A Fresh {Re}Start

After a 6-month unintended hiatus, I hope to get back to regular blogging this year. I have missed it. I love writing and I love sharing sweet and funny photos and stories about my family. Even more, I love occasionally going back and reading my old posts, looking at photos of my little munchkins when it was still okay to call them "little munchkins" and reminiscing.

It was a great Christmas for the Lingg family this year. The anticipation and excitement from both of the girls filled the house!

All of December was pretty busy for us actually with various school and church Christmas activities. There was never a dull moment - or free weekend!!

 WFUMC Children's Choir Cantata "The Christmas Cupcake" - Gabrielle is the 2nd from the left on the front row (the little girl who desperately needed a bang trim!!)

 Gabrielle and her kindergarten class for the LOMES Holiday Family Night. We got there too late and got a terrible seat so no good pics.

 Samantha and her preschool class. They entered the church sanctuary with sunglasses and jingle bells waving to all the parents and families as the song "Jingle Bell Rock" played. It was absolutely precious!

Gabrielle also had a little Christmas program on her last day of school. Mine and Ed's favorite song they sang was "Don't Eat a Poinsettia". It was hilarious!!

I took Gabrielle to see "The Nutcracker." My original plan was to take her to see the big Carolina Ballet performance in downtown Raleigh but instead bought tickets for a student performance. The show was very cute. I think this worked out better since after about an hour of sitting Gabrielle was starting to get antsy. Assuming she continues to love dancing then we'll go see the "big" performance in a couple of years.

 I love the look on the girls' faces on the photos above. I think these particular pictures do a good job summing up the entire morning. And for some reason, somehow, going against all traditions as far back as Ed and mine childhoods, they started with the stockings! The stockings are always last ~ until this year.

 Samantha with her first Belle baby on the left which Santa brought her the Christmas after she turned one and her new Belle baby on the right which she has looked at in Target every single time we have been to Target for the past year. I'm not kidding. Or exaggerating. She really wanted a new Belle baby and she really looked for her and held her in the store every single time.

 I had to include the photo of above. This was taken on Christmas Eve at our church after the children's service (which was really sweet and cute by the way). I love the look Samantha is giving me. Just.Too.Sweet.

Merry Christmas to all!! And may you carry the love and feeling of Christmas with you each and every day of the new year!!