Kisses for Grandma Jane

 

Kisses for Grandma Jane!!

 

Williams Christmas

We went to Mama and Granddad's house about 3pm, after we had to wake the kids up from their naps.

Lilli Jane enjoyed the letters on her stockings as much as the gifts inside.

The kids played and we enjoyed a very yummy Christmas tradition dinner that mom made.

Delaney just had to sit beside Peyton, I think she got to him by the end of the meal, at one point he had his fingers in his ears.

The kids loved their gifts so much and enjoyed seeing what each other got one after one. Delaney put hers on as she opened them...

...but they couldn't wait for Mama and Granddad to open the ones that they had for them.

We got a family picture before Lilli Jane went to bed. She slept through the presents after she opened hers. It was late when we got done, but she went right back to sleep.

 

Facetiming with Gertie

The kids love to FaceTime...I wonder what the phone will be like when they are reading this blog in 10 years?

 

Christmas at home

'Twas the night before Christmas (a favorite book this year), we read the story after coming home from Columbia...

...the children were nestled all snug in their beds( in the room together)...

...then Santa arrived with his eight tiny reindeer ( that had cookies and carrots to eat)

Delaney was up at 6 am, she was excited to come down, but we waited too long, she was kicking Blake by the time we got upstairs, so we had to put off coming down for about 15-20 min. Mama and Granddad were there with Lilli Jane waiting on us. She finally came down and hid behind me for a little while.

Once the tears slowed down, Kevin tried to bribe him in the living room to see the three things Santa brought him. It took him a few more minutes, but...

...he was ready to shoot in no time!

Lilli Jane loved her three gifts, Elmo, vanity, and a disney book.

They opened their stockings and it was still not 7:30am.

 

While Lilli Jane slept we opened presents, sorry sweetheart, I didn't want you eating all the paper constantly.

Then, after it was above 45 degrees we finally went out to shoot a first few hoops.

 

Dec 24

A few fun Davis family Christmas memories!

 

Davis Christmas

We had a beautiful Christmas Eve in West Columbia with the whole Davis family!

It's hard to believe how much this family has grown in 4 short years!

Chris made a pretty Christmas buffet spread for us to all enjoy while the girls danced by the tree.

Then it was time for presents finally after the kids begged all day. 5:00 couldn't come quick enough, Landon was counting down the minutes. They torn into their gifts and we enjoyed the excitement. Lilli Jane slept through the beginning of it and woke so we could get the new drum set out in time for Blake's last present.

 

Delaney enjoyed helping Nanny pull all her new towels we got her from her sack that she so carefully helped pack too. She was so proud of her gift she gave her. Hopping that feeling stays with her over the years.

 

It's time!

Last year I worried so much about traditions, what to start so we could do them year after year, what I could do to make it special for the kids, and what to do that reminds them the real reason for Christmas. I worried way too much last year. You can't make traditions, you just do things and what is fun and loved is what you do again. We did too much last year. We don't have to do everything every year or the kids get overwhelmed, or I do at least. This year we did a few things, like the advent wreath on Sunday nights, advent calendars (Lego one from Mama and our manager scene one that has become a tradition) each day, and our Jesse tree (which we were supposed to read a story every day and color an ornament, but we had to double up a couple days on coloring). We enjoyed church and Sunday school special things, hearing the Christmas story over and over in different ways, seeing the lights, decorating our house, visiting Santa, writing a letter to Santa at the beach and getting a response, seeing the Christmas parade at the beach, making cookies, eating cookies, and of course christmas parties at school. We celebrated our Christmas birthdays and prepared through advent all month for Jesus' birthday...we are almost there! The kids remembered very little about last year, but as we did things they remember some, but more than anything they felt that feeling of special, love, happy that all describe Christmas so well. Now it's time, time for Jesus' birth, time to be joyful for He was born a helpless baby (just like they used Lilli Jane in church to portray), He is born for us, we remember that our sins are forgiven, our lives are saved because He was born and we will live forever in heaven. What a hopeful, loving, joyful, peaceful feeling! Now let's celebrate, let's enjoy Christmas!

 

Gifts for each other

We opened one gift dec 23 before we left for Columbia since I knew what was inside. They gave each other their gifts for each other and here is the reaction for The Little Meremaid and Monsters University.

Our visit with Santa

We were very last minute this year, but finally made it to visit Santa on our way out of town to Columbia this morning.  All three did great, it was a short wait and we got great pictures!

Ready for Christmas

On our way to Nanny and Grandpa's house!

 

A first friend

Lilli Jane is at that point where she is interacting with other kids now, she has only been around the twins, so this was a new friend for her today, Will Hauss...Brad's son. He is 10 months old and has a little brother on the way that will only be 18 months behind him, it's so great having them close to have a playmate, but boy those are tough first years.

We hope we will get to see more of them sometime, maybe it's her future husband!

 

Blake/Sumrell Christmas celebration

We gathered together with the Sumrell and Blake families tonight to celebrate Christmas. The kids all got one present and we pitched in money for Cousin Cam instead of having a gift exchange, but enjoyed the time together talking, eating, and catching up. Our kids are getting older and starting to play more together. Delaney loved having little girls to play with, Anna just turned 6, and Lauren will be 5 in January. Lilli Jane was very tired and just wanted me to hold her for the most part, but was waving to everyone with her whole arm and starting with a few fingers. All the kids played so well together, from 3 years old to 12 years old. Running, laughing, screaming, playing inside and outside, it was so warm out today. We all had to rush out, it was late, but it was so nice to get together like we do every year.

 

Superhero Birthday party!

Today we celebrated Blake's 5th birthday with friends...he wanted a Superhero party, so I created a Pinterest page and this is what we got! He and Delaney filled up the piñata and used ALL the candy, so we had a FULL basketball. We used Morton's Amusements for a could blow up sports games that were a big hit, had Web Shooters (silly string), and a beautiful cake that tasted delicious! Bailey and Carter Odom, James Heckard, Jackson Collins, Coalson, sister Delaney, Jack Neal (he stayed a little while, but was too shy to stick around), and Blake all enjoyed a fun-filled birthday party!