sooo….it's over.
that went by WAY too quickly for the amount of work that it was.
bummer.
we started at my parents house over the weekend….
i was in charge of the mashed potatoes.
no green on my plate.
oops.
there was a kids table this year.
and braids. :)
lauren got her first pair of Birks. (i remember mine…)
some of my gifts.
how beautiful are the mugs from anthro?!
my dad had this shirt made from one of talby's drawings.
the big hit of the gifts at my parents house was Just Dance 4.
my mom has a Wii at her house (we don't have one) so my kids love to play it when they are there.
they started playing right away.
THEN the moms came down…. and we smoked them all.
HIGH SCORE all the three rounds.
oh yeah!
my niece is so cuddly.
this was one of sean's gifts.
it was called Cube-bot.
he did not put it down….made it into every shape imaginable.
family photo 2012.
and gangnum style….
christmas morning was back at out house….just the seven of us….all in their new jammies and slippers.
new boots (from santa)
new movie (from talby to sean)
new coat (from santa)
new boots (from santa)
new book (from santa)
we almost always give a big stack of dvds as a family gift.
this was my christmas morning: green water cup from talby, blue water cup & starbucks card from annie (i think daddy helped her out) doughnut pan from sean, candle from scott, cookbook from annie and a surprise gift of an itouch from mr. duerksen. :)
it was one of the most calm and relaxed christmas mornings we may have ever had.
i guess they really are growing up.
and they were very grateful and kind to each other.
a christmas miracle indeed.
we headed over to craig's mom's house for fondue and gifts on christmas day.
the kids loved playing games with christmas themes.
they all got new clothes and goodies.
fondue is their family tradition for like….ever.
my boys LOVE all the meats…and also especailly the cheese with bread.
annie was struggling with her cast and holding her plate so i jokingly suggested she get in the old high chair.
she got big eyes and said "CAN I REALLY?!!"
ha ha ha
she stayed there and had craig bring her cooked meat!
she said many times over that it was her most favorite meal she has ever eaten.
and the duerksen family picture of 2012.
we are done with our celebrations.
it went by so fast.
i still have christmas crafts to do though…. we are going to make them anyway.
they are too cute to wait a whole year more.
i hope your family had a nice celebration.
my favorite part of all of it was the christmas eve service we went to.
it brought my heart back to where it was supposed to be all along.
annie goes in tomorrow to get her cast off.
if you think of her…say a prayer for her to be brave and for full healing of her arm.
thanks.
i took four of my kids to a movie today and now…i am going to take a quick nap.
happy december 26 to you.
Jamie - oh my i spy mrs. meyer’s soap in a color {scent} i’ve never seen! do tell, please! what scent?
Victoria - Oh my I love Annie’s shirt/dress she wore in the pictures! That is adorable.
What a great gift from your Dad – I would love to have one of my daughters art pieces turned into a tshirt!
Looks like you all had a wonderful Christmas!
Happy New Year!
Robin Heim - What a great recap of your Christmas. Where did you Dad go to have the picture transferred onto the shirt? It’s such a wild idea. I love it!
Laura - i love seeing how everybody has their own style and tradition for Christmas.
the same running theme seems to be family…no matter where people go, what they eat, or what gifts they give.
it is all about family.
love that.
our christmas was a tough and strange one…
i cooked nothing
i bought NOTHING
seriously…Santa is REAL…he came through for our family BIG TIME this christmas
then nick got sick
merry christmas! HA!
BUT…
my family was together
and THAT is awesome
the people in our homes are the true gifts.
although those anthro mugs kind of ROCK
love to your whole bunch, and prayers for a blessed new year!!!!!!!
xoxo
Michele - Your family is just lovely. The family portrait shirt was my favorite :o)
This Farm Family's Life - Love your pictures! I am sad Christmas is over, but I’m already looking forward to next year and warmer weather!!!
Lisa - Where oh where did you get the JOY wrapping paper in your first picture??? Love it! Also, the picture of you and annie is so sweet. Looks like your Christmas was wonderful. Our Christmas morning was a bit lame this year, (Kids woke up by 4:45am and I was mad and having trouble being joyful),but was redeemed by having a real white Christmas and being able to go sledding as a family with my sisters family. I’ve never had trouble getting into the spirit of Christmas but this year was rough. Loved looking at all your pictures! Saw on instagram that Annie got her cast off! Hope it was a smooth process!
