Christmas with the Jean Family

I SURVIVED!! Yes, it's over! I survived the holiday madness!! It was all very enjoyable, but I am glad it's done with and I can move on to 2009. I predict this year will be a rough time for us economically, but I am hoping with support from our familes we will be sitting here a year from now and again I will be saying WE SURVIVED!

We started our Christmas holiday with a Christmas Eve Dinner and gifts with Nathaniel's family. We went to his mom and dad's house to celebrate with his sisters and their families. A new guest this year was Mr. Wally Brenner and we all welcomed him with open arms-make it wrk michelle, make it work! Natalee tore in to her gifts just as I had expected and Emilee was too tired to care. Emilee just wanted to bug her older cousins and she succeeded. Here are some pictures from the that evening:

Natalee was BURNING up in her mama and papa's house-wood heat! But she was actually excited about her Barbie that she can take a bath with-even though she doesn't look like it in this picture. Emilee was SUPER tired but she was still willing to unwrap some preseents

Later that night we went home and had prepared to unwrap one gift before bed with the girls. Unfortunately, Emilee crashed on us in the car so Nat opened her own gift and her sisters. NEW JAMMIES!! YAY!! I had prewashed them before wrapping them so they could wear them to bed on Christmas eve. TRADITION!

Natalee and her Jammies on the left and Nat telling me, "Jut a minit!" while she was opening her sisters gift. Natalee and Nathaniel opening Nathaniel's gift from mommy.

The nexy morning was everything I had hoped it would be. The girls came down the stairs and were so surprised. Natalee was upset that "Santa" had broken the cookie that she left for him. Natalee ripped in to her gifts and emilee got her self a slow start but finished strong. All of my gifts were on the walls. Three floating shelves for our living room and new curtains. To me, that was a good set of gifts. Isn't it crazy how you go from barbies to shelves in a span of 20 years?! BElow are some photos from Christmas morning at our humble home:

Frustration!

Ok so lastnight, in preparation for my day of wrapping presents, I found my favorite movie, White Christmas and was totally psyched about watching it today. This morning I get up and magically the movie has disappeared. I have looked all over this ridiculouslt small house and not a movie to be found that is not animated in some way. I find myself losing more and more movies as time goes on. Is it that I'm too busy to notice myself putting things places they shouldn't be or is it age? Lord knows he has blessed me with a few gray hairs as of late. All I know is Natalee isn't home today and that meant I could watch my fave movie without interruption-Emilee loves the movie. AHHHH!!! WHERE IS MY MOVIE!!!!

Wow! Two weeks since I lasted posting anything...Well, let's get up to date! Not a whole lot going on. We are all just getting ready for Christmas. I remember as a child going to midnight mass at St. Francis. The smell of frankincense or something like it filled the air in our church. It was black as night outside and the church was full of glorious light. Many candles and beautiful music. At 8 years old, I was enchanted by it all. The tradition of it all is what gets to me now. I have long sense left the church. I pretty much ended it when my grandpa past away. I use to go to mass every Sunday and you can bet I was there every holy day of obligation and sometimes even when we didn't have to be. Grandpa was the one who instilled GOD in to my life and how important God was and His son. You know how it goes-rebellious teenager filled with doubt and grief-I turned on the one thing that could have helped me-My church and God.
Now that I am older and have children of my own, I realize the importance and the significance of what I was taught and once loved. I want my girls to grow up in the Church and know the real meaning of it all.

On to more secular news findings....Natalee has seen the Santa man this year and it did NOT go well. She was TERRIFIED! So, to counter act the bad experience I've been shoving it down her throat! We have watched more Santa movies than I had ever known to exist. I think she is almost over it. We have decorated the inside of the house as much as I can-I don't really have alot of space to put anything! I need shelves. We have decorated the tree and Natalee has put the stockings up-but not before she wore them as socks! She is convinced that Santa is bringing her a Hanna Montana doll and you can be sure that "Santa" will not let her down. Emilee still doesn't understand the concept of "Santa" bringing her things so for now she will just be excited about toys. We are busy once again this year with making sure we are everywhere we are expected to be. Sometimes I wish that we lived far away and couldn't come home-then we could stay at home in out own beds all day long!
So, in closing I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Try to remember the season for what it is intended-the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

With Love,
Amanda

ONLINE SHOPPING

Just so you ALL know...I hate trying to buy anything online at disney.com! I can not believe that I have to drive all the way to Castleton just to buy a few items for the girls?! Wish me luck in the coming days as I will be driving to Indy. As many of you know the farthest I travel would be Lafayette. Ask Lynn Fischer...She had to ride with me to get to the Beef House because I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO GET THERE!! I really do need to get out more.
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: 23 days