What a wonderful time of the year!! My all time favorite Christmas picture of the 2 kids this year... Thank you Mike!!
Eli started the month off in style, sporting the Santa hat and "Ho, Ho, Ho"ing around the house. Lael soon picked it up... and began her favorite saying of "Ho, Ho, Ho" every time she sees anything Christmasy:) Here she is at the beginning and toward the end of the season. Amazing how much she has changed during this month!
Decorating this year was pretty nice. The weather was amazingly warm around Thanksgiving, so we went out and hung the lights. (Or rather, Tim did:))
Here is Eli- in full turn out gear- "helping" Daddy put up lights- or fight the fire- whichever comes first:0)
Eli's project to disguise a gingerbread man for school turned out pretty cool this year:)
Tim had to work Thanksgiving day, so I loaded up the kids and we went to PA to visit with my family for the holiday. We were able to have lunch with Rick, Tara and the girls before they headed out, and we were all able to "Google" together. (picture SKYPE- only different:) Charity and Brian were able to share some good news with everyone- so nice to be able to be together.
Loved watching Eli and Dad playing the Wii together:)
Gingerbread house decorating day was on a day that Tim worked this year. Amazingly enough, those were the only days I didn't work in December! So I was able to go and help in Eli's class that day. Thank you, Mamaw, for staying with Lael so we could have this special time together. How fun to watch the creativity flow and be able to be a part of it. Ah the sweet, sweet, sugar laden memories!!
I started a tradition of sewing the kids hand prints on the tree skirt the first year Eli was home. Lael got to take part in this tradition this year... Eli captured Tim and I both placing her handprints on the fabric... Fun times!! How special this tree skirt is becoming as I look back at 5 handprints for Eli and the first for Lael. Time is moving forward so rapidly!!
Tim's Christmas party at Whitehall was so much fun this year. They had a bounce house for the kids and Santa showed up with an early gift for each little girl and boy!!
Lael wasn't too sure what to think of this fellow in Red...
But she did blow him a kiss and try to give him "five" once she was safe in my arms again.
Amazingly enough, Santa also comes to the Fire Department at Newton, our local fire department. Eli is quite enthralled with him...
Lael, on the other hand, didn't want to sit very long with him.
Tim took the kids out several times... because a few days later... WE HAD SNOW!!! Real live, honest to goodness snow!! Love this pic of Lael!
Eli walked around during the day saying under his breath, "I knew it!! I knew he was real!!"
We read our nativity story, opened gifts, had breakfast and bid adieu to Daddy who had to work that day. So sweet- Savoring time together.
Thursday morning saw us heading back to Columbus for a followup with Lael's Dr. The final conclusion from the beginning of December seems to have hit the nail on the head. The medication has almost completely cleared her face. We are thanking God!!!!
The nurse came in to do the final report carrying a big box with a babydoll with a carrier and lots of stuff with it. She explained that they fight over who gets to come in and check her out as she has stolen all of their hearts as well. It is very touching to see how much she is loved... not only by her immediate family, but by all whom she comes in contact with!!
Here she is on the way home, she fell asleep lovingly holding the baby.
We left from Columbus to go to Mom and Dad's in PA. Eli's favorite stop (unless we are able to stop at Cabella's, of course) is the PA Welcome center. He loves the bear in the welcome center. Here is the gang, all saying, "Ho, Ho, Ho!!" due to the hat on the bear. Lael says it with much gusto!!
So funny!!
Here she is playing with the baby the nurses at Children's hospital gave her:)
Ahhhh... the cousins... They had fun playing together:)
Opening gifts was a fun time... Mom made an amazing quilt for Lael, with a miniature matching one for the crib and baby she had for Lael. Lael loves to rock the crib and kiss and feed the baby. I love watching her. I can't help but be amazed at how instinctual mothering is to women. I watch her with the baby and she really mothers it. I can't help but wonder if she ever had that type of attention during the first year of her life. So thankful to have her here in my arms!!
Lael discovered finger painting, and decided she loves it!!
Tim and Eli brought in the new year constructing one of the Lego projects Eli got for Christmas. I thank God continually for such a great Husband and Father He has given us!
And then, back to work. Lael gets so excited to see me... she jumps up and down (without feet ever leaving the ground:)) and runs into my arms as soon as I walk in the door. She especially loves to pull my name badge on the cord:) So incredibly cool!
