Happy Birthday Jesus!

The Christmas season was a little more exciting than usual this year for our family, and I have a feeling it will continue to grow in joy, traditions, and memories in the coming years. It's amazing to think that Grace Louise was a babe just a year ago, wearing her 0-3 month Christmas jumper and getting passed from one set of arms to another. This year she was raiding the Christmas tree ornaments (or "apples" as she calls them), carrying around baby Jesus from the manger scene, and opening her own gifts with little help.

Jimmy and I have delighted in being able to come up with our own family traditions during the Holidays, one of which is reading the story of Christ's birth from the Bible on Christmas morning. (This year it was so cold in the house, we opted to read it snuggled up in the bed). Like most other families, we also have a nativity scene and a Christmas tree. In an effort to keep our family's focus on Christ and celebrating His birth, this year we switched all of our ornaments to nativity or otherwise Christ-centered images/words/scriptures. In a world where our children are bombarded with secular influence, even during Christmas time, this is a way we can further remind Grace Louise of the True reason for celebrating.

Holiday Baking
Baking during the Holiday season is something I have done with my mother since before I can remember. I love this tradition and just know that Grace Louise and I will also have many great memories in the kitchen, singing Christmas songs, and baking together. This year, Triston and McKenzie joined us in making iced sugar cookies. By us, I mean me. Jimmy was probably in woods somewhere far away from flour and sugar. Grace Louise was more of a spectator, but wanted so badly to be a taste-tester instead. She was perched up on her chair trying to hang with the big kids. So cute.

She ended up settling for an apple that night. Poor deprived thing.




Christmas Eve
Grace Louise opened her first Christmas gift ever on Christmas Eve. A new pair of black and red plaid pants with a matching hat from her Bebe. She wore them to the DuBose Christmas at Aunt Cat's.

Low and behold when we got there, cousin Fred had the same hat! Now that's just weird!

Christmas Day and The Big Red Car

"Okay. I've got the top of it open. Now if I just pull this paper down I'll be one step closer to finding the prize!..."

LaLa bought Grace Louise none other than a Cozy Coupe for Christmas. Whew! Now she can stop driving mine. They brought it over to the house Christmas morning and pushed Grace Louise all over the yard. She loves her car!

Christmas with Hursts

As if one mode of transportation wasn't enough for this woman (she is her mother's child), Grace Louise also got a tricycle from her BeBe and Pops. She's in heaven with all this driving.

Jimmy and I sporting our new Costa sunglasses. Oh yes, and those are waders, not breast-high leather boots. Now I can go duck hunting with my hubby! Yippee!

Christmas Evening

We traditionally, have a prime rib dinner with my family on Christmas evening. Oh, it's a glorious time of beef-eating! My mother does an amazing job with the meal; it truly is a gift to all of us. We drew names for gift-giving this year and enjoyed the element of surprise in revealing who we bought especially for. A fun, new tradition.

A much needed rest in her new rocking chair after a long Christmas Day!