Vorheis Family

Christmas is here!

I love Christmas time. I love the holiday music, the smell of baking Christmas treats, and all the lights. I was also thinking about the Christmas story so much this year. I've always heard it, read it, and sang about it, year after year. This year it really hit home. I'm not sure if it was that I had a little baby, and thinking about my pregnancy and delivery. To think about a young girl, riding on a donkey pregnant and about to deliver. I mean come on, that's crazy. She's leaving where she lives, where I'm sure that she was made fun of all the time. A girl that had a boyfriend and suddenly ended up pregnant. I'm sure I would have judged her. Then to leave her home and go traveling, where your camping, and eating what you can carry. I just can't believe how hard that would have been. I had a hard time traveling in a car. I ate only if I was craving something at the time and then had an amazing husband that would go get it, no matter what it was. Then to be having contractions while riding a donkey, finally get to where your going, and find out that there are no rooms anywhere. I would have been so upset, and I'm sure taking it out on my husband. So you go into a stable and have your baby in such an unclean environment. Then after having your baby you wrap him up and laid him in a manger. It just seems so sad as a mom that you would put your newborn child into a manger that farm animals eat from. I have felt so blessed and so humbled this Christmas season. I had such good health care while I was pregnant. While I was in the hospital to deliver my baby I had two high risk doctors, a team of NICU nurses, and a team of regular nurses. As a Mom you want what is best for your baby, and it would have been so hard to have such limited choices. Mary must have been such a brave, and courageous woman. I can see why she was chosen for such an important role in Jesus life.

 Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
The poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
No crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus;
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh.

Christmas Party

We went to the Christmas party at Ben's work. They had two jump houses, one for big kids and one for the little ones. Dylan loved jumping and was so worn out. We had a nice lunch, played some games, and did some crafts. Then we went outside to watch for Santa. We heard some loud noises, and from behind us came the helicopter. It hovered in front of us, and out came Santa coming down the fast rope. That was Dylan's favorite moment, he loves seeing the helicopters. While we were waiting for him to get his gift he fell asleep. So it went under the tree and he got it later.

Ben always has a Christmas party at one of the big hotels down at the strip. We haven't ever had a chance to go. I was pregnant, then Dylan had pneumonia the next year. This was a good year for us, Justin lives close by and came to watch Dylan for us. We had a great night out. It was such a nice dinner, and fun entertainment. It was fun to be just us. We had a great time.

We had Justin's name for Christmas this year. We took him out to eat at a really fancy restaurant. It's a Brazilian Steak house, that is well known for it's different cuts of meat. You have a card and while it is flipped to green they bring you anything that is ready. They also have an amazing salad bar, with so many different things. This isn't one with the cottage cheese, and jello. It was such a fun meal, we love doing things with Justin. We all walked out so full. We loved it. We have been back another time, but can't afford it very often.
 

Another tradition for us is going to the Belligio to see the decorations. They always do such an amazing job, and so much of it is live flowers and trees. It's always so beautiful. This year Jeremy and his family was here. It was fun getting to spend some time with them. Dylan and Alex are only a few weeks apart and are good friends when they get to see each other.

Dylan has been such a good little helper. If we have a stroller, cart, or anything with wheels he needs to be helping push. He's learning that he needs to hold hands when he's outside. He started running down the road whenever he gets out the door, so we're getting pretty strict on the holding hand rule.

Christmas Morning!

Stocking's 
Can you tell who's is who's? Hint: Justin was here too.