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Hallie & Abby's programs

Happy New Year! As you can see, I am a little behind on posting anything for Christmas, so I am going to try to catch up on all of it in a series of little blogs beginning with this one! This past month was very busy as I am sure it has been for all of you as well. For us it included various Christmas parties, Christmas programs, Christmas at the Moseley's, Christmas at our house, Christmas with the Stewart's, my birthday, Christmas basketball tournament, and two bouts of nasty colds. Rewinding back to before Christmas, here are some adorable pictures from Hallie's Christmas Chapel. I tried uploading Abby's pictures, too, but it wouldn't let me for some reason. Anyway, wasn't my little angel precious?

Hallie receiving her halo from Mrs. Sims.


Hallie and Jordie

Mary a.k.a. Kennedy with Hallie

Lilly's Christmas Program

In my last blog I wrote how my baby girl was going to have her final Mother's Day Out Christmas program on Thursday. She did such a good job despite having a kid screaming and crying on one side of her and the class clown on the other side of her. As I watched her stand up there and sing, all the memories of past programs came flooding back to me, and I have to admit, I did tear up a bit. Afterall, we have been coming to these for the past six years. I have seen Abby and Hallie graduate up to "big school", and just today I filled out the registration form for my Lilly to move up as well. It has gone by fast.

Last MDO Christmas program.

Thursday morning will mark our very last Mother's Day Out Christmas program to have to attend. We have been attending every year since 2004 when Abby was first in the program. What sweet memories of their little hand and foot painted white sweatshirts decorated as wreaths, Christmas trees, and reindeer. I have each girls collection of sweatshirts from the time they wore onesies on up. I will keep them forever! As a mom of three, I have to say the first and last children are the toughest ones emotionally because your firstborn is the one you experience every "first", with first. Then the last one is the one you experience every "last" with.... last diapers, last bottles, last music programs. I do find myself hanging on to Lilly a little bit more because it is hard to let go of them being babies. Don't get me wrong, I don't long for the days of bottles, diapers, spit-up, and sleepless nights. I am SO GLAD those days are behind me. But I am realizing what everyone says is true... they grow up so fast. Here's a look back at the past five years of Mother's Day Out Christmas music programs.

2004 Abby's first program. She was in Connie's class, and they sang "Jingle Bells". (She's standing behind the little boy in front.)

2005 She was in Mrs. Mindy's class. Can't remember what they sang. Maybe Rudolph or Santa Claus is coming to town?

Same year. Josh & Abby.

2006. We had Abby, Hallie, and Lilly. Abby would have been in the program this year.

2007 Abby is now in 4K. Hallie is in the program, sings Jingle Bells.

2008 Abby is in 5K. Hallie & Lilly both are in music program. Hallie's class sings Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Thursday I will have one more picture to add to the collection. Sweet memories.

10th Annual Lady Owls Christmas Party

Every Christmas for the past ten years we have had Justin's senior high team over for a Christmas party. I cannot believe we have been doing it that long! Our first year was in our little apartment. The next nine have been at our house. We always have such a good time, and now Abby, Hallie, and Lilly really look forward to it. They had been asking for at least a week when daddy's team was coming over. It's strange to think that in the next ten years, our girls will be part of the Lady Owls. Time sure does fly by! You know, people ask me if I would rather Justin coach boys than girls, and I can honestly say NO!! Maybe his very first year I might have felt that way, but ever since I have loved the fact that he coaches girls! I love getting to know the girls each year, and it is always sad when they graduate. Justin is so good at being a girls coach, too. I believe that is a calling, and he has the patience and attitude to be a great girls coach. He is a wonderful example of a godly Christian man, father, husband, and coach. Some of these girls might not have that example, otherwise.

Lots of good food!






Can you tell Abby wanted to be in every picture?












INAPPROPRIATE! :)


Opening his gift from the team.


Surprise! His team bought him an IPOD touch!


Carmyn, Savannah, & Erin showing us how to use the i-touch.


The traditional picture on the couch!


Goofy picture!