Tiffany - Great to be surrounding by family. Thank you for sharing. I see your baby girl growing up so much. Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Looks like a great time of family & celebration! Ours was kind of a weird Christmas-hubby in bed sick with the flu, his grandma admitted to the hospital on Christmas Eve with what was thought to be a heart attack. That meant no Christmas eve service for us(a true tradition for all of us) and no food/opening gifts at her house thet night either. We’re postponing it all until shes out of the hospital.
I told my husband “as much as we might say traditions aren’t the most important part of Christmas, its hard to let go of them when circumstances demand we do something else.” I love me some traditions:)
Merry Christmas! Enjoy that nap!
Carrie - Merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing your family with us.
Kelsey - I just watched a video that someone shared, and I immediately thought of you and your blog (and your readers!). It’s about having gratitude for each day in your life, but when he said, “Begin by opening your eyes, and be grateful that you have eyes to open… just think about the amazing colors that are here for us to enjoy!” and of course, I thought of your love for bright, happy colors. Check it out if you have a few minutes… very sweet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2ofrX7jAk
Kayla - What? Your Dad doesn’t Gangnam? 😉
Jenny B. - Love that Lauren got her first pair of Birks! I had green ones in high school and wore them to prom (yup. sure did.). I also love that Annie was so excited to sit in the high chair. I think my 8-year-old son would have had the exact same response! 🙂
Kimberly G - Looks like you had a great Christmas.
Danielle F. - Merry Christmas! Love the pic of Shawn with his DVD. Praying for Annie…and her mama. 🙂
Megan - I saw your “cute as a button” chair on sale at World Market today, just thought I’d let you know!!!! (online!)
Shara - I love that you smoked your kids in Just Dance!!! Talk about braggin’ rights! Merry Christmas Duerkson’s!!!
Tiffany - Sounds like you had a great Christmas. I’m so glad. Annie couldn’t be cuter… with the braids, and the high chair. My goodness. It is a lot of work for just a few days, isn’t it?! The wonderful family memories last forever though! Merry Christmas!
Kristin S - 1. Love Lauren’s boots. Wow, Santa did well.
2. Love that you took “all family” pics at both homes. Those will mean so much someday. I only have a few. Wait, I have a couple. That’s it. Two. I wish I had more.
Lorel - thanks for posting Meg – so good to see you and your family. I agree – over too quickly. Love you!
heth_07@yahoo.com - Hi Meg! Precious post! Praying for your sweet Annie!
Do you know where your dad ordered your t-shirt? LOVED that! 🙂
Lori Austin - That shirt is the best!
Sweet Annie and her braids. I will pray for her tomorrow.
Ana - Love your blog. My 3 girls loved the Christmas Tree craft you posted earlier. And they also loved the Zingo board game and some other ones you suggested on your previous post. Thanks, love all your ideas and suggestions.
danielle burkleo - meg! i really love all of these pictures…they make me feel warm and fuzzy. my faves are
lauren’s new boots.
annie in the high chair
all the just dance pictures
your new shirt of talby’s drawing – so sweet!
i imagine that our christmases in the future will look like this.
and that makes me really happy.
love you friend! merry christmas!
cheryl - i’m loving Lauren’s new boots. where are they from? other than Santa 😉
Kimberly Dial - I love big family Christmases. Thanks for sharing yours 🙂
Kimberlee Jost - Loved all the pictures of your families!
Miss you!
Need to run…too much food.
🙂
Susan - We had a wonderful Christmas too! We had snow in Fort Worth for only the 2nd time in my life! My daughter got Just Dance 4 also…huge hit! Happy New Year and stay warm!
Rita - Your mom and I have the same Christmas dishes! Merry Day After Christmas!
jackie chappell - prayers FOR SURE !!! … we have gone through a series of “tramitic” doctor visits of late … so i surley understand how to pray … our doc suggested some atarax (sp) before this last visit … i didn’t do it ..but after yet another GIGANTIC EMOTiONAL experience ..i wondered if it might have been a good idea (our four year old grandson has had a series of warts removed from his lips ..ear lobes ..fingers ..and .. and .. and .. so between the numbing shots ..the scraping .. and ..the cauterization it has just been a struggle … (holding him down is just THE WORST !!!) … so you can count on this nanny’s prayers .. with the hope that this will truely be her last visit … prayers for mommie too !!!
blessings ..jackie (from florida)
Leah - Looks like a great Christmas! And looking forward to your belated Christmas crafts! We still have a week and a half of vacation. So bring on the projects!
Kate - A nap sounds perfect! So glad you had a good one!