Getting away...and gators.

A few days after Christmas we headed farther South with some friends.

They have connections to a free place to stay outside Orlando...who can say no to that?!? :)

We spent most days lazying around...

sleeping in-ish...

swimming.

swimming.

and more swimming.

there were water slides and lazy rivers.

and Gatorland.

Where there were gators. Lots and lots of gators.

Thank you, Dawn and Mike for a great time away!

You let us know when you need another family to travel with...

We are so. there!

December photos 2011

A December overview and a slew of photos:

 Decorating Christmas cookies with the Hudsons

 Chloe's class Christmas Party

 Friends Eva and Brenley

 Little D with C and E at Callaway Gardens

 The Grandkids on the trolley to see the lights.

 Us with Granna and Zeke

 Found Rudolph and the Gingerbread Man

 Christmas morning at Granna and Zeke's...

and photographic proof that Kevin wore those pajamas....all day.

(which he ASKED for!!)  :)

 There was no shortage of things to open

 A few of Chloe's favorite gifts

Granna and Zeke apologized over and over for the ginormous chair...

they had no idea how HUGE it was going to be!

 Chloe and Granna making a Christmas dessert.

(sorry for the blurry photo)

 Christmas Dinner

This photo needs several explanations. 

We got to celebrate Christmas with Uncle Dale this year.

He and Zeke figured out that it has been 35 years since they were together for Christmas...

super special!

Every year, Uncle Dale sends us three huge boxes full of Christmas gifts...in which is always some funny gift for us all to enjoy.

This year...stick on mustaches.

HYSTERICAL!

Also...

who's the new guy in the red hat??

That's AJ...he is Jamie's special someone. :)

 The Grandkids joined in the mustache fun

 Oh. my. goodness.

Love this photo.

 Our family Christmas at home

Hands down, Eli's favorite Christmas gift.

A remote control, air swimming shark!

Thank you, Boppi and GrandBob!

He LOVES it!

Second Annual Search for the Best Christmas Lights

Last year we started a new tradition...
We headed out last night for our second annual search for the best Christmas lights displays.
Our friend, Katuschka, joined us this year.

We followed some of our own advice from last year...
- we did categories
- Dollar General always has something cute and cheap for the awards.

But we got started a little late again this year...

We got into our jammies in anticipation of the judges possibly falling asleep...

We drove around for quite awhile and began to wonder if most of the town also packed their Christmas decorations in the very back of their storage units...very few lights.

But we persevered and finally found some award worthy lights!!

This house won the 'Biggest and Best' for the second year in a row!! 

Seriously. Awesome. Lights!

This one had a penguin of lights on an island surrounded by blue lights and palm trees. 

Creative indeed!

This house had a HUGE Nativity scene complete with angels and birds. 

(You can barely see it there in the background) 

Clearly focused on the true Reason for the season.

We are enjoying this tradition and were again excited about the families opening their mailboxes today to find their awards!!

Tusch suggested having 'write in' cards for surprise lights along the way...we thought that was a great idea for next year!

Smilebooth + The Williams Family = FUN

I shared a few of these pictures on the FB, but wanted to post them here also.
The AIM Christmas party was last Saturday and they had  Smilebooth there for picture taking fun.
We may have overindulged.

Our Naked Tree

I mentioned our Christmas tree shopping experience and how all our decorations are way. way. way back in storage.  Was that a week ago? 
I think it was.

Well, our tree is still naked.

Other than a few ornaments the kids made at a friend's house (thanks, Jill!) it is completely naked.

I have been to multiple stores (over two days in the gross rain) in search of regular white twinkle lights. 
Each one is sold out of them.
SOLD. OUT.

All that is available are the LED white lights.  Which, in my opinion, are not white at all.  They are this futuristic color of whitish-blue.  Which is fine if you want your tree to look like a computer screen or like the bottom of one of those thumpin' kind of cars.  But that is not quite the look we are going for.
(If you are...good for you...seems there is an unending supply of lights that will accomplish your purposes.)

