Wednesday, December 30

Christmas Day 2009

Christmas Day was spent at Debbie's where we had our Hurst Family Dinner.  There were a whole bunch of us in a space not made for a whole bunch of us.  Here are a few pictures.


Stephanie & Carson (my cousin Talisha's oldest)

Bonnie & her grandson, Camden (Carson's little brother)

Aaron & Malachi, can you tell they are brothers?

My brother-in-law, Robbie

My cousin, Marcus, Dad, Camden & Bonnie

Jason, Wendell (b-n-l), Aaron & Malachi

Cousins Rachel & Stephanie

Wyatt

Abby & Kiah

Camden & his Grandpa  Maurice

Camden & his Uncle Marcus

Elijah

Papaw Tom & Luke

After we left Debbie's, Rachel & the kids, Luke, Jason, Seth, Charlie and I went to Charlie's Mom and Dad's to take them their Christmas presents.

Mamaw June & Abby

Papaw J and Abby

Owen riding the dog

Mamaw opening her present

Showing it off

Owen helping Papaw open his present

Jason & Luke

Kyra, Elijah, Abby, Owen, Rachel, Seth & Charlie

Owen & Papaw



Christmas Eve 2009

We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve at Malachi's & Misty's.  It was the first time in 8 years that all my kids were together on Christmas.  The only one missing from our family was Tristan.  He was definitely missed.  We also had extended family with us.  Pam came and opened presents with Seth and ate with us, then she had to go celebrate with her family.  We also had Dixie (Misty's Mom) & her friend, Owen, Aunt Gail & Uncle Steve, and my "adopteds" Rob and Jared.  We met about 2 and ate, and then we played games.  Rachel and her family had a Christmas Eve service at their church, which they attended, and then came back to open presents after Mackeinzie arrived at 10 p.m.  (She had to spend the day with her dad).


Dixie & Owen

Tasha & Aaron

Misty & Malachi

Steve & Gail


Misty & Tasha

Abby & Papaw Tom


Abby

 Wyatt (eating without using his hands)

Jason & Luke playing Play Station 3

Charlie, Malachi pestering Kylie & Tasha


Playing board games Rachel, Chris, Jason, Rob, Jared & Seth





The Christmas tree & presents before the opening began.


Papaw Charlie

Owen


Rachel, Abby & Elijah

Rob, Jared, Jason, Aaron, Malachi, Tasha,Wyatt, Misty & Seth


Mackeinzie

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too!


Wednesday, December 23

December--Catching Up

~December has been a busy month.  I've not had any time to post.  Aaron and his family made it home and found a house to rent while they are building theirs.  We've been getting to see lots of them and it has been nice.  Kylie and Wyatt have gotten so big! 



~Aaron had parked the moving truck in our yard when they made it home.  Unfortunately, it rained and they had trouble getting it out of the yard.  They tried to go through the field and got it stuck.  I came home from work to see this sight.

Lucas was having a high old time laughing at them.  First they tried the tractor, then they tried gravel, and finally they tried the Explorer.  None worked.  They ended up having to get a wrecker to wench it out.  It was dark by then, and I was at church, so I didn't get any pictures of that.


I guess you can tell, there's never a dull moment at my house!

~Kylie helped me decorate my Christmas tree this year.  It's the first time she's been here to do that.


Can you see a pattern, here?  (Everything is about 3 foot high and all in one spot.) Kyra, Elijah and Owen put the last few ornaments on the tree when they came up, and then put all the presents under it.
 
~We gave Dad a surprise birthday party on the 5th.  We had never given him a birthday party before.  His birthday is actually the 25th, but usually gets lost in the shuffle with Christmas.  He didn't suspect till he pulled up at Kim's and saw all the cars.


    
    The house was packed with family and friends.



I think he particularly enjoyed the cards and gag gifts.



~Kyra, Elijah, Owen and Abby were all in their church Christmas play on the 13th.  We went and watched, and it was very entertaining.



Kyra, Elijah and Owen were shepherds.  Kyra and Elijah quoted John 3:16.  They did a very good job.



Abby was baby Jesus.  It was probably the first time baby Jesus ever had a pink pacifier in his mouth.

~The 18th of December was Malachi's 22nd birthday.  He made it in from Canton, Ohio, (where he was working), very early that morning.  Misty had planned a surprise birthday party for him and actually pulled it off.  He didn't suspect anything until he saw the cars. 
Hmmm, seems like the cars are always a dead give away.




He had lots of help opening his presents.

~The 19th was Mom & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Debbie and I took Daddy to lunch at the Cracker Barrell.  It was a tough day.


~We also attended the Woods Family Christmas dinner on the 19th.  It was at Rob and Gail's in Kingston.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so there are no pictures.

~Our Christmas play was Sunday night, Dec. 20th.  It was the first event in our new fellowship hall.  There were 125 people in attendance.  The play was a dinner theatre type event.  As always, the kids did a great job.





Westley and Seth dressed for their parts and hamming it up for the camera.

~On the 21st, I took Seth, Pamela and Kylie to Dollywood for the Christmas Festival.  We all had a really good time.  Kylie loved it.



Kylie chauffering her Mammy around in the 50's cars.



On the carousel.



On the bumble bees.  She was so excited 'cause she could ride them by herself.



Piggy ride.



On the carousel again.



Kyle "won" an Abominable Snowman for herself and a Rudolph for Wyatt at the duck pond.



Kylie and I tried to take our own picture.  I think we need to practice.  Maybe my arms just aren't long enough.



Waiting on the parade to start.



Yep, that's Seth peeking around Pamela's back.



Seth & Pam.



~Well, that's about got us caught up.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and the whole gang will be together again, including some of my "adopteds" like Rob and Jared.  The only one missing will be Tristan.  I sure wish he could be here to share his first Christmas with us.  Maybe one day soon we'll get to spend time with him.

~Merry Christmas, Tristan!~




~Merry Christmas, Everybody!~