Delightful December

December was a busy month but an enjoyable one as well.  We spent a lot of time getting ready for Christmas.  Some of our big projects included building two sets of redneck golf (to be used as Christmas gifts) and homemade stockings. 

Poor Tony traipsed around a million fabric stores with me because we had to find "just the right fabric" so that the stockings would be "just like the ones Grams makes."  For as long as I can remember Grams has made denim stockings with red bandanna trim.  She has one for EVERYONE...Grams, Papa, all twelve kids, spouses, and grandchildren.  Next year she'll even have one for a great-grandchild!  My mom has always wanted some stockings of her own, just like the ones her mom made, but (as some of you may know) my mom is a busy lady and although she intends to make them each year, it never gets done.  So, this year my gift to her was to make a set of stockings for her.  That meant ten stockings!  It was a lot of work but totally worth it.  Maybe next year I can make a set of my own.  I would only have to make three and then I can make a new one each year another little one comes along.

 

The few days preceding and following Christmas were spent at the Shinkle home.  It was fun to be with Mom and Dad and the kids for more than just a Sunday afternoon.  Tony did some handy-man work for Mom and Dad's Christmas gift, we played games, ate yummy food, and enjoyed the Christmas festivities.  Tony and I got to be Mary and Joseph for he Christmas Eve Nativity.  (Funny how the girls always fight over who gets to be Mary each year but this year everyone said, "Jeri Lin has to be Mary because she has a baby in her belly." and there was no fussing.)

 

Christmas morning was an early one filled with lots of love and excitement.  I love how kids transform Christmas into something so special!  Tony especially enjoyed helping Hayden transform his Transformers back and forth back and forth.  Tony might have enjoyed them even more than Hayden.

I stayed busy all day in the kitchen.  Mom did the turkey but I made mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, veggies, and my very first pie!

Our first married Christmas was a wonderful one!  Next year we'll have a baby to share it with and we couldn't be more excited!  We love Christmas because it helps us remember the birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We know that through His atonement, we can be made perfect and can return to live with our Heavenly Father.  We hope that you have this same knowledge.  If you don't, please feel free to ask us more about what we believe.