After our morning at home we went to Papa and Honey’s house to celebrate Christmas.

When we got there Will had a gift from Papa’s cousin waiting for him – a HUGE Hot Wheels racetrack.

Thomas got right to eating lunch! The rest of us waited until Mimi & PawPaw got there to dig in.

After lunch, we headed downstairs to open presents. Will was so excited when he saw his big gift sitting out.

Papa helping Will use his backhoe.

But, I think Honey was the most surprised with her new bicycle.

Thomas was excited about his busy ball popper.

Will was really excited about a frog loofah. Although now he won’t let me wash him with it because it’s currently the bed for his rubber duck.

Thomas started to play the drum before we could get it out of the box.

Hands down this “cooker” outfit is the afternoon’s winner. He wears it every. single. day. And he cooks Ichiban food at this kitchen – if you come and visit he will even do an egg trick for you.

After playing Will, Honey & Dana rode their bicycles.

We ended the afternoon by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and eating cake.

Jonathan & Dana

The day after Christmas we got together with the Dixon family to celebrate. This year we went to Bob & Susie’s house.

Thomas & Tori playing before lunch.

After lunch the great grandkids helped Tori pass out the gifts. Then everyone opened their stockings.

Opening the duck that Uncle Bob made for Will and Greyson. Will loves the duck but sometimes it’s a bad duck and it bites people and tonight we had to “learn” the duck its ABC’s before bed.

We gave Grandmama and Daddy Bill a frame with the 4 great-grandkids handprints – I think it was a hit.

Karen gave the boys these bouncy bulls – Thomas will have to grow into his.

Will is obsessed with his pink bull! He literally bounced around on that thing for hours saying, “Hoppy, hoppy all day long!”

And that wraps up this week long series on how we celebrated Christmas!

This was the first year in my 27 years of life that I didn’t wake up at my parents house on Christmas morning. It would have been sad if I didn’t have my own family wake up to! It was different but it was definitely nice to be at home on Christmas morning. Will & Thomas woke up at about the same time (I wonder, if Will woke him up?) and we headed downstairs to open presents.

Will enjoyed pulling all of his little treats out of his stocking. It was mostly snacks

Thomas wasn’t really into opening presents this year. Notice he would just rather sit in his chair.

So, Will opened all of the presents.

Thomas got a couple of trains – and again just enjoyed sitting in the chair.

Will’s favorite gift of the morning by far was this dinosaur “outfit.” He put it on immediately and started chasing everyone all around the house.

Will also got his very own ice packs! He uses them on a daily basis.

We had cinnamon bites for breakfast and I gave one to Thomas to see if he would like it. I’d say he loved it!

Such a fun morning celebrating Christmas with our little family! And celebrating Thomas’ first Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning we celebrated Christmas again – this time with Nonny & PawPaw.

When we got there they had a large cardboard house set up – Will thought it was so cool and couldn’t wait until Aubrey and Greyson got there so he could start coloring and decorating it.

Thomas thought it was pretty neat too.

Thomas couldn’t wait to open presents!

Aubrey

Thomas got some puffs and he couldn’t be happier!

Will got a pizza set.

Will also got a guitar and he has been serenading us with “ABC”, “Twinkle, Twinkle” & “Jesus Loves Me” every day.

Will & Aubrey playing on their new Sit n Spins.

Thomas was also a big fan of the Sit n Spin.

Greyson got a soccer goal and everybody had a good time playing with it.

Will & Nonny spent a good amount of time playing with Greyson’s new Lego set.

Each of the kids got a stuffed animal that talked/interacted with a book. Aubrey wanted Aunt Pam to read her book to them outside.

Thomas got a lot of lovin’ from his cousin Aubrey.

The boys got a chair from Nonny & PawPaw and Thomas absolutely loves it. I think it’s his favorite thing from Christmas!

Every year on the Saturday before Christmas the Henderson family gets together to celebrate. We are rarely all together so it’s nice to eat good food, watch kids open presents & of course get a visit from Santa.

Will wanted Bill & Honey to hide as everyone was arriving. Do you think anybody found them?

Will thought it was fun to eat his dinner with a toothpick. What could be better?

I took pictures of everybody eating but Joel is the only person who smiled- so his table gets put on the blog!

Thomas and Kenlie enjoyed playing a little pool.

The great-grandkids waiting patiently for the presents to be passed out.

Thomas and Uncle David. This was the first time for a lot of the family to meet Thomas

Will checking out his new toy! When we said that Santa was coming in – Will ran and hid under the chair again – Santa almost sat on him!

Santa & Will. Funny story: Immediately after this picture Will came up and said to me, “Mommy! Santa looks like Papa!”

Thomas was NOT a fan of Santa!

Funny story: We went out to eat tonight and a man with a big beard walked in and stood near us and Thomas was afraid of him too.

Dylan & Chase

Zoie & Kenlie

Sarah wasn’t a big fan either

Hmmm, I always thought Santa’s elves were short!

The day after Thanksgiving we broke out the Christmas decorations. And by we, I mean Bill. Will really enjoyed getting out and decoration the tree this year!

I’m not exactly sure what Will was doing here but I think making sure the tree branches were just right.

Putting on the ornaments. Will has enjoyed being able to touch the ornaments this year – as long as he’s gentle.

Thomas wasn’t sure what all this activity was all about! But he was definitely curious about the lights.

Will has played with the “tivity” every day this December. He prefers to set it up on stairs and then yell whenever anybody goes up or down “don’t step on my tivity!”

Thomas has surprisingly not gotten into to much trouble with the Christmas tree. Just once have I caught him playing with an ornament he took off the tree.

We didn’t get most of our Christmas decorations out this year but we did decorate the mantel.

Merry Christmas!

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

During this season of Advent or the season of waiting or expecting Christ’s arrival we have been conscious in our teaching of Will about the meaning of Christmas. Every night we pull the box off the calendar and read Scripture. Of course he doesn’t understand but he can understand “Jesus’ birthday, born in a barn” and that we are reading the Bible.

This year Will has really enjoyed “helping” me wrap presents and putting them under the tree. He crawls around the tree pointing to each gift and saying who it is for. And this made me think about how mixed up the Christmas message the world hears is.

How often do we tell our children or ask, “Have you been good so Santa will bring you presents?” Isn’t this the exact opposite of God’s gift of Christ to us?

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! Romans 5:8

We want to strive to teach Will (and soon Thomas) that at Christmas we celebrate God’s gift of a Savior that we did nothing to earn or deserve.

We can do this by giving gifts to our children, family and friends not because they have been good but because we love them and want what is good for them. And because we want to reflect Christ in everything we do.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. Matthew 7:11

This Christmas we got to spend an entire week in Chattanooga with our families. It was a fun week full of Christmas celebrations and just having fun! The celebrations began on December 19th when we celebrated with Will in Nashville and ended with the big Dixon celebration on December 26th. Below are a few (50!) of our pictures from the week. I hope you enjoy!