New Year's in pictures!

My youngest made my bed. 

Supposedly, Ted was cold and wanted to be comfy. 

Oh, how I smiled when I walked in my room and saw this.

What I didn't take a picture of was that my "sleeping
 pillows were on the floor beside the bed...

to make room for Ted!

Late night of clue...

We were all so tired, we couldn't think straight or remember what was just said!

A few kids decided to make wild accusations all in attempt to end the game sooner

so we could start the movie!

Before the movie!  We broke out the glow sticks.

and noise makers.  We knew some would not make it to midnight.

So we celebrated loudly before settling in to watch.

ice cream and bubbly 

(sparkling juice!)

in fancy glasses

Then we watched Ant Man. 

I had no idea. 
I thought it would be an animated movie, something like Bug's Life.

Nope, Ant Man is a Marvel Super Hero!

Oh my, such a fun movie. 

So happy, the children picked.

Very good memories were made.

Christmas memory for the books...

Teenagers are a special breed. 

Humor. 

Creativity. 

Old enough to really do some stuff. 

Stuff that can be entertaining to boring old adults. 

They are also extremely hard to shop for sometimes. 

One particular teenager only wanted money and gift cards for Christmas. 

Ah gee... That is extremely fun to wrap says a mom.

  

Then a sister, decides it is very fun. 

With 5 kids and most too young to have jobs to earn money, 

I encouraged them to draw names many years ago.  

They have big hearts and want to shop for their siblings and this reduced some of the stress.  

So a certain sister drew her teenage older brother's name.  

Enlisted me to help, since she doesn't drive solo yet. 

The mission:  Collect as many gift card envelopes as possible. 

 Preferrably from girly stores. 

Since he wants gift cards or money, so be it. 

The next step... 15  ~ $1 bills.  

(The spending budget for the drawing was $15)

Each dollar tucked into an envelope.  

All of them in a gift bag.  

A few of the envelopes went missing.  

The best part was, 

he was with me the day I ran in and out of the doors to collect 

some of the envelopes! 

He drove me around and kept the car and the driver's seat warm for me! 

Treasured joys and memories from the Holiday Season

Gratitude leads to Joy

A truth, I hope my children allow to sink deep into their souls.

Love setting up the Nativity. 

A Christmas gift from my mom many years ago.

For the first time ever I have an angel for the top of my tree! 

She is beautiful. 

My children noticed her immediately, which surprised me greatly.

First words out of their mouths when they walked in the door,

"You got an angel!"

They knew I had been looking, but I never told them I found one. 

This journal ~ an unexpected gift that brought me to tears. 
An difficult day, a friend delivered a wrapped gift for now or later.
I tucked it away under the tree. 

She had no idea, this simple journal I had passed over time and time again. 
Always something else on the list that received priority. 

But God knew..

Oh, how the tears flowed on Christmas morning. 

God is in the details and timing and He loves us so.