December Magic...2024

 

...The month of December is magical...it's a month that is unique with

twinkling lights, the scent of pine and the sound of laughter during gatherings...

...Take time to enjoy the little things...going for a winter walk, sipping hot cocoa, or just

taking in the beauty of the season...It's a time to create moments that linger long

after the month has passed...

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Camera roll...

...Elf on the Shelf is a popular holiday tradition for many families...He/She is a 

scout reporting back to Santa nightly for each child's behavior...Each morning,

the elf is found in a different spot, usually having done an unusual shenanigan in the

house... this gives a sense of excitement as the kids search for their elf leading up

to Christmas morning...

...The Junies were so excited knowing their Ruby would be coming to 

visit for the month that they woke up at 3:45 to look for her...👀👀

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...Life Church w/ their momma...

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...Paul on top of our guest apartment (highest part of our home) changing

out Christmas lights....he has a safety harness but he chose not to use it...😏

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...our bunny back home w/ her momma and getting a little spoiled...

...it happens when you miss them being away, especially during a holiday...

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...our bunny finding Holly, her Elf on the Shelf, along w/ Holly's elf babies...

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...the Junies enjoying hot cocoa brought to them by Ruby....

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...School drop off line...Our bunny has always loved school and her 

sweet teachers and friends...you can see her blooming expression of excitement...

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...Junie A learning about producers & consumers in her GT class...

...She "sold out" of all her jelly fish...

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...sporting her new Christmas pj's...

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...dinner @ Mariachi's...

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...Peppermint Bark Ice Cream w/ Peppermint Whipped Cream...

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...5 inches shorter..✂.😮✂

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...Philbrook Museum Field Trip...

...the bunny w/ her 2 teachers...

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...Bristow's Annual Christmas parade...

...w/ Paul's youngest grand enjoying the excitement of the floats...

...this was the longest parade I can ever remember...

...Obviously, many hours was put in on building the floats...they were all very festive 

and many carried out the theme of  "Route 66 Cowboy Christmas"...

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...Cedar Ridge CC Santa night...

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...Bristow First Baptist Church..."The Living Christmas Tree"...

...There's a lot of history behind the story of this year's "Treevival"...

...It was AMAZING...a wonderful testament of our Christmas season...

..."Happy Birthday Jesus" was sung by 3 of Director Brad's grands...

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...Roosevelt's on Cherry Street...

...the girls and I started this tradition with the littles a few years ago...

...We had the best waitress tonight...she added sparkles on each girl's cheek...

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...Holiday shopping @ Utica Square and sharing lunch w/ a close, childhood friend

made a delightful day...

...@ Bar Serra sharing the Mediterranean Bowl w/ grilled chicken...Yum!

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...the Junies taking advantage of reading while waiting for M's turn to 

get her weekly allergy injection...

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...making a Santa list ornament that was left by one of  Santa's

scouts for the elves to hand out if the parent has requested it...

..amazing how this works...🎅🎄🎅

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...Christmas "Game Night" @ Freedom...

...the Junies told their momma they didn't need her to walk around w/ them...😔

...They were just going to hang out w/ their friends...Their momma wasn't amused!...

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...1st year w/ Mr. Santa at game night...2016🎅

...this year...2024...lol...barely enough room to sit on his lap,,,

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...Celebrating the Christmas season @ the Bristow Freeland Center...

...Paul's grand, Maja, singing w/ the middle school choir...

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...Broken Arrow Rudolph 5K Run...

...our bunny running w/ her dance friend and mom...

...lil' bro ran the Fun Run w/ his dad...

...the start and the finish line...

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...w/ her cute medal...

(this is our bunny's 2nd run, and she is actually liking them)...

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...a Christmas tradition I started for the littles...

..."12 days til Christmas"...

...each day they get to open a book...

...our bunny starts early since she's not always at home w/ her mom...

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...Charcuterie snacking and movie night w/ her momma...

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...Surprise Christmas movie night w/ popcorn and snacks w/ their momma...

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...Sapulpa Christmas Parade thru their Christmas Chute...

...a few people we recognized...

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...Paul's oldest g'son playing the trumpet w/ the Mounds HS band...

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....attending Life Church, Jenks, w/ Ali and our Junies...

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...Oklahoma State Dance Competition @ the Cox Center...

