Celebrating JESUS:)

 We had many celebrations to attend over the Christmas season...and lots of opportunities to celebrate family, traditions, and the birth of our Savior! We started by going to Gabe's mom and dad's for Christmas on the weekend before - we had a yummy supper of steaks & baked potatoes and then opened gifts, then played some games before heading home. Max got an amazing remote controlled truck that is HUGE, and Callie got a wooden kitchen (which she hasn't stopped playing with) and of course her new little puppy from the last post. Here are some photos from that evening...

Next up was Christmas Eve at my Grandpa Raber's house - always a night with lots of memories made and lots of laughs!! Memories of my grandma surround me in that house...but not in a sad way - it makes me feel like "home" and warms my heart. Christmas Eve has always had a "magical" feeling for me...

After the Raber's we had one more party for the night - the Swartzentruber's! We played a lively game of BINGO and then just talked and caught up with the family!! Here is a photo of the great grandkids... I love that the girls are all holding the babies and homemade baby blankets that Grandma Swartzentruber made for them!! And Max got to hold the real baby, Mr. Parker!

Christmas morning we woke up and opened gifts as a family, then my mom, dad, and brothers came over - we had a huge breakfast and then opened gifts!! Before my family arrived - our little family looked thru our stockings and then looked at what Santa had dropped off:) Max is such an amazing big brother - before he ever glanced at his own gifts, he was helping Callie open all of hers. It was so precious to see his excitement and joy for his sister's reaction to her gifts. (Yes, in the photo below, Callie is drinking from a bottle. YES, I realize she is WAY too old for this:( 

At noon on Christmas day, it was time to head to the Beasley's for appetizers and gift-giving. 

And Christmas night we went to Gabe's grandparents, the Paulus's. The family is growing and starting to outgrow Melvin & Gladys's home - but we all squeezed in and ate (again:)!! Then we went to the living room to talk and watch the kids play - and of course I took some photos:). 

Then it was time to head home and fall into bed - another wonderful Christmas with tons of memories made:) I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas, and now we are ready for the New Year!