Christmas 2009

***WARNING - This is LONG post...Sorry, but at least I finally did it! :)
To keep from dragging this out, I decided to make 3 slideshows and put them all in the same post. This first slideshow is of our church's childrens ministy events for Christmas. We entered a float in the Brantley Christmas parade. We had a great turnout of kids and they had a blast, even though it was BRRRR Cold! I apologize for not having more pics of the rest of the parade. Richard actually took these because I was very sick with my bad cold and did not want to be out in that weather! I hate I missed it! Also, in this slide are pics from our children's Christmas Musical at Mt. Zion. It was a fireside setting with all the kids in pj's. Richard (in p.j.'s & robe, too) told the Christmas story in between songs. They did a GREAT job and Graham even got to sing in a trio. They sang We Three Kings and it was really good! Wesley would not sing, so he "passed-out" on the front pew! :) We have some wonderful Children's Ministry leaders...Thank you ALL for your dedication to our Lord and to our children!

Mt Zion Baptist Children's Ministry ~ Christmas 2009

This second slideshow is of our Christmas Eve 2009. We didn't have to travel 15hrs. one-way this year, but we did stay on the road a good bit! (We actually made 3 trips to Mobile in a week's time, 2hrs each way - you do the math!) It was worth it, though, because we LOVE our family!!! We actually traveled down to Mobile the day before Christmas Eve so Richard and I could go out for our 19th Wedding Anniversary celebration! We really enjoyed ourselves eating at one of our FAVORITE restaurants in Mobile that we havn't been able to go to in a long time, Big Time Diner!!! It is not a romantic atmosphere, but it is a very wholesome atmosphere (owned by wonderful Christians!) and the food is GREAT! We then proceeded to make a quick shopping errand and then went to the movies (something else we don't do often) and saw A Christmas Carol. We liked it and we got to see it in an EMPTY theatre...noone else was there! (That was romantic!) God is Good! (No pics of this night, though!) We then celebrated Christmas with the Harvey clan at Richard's parents on Christmas Eve day and then trucked on back up to Brantley to be back for our Christmas Eve Candlelight service at Mt Zion (again, no pics!) It was a beautiful service and we had a good group considering the weather...it was frightful with bad thunderstorms! We came home and I fixed a simple supper and then we read THE Christmas story. Actually, Justus read it from a book that was his when he was little. Then we opened presents under our tree...FUN MEMORIES ALL DAY!!!

Christmas Eve 2009

This last slideshow is of Christmas Day 2009. Of course after we all went and got all "snug in our beds", Santa visited!!! The boys must have been really good! Justus got a new t.v. to go with all his new bedroom furniture including a really nice media center!; a new dresser and desk! He also got the new NCAA 2010 football game for his PS2 and he got a Northface jacket. Graham and Wesley got a new t.v. and movie for their playroom and they both got battery operated 4-wheelers, fishing rods, space blaster guns, Auburn caps, glow in the dark planets and stars to hang in their bedroom, and G - a huge army plane and W - a dump truck with a working drill to take it apart and put back together. And of course they all got lots of Stocking Goodies! I have some funny video of us trying to get Wesley up, he was quite a sleepy head that morning. Also filmed them riding their 4-wheelers! (I'll post later)
We got ready and made another trip down to Mobile for Christmas with my side of the family at my mom's house. It is ALWAYS fun to get together with all of them! The kids opened presents and Granny (my mom) opened presents. Then those of us who participate played "dirty santa". We thought at first it was going to be boring, but then it took a turn and boy was there some excitement before it all ended! Poor Bubba ended up with a "lady" gift, thanks to his "sweet" daughter, Garth, but I'm preeety sure, Diane (Bubba's wife) didn't mind! HA!!! At least it was ALL in the family!!! LOL Another highlight, was that my mom's yard was SOAKED from all the December rains including the storms from the night before. All the guys decided to find the dryest spot (not that there really was one!) and play a little football...old guys vs. young!!! Well, the old guys won, (at least points-wise ~ my old guy, Richard PAID dearly the next few days...not sure you call that winning!), and the young guys ended up NASTY! Justus and Daryn got the worst of it...lots of mud all over, you guessed it, their new clothes and shoes! It REALLY was a whole lot of fun...again, lots of LASTING MEMORIES!!! (One big regret, I didn't get pics of most everybody!!!...including Mama!!!...Sorry! I will do better next time!!!)

Christmas Day 2009