Happy Birthday JC!

I felt like such a real-live grown up today.

Celebrating Christmas in my own house, with my own hubster and my own babies while cookin’ my own good food and setting my own traditions for the first time in my life. Every other year we’ve been at my Ma’s or Dave’s ‘rents & leaving the following day for InterVarsity’s rotating triennial missions and black student conferences.

This was first year I felt finally ready to do our own thing, to be just the 4 of us.

It was such a special day, y’all. Hopefully, I captured that in the pictures.

(One of my Christmas gifts to myself was my favorite new toy, the incredible program Picnik in which I formatted these pictures. I love it!)

Our prayer was to make today a celebration of one thing:

Emmanuel: God with us.

The birthday the whole world celebrates.

Nothing says we-are-so-happy-you-came-to-earth-Jesus like pumpkin pancakes, a plate full of pig & three different flavors of syrup.

(If I may say so myself, they were delectable).

When we asked Ransom to pray, I teared up at his sweet prayer: “Thank you God for this life worth living. God, give Christmas gifts and food to all the kids in the world and in Haiti too.”

Dave wrapped a little interactive cube for Ransom that we gave him at breakfast. We spent some time talking about why Jesus came to earth.

Rhys didn’t know what was going on this morning but he sure was excited about all the new things to touch!

“Can we please get started, Mama?”

My two favorite gifts of the day? Ransom made us this golden angel picture & Dave got us a hot date -pun intended- at the local Hot Tub Gardens. Shaaawing! =)

What didn’t go over? The mildly expensive snow hat I bought for Ran to go out and shovel with Daddy.

It’s going straight back!

My little buttercakes!

Our little Christmas project: baking Christmas cookies for Nana and Grandma & Grandpa B.

Dave’s bro Steve & finace, K got us the complete 6 seasons of LOST! We were psyched! In fact, Ransom played with it for about two hours instead of ahem, the toys we bought him! =)