Christmas 2024

 Christmas season 2024 already feels like a bit of a distant memory, even though it's only been a month.  so i'm throwing down the pictures today, because once i'm out of January there's really no going back.  i want to remember~ the sweet and fun parts, the memorable "together" parts, the traditional and the sacred parts.  

(we missed Layla, that was hard.  but we made the best of it and connected with her during quiet moments too.  those are times when technology is amazing!  her journey to Africa over Christmas proved to be another gift! more on that soon!)

as for photos~ here goes...

Joelle came home!  a huge gift of Christmas!  then Jeff pointed out the strong resemblance between Joelle and the dog...we all laughed.  he isn't wrong.

she was showing off her craftiness all week.  i remain in awe. Cree clearly was mesmerized as well.  how did that even happen?!

cousin dinner conversations.  

when my nativity scene people appear in Cree's truck cab, then you know it's Christmas.

Joelle~ the winner of Mom's amazing Christmas quilt!

Cree helped keep our "gift game" running smoothly.

Joelle and Jessie...picked up right where they left off.

Cree managed to hold his own lit candle during the Christmas Eve service.  this made him really happy.  no larger fires were set, which made me really happy.

spoons with water chugging for the loser.  

the baby in the manger...He came!

Terrell admiring Cree's new wheels.

Joelle gifted Cree the coolest and comfiest sweats.

Jeff's mom always nails Christmas dinner.

Cree prefers having a passenger...

Jessie~ maybe not so impressed to model Joelle's beautiful balaclava creation... 

somehow Jessie made it in more photos than Hudson and myself this year.  that was purely an accident.  hopefully that gets fixed next year.  both Hudson and I were present for all these gatherings and i know he'd agree that a great time was had! actually, if it wasn't for Jeff and the girls, i'd have less than three Christmas pictures total...so i'm obviously living in the moment, it could be worse i guess...

thanks family, you keep snapping pics and i'll be sure to deliver them here.  that much i can do! :)