goodbye 2012, it's been good to know ya...

 We enjoyed another Foster Family Christmas this past weekend.  It was another reason for us to celebrate family, reflect on our history as Foster's, and to encourage the next generation to continue these traditions.

Caroline Foster, our matriarch, 100 years young

My Great-aunt Caroline still corrects our grammar and reminds us of our manners.  She is a real lady and we all love her and respect her immensely.

We gather at our favorite eatery, Bill's, for lunch, then head over to Aunt Caroline's house for gifts and fun.  Although my great aunt no longer lives there, it has stayed in the family and we continue to gather there for all the family festivities.  This is the part of the day the little kids can't seem to wait for, it's like Santa coming all over again.

So in the mean time, we appease them with a rousing game of Apples to Apples...

some history sharing and story telling...

and some innocent wonder as they listen to the Christmas story read from the Gospel of Luke.

But you can only keep them at bay for so long ...

We had elves visit us to help with the present distribution, but it seemed the big kids had the most fun this year....

Tol and Phillip enjoyed their Slinky's....

Rita got a bicycle bell for her scooter...

Cousin George got the best prize of all, a talking and singing Christmas tree.  It was the best and he loved it.  Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Okay, now who is going to clean up this big mess...

Oh who cares, it is all worth it.  We were missing a few family members this year, so the day was somewhat bitter sweet.  Cousin Steve was in the hospital after suffering a heart attack, he has always been our Santa for Christmas' past.  His girls and their families were with him this year.  Baby Sadie Jane, our newest and youngest family member, is still in the hospital and of course her mom and dad were with her.  My aunt Rannie, who died in August, always enjoyed these family get togethers and we missed her laughter and the joy she brought to the party.

I didn't plan on this post being a reflection of our 2012 year, like everyone's we had some good days and some bad days.  It was better than 2011 when I think back to Emily's trials, but every year has its own trials for us to get through, that's life isn't it.  We didn't experience a hurricane like our friends did in LaPlace, we were not affected by the wildfires like our neighbors to the west, but we did experience some losses.  It was my faith in God and the strength He gives me that helps me realize that no matter what comes to us, it is all a gift for which I am to be grateful.  These gifts help me to learn and grow.  I am so thankful for another year in which to Love and Serve Him.  I wish you all a Blessed 2013 and Happy Times to come.

every ornament tells a story...

I love the anticipation of Christmas.  I love the decorating, the freshness of the tree in the house, the advent candles as they glow at dinner, finding a ribbon or bow on the floor after wrapping that perfect gift for someone special.  As I placed the ornaments on the tree, the memories came flooding back...

these little shoes were from Phillip's first Christmas, almost 26 years ago,

we now have about seven or eight of these cars. 

The tree looks like a used car lot, but it is pretty cool to figure out the make and model.  We also have protection from Yoda, Batman and G. I. Joe, so don't mess with the tree, ya hear.

This is from Em's first Christmas.  We have graduated from ....

Barbies, but now it looks like the tree has gone to the....

DOGS!  Oh well, I have a few of my own favorites...

I love these little wildlife and garden scenes..

This one is from Benny and my first Christmas together, so special.  It is fun to look back on the ornaments we have collected over the years to see how our journey is reflected in our tree decor.  It is true, they some how tell a story about all of us.

I don't usually get so nostalgic, but after this weekend, this year takes on new meaning for what this season means to me, how thankful I am for the gifts I have already been given.  I cherish each day and am so incredibly grateful to all my friends and family for being in my life.  May you find the peace that Christ brings this season and in the coming New Year.  God Bless!

searching for the perfect tree....

Benny and I decided to venture out to the country and get the Christmas tree from a local tree farm.  It had been years since we had done this, and never here in Oklahoma.  It was a cloudy day but not yet too chilly, so we figured what the heck, let's go for it.  We had not been to this part of the countryside before, but we had an idea as to where we were going.  We had read an article in the local paper about tree farms in our area so with all the confidence of local yokels, we set off for parts unknown...

Needless to say the unpaved gravel road was a bit daunting but we persevered.  We did discuss the possibility we were on the wrong road but something, inner voice in my head, or the fact that Garwin had stopped her insistent nagging to make a u-turn kept us going.  It might have been the silly giggling I was doing, or the fact that occasionally we passed a car with a tree on its roof heading in the opposite direction, that made us continue into parts unknown.  And just when we knew this could not be right, there it was....Pleasant Valley Tree Farm, 1mile, on the right.  We had made it, let the search for that perfect tree begin...

We had plenty of beautiful Virginia Pines to choose from, now it had to be just right.  Let the wandering begin...O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

Ben had his eye on one but as we wandered in another direction, we forgot where the first one was we saw we liked...(this sentence seems to be grammatically incorrect, but you get my meaning),

Oh, could this be the one, I think it is.  Okay, let's tag it and bag it.  But first, the critters and stuff must be shaken, not stirred....as in not a creature was stirring, get it!

This shaky machine was pretty fascinating to watch.  If the tree had been older and drier it would have lost every needle it had.  I think this tree lost 3 lbs of stuff that was wedged in its branches.  Now let's get this baby home and commence the decorating....

 Uhhh, it's a little tall there Ben...

okay, a bit more to the left,... no my left...

Ahhhhh, there it is, just right.  Merry Christmas, everyone!