Christmas at Nana's

Christmas, Part 3

After we open gifts at home Christmas morning, we go to Scottie's moms house to....

wait for it....

Open MORE gifts!!

We had a wonderful time and it was great getting all 7 of the grandkids together this year (since last year there were only 5!).  I know I have said it before but I have the BEST in-laws anyone could ask for.  I love them all dearly and I'm so blessed to be a part of their family.

Jaxten and Caden playing.

Jimmy and Caden.  Jimmy is the oldest and until this year Caden was the youngest.

Caden opening his Nerf gun.  (Thanks Heather.  Now we have little nerf darts everywhere!)

Tradition: Scottie gets a huge box of Goldfish crackers every year!

My Duke fan mom-in-law broke down and bought me a pink UNC shirt!!! Go Tarheels!!

Our family, Scottie's brothers family and his sisters family got together again this year for a huge family portrait.  We all pitched in together and bought Scottie's mom a 20 x 24 canvas to go on her mantel.  She loved it!!

Me and my boys!

Alydia is thinking "Ooooh, I'm gonna grab him!" and Jaxten is thinking "Girl, you better back up!"  They are hilarious!

Caden is showing Jaxten his Nerf gun.  "You can look but you can't touch."

He looks like he is about to karate chop someone!

One of my favorite pics of my big boy.  I was having fun playing with my new camera!

Just wanna plant one right on them big sweet lips!

Scottie and Christie playing Just Dance on the Wii.  Ya'll, it was HI-LAR-I-OUS!!!!  He was most definately "shakin' what his mama gave him"! LOL

One of the best parts of the whole day......

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!

This was the first time it had snowed on Christmas day since 1998!!  It was so special!

We had the best Christmas I can remember in a long time!

Christmas morning!!!

Now for Christmas, Part 2!!

We always come back home after spending Christmas eve at Pa's so we can wake up at home Christmas morning.  My mom (Mimi) and my granny come over EARLY so we can all open presents together.  The boys had a blast this year!  Especially Caden because Jaxten was more interested in eating the paper so Caden got to open his presents AND Jaxten's.

Here's our tree.  It's so pretty when it is lit up and the camera just can't capture it the way I want it to.

Our first family ornament!

Caden is like "Hey let ME help you with that".  Jaxten was thinking "Give me that paper kid, it looks yummy!"

Yes, we got Pacey a present too!  Doesn't everyone get their dog a present for Christmas???  Pacey loved all the squeeky toys and Jaxten ended up with the ball!

This is the BEST Christmas movie EVAH!!  Who doesn't love A Christmas Story?!?  "I triple-dog-dare ya" hahahahaha

Caden checking out Jaxten's toy.

Caden opening one of Jaxten's presents.  Caden had Cars wrapping paper and Jaxten had Toy Story.  I coordinated it so Caden would know what was his which may or may not have been such a good idea. ;)

Jaxten's favorite part of the morning!

Jaxten loved his Lightning McQueen ride-on toy!!  He looks like he is texting on his little phone behind the wheel (I would say just like mommy but texting while driving is illegal you know!) (I don't text while driving anymore but I still talk on the phone a little   quite a bit   okay, okay, if the car is running I'm probably talking on the phone!  There.  I said it!)

Also loved the dinosaur ride-on toy!

Caden playing with his new Leapster2.  (Look at those eyelashes!  He's got his daddy's eyelashes.  I have begged Scottie to let me put mascara on them just one time so I could see how pretty they would be but he just won't let me! lol)

It looks like the Christmas tree exploded in here!

Daddy and Caden.

Caden is showing Jaxten how his new toy works.  It's a little race track that spins around and shoots the cars out of the side.  Jaxten almost cried the first few times, but after a few minutes he was laughing so hard!  It was absolutely the most precious thing I have ever seen to watch them play together.  I have dreamed of this moment for a long time!

(Have you all noticed Pacey is somewhere in almost all of these pictures?  He was never far from the action that morning!)

Just the three of us, Jaxten had already fallen asleep for his morning nap.

We had so much fun this year!  I can only imagine next year will have to be even better since Jaxten will be a little older and more involved.

I love my little family!

Christmas Eve at Pa's

Christmas time is always so FULL of activity around our house, so I thought it would be best to just post several blogs full of pictures instead of trying to type out everything!! 

(That and maybe I'm just a bit lazy.....Hey, it's post holiday season.  I'm allowed!)

