Day 365

Wow... the last day of the year!  We made it to New Year's Eve! This has been a tough year for me and blogging, but I am happy that I have gone back and posted photos for each day!

Happy New Year!

So long 2014!!!

Also want to send a big shout out to MiMi...Happy Birthday!!!

Day 364

A day on the beach...

It was 82 here today and mostly sunny.  There is absolutely nothing to complain about!

Day 363

Today we are in Ft. Lauderdale. We finally made it to the beach. 

Day 362

Today we took the kids to the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne. It is a tiny zoo compared to ours, but the exhibits were way more interactive. 

Day 361

2 days after Christmas we drove to Melbourne, Florida for the night. It was a long 11 hour drive. Traffic on I-95 through South Carolina was almost unbearable. 

It was nice to wake up to a warm, ocean breeze though. 

Day 360

More from Christmas Day...

The calm before the storm:

Rosey and Franklin enjoyed some new treats and a new bed!

We decided to just have some appetizers this year instead of a full meal.  I set the table like I did for the Nutcracker though.

We had a great time celebrating with Carson, Katie and MiMi.  We sure did miss Papa Neal.

I completely forgot to take a picture with MiMi and Katie.  I meant to do that.  I wanted a more formal photo of the kids, but this is all I could manage to get between Jackson and Carson.

We had such a blessed day.  We all got more than we deserve.  We are very thankful and were so happy to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

I am especially thankful this year for our sweet children and our health. 

DAY 359

M E R R Y    C H R I S T M A S!!!

{morning}

Day 358

M E R R Y    C H R I S T M A S    E V E!

Our extremely full and blessed day started at MiMi's house celebrating Christmas with my grandparents!



Then we went to JC's parents' house and celebrated with his family.  We had a delicious meal and of course opened presents!





Next we attended our church's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service where Brendan and Jackson served as ushers.









Then we came home and ate dinner and made Reindeer food.  After sprinkling the Reindeer food, setting out Santa's cookies and milk and magic key, and finally, Santa Mouse's cheese, JC read The Night Before Christmas and Santa Mouse!

Of course, JC's all-time favorite Christmas movie, It's A Wonderful Life was on the tv!

Another favorite tradition is that the kids get to open one present each on Christmas Eve night before they go to bed.



This year they each got a cross with a special verse!  Brendan's is of course, the baseball home plate.  Jackson's is the soccer cross, and Emma's is a porcelain cross with her first and middle name hand-painted.



Emma's verse is Numbers 6:24; Jackson's verse is Psalm 96:12; and Brendan's verse is Phillipians 4:13.

Jackson has been sick this Christmas with a nasty cold.  He actually started the going to bed process voluntarily,  poor thing.

Finally, all the kids were asleep, and Santa was able to work! :)

Day 357

More Elf Shenanigans:

Day 356

More from the Christmas ornament making...

Day 355

On Sunday, we went to church, and then I wrapped presents for the kids while JC put together one of their Christmas presents.  We got them a Springfree trampoline for Christmas, and it was delivered on  Friday in 4 HUGE boxes.  JC put together a Survivor-style scavenger hunt for all three kids. They got a letter when they solved each clue.  The letters spelled out the word TRAMPOLINE.  It was fun watching them run all over the house trying to figure out the clues.

On the way home from church, we stopped by Starbucks, and I saved my peppermint mocha for the afternoon.  I put it in my new Starbucks mug and topped it with whipped cream and peppermint sugar!  It was a fun afternoon of listening Christmas carols and wrapping.