the paquettes

We came home from Fort Worth on Christmas Eve and went to our church’s Christmas Eve service.

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning was unusual this year because Asher decided this was the one morning all year where he was going to sleep in! So after we waited and waited, we finally decided to wake him up at 9:30!

sleepy head!

Then we did stockings! The kid’s shepherd’s pouches were replaced with their traditional stockings that I made for them filled with goodies! They made $18 this December in their shepherd’s pouches (Asher was too young to participate.) My favorite part was their public school teachers e-mailing us throughout the month with actions they saw at school that showed a servant’s heart. Both teachers really got into it and I loved that we could share this experience with them! Sadly, the girls didn’t have enough money to buy a goat this year, but they had enough to buy a chicken!  I can’t wait to do this tradition next year!

Christmas morning!

This is my favorite picture of Christmas! We give our kids three gifts each. This was Rilyn’s “spiritual growth” gift. We bought her a nice Bible (with her name inscribed on the front in rainbow colors of course!) and a journal. Do I love my Bible this much? Convicting.

The girls both got nice ear phones for their “need” present b/c James gave them his old ipod.

Asher’s “want” gift was a wall track! He loves it so far and I’m just happy he can’t step on it!

race track!

After presents, we normally eat birthday cake for Jesus, but this year, I made cupcakes!

blowing out the candle!

I still put the layers in them (as best as I could) to represent our sin (chocolate layer), His blood (red layer), our new life in Him (green layer), and His purity and righteousness that covers us (white frosting).

James enjoyed a cupcake too!

After the birthday breakfast, we put the last ornament on the Jesse Tree and read Luke 2. A star to represent that our waiting is over! Jesus is born! The star is shining, the angels are singing, the shepherds are worshiping. Our savior is here!

our Jesse tree