Christmas #1...The Sears Family

We started celebrating Christmas the weekend before when the Sears (my mom's side) came down to good ole' McKinney and stayed at our house! It was filled with lots of love, competition, and Cowboys...couldn't get much better. My Grampa said it best in an email he sent the other day...hope he doesn't mind me using it here...I think it sums up the weekend!

You sometimes see "Jesus, is the reason for the season"---I understand that and think that remembering the blessing of God's great plan is truly awe inspiring. In it's physical earthly form, that plan began with the birth of Jesus. God in His wisdom gave us His son , in a manifestation that we would immediately be attracted to--a living breathing baby--who we can now know in retrospect was God incarnate--sent to show His great love for us, and to save us from our sins. Can anything improve on the beauty of that precious set of circumstances.------------I don't think so: and reflecting with prayerful and thankful hearts continually is our privilege as Christians.

Buttttttttttt----appreciating that love, surrounded by those in this life that we love and cherish so dearly, doesn't "improve" on God's plan--I think it IS God's plan. Sooooo all the above being said--"FAMILY is the reason for the season" at our house. Maybe it's just semantics, but family is our example of how God could love us so. Now not all families would inspire such feelings-------but ours does. Gran and I talked coming home and since being here, how blest we are. So thank you all for loving us and for loving each other. We had a little bit to do with start of this group, and it is pure joy to be with you. I love that man!  At church on Sunday our preacher talked about how society has changed this holiday in so many ways.  He discussed how we try for a Martha Stewart type of Christmas when in all actuality it doesn't matter one bit.  I had a sore on my side when the lesson was done because my husband felt it necessary to elbow me any time he thought the line pertained to me.  It was so true...why eat on china when paper plates give you more time with the family because you are not washing them...haha!  That is my new year's resolution...simplify life!  Well new years is a few days away so I am getting ahead of myself...now off the Christmas #2 with the Garner family!   We had a gingerbread making competition with the leftovers from my classroom activity on Friday.  It was a hit.  It was funny at how intense we all were doing it.  Here is Gran and Courtney with their finished product.  Courtney won because she sucked up to the judge! Shane and I's beautiful creation! Look at all that candy! Sweet Kat, Jonathan's girlfriend, joined us.  Check out that super cool bag she got...wonder who gave her a monogrammed gift! Shane drew Jack's name this year and it couldn't have been a more perfect match!  We got him some camo gear for hunting and Shane was a little excited to give it to him!  Actually Shane made him put all his new clothes on! Some cuddle time with the brother and sister and their little lovlies! The boys were playing this interesting game where you slide quarters into each others knuckles...there was blood by the end yet they kept playing...weird boys! Well I am tired of downloading pictures so here are the rest of them...enjoy!  Love everyone and can't wait until next year!