We've added to our family..again

But, this time we have added mostly inanimate objects that pretty much just take up space. So, I guess you can't really call them family members, but last I counted we had an extra 10 baby dolls at our house since Christmas. The girls love to play with them and take them wherever we go. I am beginning to think the dolls and their items need to have their own room. We have really enjoyed this Christmas season, which officially ended last night with our annual Lindner, Colon, Hogan and Brown Christmas get together. We have been doing this annually for at least 9 years.

On Sunday we had a great time at the Schinhofens reuniting with friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. One of those friends was Chris. Chris was a friend before her and her family took a church in Iowa. It was nice to chat with Chris and we both talked about how we felt like we already knew what was going on in each others lives because now we are bloggy friends too. Chris and her husband were the children's pastors at our church and I was under their leadership over 9 years ago. I learned alot from them and often think of Chris on Sunday mornings as I get the kids to church. I always felt she had a good balance of ministry and home life and I still see that in her.

Friday night was fun with Joe's cousins and their families. I made homeade manicotti's from my great Aunt CiCi's recipe that my mom found stashed away. They were really good and I promise to post the recipe when I get a chance.

And Christmas Day was wonderful. We started the morning with our new Christmas book which I highly recommend and opened presents here at home. Then headed over to my parents for a yummy Christmas breakfast. We opened presents there and the Poncy's joined us part way through. Kristie made a beautiful quilt of some of Guys shirts for my parents and Tiffany gave him a framed collage of all the old bulletins which Guy would decorate my dad's face every week. We laughed and cried all at once. He is still making us laugh even though he is not here. We spent the late afternoon with Joe's family. His mom made us a yummy Christmas dinner.

This Christmas was wonderful and we feel so blessed that we have family and friends like all of you, but most importantly we are thankful for the birth of our Savior. Because without Him it would all be meaningless.

Thank you LULU for letting me borrow your pics!