Ephesians 6:14-15

We are so close to Christmas, I just can't believe it! There are only four circles left on Santa's beard (Mattie May's count-down-calendar she made at school) and only three chocolates left in her advent box I bought for her at Christmas in November. I don't have a single gift wrapped, and I am sure I will find a few I still need to buy. We have just been busy. With what? I really don't know. We are just doing something all the time.

"The Chronicles of Narnia - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" has been in theaters for weeks and we have yet to see it. That is because Mattie May and I are reading the book and we aren't finished with it. As much as she wants to see it, she agrees with me that we

should finish reading before we do.

We have made cookies and cupcakes this month and if you have been keeping up, a gingerbread house was completed too!

It has been almost a month since I posted that I had all my Christmas cards addressed and ready to mail, and they were, sort of. There were a couple being mailed overseas and it took me a little longer to get to the post office than I had intended and then I had to give them time to arrive. We then received some cards from several people that were not on my list and we had to order more cards. That was a first for us.

Thankfully, we chose to have the cards printed instead of me making them. I don't know where I would have found the time to make more.

This is the fifth addition of our card to feature Mattie May. She has really changed this year, from a toddler to a little girl. Long gone are the dog ears that I love so much. Looking back at the last four cards, we just couldn't see how we could keep doing them the way we were and trying to make the next one better than the last. So we agreed to make some changes but keep the cards the same (clear as mud, right?)

In 2006, we were given an amazing gift from God, and what better way to give a gift than to wrap it up in a box with a bow...

2006

We had the angel announcing the birth of the King of Kings...

2007

The next year, we let her chose who she wanted to be and she chose one of her favorite stories, Esther, a wonderful story of faith...

2008

She also chose her character last year. She loves to play "mommy" so of course she chose Mary, so very tired from the journey to Bethlehem but lovingly caring for her new born son, the Son of God...

2009

We just felt that we couldn't make a better card and with her starting school, we couldn't find the time to do the picture. She is so very tired when she gets home in the evenings; school all day and then karate until about seven. Then add a tournament and belt tests on top of that and we were really pressed for time. And once the pictures were done, I would have to find the time to make the cards.

I was going through some pictures I had taken at her latest belt test and I found one of those lucky shots. You know the ones I mean, a great picture among some that are not so great. I showed it to Frank and he had the same idea I did. And to top it off, I had just read a scripture that fit perfectly.

Mixon Family Christmas Card 2010

Ephesians 6: 14 - 15

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled

around your waist, with the breastplate of

righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted

with the readiness that comes from the

gospel of peace.

I added this larger picture so you could see it a little better.

See...I told you the card was going to be different, but I promised it would be the same. A scripture from His Word and a picture to help tell the story.

In all the hustle and bustle that comes along with this time, please remember to sit with your children and remind them that it is not about all the gifts but about The Gift that was given to us by God.

From our family to yours, we pray for you a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Cards 2010

I know, it has been almost a month since my last post. So sorry! But time is just getting away from me. I know I promised you some first, and I will get to them, it just may be after the first of the year. But I promise, I am keeping track of them all and will get them posted. Remember, I keep this blog as record of all the fun things Mattie May does, so I have to get them in here eventually.

I can't believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. As much as I love Christmas and Easter, I do think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We spend time with family on every other holiday, but they all seem so rushed and commercial. Thanksgiving almost gets overlooked. For us it is a time of visiting with those who have traveled to see us and this year, on Saturday, we will be going to visit Ralph and his family. We are hoping that some day we will be able to actually spend Thanksgiving day with them, but it just isn't in the cards right now.

One thing I have done this year that I can almost not believe, I have my Christmas Cards ready and waiting for stamps. Yes, your read that right. They are done, addressed, sitting in their pretty white envelopes waiting for stamps so they can be dropped in the mail. Surprising, I know!

If you have read my blog for long, you know this is a big deal for Frank and I. They are special to us, and we put quite a bit of thought and work into them. This year, there is a change! Oh don't get to worried. They are the same yet different. There is a special scripture and of course the picture of Mattie May, but the style is a bit different. Sorry, but they haven't been mailed yet, so I can't share them just yet. But I probably will next week. In the mean time, scroll down to the tags on my right side bar and click the Christmas Card tag. It will bring up all the post of my past Christmas cards.

I can give you a hint - the scripture comes from Ephesians. I am afraid to give more than that. If you keep up with us and Mattie May, if I am more specific, you would probably figure it out! I promise, you won't have to wait long for the results!

I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday. And if you see me Friday morning, be sure to say hi and tell me who you are. I will probably still have sleep in my eyes and won't be able to focus very well. And I don't see that good anyway!

