Our tree fully stocked with all the goodies we picked out for loved ones.
"Hey Baby"Harper Ann was very friendly to all the Christmas shoppers.
You can't turn your back on her for a second.
Can you see the chocolate residue?It is very hard to punish someone this cute.
Dang blast it child!
Our church has a wonderful tradition of caroling each year. We went to several assisted living homes in Cleveland and visited some of our home-bound parishioners. This was at the last stop of the night. 
Our annual trip to Zoo lights. Harper Ann is not as easily entertained by the train as Holt was, but she sure does love chasing animals at the petting zoo.
We have finally overcome our fear of adults dressed in giant anthropomorphic animal costumes.Maybe this is the year we get a picture of Holt with the statesman and fighting okra.
Trying to limit presents at Christmas is harder on us than on the kids. We really do try to focus on Christ at Christmas and the reason for the season, which means we STUFF their stockings to the brim. 
Harper Ann's Christmas loot. The small box with the bow contains "my baby." That girl loves "my baby."
All Harper Ann wanted to do was to get all that stuff out of the stocking so that she could carry around her stocking and hug it every now and then. She had been trying for weeks to get it down off the mantel. 
Holt got the whole Calvin and Hobbes collection and an aircraft carrier. What more could a kid ask for?
Christmas with the Culpeppers. The youngsters always need a little reintroduction, that and poor Mary was very, very, sleepy
Watch what I can do. Ummm, okay. How do you respond to such silliness. Catherine and I were never this silly, right?
GG thinks the appropriate way to get Harper Ann over her uneasiness around dogs is by luring her over, telling her how sweet the dog is, and then nipping at Harper Ann with her fingers saying he's going to get you. She calls that sarcasm.
You need some big doorstops for those doors.
Mischief, always mischief with that one.
Let's try this again. Good doggy.
I hope that I have inherited either genetically or by years of observation Dena's and my Mom's knack for entertaining. Fancy tables full of lighthearted conversations and laughter are a staple in their homes.
Jonathan and GG were above such childish things as paper crowns. Fine, but see if you get a popper next year. In Jonathan's defense he has a complex with head-wear. I mean, you understand.
"My baby" has been through the ringer in four months.
This was taken during our A Christmas Story night. After getting the kids to sleep and putting away Christmas loot, we enjoyed us time under the glow of our pretty tree.
Holt loved the rapid fire dart gun he got for Christmas. Harper Ann, not so much. I have gotten quite used to the phrase, "No, Holt, No." Followed by the sound of retreating feet.
A hot chocolate break enjoyed by all.
Our Fortner family gatherings are growing too. Houston seemed to enjoy his first Christmas immensely. He got lots of stuff too. And, yes, in case you were wondering, Anjanette did just have a baby a month before this picture was taken. 
Harper Ann really enjoyed playing with the dough nativity set. I think we made it through another year with all the pieces. One of the palm trees lost a branch when it ended up in the bathtub, but all the animals, angels, wise men and of course the baby Jesus ended up safely tucked away.
Harper Ann's idea of coloring "with" Holt is taking all the crayons out of the box and telling me nanabooboo until I chase her and put the crayons back in the box.
Cutest little reindeer hiney around
I am sure somewhere on the package it said, do not string around your child's neck, could result in strangulation, but you know how we feel about warning labels. 
Half our time decorating the tree was spent keeping Harper Ann off the ladder. She is part monkey.
Kids waiting on the Christmas parade. It was much warmer this year than it has been in the past. Hot cocoa is always appropriate though.
Crawford, the cutest chunkiest baby on the planet.
The baby table grows a little every year. 
There are few things more frustrating than trying to get the perfect Christmas card picture. When I told Holt he couldn't change out of his church clothes because we had to take our Christmas picture, he responded by screaming noooo and running to his bedroom. It was downhill from there.
I don't care about the cracker in the mouth, just look at the camera.
Look at the camera!!!
I give up.Merry Christmas (in April) everyone.
Grandmama by the fire with a dog in her lap. Yep, that pretty much sums up many a Christmas for me. 
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