Christmas was GRAND on so many levels

If anyone has little ones in their house at Christmas, then you know for sure that there is never a dull moment ... 
the anticipation builds from Thanksgiving ---

and it builds ---

and it builds ---

and it builds ---

Yeah ... you know what I mean.  Our family had originally planned on celebrating Christmas Day at our house since we have 2 little ones.  But we all knew that my Daddy wouldn't be up to traveling as he is recovering from his heart attack from a couple of weeks ago.  Well, as it is with younger ones too, someone got sick just before Christmas --- sweet little Tag.  

So Christmas plans were different,  but we all definitely still celebrated ... and this year we thanked God for not only His first Christmas in sending us His only Son as our little Baby of Hope ... but also for allowing us to celebrate Jesus' birth with both my parents.  And once Tag gets better, then he & Lucy will be celebrating Christmas again at 

GG & Grandpa's!

Here's a few pictures to see what a wonderful Christmas we celebrated:

Okay ... so these 2 pictures need some "esplainin" ...

Lucy's letter to Santa from preschool had the following request.  She wanted to:

see a monkey in her yard

see a lion eating her fence

and

have a cheetah take Tag on a ride

(Yes ... while the other kids asked for toys, these were Lucy's requests ... 

and Santa delivered!)

But Tag wasn't too interested in the cheetah ride ...

maybe when he feels better!

 Lucy wanted to make her parents a special stuffed animal this year --- she chose a pink striped tiger whom she named "Daisy" and she picked Daisy a special pink winter outfit that included ear-muffs.  Needless to say, her Mommy & Daddy LOVED it!

Lucy had been so concerned about her Grandpa since his heart attack (he had to go to the hospital so that the nice doctors could help him feel better).  It was good to see her laughing with him & her GG.  I am so very blessed that my parents have always taken an active role in the lives of their children, grandchildren & now great-grandchildren.

I keep saying this, but this Christmas drives it home more than ever ...

Our relationships here on earth are worth more than any gift or any amount of money. 

Relationships take time, effort and heart ...

and they are so worth everything we pour into them.