Merry 1st Christmas

Our family portrait (this was the best of over a hundred
hillarious shots...shiflet portraits are always so much fun to get!)

Emily and J.Michael so grown up!

Bubbie and Kathlena

Andrew and Bubbie

Is this not the cutest picture? I know I am
a little bias.

Our first Christmas was full of the wonder of seeing it for the first time through Andrew and Kathlena's eyes. We read through the story of Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus in Luke 2 each night the week before Christmas. While the kids didn't wake us tooo early they were quite eager to find out what was in there wrapped presents under the tree. We opened some on Christmas Eve, Eve, then on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas morning before heading on the road for a week of visiting family.

Andrew's favorites were his crane truck and legos. J.Michael's were his erector and lego sets that he built the very next day. Kathlena had fun with some kitchen accessories like her mixer and coffee maker so she can be like Mom. Sweet Emily got more yarn for knitting blankets and a longed for new watch. Mom and Dad received the Clearplay DVD player that we have been wanting for our family movie nights. It works great and love that we can now watch movies without the excessive gore, language, and nudity.

Christmas Day Eve we headed to Hillsboro for Christmas with the Davis's (my parents and brother, a.k.a Nana and Doodad (Dewey) and Uncle Todd). We had so much fun as always visiting until late at night, playing games, and exchanging gifts. We also had fun taking pictures together in the plaid disney p.j.'s my mom got for all of us. Here are a few pictures.

First annual Davis-Shiflet Family Christmas

Plaid P.J. Portrait.

Grandparents and grandkids portrait.

...10 seconds before last picture.

Isn't red a good color for us?

On Friday we headed over to Garland to have Christmas with the Shilet side of the family. The kids of course excited to see their PawPaw and Grandmommie, Uncle Steve and his family and Uncle Paul. Emily and J.Michael immediately persuaded Grandmommie into a game of Monopoly.

Let the buying begin!

J.Michael "money bags" Shiflet was cleaning up this game.

Meanwhile, PawPaw was showing Andrew and Kathlena

how to build with these really cool blocks.

J.Michael and Daddy enjoy playing with one of their new toys.

J.Michael even managed to get me the photographer in to

the fun. I love this picture that smile says it all.