Christmas Break: Part 2

  This is post 2 for today.  I KNEW WordPress was going to be grumpy at me for all those pics! I just had to try 4 times to get it to stick.    It is so important to me to document all these special moments, because I would still love to someday print off these blog posts in a book for my kids.

  Anyhow, for the 2nd time ever, we had a quiet Christmas at home on Christmas day. We LOVED it!  We used to have to have everyone dressed nice, food prepped, presents opened and never played with, to be out the door by 11.  This time, we had a leisurely brunch and Birthday party for Jesus, followed by the Christmas story, presents and PLAYTIME!  After nap we headed to be with the family.  It was just right!

  If you follow us on 4 little Ferguson’s Facebook page, you will already know this story, but I sent out an SOS for uses for Rhode’s Rolls.  Dale and I had gutted and cleaned out our huge chest freezer, and for some reason, one basket got left out…..OF COURSE, it was the Rhodes Roll basket, so the next morning he brings in 3 BURSTING bags of Rhodes rolls for me to quick figure out what to do with.  You all were so helpful!  In the end, I made a double batch of these yummy Bierocks, some Pigs In A Blanket for lunch, and a Cream Cheese Tea Ring for Jesus’ Birthday party the next day.  This suggestion came from Liz, over at that Skinny Chick Can Bake. She has such great recipes, and this one did NOT disappoint!  It is SO pretty and not too sweet, either.  Well, hers is so pretty, mine was NOT. 

  Go check out her post for the recipe, I think you will want to make it!

Holiday Cream Cheese Tea Ring by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

The kids played while we cleaned up the kitchen…..

Then it was time for the Christmas story.  Destiny was proud we used her Bible this year.

Things started off well and everyone sat quietly….well, kind of.

After a brief talking-to by Daddy, and a punishment of sitting on their hands to learn to keep them to themselves, story time continued…..quietly this time. 

Next, Tylan shared the Symbols of Christmas, that he made in school.

Look Mom, J is for Jesus!

Present time! 3 for each kiddo, just like Baby Jesus….and I am proud to say, nothing required batteries this year, so it was a peaceful Christmas. 

Oh, forgot Paxton’s tractor flashlight. Guess it needed batteries, but everything else did not.

Thanks to some Dog loving friends of ours, even Sophie had a present under the tree this year.

About this time, Destiny noticed our cat, Stripes crying at the window.  She felt it was such a shame he couldn’t join in our Christmas fun, so we let him in for a bit.  He was in Cat HEAVEN, Sophie was NOT impressed, but they did end up napping together for a bit.

   Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good night!
{New Bible story book from Grandma Esther}

  Tomorrow is Weekend Potluck like normal, but on Monday, I will share some photos of the fun things we did on our break, and the first good SNOW of the season!!!!!

Hugs, T

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Christmas Break: Part I

  I have my babies home for 17 WHOLE DAYS this Christmas Break and I absolutely love it!  Yes, its noisy, yes, pre-vacuuming, the carpet looked like I hadn’t swept in a month, yes, there are moments of sheer chaos that can make me lose my cool, but overall? I’d keep them home with me ALWAYS.  Bonus: Dale takes the week off before Christmas and through New Years since no one really wants to see their insurance agent, so we got to enjoy him home, too! 🙂  It’s ALWAYS more fun when Daddy is home!

  We had several Christmas celebrations and events that I am sharing with you today via a bazillion pics. 🙂  I know, I know, you aren’t surprised! 

~T

Destiny and her cousin Brooklyn, singing solos in Sunday service.  They did fantastic!

Preschool Christmas service, my little shepherd boy only made it as far as my aisle.  He then feel asleep on Grandpa’s lap.

Christmas with my side of the family…plus, my Uncle and Aunt from Phoenix were in town!  It was fun to see them, and Great Grandpa got to come home from the Nursing Home to be with us, so it was extra special!  My kids LOOOOOVE to go to Uncle Dan & Aunt Gena’s house!

Siblings minus one

Grandpa’s buddy

Uncle Dan’s infamous “swing”

I told Great Grandma, Nana and Aunt Gena, NO TOYS this year!  So they were clever and thought of really neat gifts for the kids.  Nana got us an early gift of Adventure In Odyssey Cd’s for our trip to Georgia.  Great Grandma got the kids pencil sharpeners, erasers and a neat chair stacking game, and Aunt Gena made coupons for the kids to go see The Music Man play with her when it comes to town. COOL!

On the eve of Christmas Eve, we always have Dales dad and siblings over.  We made a delicious Coke Ham, so easy and so yummy!

Uncle Mike got Paxton this HUGE Sock Monkey to add to his collection of bedtime friends.  He LOVED it!  “Beeg BEEEG Monkey,” he says.

Ty and Avery have a built in cousin friend about the same age, so they had soo much fun playing together.  The boys played with the race track and the girls, well they musta been having fun, because we didn’t see them much!

All this playing is hard work!

Time for a Christmas movie before heading home….

All the cousins in jammies!

  Next up, Christmas evening at Grandpa Kirk & Grandma Eileen’s house. Grandma Eileen picked up these darling horse marionette puppets for the kids. They had fun dancing them around and making them gallop on the kitchen floor.

I didn’t get another shot after this, guess I was having too much fun laughing until I cried, playing Loaded Questions.
I am telling you, that game is HYSTERICAL for a group, I highly recommend it!

That’s enough pics for this post!  Head on over to the next post of our Family Christmas.