Call me old fashioned, but I am digging my heels in on the need for regular white twinkle lights.  LEDs may be all the future of Christmas lights...they may save energy and last 2 lifetimes...but, I want nothing to do with them.

And since we ALL know that lights must go on the tree FIRST...
our tree is naked. 
Indefinitely naked.  Until I can find some plain old white lights.

And don't be jealous of my 'tree skirt' and garbage bag liner...

sigh

this poor. poor. tree.

It could have gone home with a perfectly prepared family.

Instead it got us.

We do affirm it daily for it's lovely smell though...does that count for something?

4 year old stream of thought...

E:"Mommy...I don't like to think about Jesus on the cross. It's gross."
Me: "It is gross.  He was hurt very badly."
E: "What did the bad men stab through His heart?"
(geez on the details Sunday School teacher!!)
"Wow.  They really told you a lot about Him on the cross didn't they?"
"Yeah. What was it that they stabbed Him with?"
 "A sword.  They stabbed Him in His side." (Side note: Daddy has corrected me.  It was a spear.  Not a sword.  Give me a little slack in that my 4 year old just asked me "what the bad men stabbed Jesus in the heart with?" I was in a bit of a shock. Spear.  It was a spear that they stabbed Him with. There.)
"Did He bleed?"
"Yes.  He did. Do you know why He died on the cross?'
"Yes. He died for our sins."
"That's right. We all sin.  We all make mistakes and do the wrong thing sometimes...when we do, it makes our heart feel dirty and heavy.  The dirt and heaviness makes us not be able to be close to His Daddy.  He wants us to be close to His Daddy.  So He died on the cross so we wouldn't have to. Jesus makes our heart clean and light!"
"Mommy? Where are our lungs?"
"Right here.  Inside."
"Well, how does He fit in our lungs?"
"We actually say He is in our hearts."
"Well, how does He fit in our hearts?"
"Good question.  I guess it is more His Spirit that lives in our hearts.  That's is how He talks to us in our hearts and in our minds...through His Spirit."
"So He's dead?"
"No.  He died and then he came back to life!"
"He was dead for 3 YEARS!?"
"haha...no.  He was dead for 3 DAYS."
"So where does He live now?"
"He is in heaven with His Daddy
"That's God....I don't believe Saul when he says we drink Jesus' blood. Blood is gross. Some boys like human blood...but I don't."
"No we do not drink His real blood.  We drink juice to remind us of His blood."
"And the crackers?"
"Those are to remind us of His body."
"I didn't get to eat any crackers."
"We wait to eat the crackers and drink the juice until we tell Jesus we believe He died for us on the cross and that we want Him to live in our hearts."
"Saul doesn't believe me that people drink cow's blood."
"Saul hasn't heard Daddy tell the stories about the people in Africa, has he?"
"No.  I have a new friend.  He has round hair.  He was nice to me.  At the other church there is a boy who is like his big brother...and he is NOT my friend.  He was not nice.  Actually...his hair is more flat on top."
""That's funny.  Did it stand up short on top?"
"Yep."
"They actually call that haircut a 'flat top'."
"That's a funny name.  Flat. Top." (giggle)
"You know the little girls on Lightening McQueen's team??  They say MA-TOOR! HAHA..they are funny."

The conversation trailed off from here.
But...Woah.  There is some heavy stuff going on in that head of yours, E.  What an honor and a privilege to be the one to share these Truths with you.  I love to hear what is on your mind. (Cow's blood, Lightening McQueen and all...reminders that you are, in fact, 4 years old...and alllll boy!) :)

We prayed together after this conversation...that God would continue to pursue your heart.  That you would continue to feel free to ask all the questions you have and that Daddy and I would have wisdom in answering.  Oh, how we want you to know Him!  To know that you are fiercely loved by Him (and us)
That He has made you for His purposes and that in Him is where you will find true life.  May you love Him while you are young and while you are old!!