Christmas Day!

Santa still found us at the new house!! Christmas fell on Sunday this year which I have decided is my favorite. I wasn't sure how our morning would play out since our church service is at 9:00 but it was absolutely perfect. We woke the kids up about 30 minutes earlier than usual so they could see what Santa brought and open their stockings. After that we got ready for church and headed out. Our service was simple and beautiful. After church we came home and had a delicious family breakfast (which we never get to do because we are usually having creamed shrimp on toast with Daniel's family... but because eveyone's church service was different times this year we decided to have it for dinner). After breakfast we opened gifts and then spent the beautiful day enjoying them! We had dinner at Heather and Ryans with the Munns family (Grandma Vicky joined us) and had the best day. 

Christmas Eve

We love our Christmas tradition of Christmas Eve at Grandma Vicky's. She spoils us with the most delicious dinner (prime rib, cheesy potatoes, salad, corn and rolls... plus shrimp cocktail and artichoke dip for appetizers). And then is our beloved gift exchange! The kids love their traditional book and ornament and this year they each got something for their new rooms! And so did Daniel and I!! A beautiful clock for our family room. Looks like there is more for the honey-do list!

After Grandma's there is much to do! We had to make our last 12 Days of Christmas delivery. We must take our Christmas jammie pic in front of the tree. Plus our plate of cookies for Santa. We always read Luke 2 and watch a nativity video. Then song and prayer and off to bed....

Speck and Other Fishing

I loved watching on this beautiful, cool, crystal-clear morning, the boat heading out on the water. The boys were off speck fishing! And they brought home a decent catch!

Fun to catch a bass off a minnow!

Surprising speck from the dock!

A very very large blue gill!!

Pretty big pickerel!

The Mudroom and Honey-Do List

Some really big things happened right before Christmas. We've been waiting for our mudroom to be built out (for the last 6 months). It's just been an empty space that doesn't usually look this clean. I've been trying to get the kids in the habit of dropping their shoes, backpacks, folders, computers, etc... in this space for when the mudroom actually would be installed. So on any given day this is a totally wrecked zone. But I had to clear it out for them to install what we've been waiting for and I absolutely LOVE it!! It is exactly what I wanted it to look like! And a very merry Christmas for me!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And while we were in the business of finishing some things up, Daniel got himself busy getting some little projects done around the house that I've been waiting on for awhile. 

I have been wanting shelves in Rosco's room so I could put all his "stuff" somewhere other than in a box and bags piled up on his crate. Voila!!

I've had this ironing board sitting in the box for a few weeks.... installed! 

Daniel and I picked out this board of hooks for our back porch from Hobby Lobby weeks ago... installed!

All the mudroom needed to be completely functional were some hooks so Daniel got right on that as well and here it is!! Finished!

Santa!

We missed our church's Christmas party. It is always a pretty good time every year. But this year Porter had his championship volleyball game that Jackson wanted to go and it was Ryan's birthday so we all went to dinner together afterwards to celebrate!

 The Christmas party is where I usually get my kids picture with Santa every year but since we missed it this year I made Daniel promise we would go somewhere else to see Santa. One of the evenings during Christmas break we loaded everyone up and went to the Bass Pro in Palm Bay. We decided we'd see Santa and let the kids do their Christmas shopping that night. It was actually a really fun night together. After Bass Pro we had dinner at 5 Guys and then went to Academy and then Marshall's. It was fun to see what the kids picked out for each other and others and I was really impressed. They did a great job gift giving this year.

 Funny story... As we were driving out to Palm Bay we were playing and singing our favorite Christmas carols. Maybe I was driving a little too fast and maybe I got pulled over. I knew as soon as I saw the State Trooper I was done for (going 86 in a 65). Luckily our cheerfulness and Christmas spirit were evident and he let us go with just a warning!! Merry Christmas to us!!