Christmas Time in Tennessee

I really am trying to be a better blogger :-) AND since this is my "virtual scrapbooking", I have to stay on it so I can preserve the Ancelet Family memories!
We really had a great Christmas!
Thank you to Mawmaw and PawPaw (Ted's mom and dad)! They sent us some Christmas money and we put it to good use! The kids have been saving for special gifts so we combined some of their savings and the money we received and purchased them the gifts they had been wanting! It was so fun to see the surprise on their faces.
They were so excited to finally get these things on their wish lists... They were so grateful and that is something a parent takes JOY in... a child that is truly grateful for the gifts they have received!

I took a picture of each one next to their Christmas morning goodies.



We had to wake Abel up to get started in our Christmas morning festivities.
Can you tell he just woke up??
Abel was truly most excited about HIS PASSIES. He would hold one in one hand and suck on the other and then switch them out. It was so funny!

This is Addie opening her American Girl Doll. She wanted the Addy doll. Addy is an African American doll. I love that this is the one she chose. I am thinking it had to do with the doll having the same name but she loves that her doll has brown skin... just like her brother :-)

This was my FAVORITE GIFT! We have had LOADS of fun playing this game on the Wii.
Avery got a camera for Christmas. I am so excited for her (and for myself) because she loves taking pictures and I don't have to stress about having my camera up and running at all times. She has been having a BLAST taking pictures! and I've loved watching her taking after her momma with a love for photography!


Addie and Addy.
Aidan got a DS Lite for Christmas. HE IS PUMPED. I am such a stinker. I hid it and let him open all his other gifts and then took it out for him. He had saved his birthday money and knew that combined with CHristmas money, he had enough to get the DS. He didn't know we had gotten it already. He was so excited... Bless his heart. He opened a few DS games that we had gotten him and afterwards he said "now, all I need is a DS". I think with every gift he opened, he hoped it would be THE DS. FINALLY, the last gift... IT WAS THE DS!
After we opened our Christmas presents. We relaxed around the living room and played for about an hour. Then we headed out (IN OUR PJs) and went to the Mazons for breakfast. It was a sweet morning with friends. We enjoyed our time with them so much!

That day we had a low key, hang around the house and enjoy each other's company kind of day. Then that afternoon, I made a big pot of taco soup and the HORNES came over for dinner.
We had a BLAST!!!! We played Just Dance (the game I got for Christmas). We laughed and danced, and ate. Mr. Cliff and Aidan spent probably 2 hours putting together a Star Wars lego set they got him for Christmas. Abel got a soccer goal and ball from them...
Savanna and I tried to put it together but we just put it back in the box for Ted to later assemble.
After lots of dancing, we roasted marshmallows and sang Christmas Carols AS LOUD AS WE COULD off of the back deck. It was SO MUCH FUN!
Over all... I would say this face of Abel's sums up our Christmas...
IT WAS A GREAT ONE!

We had a real sweet time at our Christmas Eve service as well. Thanking God for the sweet sacrifice of HIS SON and what this season means to us! We are so very thankful! We spent our 7th Christmas Eve at Granny and Papaw Cruze's house. We had a great time there. The kids love opening their gifts from Granny each year. Aidan got the Mario game for the Wii (fun for the whole family!), Avery got an art set and baby in my pockets. Addison got some barbie outfits and coloring activities. Abel got some really fun toddler toys.
SUCH A FUN CHRISTMAS. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL! THANK YOU GOD FOR THE GOOD YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON OUR FAMILY.