Every year we go to Scottie's grandpa's (Pa) house for Christmas eve.  We had a great time, although it hasn't been quite the same since his Ma died in 2005.  Miss you Ma!

Anyway, how could you not L.O.V.E. this face?!?

Pawpaw bought him yet another race car.  The kid is OB-SESSED with some racing!

Pawpaw and his little buddies!  My dad has been going through a tough time recently and I was so glad he was able to come with us!

Jaxten loved his new little toy.

Jaxten and Alydia are so funny together.  Jaxten is very laid back and Alydia is very...well...not!  She's always trying to hug and kiss him or grab him or grab toys and he just looks at her like "chill out kid".  It's super funny to watch!

Boys opening presents.

He smiled so big when he saw the glow-worm's face light up and grabbed it and pulled it up close for a big smooch!!

Our family of four. (It's still wierd to type "four" instead of "three").

Christmas Craft and Decorations

I guess it's about time I post about something Christmas-y around here.  I saw this idea over at Thrifty Decor Chick  and thought it looked so creative and EASY!! 

(This girl has the best ideas and most of them are things I think I could tackle myself!) 

Anyway, I have been wanting to do something to my dining room chairs for Christmas but I never could figure out anything.  When I saw these cute little rings I knew that's what I wanted! 

And did I mention how EASY it was?!? 

I am so NOT crafty so for me to try it, it really has to be simple. :)

You start with this:

-wooden rings from Dollar Tree

-Ribbon

-Hot glue gun

-Scissors

*If you have any cute ornaments or something like that you can use them too*

Just start wrapping the ribbon around the wooden ring...

Cut the ribbon once you have it all covered and hot glue the end down. 

This is what you end up with!

(Sorry, this picture didn't get turned the right way. Oops!)

Scottie had these acorn ornaments that we've been trying to figure out what to do with.  So, I put them on a piece of ribbon and then put the ring on the ribbon.

I actually hotglued the ribbon together once I put them around the top of the chairs so it would look seamless.  Hey..it worked. :)

This is what I ended up with.  I L.O.V.E. them!

Too cute!

I think I'll enjoy these because I can change the ribbon and the ornaments each year if I want to!

So there's my little craft.  I did a couple of other things that I might try to post about when I actually take pictures!

He's mine, back off.

The title of this post comes off a little strong I'm sure, but sometimes it's just what I really want to say to people that are trying to tell me how to raise my son.  I am always open to friendly advice or the "this is what worked for me" type of statement.  But I carried him for 40 weeks and 2 days and then gave birth to him myself, so I fully reserve the right to turn down any advice or simply say thanks but no thanks and proceed to do what I feel is best for him.  Let me explain a few of the bigger points I'm talking about specifically.

We don't "do" Halloween.  We don't dress up.  We don't go trick or treating.  We don't even go to the trunk-or-treat at our own church.  We don't decorate with ghosts and witches or buy spider rings and gummy eyeballs.  In fact, we turn all the outside lights off and keep the doors shut on Halloween night because we don't give out candy either.  Nothing.  We try to completely act like the day doesn't exist because we don't want to have anything to do with it.  My husband and I have agreed from the very first discussion on the topic (there's not a whole bunch of things that we can say that about either!) that Halloween in not of God, in fact it is satanistic.  We feel like everything surrounding the day is dark and evil and we think if we acknowledge it in any way, we may as well be right in the middle of it. 

I'm NOT saying that the simple act of dressing up in a cute or friendly costume is wrong.
I'm NOT saying that giving or eating candy is wrong (I love me some chocolate!!)
I'm NOT saying that everyone that participates in Halloween events are heathens or sinners.
I certainly don't think that my church has anything other than good and pure intentions about having a trunk-or-treat, and I feel completely safe in kids receiving candy and treats from them.  There are christians everywhere that like to dress their kids up and go to safe places and have good clean fun.  I don't believe they are performing satanistic rituals and calling on the spirits and putting curses on people.   

What I AM saying is that we have made the decision for OUR family not to participate.  I will not condemn or belittle anyone for making a different choice for their own family.  In fact, I may even comment on what a cute pumpkin or puppy dog your little baby is in his/her costume.  I will accept a bag of candy from someone I know and trust if they have put an effort into making one for my son.  I am not trying to be disrespectful, but I don't appreciate being attacked for trying to do what's right for my family. 

