Christmas at Noni and Papa's

Christmas at the Weddine's

Jeff's sister - Jill

Getting ready to open presents - mom and Ella

The cousins - Will and Garrett - they are 7 months apart in age

Noni and Seth

Mallory

Joe and Jill

Ella getting ready to open her BIG present from Noni and Papa

A new vanity - Can you tell she is talking again

Seth in the box - He got a new hockey bag so he is enjoying playing in the box - as little children we always say give them an empty box and they will enjoy it just as good - well that is still true for Seth

Thanks Noni and Papa for all the great presents

Christmas 2010

Our tradition is to open one present on Christmas Eve.  Garrett is remembering what that present is.  Everyone gets new Christmas PJ's.  This is right before everyone went to bed.  Gabby even participated.

Garrett (12), Ella (4), and Seth (9)

This Christmas was the earliest Seth and Garrett have ever gotten up.  5:00 AM.  Crazy - Garrett was up first and went to wake up Seth.  I realize there is a bond between them when they had an agreement between each other.  Who ever woke up first promised to wake the other one up.

Seth with his Nerf Stampede Gun

Seth's Santa presents

He was joking around that he wanted to ask Santa for 1 year supply of cheese balls.  Santa didn't bring a year supply but at least maybe a 3 month supply.

Garrett really didn't ask for certain things from Santa.  He just kinda made a list of things he would like to have.  Santa brought him a laptop.  He is reading his letter.   Santa left a letter that gave him permission to have his own email address

Mom and Garrett setting up the new email

Jeff and I gave him Kinect to go with his Xbox he already had.

Ella woke up at 7:00am.  My favorite part is seeing them for the first time on Christmas morning.  Can you tell she is telling something.  Look at her hand.  One little hand still is holding blankie and Georgie.  Ella got GoGo my walking pup

Baby Alive Changing Time

A cupcake maker

Feeding the baby - Wow is that fun  - She didn't like changing the diaper.

The Christmas spirit was alive in our house on Christmas morning.  Even with the big guy.  I hope that never changes.  Each one was very busy enjoying their goodies but also wanted to share their excitment with their brother or sister.  We heard alot of "Look at this!"  House was a mess, stuff was everyone - but everyone was overjoyed. 

Merry Christmas 2010

Christmas Card

I know this is not a very good picture.  I took a picture of the picture we gave my mom and dad for Christmas.  This is from our beach session back in October.  I don't have a digital copy of the pictures.  I have looked and looked at this picture.  As I look at this picture, I can think of each memory that comes with each child.

I can think back over the trips, the heartache, the trials, the blessings, the fun, the excitment, the laughs, and memories we have together as we build our family.  I still feel very young.  As I look at this picture, I see the huge resposibility Jeff and I have as parents.  On a day to day bases, I don't see what I am instilling in each of our children.  As I look at each child, I can see where we have been but also my wish and prayer for them as they grow bigger and bigger. 

I have several other pictures from our photo shoot that I got for Christmas.  I love each of them.  I wish I could share them.  Each picture captures very dear moments.

I want our children to know that family is important.  We have come so far as a family and we still have very far to go.

Merry Christmas Eve

It was very nice this year.  Since Christmas fell on Saturday, mom and Jeff both had Friday off.  We were able to start early on Friday.  We usually eat supper at mom and dad's but we were able to eat breakfast.  Meme broke all the rules since it was Christmas.  Chocolate Sweet 16 donuts and Chocolate milk - Yumo!! The children were so excited.

Ella is actually eating breakfast.  She usually doesn't eat until 10:00

Look at Seth's plate - I am sure he has already eaten 4 chocolate donuts - ha

This is mom's treee- I love it - The purple and pink are so pretty - Ella just loves it.  Mom wraps each person's presents in different type paper so she doesn't have to do nametags.  Each grandchild knows which pile is theirs. 

The big boys eating breakfast.  Mom did fix bacon, sausage balls, grits and pancakes for the big people.  Really sausage balls are Jeff's favorite.  Pancakes are Garrett's favorite.  Grits are my favorite.  It was so yummy.  What a way to start the day.

Garrett reading his note that came with his ipod.  He has really taken over my ipod.  He said several times before Christmas that if he got a new one, he would just give me his new one and keep mine since he had everything set up on mine.  So mom put a note in his box that said he had to give me his new one.  When he saw this one had a camera, all deals were off.  It was just for fun. 

Seth looking at his new game for Wii. 

Ella loving meme's dog, Dory.  Poor Dory was carried all over the house Christmas Eve.

More Christmas to come - I got a new camera from mom and dad for Christmas.  All of the Christmas pictures are on the new camera.  I took the new camera to Jeff's mom's for Christmas night.  I left the camera at her house.  I haven't got it back yet.  Maybe tomorrow.  More Christmas

Tis the Season

Tis the Season for busy, busy, busy.  We have been on the go everyday.  Jeff and I had two Christmas Parties this week.  One party was for our SS Class.  Jeff and I felt called to teach a Young Married Couples Class for sometime now.  We or I do a very good job at questioning God and saying "really?"  Me??  We prayed about it for some time but just talked about what we felt God was calling us to do. 

I believe God walks you through trails and valleys so that when you come out on the other side you are called to mentor to others who may need your guidance.  I truly feel that is why God called us to teach this class.  Marriage is work, hard work - EVERYDAY.  Marriage with children is even more of a challenge.  Now that Jeff and I are on the mountain of marriage at this point in our lives, we are using that as our platform to learn and grow but to share.  The picture is from our Young Married Couples class SS party.  What fun!! I realize I am middle aged - YIKES.  (how did that happen) I still feel young

This is Ella and mom - she is getting ready to go to her favorite performance of all times - The Nutcracker.  She loves a show.  Mom took Ella for the second year in a row.  What memories she will have of these fun times.

Heading out to church yesterday.  We wore our Christmas clothes.  We will be out of town playing hockey next weekend which is the Sunday before Christmas.  Our tradition is to have matching clothes as a family.  I just love these little people.  They make my heart sing hum.

Merry Christmas

The Weddine Family

Still more Tis the Season to come . . .

Sittin' on His Lap

We went to see Santa.  We have been talking about it for a few days.  Ella decided that she was wanting to give her list to Santa.  This is on the way to Concord Mills to Bass Pro Shop.  She her letter in her hand. 

Ella's eyes got huge when she saw him for the first time getting ready to start taking pictures.

She actually sat on Santa's lap and didn't cry.  Seth was wondering if he was too big.  Garrett didn't even want to go there at all. 

This bear was at the entrance to a candy shop where we bought apple. 

The kiddos

Garrett's apple - Granny Smith dipped in Caramel with mini m&ms

Seth's apple - Granny Smith dipped in Milk Chocolate drizzled in chocolate.

Fun night

Christmas Tree time

Since we have been in a few stores and all the Christmas trees are up, Ella has been asking, "When can I put up my tree?" 

Friday night, mom and dad came over to our house.  The Christmas tree went up in Ella's room.

I love this picture

What a sweet moment.  The help we need as young children from those who have great wisdom of guidance and help along the way.  This is meme's hand holding the branch while Ella places her ornament so carefully.

How did she get taller than her tree.  Yikes. 

She loves looking at each ornament and placing it so carefully on the tree. 

Precious!

ps.  she wanted to know once she put up her tree, would Santa be coming??