Christmas, Part Two

After our presents were opened, we headed outside for fun in the snow!  Our first White Christmas since... well... a long time!

This is the only picture of Robbie smiling.  Poor 'lil guy wore himself out real quick with the snow being up past his knees in most areas.

We all love icicles!

I always take pictures of our pond behind our house in every season.  It's so serene to me, most especially on cold, frozen nights when the moonlight is reflecting on it.  I will just stand at my kitchen garden window and gaze at the beauty of what seems to be a sea of diamonds.  It sparkles so effortlessly, so magically.

We head out down our little country road...

Having a little snow snack

The big kids found a little hill to tumble down.  It didn't look very fun to me, but they sure enjoyed it so that's all that matters.  They tried to get me to join them-- I politely told them that is something a Momma shouldn't do.  They didn't understand this.  I didn't either... it was the first thing that came to my mind.

I adore my neighbor's log cabin.  It's so dauntless as it sits high on a hill with massive boulders underneath it.  It's a beautiful spread no matter what time of year you see it.

We enjoy our little country road all year long.  The bridge and creek make up for what we are lacking in acreage for the kids to run and play in.  Of course, the most fun time of year to be at the creek is in the summer when the craw dads are out and about.

Just because a Momma shouldn't tumble down a hill doesn't mean a Momma can't have any fun!  My husband grabbed the camera and practically took a still video with all the pics he snapped of me making a snow angel.  The real humor came when I was trying to figure out how to get up without messing it up.  Don't worry; I'll spare you the rear end shots!

Unlike most normal people who head straight for the fireplace and hot chocolate after being out in the cold, we head for the snow ice cream!

I was extremely excited when I discovered the recipe a few months back.  As a child, I fondly remember ending my Christmas Eve with a batch of snow ice cream.  Over the years, my family had forgotten the ingredients.  It has a home-made ice cream taste to it, yet there is something special about it that I just can't put into words.  I so enjoyed making this treat for my kids (and they enjoyed it too!).

How fun it was to have a white Christmas... To take our time with no worries to the clock... To not rush here, rush there, rush everywhere... To truly enjoy each other the way God intended for us to.

I am grateful for a fun and loving family that I enjoy and desire to spend my time with making wonderful memories that will last our lifetime!

Christmas, Part One

Well, the Christmas tree and decorations are all taken down and put away.  My house is once again clean... finally!  Christmas 2009 was definitely a Christmas to remember!

I had to work Christmas Eve till 2:30 PM.  The original plan was for me to come home, throw everything and everyone into the Suburban and head to my parent's house in MO for Christmas with my family.  As I was walking out to my car, I was sliding everywhere on the wet pavement.  Then when I reached my car and it was covered in ice, I called home and broke the bad news that we weren't heading out in this ice.  It was dry when I went to work that morning.  It started to rain early morning and by that afternoon, it was sleeting.  By 9:00 that evening-- everything was covered in snow, the Governor had called a state of emergency and major interstates were closed down.  Tulsa, OK was receiving a third blizzard in its 25 year history!  I had never been in a blizzard.  I didn't know what it was.  I'm here to tell you that I am so fortunate that we stayed home that night in a warm and safe home!  I kept thinking about my co-workers that were still at work, hoping they made it home okay.  It was neat to watch it, but scary to think of the people that were stuck in it.  It looked like smoke just blowing all around...

The drifts were huge!  We got 8" of snow, but some of the drifts were almost as tall as my 4 year old!

That night was only the second time in my life that I had been away from my family at Christmas Eve.  The other time was because of snow and ice storms.

I was deeply saddened.  I sent them pictures of our blizzard.  I called a few times to talk and hear all the fun that was going on.  Rich told me that when we were able to get out, we would head up there and stay a few days.  That made it easier, but I knew it wasn't the same.  When our family gets together to celebrate Christmas-- it is a celebration!  There are 6 kids + 4 spouses, 19 grandkids + 11 spouses, and 23 great-grandkids... with 2 more on the way!!!  Including my parents, that makes the sum of our immediate family 65!  Soon to be 67!  When my parents built their most recent house, a huge basement was planned for all the family gatherings because that was the only place to hold us all.  My Mom insists that she sees everyone open their presents.  Since she's the matriarch, we oblige.  But the past couple of years we had to change it up since it was taking 3+ hours to watch presents being opened.  Would you believe it never, ever got old for me??  I would continue that, but my sisters say enough is enough!  So now we go two at a time opening presents.  It's cut down to a little over two hours.  But, oh what joy!!  I LOVE Christmas madness with my family!

Christmas morning, we woke at 9 AM.  I wish I could say that we have a nice, big breakfast or even a muffin, cinnamon roll tradition... but we don't.  Our tradition is to skip breakfast and head straight for the presents!  I am just as bad as the kids!  Lol!

Blurry, but the only picture I have of my favorite gifts of all time...

In a nutshell, that is how we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  I'll be back later with the rest of the story of our Christmas.

I'm extremely grateful that I belong to such a large family that loves, gives, cares and serves God!

Even though ALL Christmas plans were shattered, I believe this Christmas of 2009 was a most memorable and enjoyable holiday for me and my family!