Another thing I get a lot of slack over is Christmas and Santa Claus.  I refuse to teach my children to believe in Santa. 
Why, you ask???
It's so simple.  It's a no-brainer common sense answer.  (Now don't read this next part out loud in front of kids)

HE'S NOT REAL............

Along with the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy.  Stay with me now, I haven't completely lost my mind.  My thought is if something is not true or real, then it is a lie.  If  I physically look up to the sky (and I'm not colorblind) and say "Look, the sky is green", it is obviously not true.  Therefore I knowingly told you something on purpose that is not true.  It is a lie.  Why would I willingly and knowingly lie to my children?  Your parents are should be the two people on this earth that you can trust no matter what.  They should be the ones you can go to for any reason and trust what they are telling you is what they believe to be true and right.  Parents are not always right, but they shouldn't steer you wrong on purpose.  So what is the difference in me teaching my child to believe in a fictional person that does not exist and does magical things that are not possible?  If you lie to them about one thing, what makes them think you won't lie about other things? 

We, as christians, tell our children about God and Jesus.  We tell them if they believe in Jesus with all their heart and trust in him that they can be saved and they will go to heaven for all eternity.  We cannot physically see Jesus.  We can't reach out and touch him on the hand.  We have no proof in the eyes of the world that he is real.  So why do we believe in him with everything inside of us and trust him completely with our lives?  Because at one point in time someone we trusted (like our own parents or a preacher) told us that he was alive and very real and that he could save us and he could help us with our troubles and cares.  They told us if we would believe in him with all our hearts that he would come into our heart and dwell with us forever.  And we believed them, and in turn believed in Him with a childlike faith that he indeed is real.  Even though we have no "proof" except what we feel inside and a book (the God inspired Holy Bible) that tells us great things and what we might have learned from our parents, we still believe.  (And that is enough for me, I KNOW God is real and that he saved my soul). 

I feel it's the same concept with Santa.  But, sometimes we can see Santa at the mall or at a store.  Kids think they can sit on his lap or send him a letter.  They get physical presents that they can hold in their hands and they believe it's from him.  They have been told by people they trust that Santa is a real human being that can actually visit every single house on the entire planet in one single night and reindeer can fly.  It's hard to believe this could be possible, but when you tell a child something, they don't know not to believe what you are saying.  Then, one day, when they reach whatever age you have determined is appropriate, you sit them down and tell them you have something important to tell them.  You tell them he's not real.  You tell them what they knew to be true, it in fact, not.  It may sound dramatic and harsh and you may think I've made to much out of it, but it is what it is. 

I am not taking away his childhood.  He doesn't get any less presents.  In fact, if he thinks it's fun to pretend there is a Santa, that is totally fine.  As long as does not truly believe he is real.

That being said, I do not go around shouting from the rooftops to all the little children that Santa is not real.  I am also trying to teach Caden not to blow it for all the other kids around either.  I'm not trying to raise your kids.  Again, that's your decision to make.  But please don't tell me how awful I am that we don't participate in this.  I don't think all the children who are taught to believe in Santa are destroyed for life once they find out the truth (although I for one was DEVASTATED!)  I don't believe that it will ruin a child's relationship with their parents and cause them to never trust another word out of there lying mouths either.  I simply believe it's wrong to lie about anything, and I try my best not to do it. 

These are choices that I get to make as a parent just like you get to decide what's best for your family.  I do not judge anyone for choosing a different way.  It doesn't say anywhere (that I'm aware of) in the Bible that it
is a sin to teach your children about Santa or to let them dress up for Halloween.  I don't think christians will be un-saved for participating in these things.  I think God convicts his children and compels them to know what is right or wrong for them.  Some sins are across the board just plain wrong.  But some things may not be a sin at all, they are just wrong for some people.  (Like there is nothing wrong with watching football, but if you let it become an obsession that comes between you and God, it may become a sin for you)  I know that God has told me and my husband separately the way he wants us to handle this and that is all we are trying to do. 

So, thank you to all of my friends and family and co-workers who understand what I'm trying to do and though you may not necessarily feel the same way about it, you don't attack me for it either.  I love my children with every fiber of my being and would never do anything that I didn't truly believe was best for them.  I pray that I will always be open and listening to the still small voice that comes from God himself to lead me and my family in the way of his perfect will.  Thank you Lord for my family.