Christmas Eve 2012

It seems like I just put out Christmas decorations and now here I am writing a post about Christmas Eve. Why can't life just slow down a bit?  We spent the afternoon on Christmas Eve with the Lindeman side of the family and I was so busy catching up that I forgot to pull out the camera.  I guess that's what happens when you only see one another on holidays.  We all live within a 30 mile radius of each other so we promised not to let that happen again in 2013.  Hate to admit that we're guilty of not always making time for what's most important and the Christmas season always serves as a reminder of that.  

So New Year's resolution #1-Spend more time with loved ones near and far!

After we finished up at Maw-Maw's, we headed back to Rockwall where Presley and the rest of the gang were waiting on us at Papa and Grammar's house.

The kids gave us about 3 seconds for pictures and then it was time to unwrap presents.  

Once again, mom and dad were way too generous with their gifts for all of us.  I say it all the time but they really are the best parents a girl could ever ask for.  No words for how much they mean to us.  We are blessed beyond belief!

Kase loved his fleece blanket and devotional book.  He recently finished the one we gave him for his baptism so he was excited to have a new one to start reading.  It warms my heart that it was one of his favorite gifts and that he enjoys and looks forward to his daily quiet time.

Papa and Grammar got he and Presley TV's for their rooms and Tony and I gave him his first cell phone so wish us luck as we enter this new season of life with him.  

We outlined some rules and all were agreeable until we got to the last one-phone goes to bed with mom, not Kase.  There was a little unhappiness with that one but we survived the last two nights so I think we're past it.  I'm sure it'll come back up for discussion when he's 12 and wants to talk to his girlfriend friends all hours of the night.  For now, we're all on the same page.  Keller opened a couple of presents and then decided he'd rather play with his new tablet so we took care of the rest for him.  

In the midst of what recently took place in our country, we are extremely grateful for another Christmas spent with our loved ones.  It was the best Christmas gift of all!