Christmas Day

There was something extra special about Christmas this year. This year I knew that this was the last year all my kids would be under one roof for Christmas. How did I get here, how do I have a daughter old enough to serve a mission?

 It truly was a beautiful Christmas and we had a Christmas miracle when it started to snow in Texas on Christmas Day!!!

The girls loving their Christmas Gadgets

So happy I still have little ones who still love toys.

If you look close you can see the snowflakes.

By the end of the day we had a winter wonderland outside.

Christmas Eve

I LOVE Christmas Eve! 

 The anticipation of Christmas along with our family traditions makes it my favorite day of the whole year.

  What do you do on the longest day of the year?

Ben still does not feel well.

So of course my heart melted when I found Sam peddling him around the kitchen while Ben layed on the pillow.

We found Sam in this cabinet.  He had found the camping light and had his own little set up.

Mickayla gave the boys these hats and gloves, they wore them most of the day.

Mickayla had to work the morning of Christmas Eve. 

She came home and surprised all the kids with shakes.

I cook and bake for most of the day on Christmas Eve.  All the girls help me and we love setting a fancy christmas table.  All of us get new jammies and we wear them while we eat our Crunchy Potatoes, Ham, Rolls, Rasberry Salad, and Green Bean Cassarole. 

Then we eat leftovers for days!

Sunday before Christmas

I love the Sunday before Christmas. We always coordinate our clothing as a family. Our ward always puts on a beautiful Christmas program which my three oldest girls participated in this year. This year was hard though, Ben was sick and I thought maybe we would miss church that day. But I finally decided it was worth going even just for sacrament. So that's what we did and it was a beautiful Christmas program, from the picture you can see Ben does not feel well at all.

Sorting the Presents

You would think my girls are all still 5 years old. They took all the gifts out from under the tree and sorted them so they knew exactly how many gifts they each have. I don't like them messing with them. I was one unhappy mom. Mickayla told me I ruined all they joy by getting upset. Looking back I love that they get so excited for Christmas.

McDonald's

My girls needed to do some Christmas shopping so I took the boys to McDonald's and let them play. They loved this new McDonald's we had never been to before.

Hannah turns 9

I can't believe this girl is 9! I love her so much and was thrilled when she picked dinner and a shopping spree for her birthday activity. She let Mickayla come along and it was a super fun night. Hannah had 50 dollars to spend and she bought so much, she is a great little shopper. The Sunday before her birthday we had our Gandy Christmas/eat yummy roast and exchange Christmas gifts party. Jeni Gandy brought her yummy Texas sheet cake so we couldn't resist but to sing happy birthday to Hannah too. Look at how cute our Gandy family is. :)

Sam

Love this kid.

This bowl was still full of popcorn.

I guess it just wore him out trying to keep up with his sisters.

Our family can eat their weight in popcorn.

Sam still has some training to do!

Region

Haylee tried out for Region and made it.

She placed 13th chair with the first violins.

  Not bad for a freshman.

 This is Haylee and her best friend Madison after the concert.

  It was amazing.