Christmas!

We had a great Christmas and hope everyone else had one too. The girls are at the ages that they are so much fun to watch. I remember the anticipation and excitement I had as a child, but nothing compares to the excitement I had waiting for my girls to get up and open presents. They seemed to enjoy every part, until the last present was opened.

We started our Christmas celebration off Christmas Eve at my sisters house where we received presents from my Granny Beard. Lillie was so patient waiting for her present. My uncle passes out the gifts and tries to be sure the little ones receive theirs first, but he couldn't find hers right away. She did so good waiting, but right before it was found, her bottom lip started to quiver.

She was happy to receive a barbie princess toy and book though.

Gracie was caught wearing the Bah Humbug Santa cap.

We got up Christmas morning and opened our presents. I unfortunately do not have pictures of the process because I video taped it instead and forgot to do still shots. Afterwards we went to Alex's aunt and uncle's house for lunch. The girls got some very cool stuff, including a Barbie jet. That evening I fixed a Christmas supper. That is a new tradition I started last year and hope to continue through the years.

Just how much tape does this present have!!

We got up Friday morning and celebrated at my parents. The girls of course received more fun stuff. We also got to spend some time visiting with my brother and his wife who were up from Kentucky, for a few hours. It was alright (Just Joking if you are reading this - we had a great time).

Lillie with her Christmas loot!

Gracie and her Christmas loot!

Sticky Situation

Not the real Christmas miracle, but a miracle to me none the less:

Last night I was finishing wrapping presents and looked at my tape and figured that there was enough for maybe one of the presents. I started wrapping and each time I pulled off a piece of tape, thought this was the end. I never ran out of tape until I put the last piece on the last present.

Now as silly as this may sound to some, I believe that God made that tape last until I didn't need it. I didn't even go easy on the tape while I was using it. It amazes me how God cares about the little stuff like scotch tape.

I was blessed the other day to have Lillie tell me that her favorite part of Christmas was not just the presents, but baby Jesus. I can't imagine celebrating Christmas without the true message being presented and if it is by a 3 year old that is even better.

Have a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!!!

Christmas Prep

The girls and have been busy preparing for Christmas. Lillie and I have been spending Gracie's naptime wrapping presents and that is fun for me. She loves wrapping and made the comment yesterday that we have to wrap presents during naptime because it is a new rule.

Gracie and I made noodles several days ago and froze them for our family Christmas dinner. I promised a picture:

The girls and I spent yesterday afternoon making cookies and banana bread muffins. Lillie made sure we hid a couple of cookies for Santa because she didn't want Daddy to eat them all. :)

Lillie had her christmas program at preschool last week and I want to post a picture of her and her friend Josiah. (The picture is not really very good. The lighting was not the best for pictures and they turned out really dark. I tried to fix it, but in the process made the eyes a bit creepy.) She did a great job getting up on stage and singing. She keeps telling Alex and me that she is going to marry Josiah. I heard her tell Gracie one day that she wanted to marry Josiah, but they were too young. Josiah's mom said that he came home from preschool and told her that they were getting married too. It is actually really cute, but I try not too encourage it too much, I don't want her already thinking about boys as anything but friends.

I will try to post again before Christmas, but if I don't I want to wish everyone a Merry, Merry Christmas.

Home Sick

This morning Lillie woke up and told Alex she still didn't feel well and wanted to stay home all day. This is a pretty rare occurance. She doesn't seem to be running a fever this morning, but she is still pretty congested. So, I am doing morning service duty and Alex will take the evening service. Lillie does love watching church on the computer and that is actually what we are waiting for.

Alex wanted me to make sure and report that he took the potty chair out of the attic.

3 DAYS 'TIL CHRISTMAS

Today I have actually finished all shopping I plan on doing before Christmas. Although the girls were done for several days, I still needed to get Alex a few more things. Unfortunately for my pocket book that also meant picking up more little items for the girls. It is so hard not to keep buying for them. They are so appreciative when the get something and I love making them happy. Gracie and I made noodles yesterday. I will have to post a picture on here of her. She got flour all over her face. At the same time Lillie and Alex were making a fort in her room that included our portable DVD player. She laid in there and rested and watched movies most of the day. She even fell asleep in there last night.

Gracie is 100% better, but Lillie is still a little under the weather. She is acting more like herself, but just tired. She has ran a low-grade fever for a few days, but I am claiming her healed. I don't want her to miss service tomorrow, or be sick on Christmas. I told Alex, that the only benefit to the girls being sick now, is that they may not be sick on Christmas.

On a non-Christmas note, Gracie has been using the potty. I am pretty excited since I am really not encouraging her. She will come up to me and say she has to pee and then go to the bathroom door. She will go sometimes in the potty, and other times she goes right after put a clean diaper back on her. She also brings me a diaper and lays down when she is wet or dirty. If I could get Alex to remember to take the actually potty chair seat out of the attic it would a bit easier. She is not afraid of the big potty though. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will be potty trained fast.

ONLY 4 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

My Poor Babies

My poor girls. Gracie has been congested the past couple of days and was having a lot of trouble sleeping last night. So, being the mom I am, too tired to keep getting up, I put her in bed with me. About an hour later she woke up vomiting, yes in my bed. As gross as that is, she was really upset because this is the first time she has actually vomited. She has only gotten sick once more about an hour after that. She acts pretty normal now, so I am pretty sure it was just all the drainage through the night.

Lillie didn't act like she felt real great this morning, but we went on to school because this was her Christmas party. She had a lot fun and so did I (this was my day to help). When we got home I gave her some medicine to help her congestion and of course, it is gross tasting, and she puked it right back out, on me. Bless her heart. I did feel bad because I know it is gross, but she normally takes it without a problem. Both are now at the table eating ice pops and getting along.

I do want to say I have my Christmas shopping finished for my girls and I think for all except Alex. He may not get finished until after Christmas, because I hate shopping this close to Christmas. I do have to finish sewing on the patches and embroidery work on Gracie's beanbag chair. Both girls are getting chairs with their names and patches of their favorite characters sewn on.

Well, the ice pops are melting and my kitchen timer is beeping.

my first blog

Well, I took the plunge and am going to start blogging. I love reading my friends blogs and always say I am going to start one, but don't take the time. So today while my girls are cooking me pretend cookies I thought I would get started.

The name of my blog, "Even when the rain falls", comes from a song by one of my new favorite Christian artists - Need To Breathe. The chorus goes: " Even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes; I am washed by the water." This describes how I feel alot of the time. No matter what may happen in my life, I can always count on Christ because by the shedding of His blood, I am washed clean.

I would love to go on and on, but there is a basket of laundry calling my name!