Family Christmas - December 19 - A Photo Recap

Our family Christmas was early this year, as I stated in my last post.  I thought I'd share a few pictures from the big night.  As you can tell, I wasn't really concentrating on photography that night. But at least you can catch a glimpse of our evening.  Great fun!

The above picture shows some of the loot before all chaos hit. (Before the opening of gifts we had a wonderful dinner of basic family favorites:  Honeybaked ham, potato casserole, green beans, Ceasar salad, and brown bread from Cheesecake Factory.  Lots of different cookies for dessert.

I love Lexi's gift-opening technique.  She looks

like she's gonna break her fingers!

Here's what she was opening--Disney's Handy Manny

Tool Box...complete with all the talking tools!

Santa came in the afternoon and left

Lexi and Haley some early packages.

Haley's big prize was an Easy Bake Oven

with lots of accessories.  (Everything but

the all-important light bulb.  Way to go, Nick!)

Haley and her oven.  Her "mole" is a chocolate smear.

Emily and Jennifer start the opening

process for Emily's new "Elmo Live."

Brian's skills were required to get

Elmo out of his box.

Kristi sporting a new cap Lyn and I got her.

Not sure she liked it, but I think she looks cute in it!

Curtis appears to like his new Blue Ray DVD

he got.  Not sure if this is RENT or Elton's

RED PIANO, but he was jazzed about both.

Mama Lyn and Emily posing with

Elmo.

This picture was taken a couple of days

later.  Emily is having fun in Lyn's

"boa" scarf.

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

December 19 - AKA "Christmas at the Sewells"

Yep, tonight is Christmas at our house.  Jennifer and Brian leave Monday for a nice long cruise with Brian's family.  Tonight's the only night that really works for us.

I'm REALLY looking forward to it...and the days to follow.  I always hate the way everything "Christmas" shuts down after the 25th. Now we'll do the presents thing and still have some great "post-Christmas" fun.  Of course, it doesn't hurt having New York City to look forward to on the 28th!

Post #257 - 8 Days Left!

I'm very slow on the pick-up, sometimes.  I just realized that Blogspot lets you know how many posts you have on your blog each time you post a new one.  So, my 257th post wishes you and yours the best for the holidays.  

God bless!

Cookie Day!!

I ordinarily wouldn't be writing about a cookie baking day, but today was really a lot of fun. It was the first time in our newly-remodeled kitchen, and Haley was old enough to really get into the whole process.  (She actually was in the thick of it for several hours, working right alongside Lyn.)  Of course, Kristi and Lexi were up to their elbows in cookie dough, too!

The results of the day:  sugar cookies, thumb prints, cherry winks, M&M Monster Cookies, and caramel corn.

"And what are YOU looking at?"

Haley really enjoyed the whole experience.

She worked hard all day.

Lexi had fun too--especially with the sugar cookies.

Haley and Kristi proudly displaying their

first batch of sugar cookies.

Lexi always scrunches her face up when she

poses for a picture and says "Cheeeeeeeese!"

It's really funny.

Here's a little video that captures some of

the experience of the big day!

Our Little Shepherd Girl(s)

Kristi has already written a beautiful post about Haley's first experience as a Drive-Thru Nativity shepherd at our church.  It was a special evening, to be sure.

I thought I'd share a few background pictures and a little video of Scene #9 in which Haley and Kristi appeared.  

Signing In - Every actor has to sign in prior to 

getting into costume.  Kristi is showing Haley

her name on the sign-in sheet.  Rosie Armstrong

had their costumes all ready for them.  (Rosie's been

in charge of costumes every year that we've 

lived in Huntington Beach!)

Grandma Connie is helping Haley get

"robed up."  Chuck Armstrong looks on.

(Chuck is Rosie's husband--who's also

worked with Drive-Thru for many years.)

Haley was so excited to be a part of the

Drive-Thru.  She was taking in every detail.

On the set between cars--Haley's looking heavenward. 

 Maybe she sited an angel or something.  Mom 

mugs a bit for the camera.  Big surprise!

The scene had its own "secret service" staff.

A very efficient teenage boy was the camera Nazi.

He made SURE nobody was taking flash pictures.

He was looking out for the animals--bright lights and 

sensitive farm animals' eyes don't mix well, apparently.

Thus the blurry shot.  (The pic above this one was the 

only flash shot I got.  I was afraid the kid was gonna

stomp on my camera or have me thrown off the parking lot!)

This pic still gives you a glimpse of Haley and Kristi.

Here's a video of the scene.

Please Vote For Me

I'm gonna run for governor of Illinois next year.  All the other candidates will be in the slammer. (I WAS born there, and I've got the birth certificate to prove it!)

All She Wants For Christmas Is Her Daddy - Have a Kleenex handy

This morning I was doing FaceBook while Good Morning America was on. This great little story came on. I watched it 2 or 3--ok, probably 10 times. It was very brief, but it choked me up. Then I searched online, and of course I found a longer version with back story. It's priceless. (Sorry about that Flip4Mac watermark across the screen.)

Oh, I mean it about the kleenex! (Especially if you're a dad.)