The Christmas Disclaimer

My friend Christina @ Get Joy just posted a Christmas Memories post.

And I loved it.

Why?

Well, although her family is super cute and fun and it looks like they had a wonderful Christmas, that is not necessarily why I loved her post.

I loved it because I LOVE the disclaimer that she put at the bottom of her memories post.

She says, "Disclaimer: Now before you all think my life is perfect, or any blogger's Christmas post for that matter, very few people write about all the things that go wrong during the holidays. You don’t want to hear about my grumpy, fighting, tired kids (yeah, I am talking about those adorable children in the pictures above). You don’t want to hear about my short temper when things get stressed. We all deal with that stuff. Keep in mind when reading these types of blogs that the purpose is to focus on all the Good that God is and how He sustains us when things are difficult. Because let me tell you, I had some whining kids…and He kept me sane. hehehehehehe"

Can I just second that?

From our Tennessee vacation at Thanksgiving to our Christmas vacation in Michigan, there were some total disclaimer moments.

Even if the pictures didn't say so.

Even if you couldn't tell by our happy, vacation faces.

Things happened.

Disclaimer moments.

Jeremy's leaking truck window that got the girls toys and blankets all wet.

Realizing that the tour company that we booked through was very much less than honest and it was going to cost us.

Three girls riding together in the one seat of an extended cab Ford F150. for hours. You can imagine the whining and fussing that went with that, I'm sure.

Spouse miscommunications. Yes. They happen. Often.

Loosing vital pieces to fixing Abby's broken DS.

And not finding them anywhere.

Having to buy new pieces.

Having the DS break for good.

Getting a new-to-us DS with Christmas money.

Tired cousins. Throwing up babies. Tired sisters (young and old).

Two granddaughters who played with two bars of soap in Grandma's tub. Decorative soap. Super soapy water. 

15 people sharing 2 bathrooms.

Kids forgetting to flush. and wash hands.

Toys all over the floor.

A lost dress.

Shattered Christmas ball ornaments on the hardwood floor during Christmas dinner.

A gazillion dirty dishes to wash.

Tearful yelling moment between my girls on the day we were heading home.

Tearful apologies made to those who had to witness it.

Laundry, messy house, misplaced presents, broken toys, dumped suitcases.

Opinions. Misunderstandings. Moods. Stolen quiet moments...

No... we don't take pictures of those things.

But they happen. To all of us.

That is a part of family. of people. of learning to live together in peace.

Don't forget that "disclaimer" as you browse through everyone's gorgeous Christmas posts.

Think of the stories behind the pictures and remember we are all real people blogging real lives.

Ups and downs. Good and bad.

It is all there. Behind the lens.

Party Time!

Over our Christmas vacation, we had some fun parties with the cousins.

Little Sloan didn't always understand what was going on but we sure had fun taking pictures of her and watching her play!

Annalise, Abby and Elizabeth got creative one night and decorated Grandma's lamps and kitchen cabinets with ornaments.

The girls were rewarded with super glittery hands.

One afternoon, we had a tea party with sugar cookies, cheese and salami, grapes and cider.

And then, at the very end of our time in Michigan, we had an early birthday party for Annalise so she could celebrate with family.

She was excited to have a party one month early... can you tell?

My mom did a great job planning fun things for the girls to do... Thanks, Mom!

(And I hope your kitchen cabinets aren't scratched. They looked adorable with bells on.)

Did you do any fun, special parties this holiday?

Christmas Memories

I have so many pictures from Christmas.

Do you?

I hope I'm not the only one who snaps like crazy during the holidays or family events.

Playing with my camera was sure fun and my mom's house has a ton of natural light which makes picture taking indoors very easy.

Today, I'm sharing just a few of our 2011 Christmas memories.

The girls made sugar cookies and decorated them...

My mom's house was decorated and beautiful...

The girls adore their new dolls and doll clothes and matching aprons...

We went to church as a family and took some great family pictures...

My parents with their 5 granddaughters (we found out over Christmas that my younger sister is having another girl they are naming Myla Claire... that will be 6 granddaughters in next year's photo!) and the kids took part in a Christmas nativity play.

I sang with my older sister (you can hear it here "Mary Did You Know") and we took a new "Haynes' Sisters" picture which I love.

We had a fun afternoon on Christmas day opening presents, laughing and playing.

Do you see the title of that little green book Jeremy is holding?

Jeremy also got "Fifty Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do" from my younger sister, Holly.

Now Holly...

Did this guy really need that?

As if he needs a book...

And do you know what he said when he opened it?

"Jen! It even has a field journal with each one so we can take notes!"

This is going to be interesting.

I'll have more Christmas memories coming...

I also wanted to let you know that the new Best of Life E-Magazine is available. This really is a great magazine full of wonderful articles, helpful stories, crafts, recipes... it is something you could share with family and friends! Just click on the volume title that you would like to read! You can find me on page 20 of the new magazine.

