am amazed at how well she gets along with Cannon. He is an absolutely precious young man, and I feel lucky for Lauren to have such special honorary cousins! I can't get over how beautiful and grown up Amber is (9th grade.) She was in 1st grade when we first met her. I can't get over how fast all of the kids have grown...sob, sob, sob!
For those of you that don't know, that is Steve Piller's parents and his brother (Mike and Helen's) family. Steve Jr. is married to Julie, and Julie is my husband's (Philip's) sister. Did you all follow that? Anyway...they are my sister in law's in laws...so to speak. They "adopted" us several years ago and we have spend thanksgiving night and Christmas eve with them since 2000 I believe. With Philip and Julie's parents passing, it is so nice to have them in our lives. They even tell Lauren to call them Nana Debbie and Grandpa Steve. Now, isn't that precious? (not to mention special to me.)
We arrived home late that night (as usual) was an exhausted Ladybug. I don't think that she has even been awake to lay out the cookies and milk for Santa or the reindeer food. So, I do it for her each year while her Daddy is carrying her to bed. Maybe next year I'll get smart and have her lay out the reindeer food and get Santa's goodies together BEFORE heading off to the Pillers. Hum...that's not a half bad idea!
