McLeod Family Chistmas

This year, we got to spend Christmas

with much of the McLeod clan.

These pretty people came down from IdahoThese cuties made the drive from Grass Valleyand our family headed up to Camarillo to crash with Grandma and Grandpa
It was a full house.
Full of love, laughter
and enough food to feed an army.

We stuffed our faces, played games well into the night,
went to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve,
exchanges gifts, and caught up on all of life's happenings.So fun to have everyone together
like the "old days," Jeremiah would say...

Can we do this every year??

Christmas with the Mister

This year, the month of December was I-N-S-A-N-E.
That said, Jeremiah and I celebrated Christmas
about five or six days early.
(The only day we really had the time.)

We watched Elf,
read the Christmas story
light the fresh balsam candles
and exchanged gifts and stockings by the fireplace.Jeremiah filled my stocking with a few magazines,
a new book, a Starbucks gift card and a little note
letting me know he ordered me a BHG subscription.
He also gave me two beautiful coats. Good work, babe.


I filled Jeremiah's stocking with movie tickets,
a Starbucks gift card, some yard work gloves
and a few card games.
I also gave him his very own Flavia machine
with enough coffee, hot chocolate and tea packets
to sip to his heart's content.

It was a little more low key than last Christmas,
but it was simply lovely.

The gingerbread houses, big Christmas dinners,
and tours of neighborhood lights
aren't what Christmas is about anyway.

DisneyWorld in Pictures

The sweetest little Minnie Mouse I've ever seen.
No, we don't know her. at all.The whole gang (okay, minus 2) with Minnie herselfThe Magic Kingdom Castle all lit up at nightTea CupsThe castle during the day, from Tomorrow LandMagic Kingdom trainMain Street USABrian and I at EpcotThe StampleysDaddy-daughter shotGrand Gathering at EpcotRoz. is. NUTS.Disney StudiosBeauty and the Beast show at the StudiosTower of Terror at the StudiosThe twenties and thirties are pretty. darn. cold.A rainy day at the Animal KingdomLike I said, rainyAnimal Kingdom's Tree of LifeExpedition to EverestSaundra and her flowers "from Earl"
*Pictures courtesy of Mom's camera and Brendan's camera*

Mikovits Family Christmas

This year,
Christmas at the Mikovits house
consisted of soup, salad and rolls, gift giving galore,
a delicious caramel banana ice cream dessert,
and Ramona and Beezus.

And after Christmas at my parents' house,
we headed up to Thousand Oaks for Calvary's Christmas Eve service,
the tastiest of Christmas Eve dinners (with pesto torte, of course!),
and bright&early Christmas morning with my silly cousins.

We definitely missed having Gram there,
but receiving communion with Papa on Christmas Eve
was especially sacred.

Here are a few pictures from my parents' house:

Lys and I modeling some of our new gifts.
My with my vace and Lys with her scarf, mittens and purse.Everyone in their new coatsJeremiah loves his floors
so of course he loved his new vac&steamMother-Daughter photoLys modeling as many gifts as she can at the same timeSilly boysDad with a new picture for his office
What'd we give?

Dad got a new dress shirt and
personalized cuff links for all his business travel

Mom got a set of hand-painted plates,
an automatic can opener and a bracelet from New York

Lys got a lovely sweater
and some lovely-smelling perfume

Alas

That silent night was last night.

Wordless Wednesday

A Silent Night

Growing up in the church,
I've been frequently warned not to buy into the materialistic Christmas.
Constantly reminded: It's not about the gifts.
And I agree. It's not.

I've even gotten the gifts part out of the way early this year
so as not to focus on the stress or cost of the purchases,
but on the joy of giving.

But what I don't think I've ever heard
and what I have been surprisingly consumed with this Christmas
is the almost over-focus on family and friends.

We've spent every day this month
with family, or friends, or both.
And the agenda for the rest of the month looks the same.
Family from out of town.
Friends from out of state.
Some who haven't seen our new home
or others whom we haven't seen in months or maybe years.
Still others who are celebrating birthdays and the link.

Busy. Busy. Busy.

All I want. All I need.
is a Silent Night.

More time to sing praises to the Lord.
More time to read not only the story of Jesus' birth,
but all the stories leading up to Christmas.
The reason for Christmas.

That to say,
I must confess I've been so tied up with friends and family this season
that I haven't gotten to spend as much time as I'd like
with the Reason for the season.

Take this as a reminder,
in case you've done the same.

A Cider Celebration

I stole this picture off Jordanna's blog.
And I'm about to steal her story too.
Read about Cider Celebration here.

Sugar Overload.

A new tradition was born this weekend
Christmas cookie decorating with our cousins!