With our church we participated in the Christmas parade in downtown. Our church had a float called "It's Christmas in Any Language." The kids dressed up as people from different countries and they walked beside the float with the manger scene on it. Brazos and the other littlest church members were part of the nativity since they couldn't walk along side the float. Brazos was Joseph!
We also helped with Christmas caroling to the shut-in members of our congregation, which Brazos and Sandy slept through most of it, so mainly I just drove around and waited in my car hoping they would wake up for the next stop. Of course, they woke up to go eat pizza afterwards!
Our little family went to see the live nativity out in Independence on December 17th.
December 23rd the kids participated in the annual Christmas program. They were both sheep. Brazos was supposed to be a shepherd but his teacher said that he refused to get dressed, so she just through a sheep smock over him. At practice he did so good and sat in his spot. During the program he acted like a bucking bull in the middle of the floor. Oh well, that's what you call entertainment, right?
Brazos's class at school invited the parents to come and watch the kids play instruments and sing carols. I was a proud mommy watching my little man play the tamborine. He didn't do much singing, but he had lots of fun. Afterwards, we all drank some hot chocolate. Yum!
Sandy rode on the school's float in the Christmas parade. The theme of their float was "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" She did so well keeping her party hat on, but mommy didn't do so well keeping Sandy in her lap. She wanted to stand or crawl and by the end she was screaming from me trying to confine her. Good times!
On Christmas Eve we celebrated with my husband's family. Brazos and he cousin Cody were so cute eating dinner at their own little table. Afterwards, they were excited to open presents and play with new toys. Sandy loved her first Christmas and did a fabulous job prancing around the house in her tutu. She even sat in her rocking chair to drink her milk. Having a little girl in the house among all those little boys is so much fun!
Before we left the house, Brazos and I placed Santa's magical key and some cookies at the front door. We also sprinkled some reindeer food of oats and glitter in the yard so Santa could find our house. Mainly mommy did all these things, because Brazos had just woken up from a nap. He watched me with a snarl on his face. He could have been the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at that moment.
Christmas morning Brazos was the first to crawl out of bed. I told him to go look under the tree to see if Santa had left him any presents. He went to check and said his usual, "Yaeh." So he ran to wake daddy and Sandy up. Daddy got up with ease, but Sandy wasn't very happy to have her brother yelling at her first thing in the morning. Once we were all fully awake, the tearing of wrapping paper began. Brazos did such a good job helping his little sister open her gifts, too. I think they were pleased with Santa. Santa even ate their cookies and left them a note with two new ornaments for their tree!
My family came over for a quick Christmas breakfast before we ventured off to the big family Christmas with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Another round of gift exchanging commenced and Santa brought Brazos one last gift. It was a John Deere Gator just his size sitting outside on the sidewalk. Santa wrapped it in a big white sheet and Brazos really didn't understand what to do, so Aunt Emilie helped him lift the sheet. He quickly hopped in and spun off. And around and around he went!
That morning I baked some cupcakes and Brazos and I sang "Happy Birthay" to Jesus before we dug in and devoured the sweetness.
Next it was off to Great Granny's house. We ate lunch and played Chinese Christmas. I took an idea off of Pinterest - "It's Raining Money!" Uncle Veryl was the perfect person to open that gift.
My grandma, mother, me and Sandy all took a four generation photo. It isn't the best of us, but it captures how beautifully imperfect we are. And there a sweet moment when Sandy laid her head on her Papa's shoulder.
Some other memories we made this season were building a gingerbread house together. It turned out disasterfully cute! One wall was caved in and the icing dripped all over the place but I loved it! We made it look like some cars had crashed into the house. That's why the wall was caved in, not because the builders made it like that {wink}.
I walked in Brazos room night and saw him standing on his stool just admiring his Christmas tree. It was a sweet moment.
We gave my Grandma Lyles and ornament of a dove with a note that read, "If we could fly over here every day to play with you, we would. Love, Brazos and Sandy"
I saw a field of tall grass and always like how pictures looked in it, so we stopped to take a picture. Sandy didn't like the idea. Her face tells it all. But she liked the idea of visiting Santa in Independence.
Merry Christmas to all and may there be Peace on Earth!
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