Christmas Overview (short version)

So I guess there really are peeps who read this lil' blog. I have had requests (plural) for an update!! Well, here you go: Christmas 2009 Recap (keep in mind i have like 600 pictures..so this IS the short version!) There will be additional pics to follow!

It all started on Christmas Eve when we were getting ready to pray before the meal at Brad and Beckie's house. Shae looked toward the door and said "Oh my Goodness!!!" When we looked, we saw Scott's brother Barry, his wife, Stephanie and their 4 1/2 year old twins, Averi and Brady!! They flew in from Dallas on Christmas Eve just to surprise us! I mean, WHO DOES THAT?!?So so fun!!
The cousins wasted NO time getting to some serious play time.

Anna even read some books to them in Austin's room (we could hear this going on through the nursery monitor!)

I have enjoyed every.single.minute. of my girl this (her last "normal" Christmas at home!)

We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and blew out His candles for Him.

We were thankful for the many blessings we have received this year.

We were thankful for Family.

We "hot-tubbed" on Christmas! It was 70 degrees outside!

We LOVED having our unexpected visitors!

We opened presents.

(even dorky ones...Shae LOVES her Snuggie!)

Cute monogrammed things were under the tree too!


Scott and I had planned to meet up with our friends, Thom and Jane Doney in San Fransisco to celebrate their anniversary with them at Ruth's Chris (YUM!). This has kinda become an annual thing in December. They fly up from Orange County and we drive down from Redding to meet in SF! We didn't know Scott's brother and his family would be here, but they told us to go ahead and go. They even had a slumber party at our house the night we were gone!

We enjoyed talking and wandering around the city in the beautiful weather!

We came home to find a Wii!! That Aunt and Uncle from Texas sure know how to score points with the Luff girls in Redding! We now have a Wii, controllers, Wii fit plus, the game board....

We have resisted video games for a long time (we also don't have cable TV) but I must admit...it is SO MUCH FUN. And I am totally the best downhill skier at our house!

After one night at home it was time for Barry, Steph and the kids to head back to Texas. We said a tearful goodbye! Then we packed up our girls PLUS our "other" girl, Maeghan (Shae's BFF) and went to Sacramento to celebrate New Year's eve the BEST way...SHOPPING in the GALLERIA!!

There was peace in the car on the way to Sacramento! Lindsay had her own DVD player and her white board with markers and Anna had a DVD player with seasons 1 &2 of "I Love Lucy".

We stayed 2 nights in a cute hotel. Shae, Maeghan and Anna had their own room.

And we ate WAY too much... But we had a very nice time and found some great deals.

We enjoyed each day of our vacation sleeping in, staying in our jammies all day sometimes, eating yummy food and being with our family!

Now, I need to spend some time getting my

put back together!!

Woo Hoo for school tomorrow!!!



















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Fly Boys

We were just sitting down to Christmas Eve dinner over at Scott's brother Brad's house when we got the most wonderful surprise...Scott's brother Barry, his wife Stephanie and their 2 kids came walking in!!! It took them all day to travel from Dallas to Sacramento (bad weather), then they drove on up to Redding! What a great surprise! We could not believe it!!Barry and Scott are both pilots (and Brad could be one) so they love to fly when they are together. Now that Scott has Barry's "old" plane here in Redding they can fly when they are here!

Scott, Barry and Brad boarded 3-4-4-Tang0-X-ray and away they flew right next to beautiful Mt. Shasta. It is covered with snow which makes it even more beautiful!
Those big boys sure fill up the front of that plane! I am glad Brad had the camera on the way there to get some good pictures...There are none from the trip home, Brad was flying!

Here is another shot of the big white mountain that you see while driving north on I-5. I always know we are close to home when it comes into view. It is even more majestic from the sky!

Barry

Scott

The boys had a great time and I'm sure they are praying for another clear day so they can get back up in the sky together!!





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Merry Christmas

Great Christmas Read...

Last year I told you all about "Humphrey's First Christmas" by Carol Heyer. What a precious book! If you are a book lover like me (it's the teacher in me, I am sure) you MUST add another book to your collection. It's a little hard to find but I have recently seen it on Amazon.com.

"The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree" by Gloria Houston, pictures by Barbara Cooney It's the story of a little family who has the honor of providing a Christmas tree to the church in time for the children's program. Have a tissue handy 'cause this one is a tearjerker, especially for military families!

We had some "oh my gracious, WHEN is school starting again" moments here today, so I read Christmas books to the little fighters.
Later in the evening Scott and I were surprised to see Shae hanging out AT HOME, so we took advantage of the free (ha ha) babysitting and went out on a date! We had a relaxing, delicious meal just staring into each other's eyes...uh, just kidding! We talked about what to fix for our family breakfast on Christmas morning and who has to go grocery shopping!

We ran a few errands and then went to Barnes and Noble for some coffee and magazine reading! Scott read pilot magazines and I read decorating magazines and made a long list of projects for HIM to do!

It was a fun evening, and boy will I miss having a live-in babysitter next year!!


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Fun and Festive Week

We have had a busy week! I have gotten a little behind on my blog, so this is going to be a catch-up post.

Lindsay came home from school on Friday with a backpack FULL of darling projects she had made at school. I love this little ornament with her picture in it-and LOOK, she is looking at the camera!
Lindsay and Scott have a favorite song during the holidays, Feliz Navidad by Jaci Velasquez! Scott runs to get his guitar to play along and Lindsay gets her groove on!

I always have good intentions of having people over (other than just family) during Christmastime, but the season ends without any get togethers. I was determined to have an ornament exchange brunch this year, so I invited a few girls and we did it!
It is so much fun to get together with other women. God did intend for us to connect with others and it felt good to visit and catch up on each other's lives. All of them have children that go to school or church with my girls.
Here is Carolyn opening her beautiful crystal ornament. Too bad we played the game that people could steal twice...and THAT ornament ended up on MY living room tree!!
Here are some of the girls eating and chatting. I am thankful for each one of my precious friends! (and my Mother-in-law!)

Here we all are with our ornaments!

I have decided that it was so much fun having company that I am NOT going to wait for another holiday to do it again!

The night before the last day of school Shae was busy busy busy baking cupcakes...all by herself... for her 8th graders! She is their P.E. Aide and she *loves*them!

78 Delicious Cuppies-DONE!

Earlier in the day my SIL, Beckie called to see if Gavin could come over while she took Austin to get a gift for his pre-school gift exchange.

Mr. Blue Eyes had a lot to say! He 'talked" non stop!

When Anna came in from school and got some crackers out, he said, "pease". His Mommy said he had just had his lunch, but who could resist this face...

Or these lips...

Can you believe those eyelashes?! It's just not right.











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It's the Simple Things

It is easy to get caught up in the stress and over-spending of this season. I am reminded daily that things don't have to be fancy or expensive to be special or entertaining. Lindsay has played over and over with a set of magnetic rocks that our friend, Tom Darnell brought her while we were in Lynchburg. He said he paid $1 for them. They have entertained her on an airplane, in the car, at volleyball and basketball games and for many hours at home. Mainly they are "her kids" and they are ALL GIRLS. We are down to 10 in all from 15 (not bad!) .
Here she is playing with them in the hotel while we were in the reception for the YA reunion we attended in September...and they had a bonus-a mirror so she could watch her hands while they lined up "those kids".

In this season of rushing and pressure and stress, let's try to focus on the simple things:
Like a sweet baby boy born in a humble manger.

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Anybody Out There?

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