Catching Up

Well, I blinked and it's almost Christmas! 

We have been having a wonderful and busy holiday season this year, enjoying the Christmas lights while it's in the low 70s outside! We finished shopping (Hooray for Amazon's week of Black Friday deals!) and are enjoying all the festivities now.  

The weekend before Thanksgiving, we decorated and put up the tree. I love putting all of our ornaments on the tree, as each one brings back a very special memory.

I was a complete failure at taking pictures at Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful meal with Creed's family in Charleston and somehow I didn't take a single picture. :( 

On Black Friday, we headed to the lake to spend the rest of the weekend with my dad's side of the family. On Saturday we had a huge oyster feast and all the neighbors even came.

Poor Drew got stuck cleaning about 400 oysters! Yes, that many oysters were cleaned, steamed, shucked and eaten.

Caleb tried his first oyster and I was ready...

First, and last, at least for a while. ;)

The crazy boys also did a "polar bear plunge" in the frigid Claytor Lake water. (Keep in mind this lake is fed from mountain rivers and streams, so it is always a little colder...)

Drew

Caleb

Creed

Matt

(His expression is priceless!)

Luke was the only one with some sense! He said he would do a polar bear plunge in warm water. ha!

The first weekend of December we had our annual Christmas celebration with the Dursts and Whitworths. Hard to believe how big these kids are getting. 

Legos!

Luke is a marketing executive's dream. He loves commercials and wants every single thing he sees. He had been talking about the spoon that is also a straw (found in cereal boxes) for a while, so when I found the Apple Jacks with it, I had to get a box.

Luke also learned that it isn't as cool as he thinks... ;) 

(He later told me he doesn't like drinking milk. Um, I already knew that!)

The second grade performed at the "all school" Christmas program. Caleb is in the front row, three from the right. Clearly I sat on the wrong side of the sanctuary. 

This past weekend we had my work's Christmas party on Saturday night and Creed's work Christmas party of Sunday night. This was us before his party. I sure had a handsome date!