Christmastime

December was a festive month in the Rice household and we enjoyed many Christmas activities.

At the beginning of the month, we enjoyed the lights at Creekmore Park. The entire park, and it is a pretty big one, was full of all different kinds of light displays. There was everything from Santa riding a bull (complete with motions), to the 12 days of Christmas, to Blue's Clues. Eli and Thad both loved all the lights. We also rode the Christmas train which takes a tour through some of the lights. Toward the end of the month, we went again and Thad got to sit on Santa's lap and we once again enjoyed a train ride.

We also went to the Mayor's Christmas Parade downtown. It was a chilly day but that didn't stop the masses from coming to enjoy the bands, floats, and cotton candy. As you will see in the pictures, Eli really got into his cotton candy!

About a week later, Eli enjoyed an early Christmas gift from Papa...a new sandbox. Eli was ecstatic and thoroughly enjoyed "helping" Papa assemble it. This was definitely one of his favorite gifts and one that will be enjoyed for years to come. (Thad already has his eyes on it!)

In our house, we enjoyed setting up the Christmas tree, doing the advent calendar, and awaiting the birth of Christ. Eli really got into the decorations and almost cried when we took them down.

Meredith and Amos came over a few days before Christmas and Papa treated the grandkids to a morning at the Monkey House, an indoor inflatable park. Everyone had a blast. Even Thad took a turn in one of the inflatables! Later we went back to Papa and Nana's house to make and decorate Christmas cookies. Much fun was had by all and MANY cookies were consumed!

Christmas morning we opened presents as a family and then headed back to Papa and Nana's for a Christmas meal and more presents. We ended the day singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Well, the decorations are down, the cookies have been eaten, and the break from school has come to an end. It was a joyous season to celebrate the birth of Christ and remember the tiny babe that came to earth to live and die on our behalf. Thank God for the gift of his Son! As the new year dawns, we pray that you too would reflect on the blessings of this past year and anticipate the things Christ is going to do in your life in the year to come.

With Love,
The Rice's

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