Christmas, parties for hosting.

Excuse me internet for my transgressions.  It has been 10 months since my last blog post. :)  Life has obviously been full in 2019, and though 2020 may be no different I do plan to try and get back to doing things I want to a little bit more.  So for now let's start with a recap on our most lovely Christmas, and if I have time maybe I'll go back and plug in the wholes of our bigger moments from last year. 

Since I last wrote we have moved into a new house after almost a year of looking and hunting and praying God placed us right where he wanted us to be.  With this home he has given us the space to play host to the people he has lovingly placed in our life. 

We had the sweetest blessing of hosting our family for our annual Martin cookie party.  It was truly a day of miracles as we ALL got to be together, laugh, eat, and enjoy one another. 

My favorite night of the year has forever been Christmas Eve.  As a child we would drive from Berea, then Somerset up to my grandparents home in Lexington.  All 4 sets of my dad's siblings and their families would join for a warm night of bountiful food and love.  On the ride home I enjoyed falling asleep to Christmas carols, and believing I saw Rudolph's nose in the distance a time or two.  That tradition eventually moved to my aunt's and uncles trading off hosting the big night.  No matter where it was or what kind of year we had all endured you could always walk away with a smile on your face and joy in your heart. 

This year, we became the hosts of this very special event and all but 3 of our family members got to attend, including the addition of the Cooper's!  It was a night that went far too quickly and ended too early for my family loving heart but it was more memorable than I could have ever hoped for. 

 It was a noise filled night of the sweetest proportions, lots of laughter, conversations, little ones playing peekaboo and pin the granny with the antlers! 

There were treasure moments too, to many to count.  Little moments like watching Henry scoop "granny's punch" out of her famed punch bowl and knowing this was a tradition living on.  

As we listened to Henry recite Luke 2 I couldn't help but look around the room and tear up.  THIS is God's love come down, the gift of this precious family, and that our savior came for all of us to eternally share in His joy forever.  Let it be so!  

Why oh why does Christmas come but once a year?  

Seeing Santa

What do you do when you're waiting for Santa and discover his sleigh bells sitting next to the fire.......

 

Why you pick it up and hear it jingle of course!  Thankfully these two learned how to be a good lookout and avoided getting caught and placed on the naughty list.  

Henry's excitement for Santa and all the magic of Christmas has been at an all time high this year.  As he said "When I was 4 I didn't believe Santa and elves could be real, but then I realized you and daddy aren't buying all the presents or moving our elf so it has to be real!"  :)  

He sweetly anticipated the arrival of our elf Jelly Jack and looks forward to seeing him each morning.  He's made cards and pictures for him and Santa and has explanations for all the magic surrounding the season.  All the different Santa's you see......they're SC's brothers of course!!!

We experienced a relaxed and very sweet encounter with the jolly old elf this year.  Brunch with Santa at Lexington Country Club helped to fill our bellies and strike an extra sense of wonder in it all.    Gran and Pops joined us for the fun and it was a wonderful way to make Santa memories together. 

Henry and his bestie were too cute practically jumping out of their belt cinched trousers at their excitement.  

SC stopped by to chat with us while we ate and made sure the kids were well behaved.  

Henry was all business this year whispering his three wishes in Santa's ear; an army suit, a pistol and a Miles Morales web spinner.  

For the first time ever our sweet girl wasn't scared.  Maybe it was not having to sit on a strangers lap, or maybe it was a greater understanding of how it all worked, but she spoke to him like a champ.....other than forgetting anything she had been talking about wanting.  Santa tried to take a few guesses and thought she might like some princesses and dollies, little does he know this girl probably wants a pistol too.  She decided we definitely need to drop her list in the mailbox to make sure he knows she actually wants Marshall's Ultimate Fire Rescue, Nella the Princess Knight dress up, and an Ella doll.  

We opted out of the customary tradition of handing your baby to a bearded stranger who smells like meat and cheese and instead let him smile at him from a comfy distance.  He was down with a high five from SC and I'd say that's the cheeriest greeting we've ever witnessed at this age!  

Let the fun and excitement continue as we savor the fastest moving, wonderful time of the year.  

Trimming the Tree 2018

Hanging stalkings and ornaments with three little elves, Charlie Brown music playing and lights a' twinkling, welcome Christmas.  Decking the halls with three little loves is not far from stacking fine china teacups ceiling high on a boat at sea.  Busy little bees, making memories and trimming a tree sure feels like the days we will remember all our life.  Not an ornament was broken and though we may be decoration heavy on the bottom it is the best our tree has ever looked.  Henry and Mallie Lynn were so excited to decide where they would place each one and the fun of explaining where they all came from made this sentimental mama happy.  

Since putting it up Ford has found a handful of his favorites to take off and scoot around with before getting sweetly excited to "place" them back on again.  

Let the merry memories begin.