The Year of the Purse

- December 30, 2013

We spent the last week in Oklahoma with Micah, Becky, William, Xavier, my parents and my brother (briefly). If 2011 was the Year of the Preemie Baby and Gallbladder Attack and 2012 was the Year of the Flu, then 2013 was the Year of the Purse. With Christmas money burning a hole in our pockets, my mom, Becky, and I spent our days searching for the perfect purse and wallet. The search included 2 different Dillards (3 trips), Macy's, and T.J. Maxx (3 trips). We all managed to find the perfect purse/wallet.

Leather smells so good.

We also had a fantastic time eating (of course), drinking coffee (of course), listening to the boys play (loudly, of course), and being together. We also managed to fit in alot of shopping (Brian and Grandpa ended up on kid duty. Alot.), a trip to see the Rhema Christmas lights, a beautiful Christmas Eve service (with Michael Boggs leading worship), a trip to see Frozen (which was seriously fantastic - Camden even had to shush Becky because she was laughing too much).

We arrived home Saturday night, had a VERY full Sunday, and we are now home for a couple of days before Brian starts back to school Thursday. The kids are currently engaged in World War 3 (and not in a good way) while I try to take care of the most enormous pile of laundry ever, upload Christmas photos (I can't even think about tackling this right now). Brian is spending some time hunting, and I am grateful he gets the opportunity.

Here are the few pictures (mostly from Becky's phone). All big girl camera pics are going to have to wait, because my laundry and unpacking just can't.

It was a total winter wonderland on our way to Oklahoma. This is not a b/w picture, just lots of ice coating everything.

I briefly lost my mind and let the kids share a roadtrip coffee.

Headed in to the Christmas Eve service.

Candlelight at the service.

In their p.j.'s (very hyped up, I might add) before bedtime Christmas Eve.

Our families both chose to read scripture by the light of the Christmas tree and sing carols every night of December. This was the final night. And while Camden and Rory are pretty enthusiastic singers, it is nothing compared to William and Xavier who are VERY enthusiastic singers. A seriously fantastic way to make sure we are concentrating on Christ's birth, by the way. We have plans to continue this every year.

The kid table. Not that I don't love them, but these four are loud (to put it mildly) so a kid table was fan.tab.u.lous.

Lights on Christmas Night. Micah had his own Christmas miracle and was able to be off on Christmas Day, something that doesn't happen often for a doctor during his residency.

If you couldn't find these 4 playing with Legos or at the Wii, then they were all snuggled up reading.

Shopping! (Sidenote: someone remind me never to style my hair this way again)

Rory got Grandma's old purse, and she is kind of into carrying it.

Rory taking advantage of one of the few moments the boys weren't completely engaged with Camden. While she talked their ear off, they dutifully said, "yes" and read. I always feel a little sorry for Rory - she's always SO excited to be with the boys, but they quickly drop her in favor of Camden. Which is understandable, of course, but I do feel bad for her.