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Eli started the month off in style, sporting the Santa hat and "Ho, Ho, Ho"ing around the house. Lael soon picked it up... and began her favorite saying of "Ho, Ho, Ho" every time she sees anything Christmasy:) Here she is at the beginning and toward the end of the season. Amazing how much she has changed during this month!
Here is Eli- in full turn out gear- "helping" Daddy put up lights- or fight the fire- whichever comes first:0)
Eli's project to disguise a gingerbread man for school turned out pretty cool this year:)
Tim had to work Thanksgiving day, so I loaded up the kids and we went to PA to visit with my family for the holiday. We were able to have lunch with Rick, Tara and the girls before they headed out, and we were all able to "Google" together. (picture SKYPE- only different:) Charity and Brian were able to share some good news with everyone- so nice to be able to be together.
Loved watching Eli and Dad playing the Wii together:)
Tim's Christmas party at Whitehall was so much fun this year. They had a bounce house for the kids and Santa showed up with an early gift for each little girl and boy!!
On our way home, we stopped at a huge Nativity set up in Columbus. The kids were very excited... and I captured them on the new Ipad Mini Tim got for Christmas:)
We had a bit more snow the next day... and I actually had that Saturday off before Christmas... so, the kids opened an early Christmas present, and had new snowsuits!! We walked out to the main road to get the mail and send out the last few Christmas cards- pulling Lael on the sled, and then back. Boy did that wear us out!! Lael only lasted a little while longer... but Eli had a ton of fun when Wesley came up and he and Eli sledded down the front hill for a while.
Christmas Eve finally arrived!! I placed a few gifts under the tree to open early that evening...after I got home from work... and found out from Tim while I was at work that Lael had opened her gift early... she made a beeline and ripped that paper right off... thank goodness it was her gift she opened:)
We went to Mamaw and Papaw's for dinner and then to church for the early family service. It was really nice. Lael wanted to capture the flame on the candle, but ended up settling for looking at it. Eli sang most of the carols, much to my delight!! Oh my, how these precious children are growing!!
We went back to Mamaw and Papaw's for a lovely night of family time and opening presents. I was so thankful we were able to get a family photo all together. Best part about the holidays- the importance of spending time together... and, as Eli says, celebrating Baby Jesus' birthday!!
We came home that night and Eli asked if we could set up the video camera and tape the living room all night long so he could see Santa come in. We explained that the battery wouldn't last that long, but offered to set up the camera on motion activated instead?
The next morning, Lael was the first awake. I wakened the others soon after, knowing that she would have all the gifts opened if they didn't wake soon. Eli came down, and we checked the camera. I wasn't sure what we would find, but, lo and behold!!! This is what we saw on our camera!! We caught Santa putting Lael's gift under the tree!
We read our nativity story, opened gifts, had breakfast and bid adieu to Daddy who had to work that day. So sweet- Savoring time together.
The nurse came in to do the final report carrying a big box with a babydoll with a carrier and lots of stuff with it. She explained that they fight over who gets to come in and check her out as she has stolen all of their hearts as well. It is very touching to see how much she is loved... not only by her immediate family, but by all whom she comes in contact with!!
Here she is on the way home, she fell asleep lovingly holding the baby.
We left from Columbus to go to Mom and Dad's in PA. Eli's favorite stop (unless we are able to stop at Cabella's, of course) is the PA Welcome center. He loves the bear in the welcome center. Here is the gang, all saying, "Ho, Ho, Ho!!" due to the hat on the bear. Lael says it with much gusto!!
So funny!!
What a lovely time with the whole Fox family!! 2 new additions this
year. It was so nice to meet Miss Vera Mae!! Sooo very nice to be able to
see everyone and spend time with family!
We stayed a bit longer with Mom and Dad and said goodbye to 2012... by sled riding as a family!! Oh what fun!! Great to welcome in the new year with family all around! I did find that it has been way too long since I've had carefree fun in the snow. What a blast we had all together that day!
And then, back to work. Lael gets so excited to see me... she jumps up and down (without feet ever leaving the ground:)) and runs into my arms as soon as I walk in the door. She especially loves to pull my name badge on the cord:) So incredibly cool!
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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