December 2013/ part 1

Wow, I am so far behind with my digital scrap booking! In 2014 I am going to catch up but until then I need to document stuff I want to remember.....because I will forget! December was so busy but fun. I planned ahead and shopped early, decorated earlier, and still........had some rushing around at the last minute!

Both girls continue to grow up so fast and just simply amaze me in so many ways but especially, the spiritual growth they have both made this year. Amelia has become quite the little prayer warrior. All I have to say is that we need to pray for someone and she bows her head and prays for them! So sweet, it really blesses me so much. Sometimes, she will just start praying about something spontaneously it is precious! She is also becoming much more outgoing and loves playing with friends! She loves hosting tea parties! Amanda continues to excel in school and loves to read! She reads constantly and when we attended her conference her teachers told us she was reading far above grade level. (I won't tell you how far because it might appear that I am bragging on my girl or something!) I am most impressed with how much of the bible Amanda is memorizing! She loves to read the bible and memorize verses. Her comprehension and understand of the passages in the bible especially in Revelation surprise me! She really gets it and explains it all so well. I am thrilled! I am so thankful to God for how He continues to bless us! I could have never ever imagined how much of a blessing children were until I had them! I wish I could freeze time!

 Back to December.........

One day in honor of our newest family member.......we made a hedgehog for lunch!

 I love that Amelia still gets to eat lunch with me everyday!

We really enjoyed Advent season this year with many old traditions and we added some new fun to the mix!

Both girls loved attending the Advent service and dinner at Amelia's school and Amanda's former school. Amanda loved seeing her former teachers. What a blessing that school has been to our lives! The sweet spirit there is amazing!

The girls continue to adore one another most of the time! I love to hear Amanda teach Amelia and read to her! So sweet to watch them play school.

  

Our Christmas cards went out a little later this year because we had trouble getting pics.

 

Amelia loves to be silly in photos....

Not Christmas card material...

I do love these pics even if they might not be Christmas card material. It shows how much they love each other! I am glad they can have fun together!

The girls decorated a gingerbread house together.....

for some reason they thought it would be more fun to use their hands to spread the icing! Messy but fun!

We experienced our first snow of the season but it wasn't much but enough to do what they had been hoping to do...

make snow angels....

 

have a snowball fight....

  

and make a snowman.

Hubby and I were able to escape to NYC for his work party thanks to mamaw and papaw!

 We caught an early flight so we could spend a little time together in NYC and eat pizza together (notice the water bottle and not a can of diet coke) before hubby headed off to a meeting and I went shopping! It was fun to have some time alone, and then time together without our sweet girls. We really enjoy spending time as a family together but sometimes it is nice to have time together and to myself!

 

I loved seeing the tree in Rockefeller center.

  

 

I love how NYC decorates for Christmas.

  

I love watching the skaters skate!

 

 After shopping I was able to go back to the hotel and rest and take my time getting ready for the dinner. I really had such a fabulous time talking to everyone this year! It was nice to chat with some of hubby's coworkers and catch up with their wives. I really enjoyed our table this year and the people at it! I spent the night laughing! We really had a great night chatting and solved all the world's problems in one night!

 

Hubby and I at the dinner!

I love the restaurant where the dinner is held so pretty!

The next day NYC was expecting lots of snow so we hurried home. It had already started snowing so I got a chance to watch them de-ice the plane it was neat to watch. Hubby and I didn't get seats together going up but did get seats together coming home. I truly enjoyed that time together!

  

 

  

We got home just in time for one of our favorite traditions with the girls!