Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Christmas Celebration #3 ~ Our House

Our third and final Christmas celebration took place last Sunday at our house when we gathered with Uncle Paul's family to watch and cheer our beloved Panthers to another victory against the Atlanta Falcons to score a spot in the NFL Playoffs!  Go Panthers!  We are so proud of the season our team has played this year and are hoping for our first Super Bowl victory for the team and our bright new quarterback, Cam Newton.  Cam is already pretty notorious coming out of his collegiate football career with the cherished Heisman Trophy after winning a national championship and becoming the #1 NFL draft pick in 2011.  He also shattered Peyton Manning's record of first rookie quarterback to throw for 400 yards in his first game and 4,000 yards in his first season and first rookie quarterback to rush for 700 yards. So all this star needs now is a Super Bowl victory!  Let's give it to him, Panthers!  ;-)

While the rest of the family watched the game, Emma and I (the girly girls) watched a movie that I DVRed over Christmas for us.  Emma and I both share a love of the Mandie book series that I read as a young girl and passed on to Emma, and we have since discovered that several movies have been made based on the books.  When I saw that "Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas" was showing on TV, I knew I had to record it for her.  We enjoyed watching the adaptation and dishing about how much was changed from the books.

After the game and movie were over, we gathered around the Christmas tree.  Since Papa and Nana could not be with us due to illnesses, Uncle Paul read the Christmas story to the kids from the Brick Bible and then we exchanged gifts.

 photo Christmas1_zpsce527c69.jpg
The bright colored pictures in these Bible stories are a big hit with the kids...and I love them too!

 photo Christmas2_zps4696a1ba.jpg
The big kids listening sweetly to the story. 

 photo Christmas3_zps15e75ab4.jpg
Reade was having a little trouble being patient and listening to the story.

 photo Christmas4_zpse58ad7b0.jpg
Brody wanted Daddy to read his own book to him.

 photo Christmas5_zps246e5bd1.jpg
Reade was happy to have a cool new nerf gun to use when the zombie apocalypse starts. 

 photo Christmas6_zpsb6d835fc.jpg
Lanny and Reade will protect us from the zombies!

 photo Christmas7_zpsca37e21b.jpg
Emma opens her presents carefully to avoid tearing her pretty paper and ribbons.

 photo Christmas8_zps69c90369.jpg
Evan got a cool new Lego dragon castle to work on. 

 photo Christmas9_zps4e85ff02.jpg
And Brody has been loving his new shopping cart and kitchen all-in-one set.

 photo Christmas10_zpsc08f8774.jpg
I will have to share pictures soon of how cute this little boy looks cooking his meals for us and feeding Daddy plastic food.  There is just nothing cuter!

 photo Christmas11_zpsd93940fb.jpg
Emma got some pretty special gifts.

I found this book this summer at the North Carolina History Museum and just had to get it for Emma.  
And I also have to share a picture of this gift for Emma and Cate.  I got Emma the skirt and necklace set with a matching skirt for Cate from this sweet Charlotte friend and Mom.  If you have little girls, you have to check out her Etsy shop, Little Red Poppies.  
 photo Christmas12_zps2922538a.jpg
Daddy putting Brody's shopping cart kitchen together.

Now, Christmas is over, the decorations have been put away until next year, and a new year has begun!  What will it hold for us all this year?  I just pray for God's blessings on all of us for the coming year, and I know that no matter what, God will be with us!

5 comments:

  1. What a great day! I love the necklace and the skirt! Too cute!! For some unknown reason, Evan is a Packers fan. After last night, we might be Panthers fans until the end of the season. ha!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Christmas was very eventful for yall! I'm glad that you enjoyed it and had a good time! This new year will be a great for you, I just know it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My Falcons just couldn't get it together this year...oh well...I don't really keep up with it closely. I just like to have it on in the background on Sunday afternoons. I am really looking forward to the Super Bowl though. I'll root for the Panthers! Wish I could be there with you! : )

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love it when the holidays extend for days and days after the holidays. We go to so much effort to do all of the decorations it is a shame when they don't get to be enjoyed my as many people as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sam and Evan will have to play LEGO together while Rachel and Brody create havoc :) And I checked out Little Red Poppies and they have some seriously cute stuff. Oh. My. Goodness.

    And I am praying that 2014 holds a lot of good for you, my friend.

    ReplyDelete

Leave some love! Your comments make me happy!