I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Our family enjoys Christmas traditions. We bake strawberry bread,spiced tea, hot chocolate, a candy making day with Merissa, drawing names among the siblings, tagging and decorating the biggest Leland Cypress tree that we can find, and listening to Christmas music. Several years ago we made Christmas Eve our family event. We spend the day delivering the last of the Strawberry Bread and making gumbo. We begin the end of our night with Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at the Orchard.

This year we woke up on Christmas morning to a White Christmas. I've never seen a white Christmas as far as I can remember, but we looked outside to find this.

We woke at 6 which was unusual for our children. Philip made sure that Santa had arrived and made Mom a pot of coffee. The kids lined up to find what Santa had left them this year. We found a den full of gifts...

Amos was alarmed that the den was covered in stuff and that the stockings were moved. He barked and curiously walked through our gift exchange for a while.

We enjoyed seeing all the gifts that Santa had left then exchanging gifts from one another.

After our gift exchange, we ate our traditional Christmas morning breakfast...Sausage Balls and Cinnamon Rolls! We bundled up and enjoyed our Christmas present from the Lord.

We threw snowballs, rolled a snowman, and enjoyed the beauty of the morning.

We stayed out as long as we could stand it. The snow was falling in big flakes and continued to pile up. One last job for the kids was...

GOTCHA! MERRY WHITE CHRISTMAS! Thank you Lord for showing us your GLORY!

FORMAL

On New Year's Eve, THS host  the FORMAL dance. Girls ask guys to the big event.... everyone dresses up, limo rides, dinners, breakfast. It is a night that just continues with FUN!

This year both of our older girls attended FORMAL. We They began our search for the perfect dress around October/November. They selected guys to ask out for the night. They made plans with friends for the night. 

Mary Katherine & Bud Goss







Sarah & Conner Chase

This also happened to fall into the time that our team the MSU Bulldogs were playing in the Gator Bowl. (the first bowl game in 6 years). Philip and I agreed that post  expenses for the dance we may have come out cheaper for 6 Gator Bowl tix and hotel expenses.

Mary Katherine & Bud joined friends at the McPherson's for dinner and pictures. They rode in a limo to the dance then their group divided for separate after parties. MK, Bud and friends gathered for breakfast and games at Ashlee's house.  MK and the girls ended up staying up until 7:30 in the morning. They had a great night!

Soccer Buddies!

Best Girl Friends

MK & Hannah

The Guys

Buddies since Kindergarden

The ride

Somehow, Philip and I got to host 7 of Sarah's friends and thier dates for a pre-party and breakfast. We really were honored to host Sarah and her friends. We must admit that we learned a lot that night. First of all, make sure you and the limo driver are on the same page. Secondly, make sure that the guys let the girls have a place to sit. Thirdly, know how to properly apply your body glitter and dress tape. Fourth, girls must spend an hour after the guys leave reliving the night so maybe they should spend the night here so you could go to sleep. Fifth, invite kids with GREAT PARENTS (like we did) so when learning the other 4 things they can make the learning more fun!

The lovely ladies

The crew

Notice the hand-made white chocolate garnish atop the cupcakes

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Dad's trying to get a new limo plan!



Post Party Stories



Plan B on the Limo Ride

 The night ended up being fun for both girls. It was so much fun that it took a whole day to recover!  I'm sure we will join in next year unless of course the Dogs are Bowling again...Dad says never again will he miss that!

Trippe Christmas

We have traditionally tried to celebrate Christmas with my Dad's side of the family. On Christmas morning, after we enjoy our own gift exchange, we pack the car to head to Inverness/Indianola. Uncle Ed Pratt & Aunt Donna host the George Trippe Family Christmas. My aunts, uncles, cousins and their families all gather together for Christmas lunch. This is the one time of year that we get to see one another. This year we enjoyed the morning with....Ed Pratt, Donna, Kathryn Ann, David, Billy, Stacy, Angela, Penny, Travis, Mary Margaret, Bubba, Philip, and I. The kids were mine and Mary Margaret's. We enjoyed Donna's tiramasu. It is always a crowd favorite. After lunch, the Trippe men rush out the door for deer camp. The rest of us continue to catch up from our past year. Following our visit, Philip and I take the kids and Mom to the cemetary to visit Daddy, Peacho and Granddaddy's graves. I want the kids to have memories of who my Dad was even though they have never met him.

The rest of the day we head to Moms for the Hutcherson family Christmas. Mama is always good at   making sure that Honey and Nickki get Christmas dinner . We exchange gifts with everyone. In years past, Honey was the one who crawled under the tree to be the elf that delivered gifts to everyone. This year, Trippe took on this role. The kids were so blessed this year...Honey gave them each a signed copy of his book, A Lad from Lamont. We have spent the night the past few years so that cousins can play together.

This year I have no pictures because I forgot to charge my battery post Christmas morning snow.