A Merry Christmas Check-In from Shellie

Hey folks, let’s chat…What say you about this outfit? (I pulled this picture from Instagram. Have you connected with me there? I did this screen shot so you could see how to find me if you’re an instagrammer!)  It’s sorta kinda out there, right?

It’s okay, you can say it! I was welcoming a second group of party-goers in three days, (with infected eardrums and a couple other health issues, but #lifeisbetterwhenyourelaughing right). This pic comes from our annual Crazy Christmas PJ’s Party for our Heartfelt bash! Mine wasn’t the most unusual. Check out our sweet Leah!! Every group should have a Leah! So what if the fan hidden on her person to keep the thing inflated meant she was a tad loud all evening. So was the rest of the party!

 

But wait, before I forget, I want to send out a big thank you to those who shared the Giving Thanks, Christmas Adventure advent devotional with me that wrapped us earlier this week. My prayer is that our time together in God’s word situated us to walk through this holy season with a grateful heart, instead of a grasping one! Stuff is stuff. Jesus is Eternal Life, the gift that can’t be measured.

That said, we’re knee deep into this Christmas thing now and I’ve got more to do than I can shake a stick at, (I’m sure you do, too!) but y’all crossed my mind and I wanted to offer up a couple videos in the hopes they might brighten your season. This first clip was taped at my daughter and son-in-law’s in Houston, TX.  My son and daughter-in-law, Phillip and Carey, who live here in our hometown and farm with us, along with their three kids, joined us to celebrate Thanksgiving at Jessica’s.  She and her husband Patrick were awesome hosts and it was a blessing to be together. We bowed our heads and gave thanks where thanks was due, for being together, for our overall health, for a wonderful year on the farm and for the great year Jessica, Patrick and their boys had in Houston. But far and above, mark us most grateful to be children of the One true God.  Were there hard things mixed in with all the blessings? Of course, but God is good. Amen?

Once again, I didn’t get Christmas cards in the mail, but here’s a shot of my grown up kids with Phillip harassing Jessica. ( I may get in trouble for posting this one.)

And here’s one of the whole gang with our eyes open and mostly smiling. That’s quite a feat these days!

And now, with no further ado, I bring you the Fabulous Five!

The second video was filmed at my sister’s house in Dallas, TX. I was invited to be a surprise guest on the FOX Christmas Special with Todd Starnes, taped at the First Baptist Church in Dallas. If you’re a member of FOX Nation, you can enjoy that show on the Todd Starnes broadcast, beginning tomorrow, (Dec.20th.)

The show is supposed to be on their regular network channel as well, but I don’t have a broadcast time for that just yet. I’ll run back and update this page when I get one.

All in all, it was indeed a very special road trip, as I was able to take my mom Queen of Us All, and her king, that would be my Papa, along for the ride! My beloved farmer had some important business here and had to hold the home fort/farm down, but I put together this little video of the rest of us to hold onto some treasured family moments.

Let’s see, what else has been going on, here? I cooked up sweets for my radio sponsors this week.

Delivering them was very emotional. What with my move from radio to podcasting, that annual delivery was the last of its kind. You have found my podcast, right? It’s free on ITunes, just click through from here, or go to iTunes and search for All Things Southern. Word has it that you can also find it on Google podcasts if you’re a Droid user. Of course, I’ll continue to add an audio file to the podcast files here on the website in case you want to listen via the website.  Hey, and if you have found it, please consider giving it a review and sharing it with your friends. THX!

And then, there’s this…

Longtime readers know I have this crazy habit of taking the Fabulous Five’s Christmas presents and wrapping them to look like something else holidayish—say reindeer, snowman or perhaps gingerbread houses, because apparently I enjoy taking regular chores like gift wrapping and complicating them beyond belief as each grand gets three presents which come in all shapes and sizes and clearly it won’t do to simply put a bow on them?!

Well, folks, this year I may have been a bit more ambitious than usual and this could be the end of the tradition and if so I shall go out in a bang as there is now a family of nutcrackers in the foyer awaiting the grands’ arrival. My tired was officially tired by the time I put together the fifth little soldier, but the look on the faces of the Fabulous Five when they see this kind of Keggie nonsense makes it all worth it!

It seems a crime not to let y’all see how big Double Trouble have gotten, (Beaux and Hank for newcomers), but here they are snuggling on one pillow even though they have two. They’re super close friends and I’m super grateful there is a glass door between them and that tree!

I didn’t set out to write an end of the year Christmas letter, but since this is beginning to feel like one,  here’s what I’m thinking.  Now that you’ve heard from me, it’s time to let me hear from the silent majority of you stealthy people here at All Things Southern.  Sure, it may take me some time to answer everyone, but my desire has always been for this to be a community and that means share and share alike, so let me know how things are in your corner of the world.  🙂

Merry Christmas Hugs,
Shellie