Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2011

This Christmas is one of many firsts.  Obviously, it is Kyle's first Christmas, which makes it so very sweet for our little family.   It is also the first Christmas Jonathan and I have spent together in our own "home."  I have thoroughly enjoyed decorating as much as my budget allowed and I think someone will have to come force me to take it all down come early January.

I made these stockings earlier this month (with the help of my mama, of course).

Snowman bathroom.....

 Happy family! 

......Kitchen festivities.....

The Gingerbread house I put my meticulous sister, Holly, on creating.  She enjoys making things look perfect..... Can you tell?  (She copied the model on the box to a tee.)

A wall hanging I found at my favorite General Store in NC.

The blanket on this table upstairs was made by my great-grandmother.  She made it for me not long after I was born.  I never knew her well and she passed away when I was around ten.  So this blanket is a real treasure to me.

This wreath I made for less than half the price of the ones I saw in the stores...... :o)

......................

Because we are flying to Branson, MO today to visit with Jono's family, we opted to exchange gifts as a family yesterday morning. 

Kyle enjoyed eating opening his gifts.......

Yay!  Now Mr. Baby can have his own remote instead of trying to chew on Daddy's.

Kyle loves kitties!

Kyle's "new" refrigerator toy from his aunts and uncle. 

Dad's Gobstoppers make great shakers!

Vroom vroom!

We gave up on the fancy wrapping......

.......Jonathan likes gifts, too......

(No, we didn't only give Daddy a summer sausage and an iTunes giftcard.  But, for some reason, I only photographed those two....)

Happy first Christmas, Kyle!  I couldn't help but fight back tears as I watched him try to open his gifts.  I know he will not remember this, but I will always cherish these sweet moments with him.  We made a video of the whole thing so that, like the weird St.Clairs we are, we can go back and watch it one day.

I made french toast for breakfast.......

(Don't worry, I piled Jono's plate with many more Little Smokies and we called them "fire wood", in keeping with the Christmasy theme, naturally.)

Last night we attended the Christmas Eve service at church and opened gifts as a family at my parents' house.  Bright and early this morning, we are driving to Atlanta and fly to spend a week with the big Saints.   We are so excited!  

I am to thankful for this time we are able to spend together.  I am increasingly thankful for Christ, who makes our lives so rich and joyful and for the freedom to celebrate His birth.  I am so thankful to have a loving, godly husband and a precious boy to spend my days with.  Life is so very sweet!

~Abby