Merry Christmas: Alabama

O wow! Look at this Christmas tree!

Not only were there presents, and I love presents, but there were also these balls that live at mimi and pops. I was so glad to see these balls again that I had to play with them a lot before I was ready to open anything new.

But when I was ready . . . PRESENTS!

Did I mention presents?

One of my presents was this new bike! It is a Radio Flyer and I can fly on it.

Look at me!

I also got a Harley but I am decidedly less sure of it.

I think I may need to wait until I have my Harley t-shirt on . . .

Yes, come to think of it, sitting is such a nice thing.

Okay, snowmen, now watch me again. First, you pick up one foot and then you move it in front of the other --- are you paying attention? Where can I get an old felt hat?

Snowmen are poor students - back to the Radio Flyer.

Merry Christmas: Texas

On Christmas Eve we did something amazing! We used momma's computer to talk on Skype with mimi and pops and we used daddy's computer to talk on Skpe to Uncle Jake and Aunt Karrie. We brought Alabama and Virginia to our Texas living room.

You can see pops on the left computer and Uncle Jake and Aunt Karrie on the right. Everyone got to watch me open presents! What fun!

Uncle Jake and Aunt Karrie sent me so many great things. I particularly love the cupcakes they sent - they are just pretend but I got to eat a real cupcake too. You can see it in my hand. Thank you so much for the books, cupcakes, stickers, and more.

After a great Christmas eve, Christmas day finally arrived. I came upstairs to discover that Santa had brought me wonderful presents (we apologize for the lack of photographic evidence). I am particularly fond on my new watch and necklace. Thanks, Santa!

We have a family tradition of making and eating breakfast on Christmas morning. Daddy and I made sweet potato pancakes while momma rested. Momma got very sick the day before Christmas eve. Poor momma.

After we finished breakfast momma read me a book and then we all took a nap. When we woke, it was time to leave for our plane. We flew to Birmingham. It was a good flight. When daddy asked me what I thought of the flight, I said, "It sure beats flappin'." Which is something funny the pigeon says in one of my books. I love that pigeon.

In other news - not really related to Christmas: Bella doggie (Auntie Karon and Auntie Toni's dog) does amazing tricks:

Be still baby Oliver.

Way to go air force bear.

Wow! Check out that bat!

World ball? Are you kidding?

Advent ABCs: Z

Z is for Zeal.

Zeal comes from the greek word zelos. It means great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.

Zeal is . . .

a new friend.

Thank you Emmies for the monkey, monkey shirt and other great Christmas gifts!

And playing with your new friend.

And giving snuggles to your new friend.

Zeal is . . .

your new friend meeting your old friends and . . .

getting along.

Zeal is . . .

eating a yellow cookie.

Thank you daddy and momma for the cookie!

And getting yellow cookie crumbs all over your mouth.

Zeal is . . .

a new car!

Thank you mimi and pops for the new car.

and enjoying your new car with your new friend.

Zeal is getting to talk to Santa:

http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/6d56676d56223d38ccda71feaecdfac0

(click on or copy and paste this link and you can see Santa talking to me on the Portable North Pole.)

Zeal is Christmas . . .
Thank you, Christmas for coming!

Merry Christmas!

Advent ABCs: Y

Y is for Yummy Treats.

Elyse and I got together to decorate sugar cookies - and by decorate, I really mean eat.

We had lots of fun eating yummy treats.

Christmas is a very YUMMY time of year!

Advent ABCs: X

X is for Xebec

Xebec is a great word for ship. What's that got to do with Christmas? Don't you know the Christmas carol, "I saw three ships?" It is an English carol. The words are below as are pictures of me with my three ships.

I saw three ships come sailing in,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day, 
I saw three ships come sailing in,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 And what was in those ships all three?
 On Christmas day in the morning.

Our Saviour Christ and his lady On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 Our Saviour Christ and his lady,
 On Christmas day in the morning. (Just so you know, "his lady" is a reference to Mary.)

Pray whither sailed those ships all three?
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 Pray whither sailed those ships all three?
 On Christmas day in the morning.

Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 And all the bells on earth shall ring,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 And all the souls on earth shall sing,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice, amain,
 On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
 Then let us all rejoice, amain,
 On Christmas day in the morning.

Here's Sting's version of this great carol:

Advent ABCs: W

W is for Wise Man.

What? You were imagining something else?

How about this? I created this new use for my old toy . . . pretty wise, no?

Still not quite what you were expecting?

How about this?

This wise man is at church. There are two others.

See me jumping!

Yea jumping and yea wise men.

In other news:

At the end of my bath last night, momma and daddy said, "You have to get out when the water finishes draining." Hummm. So with my left hand I splashed the water and with my right hand I turned the drain to stop the water from leaving the tub. It took them several minutes to notice. When they did, they thought it was an accident. So they opened the drain again. I was not ready to get out of the water; I put my plan into place once more. Sadly, this time they noticed and I had to get out of the water anyway.

Advent ABCs: V

V is for Voices.

Yesterday at church we used our voices to sing Christmas carols.

We had Advent Celebration. We sang, we made crafts, we ate cookies, we had a great time.

Elyse is showing you one of our caroling books.

And Josh and Mendy used the voices of their instruments.

I thought they were really amazing.

I decided to help Carl play the piano.

Jimp used his voice to say hello to me.

See momma, daddy, and me?

We were getting ready for the caroling.

This is the Advent wreath in our church. We use our voices every week - we light a new candle and sing a new verse of a song about light the Advent Wreath.

Here's the song:

Mary Anne Parrott, 1988, © 1995 Chalice Press
(from Chalice Hymnal, no. 128)

1. Come surely, Lord Jesus, as dawn follows night,
   our hearts long to greet you, as roses, the light.
   Salvation, draw near us, our vision engage.
   One candle is lit for the hope of the age.
2. Come quickly, shalom, teach us how to prepare
   for a gift that compels us with justice to care.
   Our spirits are restless till sin and war cease.
   One candle is lit for the reign of God's peace.
3. Come, festively sing while awaiting the birth,
   join angels in dancing from heaven to earth.
   Wave banners of good news, lift high thankful praise.
   One candle is lit for the joy of these days.
4. Come, wander where lion and lamb gently play,
   where evil is banished and faith takes the day,
   a babe in a manger to fool the world's eyes.
   One candle is lit for God's loving surprise.
5. Come, listen, the sounds of God-with-us ring clear,
   and signs of a cross in the distance appear.
   The Word once made flesh, yet the Word ever near.
   One candle is lit for the Christ-birthday here.

Elyse and Sterling had a great time at Advent Celebration too.

Well?

Here I am using my voice to sing one of my favorite carols.

Can there really be too much?