Christmas Eve...2015

The traditional Collins' family gift exchange.  Every Thanksgiving the kids draw names and surprise each other with Secret Santa gifts.  This year we had 13 kids drawing names and sharing gifts...some kids were a thousand miles away though....(We love you, Matt and Alexis.)

 The first gift of Christmas Eve started with the youngest...

 Grace is sneaking a peek at Kimmy's new book. 

 Merry Christmas, Becky....we missed Becky's Matt...he had to work delivering everyone's packages.  (people, order your gifts earlier so UPS men don't have to work late into the evening on Christmas Eve)

 Luke was up next....

 Mark got him the perfect gift.

 The first time ever in my life....70 degrees on Christmas Eve in Central New York....shorts, t-shirts and a new scooter!  Go, Luke!

 Someone has their eye's on Grace...

 Matt K was here in spirit....

 The perfect gift for Gracie.

 Dan and Mark...

 Laura's gift came all the way from Georgia.

 Luke was Amy's secret santa.

 What is it, Dan?

 Dan was very happy with his blanket homemade by Laura!...Great job, Laura!

 Another gift from Georgia.

 Can you guess who Pat's secret Santa is? 

 Kim was so happy to be Lianna's Santa.

 Luke was then surprised by a gift from Kimberly...She bought it herself with "reading points" from the library...she then spent the points on gifts.  

This was a wonderful opportunity for Luke and Kim to do some shopping on their own. 

 Way to go, Luke. 

 Stay cozy, Becky...

 The Christmas Eve full moon. 

Kimberly's new Christmas nightgown

Merry Christmas, everyone, from the Collins' clan...

Gingerbread Houses-2015

 Kimberly got to work recently on our traditional gingerbread house from a box.

 great progress

 The next morning....still in her pajamas.  ...working hard...

 Finished!!!  And actually standing tall and straight!

 We then headed down the road to our local casino to see their beautiful gingerbread display. (we didn't let the kids gamble)

 Of course, everything is exciting, including parking at the top of the parking garage.  Luke wouldn't go near the edge.  

 Santa was there to greet us at the entrance to the Gingerbread Village.

 This village was amazing!  This year they added a train.  Luke loved it. 

 Santa's workshop

 SO MUCH CANDY!

 sweet, sweet kids

 That's a lot of candy canes.

 Kim-9, Luke-10 and Daddy-?

 Mom, Kim and Luke

 One BIG tree

Merry Christmas!

Advent: Week 1

 This has been a busy week PREPARING for the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day.

Kim, Luke and Grace for our manger set up-(without Baby Jesus yet).

 Luke and Kim made the prepare letters....I love this idea. 

Above is Luke liberally sprinkling glitter on the letter R.

 Drying...We don't have a mantle so you can see in the first photo we just used command strips to put the letters on the wall. 

 Rolling our beeswax candles for the advent wreath.This kit was from Holy Heroes.  I got it long ago.We all just love it. 

 Great job!

 The first night of Advent.

 We also have a tiny Jesse Tree.  I got the printables from Holy Heroes for free. Sign up today and join in all the free fun and more especially the preparation done for the coming of Christmas. 

Holy Heroes-- you have to sign up for this...it is all free.

 Luke has been stringing light EVERYWHERE

 We began our St. Andrew Novena ...I made sacrifice beads with 15 pony beads to count the prayers.  I had all the things needed in the house to make these,,,I used crosses and medals we had in our rosary making tote.  Directions for the sacrifice beads are here:  Sacrifice Beads. 

 Our Shrine to Our Lady of Grace...My dad made this wooden shrine for me years ago....someday I will get a stature that fits in the wooden shrine. I will cherish this always. Below the stature in our Melissa and Doug Nativity set.  Also, on the right of the nativity is our sacrifice manger for Jesus.  When a sacrifice or good deed is done..you get to put a piece of yarn in the manger.  Hopefully but the time Christmas morning is here, Jesus' manger will be full of soft yarn for the new baby. 

 Kimberly made us some St. Nicholas cookies.  

 At 9, she is a totally independent baker...especially when the dough is storebought. 

Kim did get out some other cookie cutters also.

 Our Christmas Amaryllis has bloomed a little early.  It's an amazing plant. It was broken in have when it was about 12 inches tall.  Pat used Scotch tape to tape it back together.  It healed, and now has 4 gorgeous blossoms.  

We started out gingerbread house...wish us luck....It has been a sort of disaster the last few years.