Emma's first Christmas!

As Christmas is rapidly approaching I decided I needed to get last year's events documented. Can you believe our girl is going to be two in January. She's changed a lot in a year. I'm big on firsts and being a long distance Diva has it's draw backs in witnessing them. I got her first Christmas and American Thanksgiving as well as her first visit to see Santa.

It hardly seems possible that we will get this privilege again with Oscar and also our first Christmas with both Oscar and Emma. We are indeed blessed.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past....Monday Memory

Christmas is very quiet at our house now that the kids are grown and are on their own. I love Christmas and love to decorate but it hardly seems worth the effort with just Mr. Wonderful and myself here.

I got a scanner for my birthday and have had a great time looking at old pictures. This picture is baby Suzy's first Christmas. She was also baby Jesus that year in the nativity play as she was the only baby in our small church. Big Sister Becky (almost 2) was the littlest angel.


The following year the girls were more interested in decorating themselves than decorating the tree. This was the year that we started doing an Advent Calendar for them. They had no concept of time so on Thanksgiving afternoon we made a paper chain and made a link for each day till Christmas. The Christmas link was made from shiny paper and very distinct from the other links. They cut one link every day so they had an idea of "how long till Christmas". As they grew older we would write activity on the link such as "Watch a Christmas movie", "make Christmas Cards", "sing jingle bells and go on a sled ride", "make Christmas cookies"....etc. I think I looked forward to the activity more than the girls did.

Did you have any family traditions that you did with your kids when they were growing up?

Christmas 2003

                                                 

                                           

    The party's over, Christmas is over, everyone has left the building and all that's left are, two kittens, an old dog, a dirty house, several loads of laundry and lots of precious memories of great moments spent with my family. I won't remember the presents, the movies, the food, or even the decorations but I will always remember the moments. What a special gift!