Now, I'm off to go hide that dangerous book of Jeremy's...

Just Kidding.

Maybe.

A Christmas Eve Snow

I wanted snow for Christmas.

A lot of snow. Like a snow storm.

Michigan was letting me down. No snow was in the forecast. It wasn't going to happen.

Insert sad me here.

Well, late on December 23rd, we were all sitting and watching TV when Annalise yelled, "Look! It is SNOWING!"

Uhm. She had to be seeing things. It wasn't supposed to snow anything other than maybe a few flurries. Plus it was dark outside so she couldn't have seen anything.

But, as I stared hard at the glass in my mom's sunroom... sure enough... it WAS snowing!

A good snow! I ran to the door and opened it to see for myself. Annalise was right. She sure did see some snow through the window!

It finally felt like Christmas.

So, the next morning, the girls got ready and went outside to play in the 1-2 inches of snow on the ground.

Not much, but enough to have some fun.

Four excited girls, well, five if you count me, playing in the cold.

Outside, burning off some energy... running and skipping and playing and climbing.

All on a surprise snowy Christmas Eve!

Did you get any snow this Christmas?

White as Snow

I love snow.

Especially around Christmas.

and, we haven't had any snow. none. even in Michigan.

Until last night...

We were sitting in my mom's sunroom and Annalise yelled, "Look! It is snowing!"

No one could believe it. The weather channel said only a 30% chance of flurries.

But it was snowing lots of big fluffy flakes.

Soft and white and slow...

There was a precious layer of Christmas snow on the ground that made my heart happy.

Just an hour later, I was putting the girls to bed and for devotions I asked the girls a question.

"What does the snow remind you of?"

Abby answered first. "It reminds me of Jesus' birthday when he came as a baby!"

"Good, Abby... Elayna?"

"Well, I think about how Jesus is pure like snow. He has no sin."

I loved her answer.

"Annalise, what do you think?"

"Snow reminds me that Jesus washes us white as snow!"

Another perfect answer...

Jesus, who is pure as snow, came as a baby to wash us white as snow.

Three amazing reasons to love snow, to be reminded anew of why Jesus came to this earth.


 

A Home to be Proud of...

We recently spent some time with our good friends, the Lazy Family.

We were overnight guests at their house.

They returned a family camp gag gift...



And the Lazy Mom blessed me with an Our Goodwin Journey Blume bracelet...



Before we arrived though, I got word through twitter, texts and Lazy Dad that the Lazy Mom was stressing a teensy bit about having us as overnight guests.

Now, don't we know we ALL do that.

When guests are coming, we want things to be nice, to be clean and decorated and have everything in its place.

Around the holidays, there is the extra pressure of having the Christmas tree looking perfect and dusting the extra Christmas clutter.

It is extra hard when you don't feel like your house is "show" worthy.

I have no paint on my walls, very little in the gorgeous decorations department and not much to "show" anyone.

Our house is not big and spacious and wonderful.

It's a house. a small house.

But, it is OUR house.

When I heard that the Lazy Mom was stressing, I felt for her. I truly did. Because I do the same thing to myself.

And you know what Stacey? There is NO need to stress!

Why?

Well, our houses might be small and not necessarily "show" worthy (you totally beat me in the cute decorating area), they are homes.

Our houses are homes.

Homes filled with laughter, fun, family, love, excitement, play, food, fellowship and good times.

Homes to be proud of... homes that are completely "show" worthy.

Homes that we should be blessed to welcome others in to anytime of the day.

Homes that we love. Homes filled with love.

So Lazy Mom, thanks for sharing your HOME with us!

We had a wonderful time... we felt welcome, loved and blessed to be there.

Thank you.

And remember...

If you are stressing this holiday season, remember that your house is a HOME and a home is to be shared with others.

Our homes are places to be proud of...

Don't worry about the things that don't really matter in the long run.

Give yourself a break and enjoy your home this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas!

Holiday Bokeh

I Heart Faces is having a Holiday Bokeh (that beautiful blur in the background) challenge so I thought I'd post one that I took with my new Canon EF 50mm 1.8 lens.

Elayna was in the school room at her desk. I snapped this picture of her angled so the Christmas tree was in the background.

There are a lot more fun bokeh pictures over at I Heart Faces today!

Do you have a holiday bokeh picture?

My Girls

Every Christmas I take pictures of my girls in front of the tree

(Yes, for you photographers out there... these pictures are very warm. I have since learned that my WB was set to "Flash" which was warming UP my pictures. Another learning moment, thanks Heather!)

The girls got Amazin' Hamsters in their stockings and Annalise and Abby carry them everywhere.

My sweet girls...

Our 2011 picture with the tree.

To see all of our past Christmas tree pictures in one post, click here.

My how they have grown!