Justin and his one senior, Erin Miller! She has been such a blessing to have to our team! What a great job she has done this year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS LADY OWLS!!

Cute frames!

I just had to post the pictures of the Christmas gifts we had made for Justin's team. Our church music director's daughter-in-law makes hand-painted picture frames and other gifts. I had seen some of her work in pictures Barbi had shown me. This year I decided to get each member of Justin's team one. Aren't they adorable? I am typing up their team verse to put in each frame, but, of course, they can place whatever picture they want to in it when they get home! Even though you may never read this, thanks Amy!! I LOVE THEM!!

How it looks with the team verse:

Christmas Parade

Today was our town's Christmas parade. They always have it on a Sunday afternoon. Where I grew up the Christmas parade was usually either a Monday or Tuesday night, so it's kinda weird having it during the day. Our church always does a float. The past two years Abby has been "Mary", but this year she didn't have a specific role, so she got to ride on the float with Lilly and myself. Hallie was an angel along with Emma and Callie. It was COLD!!! But, it wouldn't be right if it were warm. Christmas and Christmas parades are supposed to be cold..... sorry Jennifer and all you heat loving Texans! :) We were bundled up with our layered clothing, gloves, hats, etc. It was fun, and the girls had a good time waving to everyone and saying "Merry Christmas!". However, Lilly grew weary of telling people Merry Christmas. Toward the end of the parade when I would tell her to say Merry Christmas she would say in a very loud and frustrated tone, "I don't want to tell those people Merry Christmas ANYMORE!". What a grinch!

Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and the Angels hanging out in the back of a pickup truck!

A trio of angels. Really.

Mrs. Mary arranging baby Jesus.

The "Christ"mas express!

Abby & Mommy

Lilly having a good time.

Three wise men. One of them look familiar? And their gifts.... "finkinstinch" (how Hallie used to say frankenscence), myrrh, and a spray painted brick.

And no Christmas parade is complete without Santa and Mrs. Claus. Nice ride, Santa!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

One of our favorite things to do over the Thanksgiving break is to put up our Christmas decorations. Now I am not one of "those people" who put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving... that's just wrong. You cannot celebrate two holidays at the same time. However, the moment the leftover turkey is in the fridge, I make Justin climb up into the attic and drag down all of the Christmas decor. We really look forward to it, and have made it a Thanksgiving evening tradition pretty much since we've been married. The girls are beginning to accumulate quite a collection of ornaments between those made at school, the ones stitched by Granny, and the ones from Aunt Nancy. Therefore, last year as we were taking the ornaments off the tree, I bought each one of them a plastic tub and used my handy dandy label maker to label each one with their names. Then this year when we brought down ornaments, they each had their own box with their own personal ornaments in them. They got such a kick out of opening their boxes and hanging their special treasures on the Christmas tree!

Also, last year was the dreaded year when Abby finally asked if we could have Chrismas lights on our house. So, we took the girls to Wal-Mart and let them pick out which kind they wanted. Mistake #1. Of course they picked out the rainbow colored icicle lights that Justin and I always used to think were so ugly and tacky on everyone else's house. I mean, have you ever seen rainbow colored icicles? Well, being the good parents we are, we let them have the rainbow colored icicle lights. The year before we had purchased a giant inflatable Mickey Mouse for the front yard. Every year around Thanksgiving, the girls ask when we are going to "blow up Mickey Mouse". Not soon enough.


Brave daddy on the roof hanging lights!

Mickey Mouse blowed up! This picture was taken by Lilly. He must look enormous to her!

Sorting through the ornament boxes..

Hallie showing us her favorite ornament. It changes every hour.

Stockings for Jesus, Daddy, Mommy, Roger (our dog), Abby, Hallie, and Lilly

We put money in Jesus' stocking throughout the month, and then at the end of December, it is given to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering at church. The girls hit up anybody who comes to our house over Christmas for money! Last year at Justin's team party, Abby did cartwheels and the girls paid her money to put in Jesus' stocking. :)

Finally, our Christmas photo session.