And So this Was Christmas...And What Have You Done...

Santa Claus was kind to the kiddies at Woodland this year. AnnaBelle loves her Encore Elmo and the 4-wheeler, well, that will take some getting used to. She hopped right on it and took off running over the tea table and some boxes. She hasn't been on it since. I think once the ground dries enough on the farm we'll be able to take it outside and she'll roam around discovering her new found freedom.

Nathan received his first bicycle and some ds games, along with a trampoline! I can't wait for it to go up and really have some fun!

The kiddies were amazed at this Santa display at Grandma Jessie's. His belly opens up revealing the household spinning in a circle, sleeping while T'was the Night Before Christmas is recited.

This beautiful woodpecker was rescued by George when he heard his cries coming from the bbq shack. Three of our cats had cornered him behind the refrigerator and were getting ready to pounce on him when George picked him up and placed him about 6 ft clinging to a pine tree. He stayed there, stunned I'm sure, for over 30 minutes until he chirped and climbed up higher into the pine tree.

Yes Christmas 2009 at Woodland was a memorable one of good times, good food, and company, and the reminder of Jesus' birth. Nathan and I went to the candlelight services at the local UMC and I let him take his first communion. His UMC Preschool has taught them the true meaning of Christmas and I was so proud of him doing so well during the hour and 15 minute service.

Miss AB loves her Crayola Beginnings, "Color Me a Song" it's INCREDIBLE!! And so does Mom. Neat toy, second to the Glo Doodle of Nathan's. I could play with that thing for hours.

I leave this post with these words from Ambrose Bierce,

The hardest tumble a man can take is to fall over his own bluff.

Christmas Eve Eve

We've been busy making presents for the grandparents and getting ready for the Big Red Man to make his visit tomorrow night.

We completed out Gingerbread House. Nathan and AnnaBelle ate more of the candy instead of decorating the house, but we completed it and had a wonderful fun-filled afternoon of laughter. Just look at those red mouths from the sprinkles. I told him he could eat it for breakfast tomorrow morning if he wanted to. Hey, it's Christmas week and in this house anything goes!!

We had some measurable snow last Saturday into Sunday so we pulled out the sleds and rode around the fields. This was AnnaBelle's first sleigh ride and she absolutely giggled with glee. When it was time to get off she cried and kicked to stay on. Nathan was excited and screamed to go faster. It was great to have some snow this close to Christmas. A rarity in these parts!!!

"Oh just let me touch this one", and she pulled it off and I haven't found it since. This is the tree I put hallway window upstairs. I let the kids decorate it with whatever they want. Nathan has made some of the decorations and AB enjoys yanking them off!

This little guy can hardly wait for Christmas. He has asked me everyday since school let out whether or not it the that day was Christmas. It's so hard for a 5 year old to comprehend time so I have been telling him how many days he has to go to sleep and somehow it has helped. At last I can tell him in the morning that Santa comes that night!!! I am super excited too because we got a huge 15' enclosed trampoline that I can't wait to jump on with Nathan. And there is laser tag to play, treasures to find around the farm with his new metal detector along with tea parties and baby dolls for AnnaBelle to play with. Christmas is such a beautiful time of year and I am instilling in Nathan that the true meaning is the birth of Jesus. His preschool has thoroughly explained the birth of Jesus Christ and I am hoping for him to take his first communion tomorrow night.

Going on a Trip

We traveled to Williamsburg the past weekend and stayed at my m-i-l's timshare condo.
Our ferry ride over was a little bumpy from a windy day. AB rode with me while Nathan rode with his Grandma and Calli.

We visited the President's Park on Friday. Quite an interesting place. I have seen it from Rt. 199 over the years and have always wanted to stop there. We didn't stay long because of the cold but it was fun. Nathan is standing beside Ronald Reagan in this pic.

And of course by his favorite President of all, George Washington. Just look at that admirable grin!

Christmas Town at Busch Gardens made its debut this year and by all accounts it is a huge success. Over a million lights throughout the park and various displays of igloos, every color Christmas tree you could imagine and this big snowman located in France. We will definitely do this again next year because I want to take in some shows and maybe make a reservation to eat dinner with the Big Man!

After 5 years of not even getting close to Santa, this year Nathan vowed to me he was going to do it. He kept his promise and wasn't hesitant at all, walking right up to him and sitting on his lap. I was so proud of him when he told Santa what he wanted and he included asking for a trampoline for his Mommy! Thanks Boo! Afterwards he told me, "Give me a high 5 Mom, I did it!" Yes you did my little man, you are growing up so quickly before my eyes.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

When my parents moved from Virginia Beach back to Franklin in 1991, they decided to decorate the top of the baby grand with a Christmas Village each Christmas. The first batch of the grandchildren were very small and they adored looking at what Nanny and Papa had added the 14 years it was displayed. And they would buy a different piece every Christmas.

Back in 2005 my Mother asked me if I wanted to inherit the village. I was speechless! Nathan was born the year before and most of the grandchildren had grown older and they just didn't have the desire to drag the heavy boxes down from the attic in the last few years. At that time my Mom was 74, my Dad, 77. Yes I was speechless because I couldn't believe I was given the honor of carrying on the tradition.

I set it up for the first time in 2005 and could never duplicate the beautiful likeness my parents put into it. There was once a working ice rink, a train and street lights, but over time they puttered out. In 2006 I hesitantly decided to display it but my Mom talked me into it and said how much Nathan would enjoy the village at night. That Christmas Mom was so sick and it wasn't much celebrating deep down in my heart. But display I did and Nathan gazed at the lights and city in amazement. She was right, she was always right.

The Christmas of 2007 was extremely tough on the family. The first one without Mom and she LOVED Christmas, went all out decorating the house and it was always fun to find out where the movable cardboard Santa was displayed in the house. I thought long and hard about pulling the village out, but out it came, but not every piece left the box. With the birth of AnnaBelle in 2008 I again put up some of the village, enough to satisfy the children's curiosity.

This year I have included the entire village and we added our first piece this Christmas. Nathan picked out this family sledding, telling me it reminded him of his family with him driving the sled. I lovingly put the date on the bottom as my parents did on every piece. And this year there is such a joy I feel when I see the village. The children being a little older are marveling at it's tiny features and glowing lights.

I love my Christmas Village and I love the fact that I am carrying on a tradition started by my beautiful loving parents and one day I hope one of my children will set it up and remember the fun times of Christmas' past with us and start some more beautiful memories of their own.