...Elite Dance of Tulsa Youth All Star Pom WON 1st place in State, and

they won 2nd in Jazz! 🏆🏆...

...A great ending to another amazing Pom season...So proud of our girl and her 

dance team and coaches...So exhilarating to watch them!!...

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..."Christmas Pajama Day" @ school...waiting for her drop off...

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...w/ Paul @ his class of '68 Roger's monthly luncheon @ Fish Daddy's...

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...our bunny "twinning" w/ Sheri, the owner of EDOT...

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...Little's school activities...

...A's project in GT class...

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...pajama day @ school...

...seeing my littles growing up makes one's heart break...

(kindergarten pic below)...💔

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...Junies' class watching a movie...love how they look so comfy...

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...JWI  "12 days of Christmas" theme...

...our bunny and classmate/dance friend representing "9 ladies dancing"...

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...Nonni pick up day...Starbucks for a drink and cake pop...

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...Junie M teaching herself to sew...her momma said she is doing a great job!...🙌

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...using art techniques learned from their art teacher...

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Celebrating Christmas w/ Paul's kids...

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...Paul's grandson's Mounds Christmas Band Concert...

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...EDOT's Christmas Party at the studio...

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...Freedom's Christmas Music Program...

(Junie M missed the program from being sick w/ strep)

...ready for school and her Christmas Music program...

...3rd grade singing 3 different Christmas songs...

...classes standing around the gym among the parents/visitors singing 

"Silent Night",  then "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"...🎄🎅🎄

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...Ali dismissing the program...

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...in the classroom for their Christmas party...

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...Nonni took Junie M to see Dr. Bahrani, and he always makes them better...

...checking out her lunch that Ruby packed and wrapped for the Junies...

...however, she didn't eat...

... Poppi came up to stay with Junie M while Nonni went to the program...

...I brought home the light necklace from the party to make her

happy until her momma and sissy got home...

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...Christmas break begins...

...Napa Flatts was Junie A's choice (not a surprise), and we took home

butter noodles for Junie M...

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...Golf Club of Oklahoma Cookie decorating w/ Uncle Roger & Aunt Deb...

...(the Junies, both, were under the weather, so they missed this time)...

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Camera roll...

...shopping w/ her momma...

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"12 days of Christmas" books...

...love to see them reading...

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...our bunny and dance friends enjoying dinner @ Rise in Utica Square and 

then the Nutcracker...

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...marshmallow soup...

...chocolate souffle...

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 ...point shoe worn by a ballerina in the Nutcracker production...

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...Dance friend & classmate...

...a night to remember...

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..."Holly" brought the bunny's ballet shoes back to life overnight...

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...Candlelight Service w/ Ali and girls @ Life Church...

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...dinner @ Cracker Barrel...

...very observant watching her poppi...

...came up w/ being a genius...🙌

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 ...our bunny w/ her mom & dad @ Rhema...

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...opening an early Christmas gift...

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...the Junies saying "bye" to their Elf on the Shelf, Ruby...

...💓💓...

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...opening an early gift..

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Christmas Eve...

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...Aunt Debbie and Uncle Roger...

...playing "Crack the Ice" w/ Asher...

...As families grow from having kids and kids having kids and our elders passing,

 Christmas celebrations change.....we are missing several...

...So, this year, it was just my older brother and me...

"Every Christmas will be different....not better, not worse, just different...

We'll be older,  They'll be older.

The magic will shift...Soak it in because this version of Christmas only happens once..."

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...What's under the cup or is the cup empty?...There's 6 kids and 8 cups w/

2 being empty...

...Bless Henry...top pic on right...he is looking in his cup w/ nothing there...

He happens to be the next to the youngest, but he handled the mystery so well...

At the end with 2 cups left, Henry gets a 2nd chance...

And, another empty cup...no tears from Henry and everyone has an ornament

w/ money....Aunt Bree is pretty easy...Henry gets a last chance w/ 1 cup left and there

it was...Henry's treasure of money....So proud of HIM!!! I am quite sure Santa was watching...

🎅💰👀🎅

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...Charcuterie board island w/ PH pizza...

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...Left, Right, Center...

...From zero money, to winning it all,,..Uncle Roger could hardly believe it...

...(top right pic....ME!!!)

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...💓💓💓...

