Deck the Halls with the Martin Mob...fa la la la la...

I am basically postponing the Fall and posting Christmas 2011 because it's seems more fun at the present moment. I'll go back later for record-keeping purposes....

Right before Christmas, we had a great playdate with our sweet friend Camden. This picture was just too precious!


We hosted the Martin Family this year...our first Christmas with everyone together in many, many years. Mom, Dad, Sherry, Doug, Laura, Kevin, Cliff, Evie, Kirby, Brad, Carrie, Matt, George, & Abigail. And Tori, Boomer, Anna & Louise. We had a house-full but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! The cousins loved being together...our house was VERY LOUD for 4 days!

Started off the vacay with a trip to OKC Snow Tubing at the Ballpark. The big and little twins and I rode the tubes while everyone else watched from the stands in the warm sunshine.

Here comes our little dare-devil, backwards of course...

Yes, we were the parents that forgot their coats, so we improvised!

Even Mr. George took part this year, and LOVED IT!


Whee Evie!
And you know I can't pass up the fun!

We attended Christmas Eve services at McFarlin after Chef Matt's big jambalaya dinner and then returned to our house for opening Christmas pajamas from Aunt GoGo and Uncle Kevin.

Off to bed....then to awaken to SANTA!

Abigail's response was hilarious, totally zombie-like, repeating the mantra "Santa, Santa" as she spied her new toys from Santa, including her requested Disney Baby Princess Tiana with a carrier! George jumped right in with excitement, immediately playing with his requested Shark Ship! He loved that Santa put the diver in the belly of the shark! They both couldn't believe how Santa knew they were almost out of toothpaste, needed new toothbrushes, and that they loved Pez. Too cute!

Nana & Pop gave Miss A a princess nightgown & slippers that she wore for 3 days straight. Had to beg her to put on regular clothes to leave the house...

We all received lots and lots of treasured gifts this year, more than we could count! With 14 people in the house, our cozy little living room was covered with mounds of great gifts, wrapping paper and smiles and laughter! We ate yummy food all weekend, napped with full bellies, and enjoyed each other's company while the kids all enjoyed their new toys. George was a bit obsessed with the boxes that his toys came in...to date, he is still stockpiling them in his room and will not throw them away. Yikes! And Pop had the most fun of anyone with assembling the toys....

George's new Thomas Zipline Train set

Even Boomer was exhausted after all the fun!

Brad illustrates the "peacefulness" of the season!

Tech junkies Cliffy and Doug with their new grown-up toys.

On the day after Christmas, Brad departed for Houston and Sherry & Doug left for Lubbock, but the rest of us drove down to Pauls Valley and shot skeet over the Washita River! Nothing like blowing up a few things after lots of family fun! Nana and Aunt GoGo sat/slept in the car while Pop, Kevin, Matt, me & all the kids went down to the river bank. George & Abigail loved exploring and shooting their first shotguns (with adult help, of course!). It was nice to be at the river and after covering ourselves in Oklahoma red mud, we visited Aunt Bernice in Pauls Valley (don't worry, we left our boots at the door!).

I love this picture....

Christmas has always been a special holiday for us, but since George & Abigail were born, it has taken on a whole, much more intimate meaning. It is hard to imagine that God gave his only-born son to live and die for our sins. But God also gave Matt and I TWO gifts on Christmas, forever reminding us of his grace and insurmountable love. Christmas will never be the same for us again....and we will praise His name every year!