A White and Wonderful Christmas

On the 23rd Mason and I headed up to my parents to begin baking and preparing for Christmas. Matt had to work part of the 24th:( Mason was a great taster and he ate a few to many of the date rolls!!!


It snowed most of the 23rd and on Christmas Eve. Not a lot of snow because it was too cold. As soon as Cade and Em got there with the kiddos we headed out to the barn hill for some quick snow time.



The guys minus Cormic, he will be big enough to hang with them before we know it.

Hey I want to be in the picture.

My dad on the UTV, that thing is so fun to drive.

Keegan our little snowman.



After we froze our tushes off we headed inside for some appetizers, hotty toddy's, and family time.

Mason was teaching Cormic the ropes. "Hey man I am 7 months older than you, let me show you how to operate this thing."

"I can even push you into this furniture and give you some whip lash."

"Maybe you should just get out so I can drive."

"Now that's how its done."

Don't worry Grandpa rescued Cormic before Mason rammed him into to many things. These boys I tell ya. Isn't Cormic cute?

Mason was not into opening the presents. Dragging them around and climbing onto them and jumping off was his act.

Christmas 2009 family picture.

My daddy, my hero:)

I tried to get a cousin picture but Mason was not having it. Cormic is so chill.

Keegan was a lot of fun this Christmas, he was so excited to open presents. But he would open the present and immediately want to play with it, most of the gifts required assembly so the parents were doing their best to persuade him to keep opening the others. This worked UNTIL he opened his Transformer and than that was all he wanted to play with, we would have had him open that first had we known.

Mason got a hold of one of the whip cream beaters. My mom made Grandma June's Chocolate Cream pie...yum. We went to bed Christmas eve with our belly's full and our minds and hearts excited for the celebration of Christmas.

The next morning we enjoyed my dad's pancakes and sausage. He makes the best pancakes. Mason enjoyed his with his favorite food on earth...blueberries.

After our tummies were full we packed up and headed North for the next round. Thanks mom and dad you are the best and I am so proud to be your daughter. Looking forward to 2010!

Angela and Theresa did a great job of taking pictures, Mom would be proud.

Grandma Bert with Ellie and Lauren.

Mason was kind of pouty. All the excitement and sugar is not part of the regular routine but hey its Christmas and cookies for lunch are acceptable. Also our son is a blanky kid...he won't leave home without this polka dot blanket.

Nick and our nephew Luke, he is the oldest of the Gilbreath grandkids. Parents lock up your daughters.

Ellie and Mason, she is such a good helper.

The Gilbreath guys.

I love this picture.

And I really love these two.

T and Ang. T has been part of the family before Ang was born but they look the same age:)

Uncle Chris getting some Mason lovin.

Our teenagers....its doesn't seem like that long ago when I was this age but it makes me feel old that they are TEENAGERS!

Our nephew Christian Troy, he is such a heartbreaker.

Our beautiful niece Bella.

And our darling niece Ellie.

Ang and I made tie blankets for all the grandkids. Nancy loved to make these and has made several for all of us kids so we picked out fun fleece fabric to fit each of their personalities and cut and tied a lot in the weeks before Christmas. I think they were a hit.


Jeanette (Matt's older sister) and Uncle Rick.

Uncle Nick and Aunt Ang., they are moving home soon and we can't wait.

Aunt Jeanette got some cuddle time with Mason.

Auntie Ang and Uncle Jason. You two always coordinate you are so Duggar:)

The Gilbreath kids with Papa Gilbreath. I know Nanc was smilling because all of her chickens were under one roof, nothing made her happier.

The adult clan of Gilbreaths.

Grandpa and his grandkids.

The holidays were of course very bittersweet this year with the loss of our "Christmas Angel" but we know her Christmas was beautiful and spent with Jesus. We felt her near us and we cried and laughed a lot. It has been a heck of a year but we are so blessed to live on this wonderful earth and we thank god for all the challenges that make us stronger and we pray that we can live each and everyday in his grace.