Snow on Christmas!

Snow on Christmas! I love it! It was awesome! We were inside playing games and playing with toys when we decided to go outside and get some pictures in the snow before it got dark.

Matt, Laura, and Belton

All bundled up!

Little Red Riding Hood in the white snow

We frolicked about in the snow for a few minutes, but before long we had a full-fledged snow ball fight going on!

This is the first snow Claire has been in. And the fact that it snowed ON Christmas makes it even better! 

Once again, Merry Christmas!

(At this point, my camera broke. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do about that for now. But in the meantime, I need to be packing my house and preparing for our big move back to Texas. So if I don't post for a while, now you know a few reasons why. Or maybe I'll post with no pictures. Or maybe I'll just use pictures from my phone. We'll see.)

Christmas Dinner

We had country fried steak for dinner! Yum! This was our specially chosen, usually always requested birthday meal when we were growing up. (And frequently, it still is!) It brings smiles to our faces and smiles to our bellies. Hmm, that might not be a good thing. Oh well; it's Christmas!

When Claire heard a ruckus in the kitchen, she immediately went in and pulled a chair over to the island to help. She pounded some meat and put it in the milk.

(I love how she is tenderly putting the meat in the bowl). 

It was snowing! I had to get a picture to believe it! 

But our meal was ready - or almost ready. And here are more examples of Claire waving her arms around for the camera. 

We didn't get great pictures  of everyone, but we all ate, and it was delicious!

Again, we are so blessed! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning!

Christmas morning finally came! Laura, Matt, Belton, Marsh, Jenn, and Marcus all slept at Grandmom and Granddad's house, (and so did we), so Claire slept in our room that night. When I woke up, Claire was singing "Where are you Christmas?" from the Grinch. She was lying in her bed and was looking out the window. Cute. We watched her for a while, and then we had her come over to our bed. Good times!

Then it was time to wait for everyone to get ready to go into the living room at the same time. We waited on the stairs.

We had a little extra time, so Claire sang "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." I love her interpretation of words when she doesn't quite know what they are.


And then we got to see what Santa brought!


Marcus looks happy!

The big wheel was a hit!

Claire got a pink ball and some play food!

Jordan got some (silly?) hunting helps in his stocking.

But the best items in his stocking were the mustache magnets!!!!

I love this picture of Marcus!

We're all truly blessed. Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas Eve party at the Hervey house, as always! (See Claire? I told you she's been waving her arms around instead of smiling at the camera!)

This year Kelly and Derek Kelly and their family joined us for the party, and another Kelly did, too. We're glad Derek made it over after work. 

When we were growing up, Marshall, Peter, Laura, Kelly, Lauren, Jeff, Sam, Zac, and I acted out the nativity. This year, we set it up with the little ones. (My only job this year was to hold Belton's head). Claire was Mary and Isaac was Joseph.

Jane was a shepherd, I think, and Marcus finally decided on being a wise-man. We also had a bat, as opposed to a sheep. It was awesome!

And here the kids were jamming to Jingle Bells with some jingling bracelets. 

After eating, acting out the nativity,  and catching up, we played White Elephant! Derek got some bath crayons, which one of his sons later stole from him.

Matt got some awesome candy, which was stolen a few times and ended with Jordan. (Score!) 

And Laura got the treasured Santa-Eureka!

I ended up with some sunglasses and picture coasters, so, naturally, Claire wore the shades while she carried around the dancing Snoopy. 

Dad said, "Have a red hot chile pepper Christmas!" And Belton was okay with that. 

After the party, Marsh and Jenn handed out some new pajamas to the kids - and Matt. They look good, don't they?! 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Cookies and Fires

Taylor and Claire made sugar cookies; I love how they took turns with the rolling pin.

And then we decorated them later. (During our trip, Claire developed her first aversion to picture-taking. When I'd ask her to smile for a picture, she would wave her hands all around and make a weird face and not look at the camera. It looks like I've got to make it more exciting!) 

Since it was so COLD in Dallas, we got to have fires! How cool is that? This season has been so warm in Louisiana that it was really, really nice to feel some cold weather. Jordan taught both Taylor and Matt how to build a fire.

Look at it go! 

Christmas with Taylor

We went to Dallas for Christmas this year, and we began our festivities a few days early with a brunch at Peter and Taylor's house.

Mom got a present! - New handles for the front hall closet door! Hooray!

Claire, who had already practiced helping other people open presents at our house, was a good helper to Taylor. And Taylor was very good to let Claire help her. 

Model airplanes!!! Awesome!

And what festivity would be complete without acting silly with Uncle Matt?!!!