Mauneyland's First Christmas

Christmas in Mauneyland came and went, but it seemed to be more of a week-long event this year than just a day. Instead of recapping the entire week, I think it might be easier to just hit the highlights.

With Christmas Eve came our little church's very first Christmas Eve service (actually two) and we saw a great attendance of 400 people... not bad for a campus that has been around for only three months! God is oh so good to us! The service was incredibly moving and one of my favorite gifts is seeing my husband doing what he loves and what he was made to do. The service was topped off by singing "Silent Night" by candlelight, which is always my favorite part (isn't it everyone's?). It was perfect.

When we got home, we had our second annual exchange of pajamas in which Josh gave me the most comfortable (yet super cute) maternity pj's that say "Baby Love" on the front and I gave him pj pants that match a sleeper for our sweet Baby Jake. We just need baby here to match them up together... I'm sure there will be a picture of that on here in the future!

After a good nights's sleep, we woke up to find that Santa had come indeed and filled our stockings! Even Jake's little teeny tiny stocking had a few surprises in it as well as PLENTY of loot that did not fit inside.

We leisurely swapped gifts and opened some from the family. I was particularly fond of the monkey hooded towel from my aunt for our little monkey on the way.

Josh and I both decided that we really did not need anything this year as we've been so blessed, so we were so very thankful for our many gifts. He oohed and ahhed over his new down vest and Craftsman toolbox and I have a beautiful new diaper bag to fill as well as some other fun toys and trinkets, too!


Even the pups were spoiled (as usual) and Minnie even opened her own gifts from her cousin Rascal. We did make the mistake of not paying close attention and she ended up eating most of the bag it was wrapped in, too! At the end of the festivities, we could not decide who did better: the dogs (who got a very expensive and labor intensive fence) or Baby Jake, who isn't even here yet. Either way, we enjoyed our first Christmas where we were able to spoil all of our kids!

After a day of doing absolutely NOTHING (which was probably our favorite gift to be honest), we set the table for two and enjoyed our very last quiet Christmas dinner together. Next year there will be a high chair in this picture and possibly some food items flung across the room... but oh how we can't wait! And what you can't tell from here is that we were still in our pajamas when dinnertime rolled around... absolute bliss!
After a yummy meal and six or seven movies, we turned in for the night, geared up for our weekend services at Crossroads. Even though the 25th had already passed, I spent the next morning trying my hand at frosted Christmas cookies for church that weekend. Although they were not quite up to par with my dear friend, Cookie Chick, they were well received. I'm not planning on dropping everything anytime soon to pursue a cookie career though!


After church, Josh and I took a drive around town to admire God's gift to our town... the whitest, fluffiest, most pristine blanket of snow all across the Midwest. With blue skies and shiny white landscape, the world truly looked peaceful and perfect.

With another successful weekend behind us, we left the weather above and boarded a plane for sunny Florida to celebrate Christmas Part II with the family (which will be a separate post that I will get around to eventually!). Actually, the blogging hiatus is partially do to the fact that we are in Florida as I type this and let's just say that blogging does not take priority on this relaxing getaway! Instead we are enjoying time spent with family, warm weather, and quality time with one another. It does not get much better than that.

From our house to yours, we do hope that you had a spectacular holiday season filled with many blessings. God bless you all and we'll see you back in Mauneyland soon!