Beach Christmas

We celebrated Christmas a little late this year with the Yaman Clan due to Aunt Laura being on call at her vet practice in Atlanta on Christmas day. So...here are some pics, via slide slow of the kids in Charelston from Aunties camera. The second slide show are pics from my camera.Thanks Auntie for sharing pics of all of our kiddies!!! If you are reading this Yamans--Thanks so very much for all of the christmas gifts and all of the memories created! We love you all so very much, much more than we could ever say in writing on this blog. The kids had so much fun and loved everything! Emmy Grace--You are such a special girl- WE LOVE YOU BUNCHES AND BUNCHES BEAUTIFUL ANGEL!!!!!

The kids had lots of fun opening presents--it happended so fast I didn't even see what they got till days later really!!! It was chaos of wrapping paper flying and EXCITEMENT galor---memories I hope they will hold dear forever and ever!
Then they spend the following hours, days, and will be months and months to come playing will all the goodies!!!! Thanks again Maggie, Pap-Pap and Auntie!!!
Poor Jack was a little sickie, but he did not let that stop him-He had such fun too!!!
ok, here are some more pics:

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Atlanta at Uncle Matt and Aunt Laura's

We had never been to Matt and Laura's new house. We were so psyched to get to go to Atlanta and spend Christmas with them. We had so much fun and such a relaxing few days spending time and hanging out;playing games,singing songs,cooking, baking (remember the eggs next time Erika!)and of course Shopping!!! There were soooo many pics taken, I figured the easiest was to pick some and put them in a slideshow.... Check them out: On Christmas Eve we missed church, as Jack had a 103 fever (poor baby, of course no pic of the sickie eyes, but Daddy read the Christmas Story out of the Bible and we sang carols.
Andrew especially had fun with singing. He did not know the words but he sure did belt his words out from the top of his lungs.





Oh Christmas night, sweet sweet Caroline Ruth came up with a game (which she invented rules and all)...We all got so into it. It was a ball!!! ~PUN INTENDEDDdaddy Jason videod some of the fun, check it out:





Matt and Laura,
If you are reading this, thank you both so much for hosting this year. We loved your house and getting to just be with you both(and of course Dixie,Lilly Bird and Otis)!!
We love you so much and miss getting to be with you as often as we would like. We are so proud of who ya'll have become and are so blessed to call ya'll Uncle Matt and Aunt Laura. You have no idea how much my kids love and adore you both. It means the world to us how wonderful ya'll are with them and how you love them!
Thanks for the intro to Trader Joe's too!!! Who knew wine could be cheap and awsome at the same time????
Elbow ball next christmas anyone???????

Mommy got creative for Christmas...(to the tune of CHEAP!!!!!)

Well I just cannot have Christmas without decorating, and to me that always means buying new stuff, gotta add to what we had last year right?? Somehow always need something new, something different... Well this year things seem to be different, we just do not have the money for me to be out buying whatever decorations I want. So We Buy the Tree from the PIG<yeah, we are real classy> and then I go to thinking what can I do to decorate.....So I find out LOWES of all places has 2o yards, YES you heard that right, 2o YARDS of alreadystrung galand for 6 dollars!!!!!!! What can I do with this??? the brain is churnin. I am SO NOT Miss Creativity. My friend Stephanie had said she was going to wrap garland along her stairs and hang all her Christmas Cards from it...ok, don't have a long bannister....Kitchen... Then miracle of miracles I, ERIKA YAMAN, came up with a creative idea!!!! You see my kids had spent days and days gathering leaves, stones, broken vines,twigs,you name it, even sand....they wanted to do a project....THey wanted to bring all of this in my house. I DON"T THINK SO...thats what mom of the year said after all there sweet hard work....See, these were the things they said they were Thankful FOR.....So what is this Project...The pics are the result in progress....They made ornaments from NATURE..HOW COOL IS THAT???-- they turned out really sweet and the kids had a ball. Of course I was too busy helping to take pics...but the results I hot glued to the garland that I hung. We will also be adding all of the Christmas Cards.
I have to say I am pretty impressed with myself. I really do lack the CREATIVITY gene. My mom sews, smocks,designs well..she was a elementary teacher and can come up with any type of project...Why did I not gt those genes....???
Maybe it just takes being FLAT BROKE to bring out the Creative bug in me?????

Its Beginning To Look ALOT like CHRISTMAS....

at the Yaman house atleast.
The kids have been begging to get the tree up and the house decorated...We have been behind this year compared to usual. I LOVE the CHristmas Season...
I love decorating
I love the music
I love th feeling I get this time of year,
I love the baking, the planning christmas goodies,
I love Christmas shopping- Yes I love shopping for family and friends.
---this year is rough, we are really low on money and I don't get to really shop nor do I get to cook like crazy---or decorate like I want----but IT WILL BE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS--WE WILL CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR CHRIST.
Here is a little slide show of the last few days at our house:


The kids have also spend a lot of time making special ornaments from nature...from things they have gathered outside-
nuts
leaves
branches
berries
I will post pictures of their creations when they are done. They are going to hang it on a fresh garland that I have hung in the kitchen. I think its a really cool project if I do say so myself. The kids have really gotten into it and have made some really cute things so far!!!
________________________________________________________________
In other news:
I have been having a hard time lately with Trusting and Patience regarding my job situation and money issues..anyone out there who has been praying--Please keep praying--I really need the prayer right now...
Dear Lord GOd,
I know you have a plan for me, a plan to prosper me, not to hurt me, a Plan that is the Perfect plan for me, for my family. I pray for rest and Peace in this.
Erika