The Gift of 4 Generations of Family!

Steve's Dad reading the Christmas Story to the whole family on Christmas Eve!

One of the greatest blessings of spending Christmas in Tennessee this year is the realization of what a special gift it is for us to have four generations of family together! Steve's maternal grandparents are not in good health and have recently moved from the farm in Middle Tennessee on which they have spent their entire lives (literally - Granny was born in that house!) into an Assisted Living community in Chattanooga near Steve's parents. It has been a hard process, but spending Christmas together just reminds us how special every minute is with them! Our three children and Steve's sister's new baby are very blessed to have their Great Grandparents to share such special moments.

I was exceedingly blessed in this regard as I had some of my Great Grandparents until I was in my teens and twenties! I'm sad that my Grandparents only knew Ashley (and one knew Jack for a year before she passed away). It is a true gift for children to really know those who have come before them and get to spend time with extended family. We are surely fortunate!

Here are some pictures from our holiday!

Steve's Dad, Baby William and Granny enjoying Christmas Eve!

Jack, Ryan and Steve with Steve's Grandparents, Papa and Granny!

Jack, Steve's Mom and her Daddy - Papa - enjoying Steve's Dad reading the Christmas Story!

Baby Ryan Strikes Again!!!!

Well . . . the two year old is BAAAACCCCKKKK . . . !!! While we were getting his brother ready to leave the house, Ryan was found back in the master bathroom and what do you know - - - he had gotten into Mommy's new Estee Lauder makeup kit (yes - the one that I've gotten every Christmas Holiday since I was 15 years old - the one that I just LOVE and enjoy, the one that I hadn't even gotten to use yet, since I've been sick with pneumonia). Well - he decided that it would be fun to paint his face with the best shade of lipstick and also paint the blush compact inside - practically ruining the blush! Oh - poor little Ryan! He then proudly showed off where he had "kissed" the bedroom door with his newly applied cosmetics!

I guess we should be relieved that he just painted himself, a door and a little on the bathroom carpet - - - as opposed to his big brother painting a complete "Lipstick Mural" (with RED lipstick) on the white carpet in our entryway when he was 2!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

"Look Mommy - I kissed the door!"

The evidence on the door.

Some of the "artistic cosmetic expression" on Ryan's face!

Ryan with some of his Cosmetic "tools" - How could you get really mad at this little face?

Christmas Morning!

We woke up on Christmas morning - and it was so much fun with the kids! We had to hold them at bay at the top of the stairs until everybody else could get assembled in the Living Room (understandable since there were 12 of us who had to wake up and get around in the morning - including our little 5 month old nephew). Everyone had a wonderful time seeing what Santa brought, opening gifts, laughing, and going through the HUGE stockings that we all have at Steve's parents home. *Some say the stockings just may be the most fun of all!

One very special thing this year is that Ashley got to be with us in Tennessee on CHRISTMAS MORNING - something that she had never been able to do in the past (as she always had to fly to meet us after Christmas on the years we went to Tennessee because of visitation issues). That young lady LOVED EVERY MINUTE of being with her family - especially getting to see her little brothers enjoy the magic of Christmas morning! The Lord has truly blessed us this year!

Here are some highlights of the morning:

Ryan "searching" for a gift in a bag he had already opened!

Steve, Robin, Ashley, Jack and Ryan in the midst of all the Christmas CHEER!

Ryan, Jack and Ashley right after they woke up - waiting with baited breath to come downstairs for Christmas morning!

Steve sitting in the midst of the packages, bows, boxes and bags - leftover from the gift opening!

The world famous "Blankenship Christmas Stockings" - - - and some goodies for a good little GIRL and BOYS from Santa!!!

Christmas Eve in Tennessee!

We spent Christmas Eve with Steve's wonderful family in Chattanooga - going to church, having an amazing dinner together, and hearing Steve's Dad read the Christmas Story to the whole family - including 4 generations! We also got to celebrate with Baby Jesus' Birthday Cake - a tradition that I have always enjoyed that we shared with Steve's extended family this year. The children were so excited and couldn't wait for Christmas morning to come!