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..."Let Your Light Shine"...Matthew 5:16

(journals painted by Stephanie Bradford Kelly)

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...Junie A's American Girl doll didn't get delivered in time, so Ali

had a friend's daughter that loaned us hers to wrap up...Junie A was so 

proud of her and didn't catch on until we told her the story.  She laughed,

smiled, and quickly put her back in the box and said she would wait for hers...

...She had a great attitude about it, but I am thankful we had one for her to unwrap...

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...Junie M w/ her American Girl doll...

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...ending our night w/ a routine choreographed by our bunny...

..."All I Want for Christmas is You"... 

🎄🎄🎄

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...our bunny was excited to get her mirror hung in her room...

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..Finally.....Junie A was eager to get inside Subway to pick up her American Girl doll

that was delivered there...

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Christmas morning...

...the Junies...

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...the Junies went w/ their dad to spend Christmas Day and dinner w/ 

the Owens' family @  Grampies and Nana's home...

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...the bunny's...

...her Santa's gift is behind her in the box...a vanity...

...To save Santa time, he ask for help putting it together...lol!

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...for her momma, along w/ a flip lid monogramed Stanley cup...

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...her traditional Christmas sausage/egg casserole for breakfast...

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...Then, the bunny left at noon w/ her dad to go to Bruce and GiGi's...

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Christmas Day lunch...

...We were laid back...@ RiverSpirit Casino...

...We actually thought w/ all their big screen televisions, we would watch

the KC Chief's game...however, it was on Netflix which the casino didn't have😀

...So, Ali set her phone up on our booth for us to watch the game...lol! 

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...After lunch, Ali went home to nap since the Junies woke her up at 4 am to see

if Santa had come...

...Paul and I went back to Linz' house to help her put together the bunny's vanity that

Santa had brought her...it turned in to a 7 hour project...

Now, we know why Santa didn't

put it together...😂🎅

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Camera roll...

...the day after Christmas...

...Having a quick lunch @ Louie's, and they were excited not to 

get kid cups...lol!

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...For several months now, they have been wanting to have their own room...

...So, they bought paint today and started painting and getting ready for 

the big transition...

...(My how times have changed...I shared a bedroom w/ a sister 10 years 

younger than me.)...

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...celebrating her friend, Palmer, at the DIY Event Studio...

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...(After her momma got off work, she went to pick her up from the party...

the bunny told her that she had been counting down the time...she was anxious 

to get home and start organizing her vanity)...

...She facetimed me later showing me how she had it organized...

...She was overjoyed w/ excitement...

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...her note from her Elf on the Shelf, Holly...

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...eating dinner while wearing her strawberry warmth hoodie that Yia Yia and the

Junies gave her for Christmas...

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...tonight's sunset is the 1st sun we have seen since the last

sunset a week ago Saturday...

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...Celebrating the youngest member of our family...

...Hagan Ledger's 1st b-day...

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...Then, on the 30th, we celebrated w/ our oldest living aunt for her 89th birthday...

...Aunt JoNell, my dad's sister...

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New Year's Eve...

...taking a jog w/ Char Char around the pond...

...At her mom's celebrating a day early w/ her momma and Char Char...

...at her dad's getting pumped up for the ball drop...

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...Linz worked the day and then went to celebrate with 2 of her besties and

their husbands...

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...Ali and the Junies came to our house for NYE...

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...Wishing you a fulfilling end to December and a bright start to the new year!🌟...

XOXO!  from Our 5 Acre Woods

Throwback pics...

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...host for Collin's Christmas party...

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...taken outside our Ruidoso cabin...thinking Dec. 1983...

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...playhouse @ 506 Lakeridge Drive...

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...3 generations...💓...2012...

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...Throwback pics are the precious times...the tender times we hold in our hearts forever...

...I BELIEVE this was the first creation of Elf on the Shelf...

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...one of my faves @ the Gaylord Texan...

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..."12 days of Christmas" books...

...not a fan of being on stage...but, oh, so cute...

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...in front of the Philbrook cabin w/ Uncle Roger & Aunt Debbie...

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...we will never forget Covid...

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...Six months...their 1st Christmas...

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..."The days are long but the years are short."...

...While looking through our throwback pictures, it reminds one of how

they have grown...all the memories flood my heart with love & joy and 

tears in my eyes...love my littles more than all  Christmas wishes!

💓💓💓

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