Christmastime is Here!

It was a beautiful day at church yesterday, so I took some photos with my new camera (It's 12 megapixels and I got it on Black Friday for $69.  Aren't you jealous?!).  I gave the kids our "old" camera...it's only three years old.  It was a doorbuster deal in 2006; I got it for $49 at Target and it was 3 megapixels!!  Oh, how the times have changed.  Even though they have their own real camera now, they must use mine.  The whole family got in on the picture-taking and everyone had to take some.   

Michael and I love photography, so we fight over who gets the camera.  We haven't turned it into a full-fledged hobby yet, but we're working on it.  We are determined to have our own booth at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival one of these years. 

In the above photo, I was experimenting with foreground shots.  I've seen this technique on other blogs and just love 'em.  This one turned out great.  I love the kids in the background looking at the Christmas tree.

 

I am so excited about Christmas.  It's my favorite time of year.  I enjoy all the decorations, the lights and sparkle of it all.  I love baking sweets for others to enjoy.  I love the parties and the fellowship.  

I also love the opportunity it brings to tell others about the true meaning of Christmas and the hope of Jesus.  I pray you remember every day in December the real reason we celebrate this joyous holiday. 

One of my favorite songs for Christmas and every day is by a group called Downhere.  The song is How Many Kings.  Below are the lyrics.   

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger

Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only One did that for me

All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you

Watch the video here.  I pray it speaks to your heart.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I love this part in Elf and it's one of my favorite Christmas songs.



This morning when I took the dog out, the grass was white and frozen. We don't get too much of that down here in Texas. I love it because it feels like Christmas to this Hoosier. Michael disagrees; he likes to wear shorts almost year-round. He's determined to get us all to Hawaii one year. I told him we'll go to Hawaii one year, if we can go to Colorado another year. He's has yet to accept my deal. He's probably hoping I'll forget.

The kids and I can't wait to get to Indiana in three and a half weeks and are praying for snow! We haven't seen a white Christmas in three years...that's a long time for a yankee. ;)

But Houstonians have gone even longer to see a white Christmas and there's a song to prove it. Hope you like this. Just click here and enjoy a video shot by a local family. The fountain the little girl plays in is one of our frequent haunts, as you'll see below. Our sweet girl played in it last year in December. Take a look.

It was quite warm but the breeze made her cold.

The boys were enjoying ice cream from Cold Stone while she played in the fountains.