December was packed full with all of the activities and memories that make it CHRISTMAS!!!
First up...
Operation Christmas Child.
Tyler and his friend, Cris, and I went to help pack boxes for the evening.
We joined with another team to get the job done...
and had a blast doing it.
While some might call it "work"...knowing that each of these boxes are going to children that will delight in them make it so so much FUN!!
The next week we met up with some friends to enjoy the lights of...
McAdenville!
The entire neighborhood of McAdenville decorate their houses for Christmas.
We let all the kids jump in the back of the truck...
picked them up some gas station hot cocoa...
and drove through Christmas Town USA.
It was a pretty night and so much more fun with friends!
Next up was....
building gingerbread houses!!
The year before we had some gingerbread mishaps...major construction failure.
So this year we decided to use...
the HOT GLUE GUN!
What a lifesaver!
All the parts stayed exactly in place...well, at least long enough for us to decorate it.
Completion.
The kids did a fabulous job decorating...and EATING along the way.
My sweet friend, Kristy was gracious enough to host and put up with all of the glue gun strings laying around her house!
Next up...
we had the Fisher kiddos over for a Christmas fun weekend.
Every Christmas, the NASCAR motor speedway transforms into a Christmas village.
The track, the stands, and the field in between is filled with lights that are synchronized to music.
As you drive around the track you can tune your radio to the correct station and watch an amazing Christmas show.
In the middle, they have a Christmas village set up with a live nativity scene, Santa's workshop and bonfires for s'mores.
There is a huge screen set up in the parking lot that plays Christmas movies.
Thankfully it wasn't too cold that night so we could pop open the back of the van and watch The Polar Express!
We were thankful to have the Fisher kiddos over to help make the evening even more special!!!
Next up...
Christmas celebration with Zana!!
Zana was headed to California to spend Christmas with her family.
But she stopped in long enough with us to shower my kiddos with presents!
Even though we can't be together on Christmas, I am thankful that we could celebrate this time with her!
Next up...
Christmas pageant with friends!
We got dressed up...headed to church with our friends, the Howards, only to sit in the lobby for thirty minutes because the church was over flowing!
In the end, we skipped Christmas Eve service and headed back to their house for Dominoes pizza.
Not a fancy dinner...but it was just what we needed after a cold night out.
Next up...
Christmas!!!
Jason was up early this morning...making his coffee...plugging in the lights...putting on the music and counting down the minutes till the kiddos woke up.
Then after reading Luke 2 and opening all their stockings we ate breakfast.
And then FINALLY it was time for presents!
We have been blessed in 2017 with family...health...friendships...grace...growth in the ministry...opportunities to serve...and so many more blessings.
We are thankful this Christmas to celebrate all of these with each other!
