Things have been so crazy around here trying to find and purchase a house and pack, etc., that I haven't recorded all our Advent doings. This year we read through A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season each night as well as watching Advent Calendar on DVD 2.
We also gave our traditional family gifts each Sunday in Advent. The first Sunday's gift was Tim Hawkins' new DVD, Insanitized. The second Sunday's gift was the new Veggie Tales DVD It's a Meaningful Life. The third Sunday's gift was a 15-in-1 Family Pack for the Wii. Finally, for the 4th Sunday in Advent, the kids received the Wii Party game. They've had a blast playing with this game.
The girls made a gingerbread house again this year. Can you tell that Carys really helped this time?
On Christmas Eve, we went to candlelight service on the square in Ocala hosted by our church, Cross Pointe Ocala. Afterwards, we had Chinese, as usual. Sometimes we have take-out, but this year we ate at the buffet in Ocala as it would have been too late to have take-out at home. We had our devotion, then the kids opened their Christmas Eve gift, which was two long-sleeved shirts each.
On Christmas morning, Greg had to wake everyone up at 9:11a.m. when the cinnamon rolls came out of the oven since they were all still sleeping.
Finally, we had Christmas morning devotions, took the annual picture in front of the tree, and opened gifts.
The kids drew names again this year. Gerren got Chase the Pride and Prejudice DVD.
Landon got Carys a Furr Friends puppy.
Chase got Landon a new wallet.
Carys got Gerren a thermal shirt.
Since this blog is a family record, I like to list everyone's gifts so we can check back if we need to. So, skip this part if it bores you. The following gifts were all from Mom and Dad.
Landon: luggage set, My Utmost for His Highest leather bound book, shaving kit, jacket, watch
Gerren: CAP boots, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (5-book set), Mustang calendar, $50 iTunes gift card, Axe gift set
Chase: arrows, black purse, leather gloves, Nancy Drew book The Twin Dilemma, the new Tinkerbell DVD, a dress for Liberty, a skin for her iTouch (which doesn't fit and has to be returned)
Carys: easel, beads, string and pattern cards set, Toy Story 3 DVD, Tiana costume from Princess and the Frog, bath robe
Greg: 2 new belts (from the kids), TNIV Study Bible, John Grisham's new book The Confession, 300-lb Olympic weight set (hidden in Landon's closet all month)
Linda: Presto popcorn popper (from the kids), toaster, gold watch (mine died), gold earrings (I lost one gold hoop of the set I wore constantly!), Yoshi knife (I've been wanting one of these!)
We went to Greg's brother's family's house for dinner which was a fabulous prime rib, baked potatoes, Caesar salad, and crescent rolls followed by my famous chocolate cheesecake and Kay's chocolate chip pecan pie. After dinner, we headed to the movies to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Our niece/cousin Rebekah hadn't seen it, so she went with us. We loved it.
After we got home around 6:30pm, we opened our stockings. This has become a tradition by default even though it's probably backwards from the way most people do it. It makes for a nice evening, though.
Landon said that the stocking stuffers just keep getting better and better.
Gerren wasn't too thrilled with his stocking stuffers.
Chase put in specific requests for her stocking (lotion, body spray, perfume, etc.)
Carys' stocking is harder to stuff for me. The big kids always get gum and a $10 iTunes gift card. So, I have to think of other things for Carys. She liked this Little Mermaid polly-pocket-type doll.
Even Dad got a stocking filled with goodies.
As you can see, I wasn't even home that day. Just kidding! I guess I was the one taking all the pictures!
The day after Christmas, Chase and Landon headed to Tyndall AFB in Panama City for Winter Encampment. I told them that this is the last year any Meahls are going to Winter Encampment. It just cuts our vacation too short!
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