To my 3 readers....

Okay, for all of you who have been holding your breath, waiting with much anticipation, about to give up...here it is...my holiday post.

It began with the Fort Worth Christmas Parade on the Friday after Thanksgiving...what fun!


Marianne, M Jo and M Kate went along and we sure had fun! (the look on M Kate's face cracks me up!!!)


And on the day of the Cookie Swap (earlier post below), we went to the Mall to see Melissa Jo sing with the Fort Worth Christian Honor Choir...so proud of her! Our favorite Santa showed up too!


At the Cookie Swap, the whole family got in on the fun!


The Cookie Swap began with Emily and Melissa Jo Emily coming up with the idea 5 years ago...


In this family, Christmas is celebrated on more than one day, depending on whose year it is to be here, etc. In late October, since Matt and Christine would be spending Christmas with the Pinson/Whitfield family this year, Emily suggested that me and Roy and she and Brad travel to South Dakota to visit our son, Mike and his family. So we did. But, before we left, we had our Christmas celebration with our immediate family in Grapevine at my brother David's house. This is always lots of fun, because my sister-in-law, Lisa, prepares lots of yummy snacks and her house is always so pretty. We just love this time together.

Sam loves his great-grandpoppa...


Getting ready for our fabulous meal...


Me, my girls and my sweet Mama...



Sam and his buddy Nathan...


Waiting for presents...


Uncle David gave Jack these glasses to protect him from his fear of the dog...they light up and before the night was over, he didn't need them anymore!


Auntie Emily just can't get enough of her Jack...


And Sam loved his UNC Tarheel ball from cousin Noah...



The very next morning, we were off for South Dakota...


And even though it was Christmas, Logan wanted to make sure we got a good look at his Halloween costume...


One of the sweetest moments of the holiday, and I think of my life, was when Roy gave Jackson one of his war medals. In Vietnam, Roy was a helicopter pilot and was awarded the Air Medal for completing over 900 hours of combat flight. Jackson was so touched by this gift and it was so sweet to see Roy, Mike and Jackson share a bit of the past together. Mike was just over a year old when Roy was in Vietnam.


The snow was good and the sledding was fun...


Our time together was priceless...


Driving home in a blizzard was not such fun...but did make a great photo!


New Year's Eve was a sweet celebration for Roy and I and our favorite little Pinsons...


New Year's Day was another huge family celebration with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles, and our final Christmas with Jack and Sam...


Jack and I love to cook together, so these great aprons will come in handy!


Yes, they are all adults, but I am always looking for a photo op...


I love my sweet family...


Well, if you made it all the way through, congratulations. This may be a record post for me!

Be blessed...