2011 Christmas Special Ornaments

Here are some of my favorite ornaments for 2011.  

Emma 2008 - First Christmas

Emma 2009 - 1 year old

Emma 2010 - 2 years old

Emma 2011 - 3 years old

Randy's Cubs Santa

Randy's Cubs jersey ornament with "WALKER" on the back

Our 2011 ornament with all NINE kids' names on it!

2005 - Our first Christmas in our new house

Even after 5 years of marriage, I still feel like a newlywed.

Christmas 2011 Season of Trees

This Christmas was unexpectedly one of beautiful Christmas trees.  I just have to share.

My favorite scene of the entire year is our living room in our dream home with stockings hung on the mantle above a crackling fire.  Every ornament on the tree has a special meaning.  There are ornaments from each of my kids' first Christmases, their years through elementary school, UT memorabilia, more recently, ornaments from Randy and my life together, and of course, granddaughter Emma.  This was her fourth Christmas, so there are four ornaments of her on the tree.

My sister, Pam, and her husband, Joe's, Christmas tree.  Not pictured is the Elvis stocking on the mantle that plays "Blue Christmas."  :)

Every year our church, First Presbyterian, decorates the sanctuary with flowing garlands, bright poinsettias, and a towering Christmas tree.  It is uplifting just walking in the door.

Northpark Mall holds memories for me back to high school.  It's still a nice mall with heart-warming decorations.

This year Christmas with Randy's parents was hosted at his brother and sister-in-law's house.  We alternate years.  Christmas 2012 will be at our house.  Their tree is filled with memorable ornaments also.

I know it probably doesn't make sense to a lot of you, but in my mind, Christmas isn't over as long as the tree is still lit.  Ours is still lit.  :)

Deborah and Daniel's Christmas tree is just the right size for their apartment and beautifully reflects them.

I even found a Christmas tree ornament on Deborah and Daniel's tree!

Randy's little Cubs tree on the piano.

This lovely little tree is at Randy's parents' house.  It has a color wheel that reflects changes on the tree branches.  It reminds me of an aluminum tree my parents had when I was growing up that had a red-green-blue-yellow color wheel sitting nearby to light it.

My in-laws also have this lovely tree hanging on the wall.  It has little pockets and places for ornaments or other keepsakes.  I'm sure there is a story behind it that I need to hear.

 Over the Christmas holiday, I had to take my car in to Dallas dodge for some bumper repair.  They had this beautiful tree in the lobby.

The Dodge tree was covered with toy cars and trucks, even a RED PT CRUISER!  Now that's my kind of tree!

Christmas 2011 Encore

A few days after Christmas, Randy, Cheryl, and I went to lunch at Deborah and Daniel's apartment.  She made a delicious soup, and he cooked steaks for the carnivores.  We had a wonderful time visiting and even got to see Eli and Josh for a few minutes when they came by to drop off a mattress.

Cheryl and Sandy got along very well.

Deborah very creatively turned the bok choy we brought her from the garden into the table centerpiece.

ornaments around the bok choy in a clear glass bowl

Chef Daniel's steak

Chef Deborah's homemade soup

Sandy keeping watch

sweet dog

Deborah's decorations over the kitchen counter  :)

Christmas 2011 Act Three

Christmas morning my dad, brother Bennett, Cheryl, Lea, her dad, Jack, Daniel James, Eli, Randy, and I had brunch around the kitchen table.  It was a warm, cozy, very special family time.  We had eggs, turkey bacon, ambrosia, pink stuff, and the infamous Apache cheese ball and crackers.

Granddaddy

Daniel James and his green pocket trumpet

Sarah and Randy with their redneck wine glasses

Jack, Lea's dad

Eli sang for everyone.

Lea

Me

Cheryl - aka GMC - and Bennett

Three of my kids that were here Christmas morning.

Deborah and Daniel Scott spent the weekend in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium.  They got to see the Chiefs play the Oakland Raiders.  The Chiefs lost 13-16, but Deborah and Daniel had a good time.

Meanwhile, back at the house... Eli and Daniel James serenaded us with Christmas songs.  We even had a sing-along.  The videos load slowly, but it's worth the wait.

And next is my favorite Christmas song, Silent Night.  Forgive my arm across part of the video (I'm still learning how to use my iPhone), and listen for the melodious harmonies of this beautiful song.

Daniel got a Poteet green pocket trumpet for Christmas.  We don't get to hear him play alone often, so his duet with Collin Muttley was an extra special treat and very beautiful.  I am greatly blessed and proud of my extremely talented children.

Christmas 2011 Intermission

After leaving Johnny and Dian's, Randy hooked up my new TV.  It works well and has a great picture.

Then we went to the Christmas Eve Candlelight service at our church.  Our church is beautiful.  We were married there.  It's even more breath-taking decorated for Christmas.  The service was a joyful, yet emotional service.  The music was amazing.

After church we went to dinner at PF Chang's where Eli works.  She was our server, and the food was delicious.

Randy and I ended our impromptu date night with a walk through a deserted Northpark Mall.  It was quiet except for the Christmas music and two families we saw also walking around.  The mall was decorated with Santa village buildings and lit Christmas trees.  It was beautiful.

These trees and fountain are outside the Dillard's.  When I was just out of high school I worked just inside those glass doors at the perfume counter when it was Joske's.  :)

I love the shiny floors that reflect the festive lights.

Little duck pond in the mall

Puppet theater

Red poinsettias, green leafy plants, and white orchids

View inside Santa's house

Santa's house from the outside