Oh my WORD – what an amazing Christmas!
And never mind that I\’m more than two months late on posting this… still something I want memorialized in the blog archives.
I always feel like it\’s Christmas when my brothers bring their families home to Texas, and this time, it really was Christmas. Trey and Amy\’s crew from Alpharetta, Chris and Crystal\’s crew from Bozeman, and Luke and Julie\’s crew from Tulsa.
Two grandparents, 8 grown \”kids,\” and 15 grandchildren.
As Cappy likes to say, never a dull moment.
Here we go!!!
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| One of our two overflowing carts… and that\’s just from Costco |
We spent the first few days at the lake and 7R just to get away once everyone got into town.
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| Board games are always in demand at the lake |
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| Patient (and a tad competitive) Uncle Luke |
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| Basden started off reading just to Blakely, but her audience quickly expanded |
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| Branson enjoyed being a girl magnet |
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| And the magnetism continues… |
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| Did I say never a dull moment? |
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| Where\’s Brantley? |
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| My favorite lake activity ~ talking around the fire |
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| Catfish, anyone?? |
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| Cappy\’s gift of storytelling in action |
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| Naomi, Payton (I think!) and Scarlett |
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| Uncle Christian with his ready smile |
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| Ashlyn on a treasure hunt |
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| Marshall ~ I\’d give a penny for his thoughts |
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| Broderick and Naomi |
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| Brantley and his Cappy |
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| Is that a catfish or a shark?! |
Daboo set up horse rides at 7R ~ a gorgeous morning with gorgeous horses!
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| Uncle Christian in his element |
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| Broderick and Essie |
– Santa brought a few gifts early to the lake
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| Daboo in her element |
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| Cowtown Cousins sweatshirts for all |
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| We heart Taco Casa |
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| Basden and Aunt Julie |
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| Brantley and Essie ~ quite a pair |
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| Lotsa Blakely love! |
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| Essie and Bogan ~ our other set of twins. 6 days apart. |
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| I honestly don\’t know which twin this is. But it doesn\’t matter because I love them both. |
– Back at Bourland to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas day
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| Love that Alicia joined us |
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| Sic Em! |
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| Christmas Nail stories |
Cappy\’s airplane rides were the highlight!
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| Cap and Basden |
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| Uncle Trey helping Essie get settled |
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| Bran gets a turn at co-pilot |
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| Pretty fun outing with Cappy |
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| Zipping around in Cap\’s Panoz |
– For better or for worse, electronic devices are here to stay. Especially in this gadget family.
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| Hud and Marshall ~ electronic Battleship |
So glad we snapped some family pictures ~ proof that we were all together, but sure makes me miss all these amazing people I love.
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| The original six |
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| super crew of cousins |
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| Basden in heaven with sweet Blakely |
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| Broderick, Essie, Bogan |
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| A few good men |
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| Corbin was back at work ~ sad he missed these pics! |
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| Me, Mom and my sisters-in-love |
Grateful for a beautiful week, a beautiful Christmas holiday, and our beautiful family.
Will end with this text from my friend (and forever mentor) Darby after seeing her at the Christmas Eve service ~ she sent this in response to seeing all of the James cousins running around in the foyer together. We\’ll take it as truth ~ trusting God with our family and Him as our mentor, our children\’s mentor:
