It's hard to believe Christmas was already one week ago! We had a great time celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus, with family and friends. On Christmas Eve, Papa, Uncle Cory, Auntie Chrissy, Uncle Terry and our friend Rochelle joined us for church, then lots of delicious food and fun back at home. Chrissy has celebrated with our family for the last four years (before kids and when we still had Christmas at my Dad's house). Terry joined us three years ago when Chrissy and Terry started dating. This year, Rochelle, one of the student athletes we have the privilege working with on campus, joined us! And of course, it was Ella's very first Christmas. Our hearts and home were full of true Christmas Spirit!
Abby had been counting down to this night for weeks and was thrilled when her and Sissy were finally allowed to put on their beautiful dresses Nagymama had sent. They looked like beautiful little Christmas dolls!
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| Thank you, Nagymama! |
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| our family |
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| Chrissy and Terry |
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| friends since the 7th grade! Wow! Abby loves Aunt Chrissy. | | |
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| Abby's beautiful fur coat made with love by Nagymama. |
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| beautiful! |
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| opening fun gifts. |
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| Christmas eve tradition: making a birthday cake for Jesus and singing Happy Birthday to Him! |
On Christmas morning, Abby woke up and came out of her room without remembering what morning it was. It made the look on her face even better when she saw the Christmas tree and gifts. She went from groggy and moody to jumping up and down and squealing with excitement. She ran into her Daddy yelling, "Daddy! Daddy! It's Christmastime! It's Christmastime! Come look!"
We really try to savor the morning by starting with stockings, taking a break to enjoy breakfast and then giving each other gifts. This year, we had a waffle bar for breakfast. While Joe and I made breakfast, Papa and Abby worked on her new puzzle.
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| puzzle with Papa |
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| Wake up, Uncle Cory! It's Christmas morning! |
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| Ella checking out her new baby doll. |
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| Abby's big surprise gift: a new dollhouse. Her reaction when she opened it..."Oh my GOODNESS!" |
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| Christmas morning with my girls |
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| Neens! |
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| Christmas morning |
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| watching the Polar Express with Uncle Cory |
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"Say cheese, Abby!" "No, you say cheese, Mommy!"
Abby got her very own digital camera from Papa. |
Grandma and Casey came over for a Christmas dinner of hor d'oeuvres that afternoon. We finished it off with a little taste of Hungary for dessert with my Dad's Palacsinta. Delicious! Abby eagerly helped Grandma open all of her gifts and finished out Christmas snuggling with Grandma on the couch while watching a movie.
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| "What about me guys?" |
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| Abby stuck a ball in her shirt and told Grandma the baby was going to come out soon, so to get ready for the hospital. Sweet girl always leaving us laughing. |
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| Christmas tradition: coloring in a new Christmas coloring book with Grandma |
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The very next morning, we were up early to finish packing up for our Christmas trip to Grammy and G-Diddy's house. We had one more Christmas celebration to get to. Everyone was ready to get moving nice and early, except Joe who made us work really hard to get him out of bed.
A five hour drive and lots of traffic later, we were so glad to arrive and celebrate Christmas with our Cassel family. It was a full house which gave us lots of opportunities to spend time with everyone: Nana, Uncle John, Aunt Cyncy, Grammy, G-Diddy, Uncle Brad, Aunt Alex, Uncle Tommy and Tori. We even had a chance to visit with Joe's cousins, Jack and Robbie (or as Abby lovingly refers to him, Robin).
When we arrived, Abby didn't even go looking for gifts, she just wanted to find Miss Mouse in the clock, find Grammy's dolls upstairs and play chess with G-Diddy. That was until she saw a big gift covered with a sheet in the corner. She didn't try to uncover it. She sat on it. She asked other people to sit on it with her. She bounced on it a bit. When she finally opened her gift from Uncle Brad and Aunt Alex, she was thrilled to find a trampoline. No one had to teach her how to use it.
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| hanging out with Aunt Alex |
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| Ella adores her Nana. She was so content spending lots of time in Nana's lap. |
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| Uncle Tommy & Tori |
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| precious moments. |
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| Abby's fireside concert |
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| snuggling. |
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| playtime with Grammy |
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| Greeley couldn't miss out on the action. |
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| G-Diddy introducing Abby to the world of the Hess truck. |
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| Abby & Tori |
With an unexpected snowstorm in the forecast, we decided to cut out visit short a day to make sure we weren't driving home in snow. Sad to go, but so thankful for our special time together.
We enjoyed many blessings this Christmas season. I'm grateful that Christmas isn't just about a visit from Santa in our house. We celebrate Jesus. We celebrate the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. We celebrate true hope and great love. We celebrate peace. That celebration doesn't stop because it's December 26th. It may be time to take down our beautiful Christmas tree and sweep away the buckets of pine needles that have invaded our living room, but we continue to celebrate year round the merciful gift of Jesus in our lives. We received a Christmas card this year with a quote I want to continue to meditate on throughout the year.
He came not to a throne, but to a manger.
He lived not as a king, but as a servant.
He chose not a kingdom, but a cross.
He gave not just a little , but everything.
~Holley Gerth
He is worthy of all our praise! Praying that in the year of 2013 many would find joy in the gift of Jesus who has the power to change lives forever.