Y'all have fun and remember the number one rule of shopping on black Friday - HAVE FUN AND KEEP A SMILE ON YOUR FACE!!

Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Well here it is, December 23. I still have lots of shopping to do and even more wrapping seeing as how what I have already purchased is still in bags and not wrapped. I have a luncheon to go to today with friends I worked with for years and they still invite me to the Christmas lunch. They are so sweet!

I know you have probably already read my post about my ornaments and the one about my favorite angel. Yesterday, I posted about Christmas cards past and I am pretty sure most of my family and friends have received our 2009 addition Christmas card. So today I am going to share with all of you the same.

I was really proud of Mattie May. She selected who she wanted to dress up as again this year and her heart is so full of the season. Last night we were talking about Santa Claus coming and how much fun it is going to be to see if he brought her the three things she asked him for (what do you think?). But then I asked her if that was the most important thing about Christmas and her answer almost made me cry. Now I am going to paraphrase, but remember she is only 3 (if only for another 12 days!

MM - "No Lolo, the important thing is Jesus. This is when he was born."

Me - " where does he live now?"

MM, pointing to her heart - "Here Lolo. He is with me all the time."

She knows and understands, she really does! So without further ado, please enjoy!





Merry Christmas to you all! God Bless your new year!

2009 Addition of the Mixon Christmas Card

WOW!!! December 22! Where has the year gone! We have had a great year, with some bumps in the road but still great all the same. God has blessed us again, way beyond what we could ever deserve.

God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!

I don't think I have bought a single present for anyone other than Mattie May, so I still have lots of shopping to do. This has just been one of those years when I couldn't get it all together. I have reminded myself several times that if it doesn't get done, that it is OK. Getting it done is not what the holiday is all about. We did finally get the Christmas tree decorated. You can check out this post to see some of the ornaments that adorn our tree and if you want the story of my favorite ornament, check out this post.

We also have been busy getting our Christmas cards out. Oh the fun we had doing this one. We have friends that start asking about our cards as early as September! I never dreamed when I sent out that first card in 2006 that they would be such a hit with family and friends, but we are so happy they are. One of our very sweet friends (the wife of one of Frank's co-workers) has made a frame that she puts out each year with all of the pictures in it! If you want to see the previous years cards, start with this post, then look here to see last years card. I have been running late this year getting them out and actually ran out of pictures. I have ordered some more, so those of you that are new to my list, please be patient. You will get one but it may be a day or two after Christmas day!

I'm sorry, but no sneak preview this year! I will tell you, Mattie May has really taken interest in decision making process and this year she chose to go back to the "Reason for the Season"! She is just such a light in our lives: she can make the gloomiest day bright!

Hopefully I will get it all together and have a new post tomorrow! Until next time - God Bless you all!

Card Time!

I am pretty sure all my loved ones have received their Christmas cards by now so I guess it is time to post the final results for all my bloggy friends. We stayed with our very simple theme of card this year, but took a different route on the scripture. The second page explains how we came up with this years card. We hope you enjoy it!

Cover

Inside cover

And of course the picture.

My family wishes you all a very merry Christmas. Our prayers for you that the coming year is filled with many blessings. I probably won't be posting until after the new year, but I have a really big surprise!!!

Christmas Card Pictures!

I love Christmas cards!!! I love that all my friends send them, put thought into them, to see what they want to express to loved ones each year. We get some from the other side of the world and some from friends and family right here at home.

Frank and I have always tried to express our feelings of the holiday through our cards. We always want to have scripture on them and preferably a picture of the Christ child, because, after all, that is what we are celebrating. Some years it was just a simple card with a lovingly hand written sentiment and some years we would add a letter letting everyone know what we had done through the year.

Then along came Mattie May. We decided right then and there that she would always be a part of our Christmas cards.

The first year was easy; stick a wobbly 9 month old baby in a box decorated in Christmas wrap and viola! This is what you get...

May the Lord bless your Christmas with sweet surprises.

Cute is just not enough to describe that little face sticking out of that box!

The next year, when you have a toddling almost two year old, who you believe is the sweetest angel on the face of the earth, you get this...

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Luke 2:10 KJV

So how do you top those two? She has studied so many things this year and learned so much. She has got an unbelievable vocabulary and you wish you were around more kids her age to see if they talk as much as she does. But you have to have a darling picture with a scripture to match. That is when you get this...

OH! Come on now! Did you really think I would show you the card and picture before all my loved ones received them in the mail? You all know me better than that by now! So enjoy your little teaser and I will get the final picture posted in the weeks to come.

Until then, enjoy your preparations for the holidays and don't let it stress you out. It is after all a time to worship and enjoy your family. Love to all and I hope you can endure the wait.