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January 6, 2014

Christmas 2013: Family, Traditions, and Sweets

January 6, 2014

Still in catch-up mode around here!  Posting pictures from our family Christmases, and some treats I made. I posted our Christmas decorations here yesterday.

Can we just go back a few days and have Christmas all over again?  Maybe this post will add enough Christmas cheer that it will feel like the holidays again.  Hope so!

First on the Christmas calendar was church.  Our church had Christmas Eve worship experiences from Saturday the 21st through Christmas Eve – 36 total!  We attended on Saturday night, and it was incredible.  I’m so grateful for our church!  Here is the sermon if you’d like to watch!

I made a few treats for my volunteer role at church, including these donuts and Oreo pops.  Red and green sprinkles are essential this time of year!

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We celebrated Christmas early with Aunt Ginna and Uncle Joel since we weren’t able to see them Christmas Day.  They gave us awesome gifts, but I have to mention my favorite – a huge Starbucks coffee mug.  My mornings are much happier now!  Oh, and I made more donuts that day.  Because, obviously. 😉

These donut pictures are trying to tempt me to stray from my no-wheat eating plan. 

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The next big event was Christmas Eve dinner.  My parents typically host this meal, but they were right in the middle of a move, so we hosted this year!  We had to squeeze around our table, but we loved having my parents, brother, and grandparents over, and celebrating my Granddaddy’s 81st birthday!

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My grandparents spent the night at our house, then my family came over bright and early, so we were all together for Davis to open some of his gifts first thing in the morning.

His biggest gift from us was this Fisher Price activity table.  He was obsessed, which of course makes us so happy!!  He just kept walking around it and pushing the buttons.

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His big/fun gift from my parents (Grammy and Granddaddy to him) was this giraffe rocker.  He certainly loved it, too!! Loved the expressions he made!

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A few more pictures from the morning…

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My mom made us our traditional brunch: 2 kinds of breakfast casserole, grits, and monkey bread.  And mimosas.  Delicious!

Next on the agenda was hosting the whole Link family (my side) at our house for dinner!  24 people.  But all I really had to do was have the house clean and make a salad and drinks.  My mom, aunts, cousins, and grandparents took care of the rest of the food, and Todd and my family helped pick up the house after unwrapping presents.

I love my family so much, and I’m so grateful that everyone was able to get together in Charlotte this year.  We are abundantly blessed!  I wish I had gotten more pictures, but here are a few from Christmas night.

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Last but not least, Kenan finally got some Christmas treats that night!

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The next day we drove up to Todd’s parents’ house and stayed until the 28th.  We enjoyed eating together, playing games, walking the dogs, taking Davis down to see the creek, and opening more presents.  And all the guys worked on cutting down some trees in their yard.  I didn’t get enough pictures, but here are a few!  The first is Davis with his Aunt Abbie, then him in his new, Davis-size chair, reading his new truck book.  He loves both!

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Joel and Ginna gave us tickets to the Carolina basketball game on the 27th, so Todd and I were able to enjoy a date night to our alma mater!

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We had a really wonderful holiday, and learned how much fun it is to have a toddler at Christmas!  We are so grateful for our family and friends, and for time to pause, worship, give, celebrate, and relax.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog!

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About Lindsay

Charlotte native, wife to my college sweetheart, and mama to two little boys! Passionate about healthy eating, family-friendly recipes, entertaining, and overall wellness. Often found in my kitchen, surrounded by toy cars and chaos created by my sons! Rely heavily on coffee, dry shampoo, prayer, and texts with my girlfriends.

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