This Christmas many people were blessed to be with their family and friends. There were many however that were away because of military, jobs, weather, and illness. Please know that you were missed and thought of often. We thank God for those in the military and ask especially that He keep them safe and allow them a quick return home.
May God bless you and yours, keep you safe and be an ever growing part of the year to come in your life.
And so starts the story of Christmas 2009. This is the tail of a Christmas tree. One that has been dreamed of every year since I sold my house. One that without Elane, would not have come to be.
The most important part on top, the angel that watches over and protects us in the night.
Then comes the decoration, as you can see we started with the garland. The arm crossing is one of the moves she is learning in her ballet class.
This is an angel I got from Silver Dollar City. She is beautiful. She looks like she is carved out of a piece of wood after it has been in the river for a while. She looks so peaceful, happy, and majestic. 
This is the, "I can do it myself, and no, that is not where it goes!"
My beautifulness, it was all me. . .
and I can even take a picture of Aunt Kandi by the tree.
Lights out :D
And the beginning of the Christmas story 2009. . . A warm fire and friends and family.
First we started with the most amazing present of the year. A Christmas tree made out of hunter orange duck tape :D Oh YAY! Bring it on. Steve came up with the idea. Elane and him worked endlessly to achieve perfection. It will be up next year for sure.
There is a present inside?
This is me crying. No, really.
Elane of course had to help me open it. 
Pa pah had to get out the knife. 
And then the true colots of more duck tape appear. A maroon one to match the color of my truck, chrome for the chrome on my truck, two rolls of regular duck tape, and a special "Peace, Love and duck tape" tied die color duck tape. :D
Okay, okay, I know enough about duck tape. But you have to admit, there isnt a single thing you could not fix or make out of duck tape. Ma mah and Elane get to it, the handing out of presents.
She is so tired from the rest of the days festivities that she cant even stand up to hand out the presents.
Okay, now we are rolling. . .
and we are running. . . 
and jumping, check out the legs and the pony tail :D
running back for more . . .
the whirl wind continues. . .
oh wait, her presents are out ready to start. . .
This box was so big she had to run around the box to unwrap it.
and still opening it. . .
IT SWALLOWED HER WHOLE!!!!! HELP! 
AH HA! She is safe and now has a horse to ride around instead of her mother's wooden spoons.
ma mah's present was hard, she needed help with hers too. . . 
looking at uncle jake trying to figure out why it is taking him so long to open one box. . . 
almost. . .
almost. . . 
ah ha, no wait, what is my computer doing in that box? I thought we were giving him a lap top? 
And pa pah got a box too, what is that face for?
and that face. . . 
OH, that is a good face. He must have figured out that WE GOT HIM! He got plane tickets and hotel reservations to go to his friend Phil Skaggs retirement in Florida. He is psyched, he is just mad that we got him. . . 
and mommy too! She had not idea that we got her this mustang cup when we were in Silver Dollar City.
Oh, look who else got surprised, Elane didnt see the music box coming.
But the best part was the bubble wrap it was wrapped in. . .
and daddy got mommy too! She got a really awesome set of pots and pans.
She was happy :D and so we were happy.
I was so happy I gave her ten high 5's
Oh time out, I have to smash the paper down so we can get more in the box. 
Almost . . . 
Oh YAY, even Dot got a present. A cross bones and skull halter.
Back to my presents. . . mommy says I have to leave the playdoh at ma mah's house. . . 
Uncle Jake got his drill bits and was so happy because now he has the good ones for work. 
Aunt Kandi's turn. . . 
more duck tape???? Nope, a BPA free plastic bottle. Aunt Kandi's way of saving the world a little a time. 
I got this cool girlie nail and makeup kit from Ms. Jean and Mr. Roy. I couldnt even wait until we cleaned everything up, I had to put it on right away.
Mommy and ma mah helped. 
And now for daddies surprise. . .
he got nerf bars for his truck. But before he could get into the shed to see them he had to unthaw the lock with a propane blow torch. I think it is safe to say that he liked them and it was worth the ten degree weather, ice and snow. 
Aunt Kandi's nails had to be painted too.
And thus ends Christmas this year. Thank you for everyone that was a part of our Christmas this year and we pary you will be present for many many more.
She is so tired from the rest of the days festivities that she cant even stand up to hand out the presents.
Okay, now we are rolling. . . 
and we are running. . . 
and jumping, check out the legs and the pony tail :D
running back for more . . .
the whirl wind continues. . . 
oh wait, her presents are out ready to start. . . 
This box was so big she had to run around the box to unwrap it.
and still opening it. . .
IT SWALLOWED HER WHOLE!!!!! HELP!
AH HA! She is safe and now has a horse to ride around instead of her mother's wooden spoons. 
ma mah's present was hard, she needed help with hers too. . . 
looking at uncle jake trying to figure out why it is taking him so long to open one box. . . 
almost. . .
almost. . . 
ah ha, no wait, what is my computer doing in that box? I thought we were giving him a lap top?
And pa pah got a box too, what is that face for? 
and that face. . . 
OH, that is a good face. He must have figured out that WE GOT HIM! He got plane tickets and hotel reservations to go to his friend Phil Skaggs retirement in Florida. He is psyched, he is just mad that we got him. . . 
and mommy too! She had not idea that we got her this mustang cup when we were in Silver Dollar City.
Oh, look who else got surprised, Elane didnt see the music box coming. 
But the best part was the bubble wrap it was wrapped in. . .
and daddy got mommy too! She got a really awesome set of pots and pans. 
She was happy :D and so we were happy. 
I was so happy I gave her ten high 5's
Oh time out, I have to smash the paper down so we can get more in the box. 
Almost . . . 
Oh YAY, even Dot got a present. A cross bones and skull halter. 
Back to my presents. . . mommy says I have to leave the playdoh at ma mah's house. . .
Uncle Jake got his drill bits and was so happy because now he has the good ones for work. 
Aunt Kandi's turn. . . 
more duck tape???? Nope, a BPA free plastic bottle. Aunt Kandi's way of saving the world a little a time.
I got this cool girlie nail and makeup kit from Ms. Jean and Mr. Roy. I couldnt even wait until we cleaned everything up, I had to put it on right away. 
Mommy and ma mah helped.
See all of my beautifulness with bracelets, nails, gloss. I love it.
And now for daddies surprise. . . 
he got nerf bars for his truck. But before he could get into the shed to see them he had to unthaw the lock with a propane blow torch. I think it is safe to say that he liked them and it was worth the ten degree weather, ice and snow.
Aunt Kandi's nails had to be painted too.
And thus ends Christmas this year. Thank you for everyone that was a part of our Christmas this year and we pary you will be present for many many more. 
