Clover Christmas 2011

We went to Enid on Friday (23rd) and stayed there until this evening (the 26th). Christmas was certainly not the same this year. It was hard to celebrate as we are still grieving. We all miss Pop so very much. 

But Grammy has certainly outdone herself this year with her gifts to us. Wow. And thank you again.

 Charleigh opened up a precious Minnie Mouse shirt and of course she loved it!  She also got a Mickey Sing-a-ma-jig that is PRECIOUS. She got a Mickey bowl, plate and silverware set, too. All things Mickey bring ridiculously sweet smiles! :)

 Creighton waited patiently in the beginning to open her presents, but somewhere in the middle when everyone else had many left to go, she was finished. I really don't even know what all she opened....little stinker! :)

 She is completely expressive and dramatic in everything in life EXCEPT opening gifts. It's the same at parties, birthdays, Christmas, it doesn't matter. It's like she's scared to smile or get excited. She cracks me up. It'll be the coolest thing ever and she's somber faced, if not a pouty lip, but she IS excited. I don't get it. :|?

 Jeff got Michael Jr. DVD and cd and was thrilled! I love that cheeseball smile!

 Jackson (and all of us) got many Fire Dept things this year. He really liked his fire truck and Billy Blazes Rescue Hero!

 He also loves DVDs, Wii games, etc and he received a ton this year! Happy boy he is

 The Kislings got a lot of ski gear (I'm jealous they are all going skiing!)

 THere's her I really like it but I WILL NOT SMILE :/ She loves the fingernail stickers!

 Charleigh got baby bottles as well! :)

 Jen's new Prov. 31 shirt. She's a Prov. 31 woman :)

 As if we needed another costume to add to our heaping box, but I must admit, he looks pretty darn cute!

 Creighton doesn't know it yet, but she's gonna love this. We all will need ear plugs forever, but she'll be singing her heart out. Her newest song obsession is Adele "Rolling in the Deep".  I must say, when she learns the lyrics, she sounds pretty decent! I'm impressed....difficult song to sing and she can hang in there with Adele...

 Nerf...nuff said

 I was the photographer and thus this is the ONLY picture of me, but to document my newest TOMS and myself at Christmas, I wanted to add it! I love my TOMS. They are brown corduroy. YAY! I got a new blender, some cool clothes, new winter boots, giftcards (I love giftcards!!!) and so much more!

 Charleigh couldn't wait, so she didn't, to put on her new Mickey Mouse JAMMIES!

 The kids' big gift was the Leap Pad (and a few accessories to go with it). They LOVE them!

 Charleigh couldn't get the box opened at first, but once she did....

 ..she was so excited. She loves Rapunzel.  However, so does Creighton and she was thinking that Grammy put the wrong name on the box.  haha. It's Charleigh's and Charleigh is the most possessive 2 year old I've ever met. So, good luck with "sharing" her Creighton :)

 Creighton finally smiling! *after presents are all unwrapped.  She has her PURPLE Leap Pad. All things purple for this gal. She also received an adorable purple sweatsuit that matches my new Purple North Face jacket (I love it, but I have to get a bigger size).

 I kinda like this shirt :) Jeff got a new blu-ray player and lots of new movies and games, clothes, a special gun, and much more.

 Jeff got a Kilt Towel...oh joy

 Ironman OPERATION. cool!

 Pop built a dollhouse (huge!) many years ago for Jeff's cousins and they are all grown up now and sent it on our way (and it has tons of meaning now). Creighton didn't know anything about it till she opened this up and a ton of other wooden furniture for her new house (for both girls really).  She also got a small framed picture of Pop that is her newest prized possession.  She misses her Pop.

 Charleigh got a rug, Mickey of course! She laid on it for a long time. :)

 Jackson opened every box hoping it would be Skylanders. It's a Wii game were you get to play different characters. I have no idea what it is, but he was MOST definitely excited when he finally opened the box with that in it. And he got A TON of characters! (so spoiled) :)

 LEGO sorter is cool, except it doesn't come with legos *(crazy!)

 Charleigh loves love love to push things and she loves this new adorable stroller! Holding her new "Katty" that is precious.  Creighton got a LuLu cat that purrs and creeps me out.

 Oh Chuck.

 We made homemade pizza for dinner and the girls LOVED helping!

 WE also decorated Happy Birthday Jesus Mini Cakes. They loved that too. (and so did I!) (oh look I was there!)

We are abundantly blessed with life, with love, with family, (and now a bunch of material possessions), but we all miss our Pop abundantly. We had a picture of him making a funny face that was life sized that made us smile and laugh in the midst of our tears. There were many tears. Some very sad, some good memories, so painful, yet his life was a beautiful gift of servanthood and love. All of us remember, how could we forget? Life is forever changed and different. We miss you Pop. Christmas was not the same without you, but I know you experienced a Christmas radically different than what we could have ever imagined this year.  We love you.