Christmas 2012

Well, I guess it's about time that I gave a Christmas update for 2012. What a wonderful holiday season we shared as a family this year! The twins were the perfect age to enjoy the magic of the holidays. I have to admit, Mommy and Daddy had a lot of fun making Christmas special for our babies as well:) All the fun began on the Sunday before Christmas with the Gurkin family Christmas. Each year the family competes to find a single pickle ornament wrapped with a $10 bill that Grandma Penny has hidden. This year Steven was the lucky one to find it...Go Daddy! We also had a $5 gift exchange that the twins were old enough to be included in this year. Berkley and Meredith were so proud to go up and pick out their gifts and who knew Berkley would be so happy with a travel coffee mug, which I must tell you he actually uses everyday to drink his milk from. What a blast we had with the Gurkins, it's always filled with laughter at Pen-Pen's home! Christmas Eve was spent celebrating with my mom and brother and again, our home was filled with laughter. One of my brother's best friends sent a bunch of small gifts for the twins to open and who would have known that Meredith's favorite gift (probably of the entire holiday) would be a guitar ornament with a photo of Johnny Cash on it that plays "Ring of Fire." I tell you, I have heard that song so many times since Christmas Eve and Meredith has memorized the words already. You want to try something difficult, try explaining what the words of "Ring of Fire" mean to two three year old toddlers. Berkley's favorite gift of the day was his very own grill. He's really fallen in love with helping daddy grill outside, so it was a given that he needed his own grill this holiday season, so Grandma and Joe-Joe hit the nail on the head with this gift. Christmas Eve evening was memorable because the twins loaded up into Papa's jingle bell laden wagon and rode the horse-drawn carriage to Reddick's Grove Church for the Christmas Eve service. I always look forward to this candlelight service. It makes you stop and reflect on the greatest gift mankind has ever received and why we even have Christmas, Christ.

Christmas morning I decorated with some paper snowflakes and garland because Berkley absolutely loves Christmas decorations. Sure enough, he noticed and was sad when we finally had to take them down after the holidays. I was happy that the twins weren't overly-excited, rip right into your presents kind of kids. They patiently took in the sight of the gifts that they had received and told us thank you for everything. Meredith's favorite Christmas morning gifts were a violin and a microphone on a stand. The two of them have had many a concert already with their microphone and they love to rock and roll! Berkley's favorite was a set of construction trucks that he received; he turned to me and said, "my construction trucks, thank you mommy, I really wanted these!" It melted my heart to see his sense of gratefulness at such a young age:) We followed up the gift giving fun with a simple breakfast with Grandma and Joe-Joe as well as a visit from Mima and Papa - talk about a lot of love in one household!

Meredith enjoying her new mic and Berkley admiring his new, very own Bible (which he'd been asking for for quite some time).

Meredith's look of surprise when she could actually play her violin.

Berkley looking over his new stash of construction vehicles. On Christmas afternoon we went to Mima and Papa's to spend some time with them, as well as with Steven's brother and his family. Our niece and nephew, Hutch and McKinley are now 8 and 10 and were so appreciative of every gift they received. The twins got "big bikes," tricycles and have already showed us they don't need any help riding...I can't believe how much my babies have grown! Our time at Mima and Papa's was followed by time at G-Dot's, Steven's paternal grandmother's home. Let's see, I believe there ended up being around 26 people total there and boy was it a blast! We are so grateful to have such a large extended family to share such a special season with. I voice recorded a few things on phone that I wanted to be sure not to forget from this Christmas and here they are: Berkley's face looking into the candlelight during the Christmas Eve service - oh the wonderment that could be seen. The view of Berkley holding his Papa's hand as they walked up to receive communion. Meredith asking to hold Grandma's hand when walking down the aisle at Piney Grove for their Christmas Eve service. The constant sound of Ring of Fire playing all throughout Christmas thanks to Meredith's new obsession. When asked what gifts they would give baby Jesus if they could give him anything, Meredith's response was a new lamp and Berkley's was a race car. These may not seem significant, but they are both precious gifts to the twins:) Berkley's face opening his grill, you would have thought it was an actual gas grill. The twins having their own sock puppet show at G-Dot's house.