Want to remember

Us Sheltons have always done Christmas well, I like to think.  I got my photo fingers warmed up and shot more photos than I have all year so I'll apologize in advance if you feel like you are seeing everything :) I wanted to remember this Christmas, though.  Here are my many photos of Christmas eve and Christmas 2012.

Doc catching those who dare to slide :)

Mary Shelton on the slide

daddy and son!

Here I go

james on the slide

about to slide mr Jack man

Jack on the slide

a far away view of the playground in the back

some christmas bush photos

James made this handmade ornament this year

angel among us

cool ornament shots

Mason sleeping

Bright eyed bushy tailed

that's my booger man

Jim says Mason looks like Sandra here :)

cheese

Q1

love this one

Stairs!

stairs! and a swirly head of hair

how i kept my weight off during Christmas.. and they're off!!

I'm figuring this out

so proud he conquered stairs.. sort of

I can turn it off and on and off and on and .. did it break? oh well

do I have a snotty nose?

funny angle

Aidan, how are you?

Andrew!

Jack and Galen

Kisses from Mary Shelton

Look, James, you just swing your body on the bar...

What's B doing in the kitchen?

I'm just sayin

Let me out!

pulease let me out..

Mason gives up

We sure made a bunch of dirty dishes

can you stop taking photos, mom, and feed me!

Kristen feeds her boy!

got food on the floor?  I'll clean it up!  Reagan

Andrew man

James and Mary Shelton want to see the app that tells you where santa is

Drinkin juice

B shows us all how its done

adoration is an understatement

Sweet man

I'm in a room full of breakable items!! Hey mom!! 

silly

Stud

very Christmas-y

beautiful dinner

Shelton style

Dinner time

I won't eat it if it's healthy so you can just have this back!

sigh

Oh, bother. I'm surrounded by boys!

Eating!!

Love you, Jack man!

James and Mary Shelton

James and Mary Shelton at the tree

Let me just rip this one off

aaaand this one..

Love bug

Heads straight to one thing he can really get injured on, of course.

Every princess needs a crown.. 

Get ready...

Daddy pouring water on my head

Not cool, dad.. not cool

Why you gotta wash my hair?

Mase-Man

adore

It's hard to resist a baby with a monster's towel on!! 

Opening their one gift on Christmas Eve!  Melissa and Doug

building blocks are a huge huge hit!!  

Tear this sucker open, kids!

Build em up to tear them down!

Stack em up!

Stack em up, Mary Shelton!

I'm saving this photo so I know how to set it up later! lol

Table with Noah's ark

Santa came and dropped off some goods

Cool photo of 12 stockings!!  Just five years ago, there were only five..

Kitchen goods!

Santa, you did goooood!  This holds his attention like no other toy ever!

So much to play with

Jack-myster on his rollin pup

Paw paw would be proud..

Mary Shelton on the rollin pup

this is James'?? aww man!

talking about hunting..

She so carefully watches everything he does

I like this one..

"the bull" enjoying his natural paci

Ho Ho Ho, babies!!

Rainy rainy rainy!

Mason wants to cook and play with the train set.

James playing with the helicopter in his train set.

I found this on pinterest and wanted to place it here.  Love it!

I LOVE YOU

I am your PARENT, you are my CHILD
I am your QUIET PLACE, you are my WILD

I am your CALM FACE, you are my GIGGLE
I am your WAIT, you are my WIGGLE

I am your DINNER, you are my CHOCOLATE CAKE
I am your BEDTIME, you are my WIDE AWAKE

I am your LULLABY, you are my PEEK A BOO
I am your GOODNIGHT KISS, you are my I LOVE YOU.

Here is a poem I saw on facebook and I thought it was sweet.  What happened in CT was tragic and made me so sad.. As it did the whole nation.  I just can't imagine.. Anyway, this was well written, I thought.

It was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38

when 20 beautiful children stormed through Heaven's gate.

their smiles were contagious,

their laughter filled the air.

They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.

They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

"This is Heaven," declared a small boy.

"We're spending Christmas in God's house."

when what to their wondering eyes did appear,

but Jesus, their Savior, the children gathered near.

He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.

then he opened His arms and He called them by name.

And in that moment was joy, that only Heaven can bring.

Those children all flew into the arms of their King

and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,

one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.

And as if He could read all the questions she had

He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."

Then he looked down on earth, the world far below

He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe

then he closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,

"Let my power and presence re-enter this land,

may this country be delivered from the hands of fools!

I'm taking back by nation. I'm taking back my schools!"

Then He and the children stood up without a sound.

"come now my children, let me show you around."

excitement filled the space

some skipped and some ran

all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,

"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."