Let the Christmas Season Begin!

Oh how I love the Christmas season. My mom and aunts blessed me with the joy of Christmas when I was a little girl and this time of year is still my favorite. I love my home the most during this time of year when all of my wonderful decorations are out that I've gotten from so many loved ones. I love pulling each one out and remembering who got it for me or where it came from. This year we got our tree from a fundraiser that the Vicksburg Baseball team was having. This is probably one of my favorite tress that I've ever had. So many memories hang on that tree and it will be a little sad when it comes down right after Christmas since we put it up so early.This is my little cookie making helper. John's grandma left of with a wonderful Christmas Cookie recipe. Last year when she passed Shenira and I were both given one of her aprons. I picked a Christmas one so now when I make her cookies I have her apron to wear along with it which makes the event just that much more special. We all miss her so much and have decided that having her great grandkids decorate cookies during our Christmas get together is a great way to keep her memory alive. So Gabe and I spend one night making the cookies so that the kids could decorate them. The Christmas Season also brings another favorite thing from my childhood, The Marshall Christmas Parade. I've been attending this parade for as long as I can remember and was also able to march in that same parade during my Jr High and High School years. Even though we live a good 45 minutes from Marshall my husband knows how special this parade is to me and has always made it a priority to make sure that we are there every year. I love sharing this tradition with our son. This year Aunt Jen, Hayden, Harrison and Haley joined up to watch the parade, Nana couldn't make it so the kids smiled pretty for me so we could show Nana how much fun we were having. Our good friends the Moody's have also started coming to this parade with us as well so it was great to hang out with them and of course I had to get a picture of Gabe with his buddies Jayce and Ty!This year was the first time that we've been able to watch the Vicksburg Christmas Parade. It was just Gabe and I but we enjoyed the home town parade as well. I like the night time parades better than day time one because the magic of the lights just seem to make a parade. I was able however to get this picture of Gabe which might be a new favorite for now. John's parents bought a home in Florida last year and are now spending the winters there so this year we had Christmas with them on December 3rd as they headed out for Florida on December 15th. Gabe and Karis couldn't wait to get started with the gift and were sitting here waiting while lunch clean up was happening. We also did the Fuller Family Christmas early this year on the next day December 4th. Uncle Doak was a great sport and was our Santa this year. The kids LOVE it that Santa comes and makes a special visit to just them! He brings each kid a special toy they all get to have there picture taken with him and then he is off to see other children. So we've already had a lot of Christmas fun and we still have much more to go. Coming up is the Semi Formal, Childrens Christmas Play at Church, The Copas Christmas, Kempton/Smith Christmas, The Kempton Christmas, Christmas, and a Wedding that Gabe will be in on New Year's Eve!