Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas 2008


Christmas Card 2008
What a wonderful Christmas! We celebrated with a trip to Bowie, trip to Mimi's (Bedford) and a trip to Arkansas. We were all over the place! The boys really enjoyed every aspect of Christmas and loved saying "Happy Birthday Jesus!" Jonah asked for super heroes, in particular, a "big Batman". Carson asked for a big boy bike and Creed, well Creed didn't ask for much! We enjoyed all of the festivities, and even set out yummy cookies for Santa and reindeer food for his reindeer. Fun!


Carson's Christmas Party at School


Christmas Morning

Carson and his Big Boy Bike
Jonah and his Big Batman


T and Alan at Mimi's House
Mr. Creed

Mom and Creed
Giggly Creed
At the Grider Christmas, Uncle Jay, Aunt Nola, Uncle Ronnie, Daddy, Aunt Judy

Jonah and Carson with cousins Aaron and Luke

Carson on the John Deere

Jonah's turn!

Jonah and Carson with "Little Paul"

T and Creed at Mimi's

Mimi with the boys on Christmas morning

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Creed's Baby Dedication

We have dedicated each of our boys to the Lord. By "dedicating" we mean proclaiming before the church congregation that we will raise your children in the eyes of the Lord. We are asking the congregation as well as the Lord to grant us grace and wisdom as we raise our children in a Christian home, with hopes that they may one day proclaim Jesus Christ as their Savior. Talk about a big job! It's one that Rusty and I don't take lightly...


Deuteronemy 6:4-7 The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength. 6 These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, 7 and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.

I'm always nervous about the older boys' behavior, and asking them to walk on stage in front of hundreds of people and "stand still" and "be quiet" and "stop hitting each other", it was quite a hoot. At one point I just stopped caring what we looked like and really tried to soak in what the pastor was saying as he prayed over our family. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of comfort and joy. What a blessing it is to be a mother!


As the ceremony progressed, Creed was getting a little squirmy. He didn't cry though - good boy! We ended everything and walked off of the stage to find that Creed had "christened" his nice, Saks Fifth Avenue outfit. And, me being the crazy Mom trying to get everyone put together and looking nice, didn't pack another outfit for him. So, he spent the rest of church wrapped up in a blanket with nothing but a diaper and socks on. :) Memories...
Pops and Mimi with Creed

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Happy Birthday Mimi!

We headed to Mimi's house to celebrate her birthday. The boys enjoyed creating their annual gingerbread house with Mimi. She loves making it but always sends it home with us...some of the gum drops mysteriously disappeared over the next few days...weird...


Creed and Dad


Mimi opening her Christmas plate for us.

Mimi and the boys...this year they made a gingerbread train instead of a gingerbread house.



Mom watching the "masterpiece" unfold...(Carson took this picture)

Monday, December 1, 2008

Fun with Friends

We enjoyed some Christmas festivities with friends this year. We visited Santa at a tree lighting ceremony in Murphy, attended playgroup at the Barretto's, many parks etc. Here are some pics that we wanted to share...

One funny story. When we attended the Murphy Tree Lighting Ceremony we arrived just before Santa did. It was exciting - the boys could hear the fire engine's sirens (Santa arrived hanging on to the side of the engine) and were sooooo excited. Jonah looked at me and said, "MOM - It's SANTA!!!!" With all of the commotion (Creed crying due to the sirens, Carson and Madeline running to see Santa on the fire truck, Jonah jumping up and down and me fumbling for my camera), I lost sight of Jonah. Santa was making his way to the Christmas tree where there was a long line waiting already to sit in his lap. I'm looking through the sea of people, shouting Jonah's name. After a few attempts I started to panic. I asked the other moms to keep an eye on Creed and Carson and I set out to find Jonah. I wound through the line looking at all of the little kids frozen faces, none of which belonged to my sweet curly-headed boy! As I reached the front of the line, I see Jonah walking towards me from Santa. I said, "Jonah sweetie where did you go? Mommy couldn't find you and I was scared." He said, "Mom, but it's SANTA!" And there you have it, a little boy's mystical view of the man in a red suit at Christmas time. Oh to be young again! A reporter followed Jonah up to me and said, "Is this your little boy? What's his name? He just followed Santa straight to his seat and plopped right down in his lap, bypassing the line of people. We'd like to put his picture in the paper." Needless to say, we never saw his picture in the paper, but this story is one I will never forget! :)

Jonah looking frantically for Santa


Carson and Madeline excited about seeing Santa

Playgroup friends at the Murphy Christmas Tree Lighting


Jonah with Hannah at the Playgroup Christmas Party


Buddies: Evan, Creed and Graham