Robin bringing out Baby Jesus' Birthday Cake (unfortunately Jack and Ryan ended up "fighting" over who got to blow out the candle) - - - but special and fun none the less

Ashley, Jack and Ryan in the church's sitting area after Christmas Eve Candlelight Service!

Christmas Eve Dinner - Robin got to sit with the children at the "Kids Table" - we had a lot of fun!

Jack and Ryan - so excited they could hardly settle down on Christmas Eve night - but after we scattered Jack's "Reindeer Food" on the front lawn, all three of our children hightailed it up to bed (they all slept in one room) and were asleep in just a few minutes. (It's amazing what motivation Santa brought to their bedtime routine!)

Cookie Baking with Gramma in Tennessee!!!

When we went to Tennessee for Christmas, our three children - along with their new baby cousin, William - got to carry on the tradition of making Christmas sugar cookies with Gramma! They had a BLAST! (although William wasn't quite sure about all this flour, dough and commotion.) Gramma Blankenship was so happy to have ALL of her beautiful grandchildren there to enjoy the festivities!

Gramma with William, Jack, Ashley and Ryan

Big Sister Ashley with little Ryan!

Things with Jack and Ryan begin to get a little bit messy!

Everyone diligently working together - with Ryan always grabbing for something he shouldn't have!

Are these little boys clowns or what?!?

Jack's Preschool Christmas Party - How Cute!

I have blogged before about how much we LOVE LOVE LOVE the boys' preschool, but I - once again - got to enjoy how wonderful this experience is for one of my kids at Jack's Christmas Party on the last Friday of school before the Christmas Holidays!

I was in charge of food - delicious (according to my eldest son) homemade cupcakes, white chocolate dipped prezel sticks and juice boxes! The other Moms had the cutest crafts and one of the dads had some wonderful games for the children. We finished the party with the reading of an adorable Christmas book. Here are some highlights of the party!

My silly boy, Jack and his friend, Olivia, enjoying their prezel sticks!

Mommy and silly Jack - having fun together at the party!

Jack making a Raindeer ornament - one of the crafts for the kids!

Jack and his sweet classmates playing a musical game!

Jack and his friend, Brooklyn, listening to the cute Christmas book that one of the Moms read to the children!

Christmas with the Rudisell Family!

Well - now that we are officially in the New Year, I guess I should summarize our Christmas celebrations, so here goes:

On Thursday night, December 18th, we had a wonderful Christmas dinner over at Robin's parents' home (about 15 minutes away) and had our Christmas celebration with them before we left for Tennessee. (We alternate Christmas and Thankgiving here and Tennessee every other year, so it was our year to have Thanksgiving in Texas and Christmas in Tennessee). We had an awesome time and the children had a blast!

Here is little Ryan "ripping" the paper from one of his presents from his Grandparents (an ESPN Baseball Batting Practice Toy!!!) We weren't sure if he enjoyed the toy more or the opening process!

Here is Jack with a favorite present of his from his Grandparents - a Policecar "Bed Tent"! (Ryan got a sports themed bed tent as well). What we have found is that the tents (and Jack's related police siren noise) are GREAT for during the day, but have to be taken off and stored during the night. Otherwise - these little guys NEVER go to sleep - it's all just too tempting!

Robin got a Chia Herb Garden - - - an unusual, unexpected - and actually quite useful gift - for someone who LOVES to cook! (Her Daddy bought this unique item for her! - Thanks Dad!)

Ashley got the famous pair of suede boots that she had been diligently searching for all Fall - a nice gift from her Grandparents! She has LOVED wearing them!

Just what my dear ol' Dad needs - - - a "Perfect Push Up" workout device. If that thing gives him a physique like that - maybe we ALL should invest in one!

Overall - we had a wonderful time celebrating a beautiful Christmas with our family and that's what is most important!