The Jones Family Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Saunders's family gathered to celebrate together.  We started with a delicious Italian lunch with cheese mannicotti, spinach lasagna, garlic bread, and a big salad.  The highlight of lunch was the old-fashioned poppers Vicki had bought and put out at each place setting.  Everyone got a tiny prize, a paper crown, and a joke out of their poppers.

Then, we opened all our presents in the sun room.  Katie Anne's favorite presents were her name puzzle and picture frame, her jingle bell dog, and all her dress up stuff - especially her cute apron set!  She said, "I look just like a Strawberry Shortcake cooker." 

After we opened gifts, we went home for a little while to let Katie Anne nap.  After she woke up, we headed back over for cookie baking and gingerbread house making.  It was a lot of fun with everyone in the kitchen - even the guys got in on the decorating action this year!  We made two gingerbread houses and lots of cookies for Santa.

After we decorated the treats, Saunders, Katie Anne, Katie, VJ, and Grandmama went to the candlelight Christmas Eve service at Sam Jones Methodist Church.  We weren't sure how Katie Anne would do during the service, but she did amazingly well.  She was just waiting on her favorite song - Away in a Manger.  When we got to sing it, she belted it out loud and proud!  So loud, in fact, that the preacher told her how much he enjoyed her singing it after the service was over - he could hear her all the way from the second row!  Everyone thought it was really cute.  Katie Anne enjoyed the service, and she said that she just loved "The Jesus Show" as she called it.

Then, it was time to go home and get ready for Santa's visit!  Here are some of the best pictures from the Jones Family Christmas.

Make a Smilebox slideshow