Christmas...

...yep, it was awhile ago!

Harlow burned her hands...bad. On this...And yes, that brown spot on the bottom middle is her skin that was literally melted off!

2nd and 3rd degree burns on her palms, fingertips, and knuckles. She had her hands wrapped up like boxing gloves for about 2 weeks. Pretty hard to open presents. And very sad, NO digging into a cake on her birthday (12/26). Her hands are all healed, besides some redness that will eventually fade.

"The better hand"

The stomach flu went through almost 21 people in Alex's family. It is alleged that I brought it to KS and passed it on! It continued to make it's way through lots of other friends and family. Nasty virus. Fortunately, for you all, I did not take pictures of this event!

This is what we looked like on Christmas morning...if the girls look like this, do I even need to post a picture of myself?! I think not! Opening gifts in her underwear may be a Christmas tradition for Gentry!

On a happier note, I got to see family that I haven't seen for awhile. We go back to Kansas every other year for Christmas, and every other do our own thing. I.e. have a baby like we did in 2008!

This is my great aunt, and the girl's great-great aunt, D0do. Not doo-doo as in poop, more like dough-dough as in "my husband brings home the dough, while I rear our children!" Is she not the cutest with the huge rose head band on?! Compliments of Gentry, of course.

Cute cousins Kelsey (holding Gentry) and Lauren. I can not believe they are 15 and 17....AHHH...

And what would Christmas be without the pure chaos of 21 people at Alex's parent's house. Reference what happened to most of them above!

11 kids, and 10 adults make up this crowd, so we adults are officially outnumbered.

I try really hard every time we are all together to force everyone to take a huge family pic and a pic of all the kids. But between barf sessions, it was impossible!

But here are a few shining moments...

And yes, Gentry is pushing Harlow around in a doll stroller, and a cat around in a dump truck. Endless forms of entertainment at "poppy and mum's" house!



So if you weren't able to gather the semi-negative tone of this past Christmas, well, I'll lay it out there right now. There were a lot of *annoying* things that happened, and honestly, I was ready for it all to be over!

But guess what....

Jesus, the one to save the world, was born. And that's all that should really matter. Just because Jesus was born and the fact that I believe it, does not mean that my life will be jolly and free of *annoyances*

So my own lesson learned this year!