Our Family Christmas

Santa came to our house a little early this year! Tripp and I had to work Christmas weekend, so Santa came on Wednesday night. Caroline had so much fun getting ready for Santa to stop at her house. The first step was covering our yard in reindeer food!





Then we decorated cookies for Santa!





Caroline was so excited about leaving cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!



Before she went to sleep on Christmas Eve, we read the Christmas story from Luke 2. Then we read some of her favorite Christmas books. Daddy and Caroline laughed and laughed while reading "It's Christmas, David"!



After Caroline went to sleep, Tripp and I helped Santa with a few little projects! Before we knew it, it was Christmas morning. Caroline woke up and we immediately went to see what Santa had brought!





Caroline loved her new dollhouse and princess tent from Santa!



She loved opening up all of her presents. Santa also brought a baby doll and stroller which Caroline loved!



We had a wonderful family Christmas. Everything about Christmas was so much fun this year with Caroline. She loved Christmas lights, Christmas trees, singing Christmas carols, and reading Christmas books. She also loved her nativity and learning about the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus's birthday.

Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!







"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, who He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..."

Hebrews 1:1-3

Christmas Party!

On Saturday night, Jason, Jennifer, Tripp, and I hosted our annual Christmas party. And we had so much fun! Jason and Jennifer let us use their beautiful home for the party and the Christmas decorations looked perfect. Jennifer and I were smart this year and had the food catered. With a busy December and an 18 month old and 2 1/2 year old, we thought we may not have the time or energy to prepare the food!

We had a wonderful night visiting with friends! It was a fun group of people, some we have known for years and some new friends we have made recently. We snapped a few pictures before the party started.

Me and Jenn. This was the first Christmas party where neither of us was pregnant! We had a fun time!



Tripp and I all dressed up and ready to celebrate with friends!



Best friends!

Christmas with Charlotte

On Friday morning, Caroline and I went over to Charlotte's house to play and exchange Christmas presents. Caroline loves Charlotte so much and enjoys playing with her. She was so excited about Christmas presents, too!

The girls enjoyed coloring together and playing with stickers (and eating cheese nips, I think Caroline has a mouth full!)



Caroline was so excited to open her first Christmas present this year!



Checking out her new pink tutu, crown, fairy wings, and wand!



Charlotte checking out her presents!



Jennifer and I attempted to get a good picture of the girls but that is getting harder and harder as they get older! But I love to see them interacting with each other in pictures!







Here is the picture we took of them last year. Wow, we have two growing girls!



Merry Christmas!

Dinner with Santa

Last week we took Caroline to the Early Works Museum for dinner with Santa. Caroline was so excited to see Santa and spend time with Charlotte! Every table had a place especially reserved for Santa. He went from table to table and visited with the children. The second Caroline laid eyes on Santa at another table she started saying, "Mommy, I don't love Santa" over and over again!



Tripp explained to Caroline that Santa was going to ask her what she wanted for Christmas. When Santa approached, Caroline sat in her Daddy's lap! Santa sat down and asked Caroline her name. Caroline yelled out "A puppy dog and a kitty cat"! She was ready to tell Santa what she wanted! She did fine with Santa but she did not take her eyes off him for second!



Caroline loved the elves and wanted her picture made with them!



Caroline had a great time after she got over the initial shock of Santa!



After dinner with Santa, we went across the street to Santa's Village. It was so cold, one of the coldest nights we have had, so we did not stay too long. But Caroline had fun while we were there and she didn't want to leave!

Mailing her wish list to Santa!



The cutest Christmas tree I have ever seen!



Since there was no line to see Santa, we tried a picture with Santa at Santa's Village. Caroline was not very excited to see Santa again!



Writing her Christmas list which included a pretend puppy dog, a pretend kitty cat, and jelly beans!



Our last stop was decorating gingerbread cookies!

Deeper Still

Last weekend Jennifer and I went to Deeper Still in Birmingham. The conference featured Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore as speakers and Travis Cottrell as the worship leader. Need I say more! What an awesome weekend being taught from the Word of God and worshiping with 14,000 women.

When I left for the conference on Friday I was feeling very overwhelmed with life. On Thursday we had gotten our Christmas tree, and I wanted to have it decorated and ready by Friday when my Mom came in town. So Tripp and I were up until 2am decorating the tree. Then on Friday, I cleaned the house all morning and decorated some more for Christmas. I was worn out and tired and just overwhelmed.

When I got back home Saturday night, I was overwhelmed in a completely different way, a good way. I was overwhelmed by God's love for me. I was overwhelmed by His faithfulness towards me. I was overwhelmed by the fact that He desires to use me to bring Himself glory. I was overwhelmed by Jesus' sacrifice for me. I was overwhelmed by the blessings that God has given me. I was overwhelmed that I am His daughter and He loves me like a Father.

Needless to say, it was an awesome weekend which I needed to get reenergized and refocused on what is important in my life. And that is Jesus. God has already used this weekend in an amazing way, and I know that He will continue to as I go deeper still.

(A highlight of the weekend was when Jennifer and I and other "siestas" got to meet Beth Moore and get our picture made with her!)

The Dixon Family Christmas Tree

On Thursday we loaded up in our 4-wheel drive sleigh to find the most important of Christmas symbols, our Christmas tree! We drove a few miles to the Young Life Christmas Tree lot to find the Dixon Family Christmas Tree. It was a great time to go because we were the only people at the Christmas tree lot, and we picked out a tree in a matter of minutes (this is a huge feat for me because usually I agonize over the trees for a least an hour!). Tripp and I let Caroline choose between 2 trees we liked, and she picked the perfect tree!

Caroline loved running around the lot and looking at the trees.





The Dixon Family Christmas Tree!



It was very cold so we were bundled up!



Caroline and Tripp watering the Christmas tree



Our beautiful tree!