sweet gift giver

Zack was such a thoughtful gift giver. At Awana they earn shares to buy stuff at store night if you remember. His very first store night, instead of buying stuff for himself as a reward for all his hard work, he bought presents for all of us for Christmas. This was nearly a month before Christmas! He wrapped them all himself and excitedly gave them out Christmas morning. I will keep the box he gave me forever. love it. 

and a few more pictures from Christmas:

opening her stocking with Daddy

 

Ben got Lucy a baby bracelet

pretty! she says

cream chipped beef - I added a pinch of cayenne and some nutmeg
Lucy and Henry are not fans yet

It's the most terrible time of the year! lalala!

  Christmas felt strange this year. Perhaps because it was on Sunday, perhaps because so many people were missing, perhaps because I was maybe just a little hormonal, but most likely because I really haven't figured out for myself why we do all of this; why go through all this effort and extreme stress?
  I've been going over and over in my mind all month about what Christmas should be. Through the last decade (yeah, it's weird to say), I've become less and less easily captured by the magic of the season. Sad, but it is what it is.   I'm so totally over the commercialism. I really don't want more stuff. My kids really don't need more toys. I get really annoyed at all the expectation. At the same time, I really appreciate a person who takes the time to have a beautiful tree and a festive home. Kathy does a beautiful job at this. She switches out her pictures, her throw pillows and her centerpieces. It's really nice to go into her beautiful house and I feel so encouraged to do the same. Then in the next thought sequence -but why? More to buy, more to store, more to take down in 25 days. And so the conflict goes.

  So I guess the question goes back to why I would want to do all of this. For the kids? Well I've been trying fun stuff for the past several years. Traditions, things the children would like, but this becomes another conflict because Ben isn't really into holiday traditions (for whatever reason) and when he is not doing them wholeheartedly it is felt by all and it's just not a family event, so not really much fun. And really, are the traditions something I should be tightly holding on to for my meaning?
  It is so irritating to do effort without meaning!  - 'Jesus is the reason for the season' - Hmmm... really? show me... when? how? oh, you go to a little service on Christmas eve? put up a little nativity? wow.
  I know there is something more. More than Santa obviously, more than candlelight services. I know God is talking to me, but I just could not hear Him over the chaos of my frantic December. I feel like there is something deep, ready to be revealed. Not just about Christmas, but about my life, the rhythms of our days. waiting. I am waiting for God to show me but I ask, is He waiting for me, for my maturity? yikes.

  Here are two happy and content boys, playing around their last three unopened gifts, not even asking to unwrap them. Something is a little off here. I'm not upset and I'm not really even complaining, just supposing... how nice would it have been if that morning we all had come down, and after opening just one gift, instead of tearing our attention away from it to open another we talked about Jesus; maybe read Luke over cinnamon rolls and coffee.
  Today I am overwhelmed by the inadvertent excess. Asking myself where I went wrong. Every year I vow it will be different. It never is. I just sing my song... lalala!

North Carolina Christmas 2011

 Dad and Mom went to the Joubert 25th wedding anniversary. It was good to see them, all their kids were there and we all had a lovely time. 

This is Elisa getting her hair cut at Aveda hair school in Chapel Hill. She really liked the school and walked them through exactly how she wanted her hair. The stylist was wonderful and willing to do it the way Elisa wanted it. Turns out her type of cut is made up of 4 different cuts. She made quite a stir. Everyone commented how pretty it looked as she walked out. 

This night we ate caramel apples and watched Christmas Vacation. 

We got a box from the Belchaks that had this wonderful Christmas sign in it. 

A little Christmas craziness ... thanks you two. 

And during all the craziness of cooking and music, Dad  tried to watch a football game. 

Good luck with that  :) 

The white chocolates we used to make the cookies.

Oreos dipped in white chocolate. 

Then dip the coated cookie into the crushed candy cane. 

 Here are the finished product. MMM good. 

Christmas Eve dinner. We had ham, mashed potatoes and Elisa made the BEST squash and sauteed Brussels sprouts.

Benjamin got our drinks together. Orange juice and champagne .. 

 We added marichino cherries. mmm

 Dad makes a big pot of potatoes 

This is a BIG mound of potatoes. 

Benjamin just sitting with us

Sitting down to dinner

Sweet Elisa. 

 Christmas morning. We had a delightful time. Look at those two, don't you just love them? 

 Everyday's a holiday with Elisa ... she makes everything bright and cheerful. 

Beautifully wrapped gifts. 

Like every Christmas, Daisy helps me open my gifts. 

A picture of some of mom's beautiful gifts. 

Dad making the crepes 

The filling for the crepes, mmm

Daisy, the helper. She keeps the floor cleaned up. 

Some might think she is in the way, but not me. I like her here. 

Browning the bread with olive oil. 

Benjamin put together our cantaloupe and grape salad. We put it into the the crystal bowl I bought when I was 16 and lived in Hawaii. 

Our berries for the crepes. 

Putting together the

 breakfast sardines and tomatoes on grilled bread with parsley, thyme and rosemary.

 To our family that we love so much. 

The lovely table

A happy dad.

Beautiful 

Merry Christmas