Celebrating New Year's Eve

For New Year's Eve,

the Kehne's sweetly had several friends over for a fun gathering!

We had a great time catching up with friends and meeting new ones...

the times have changed though for Mr. Connell and I because we didn't make it out past 10:30.

He actually gave me my new year's kiss at 11:30pm 

when we both decided we couldn't stay up any longer!

Mr. Connell first called me on New Year's Eve four years ago...

It's hard to believe it's been that long, but I am so thankful for these past four years!

Now, to many more...!

xoxo

Christmas with Mamaw

A few days after the holiday,

Rogersville was calling our name.

We wanted to see my sweet Mamaw!

Mamaw and her three sons.

Everyone brought a little something to eat for lunch

and we spent the afternoon visiting with each other.

It was so good to be together!

Mamaw hadn't seen my baby belly yet

and she talked about how excited she is about Elizabeth coming.

I'm pretty excited myself!

The clock is ticking...

It was so special when Annie gave us the present she had for the baby...

She crocheted these by hand..  A baby blanket, hat, and booties!

They were so thoughtful and special...  I can't wait to use them on our baby!!

What a great day with family!

xoxo

Cell phone pics of lately...

I call that photo "parking with pride."

and gratefulness when the parking lot is full.

Mr. Connell and I met up with Beth and Will for dinner and some Christmas shopping.

The night did not disappoint!

The ribbon wreath for above E's crib is d-o-n-e.

and I love it!

Macy on her way to her grandparents' house for Christmas Eve festivities.

Mr. Connell is sporting one of his new shirts Katie got him for Christmas.

I need a better cell phone camera.

Amen.

xoxo

A Connell Christmas Day

Christmas at the Connellios.

We had a fun morning attending church with Mom and Dad at Hardin Valley COC and then returned home for a wonderful photo session.  My lovely wife Jules can operate any camera and operate it well, I am convinced. 

Afterwards, we continued the excitement over a great meal and opening of the gifts.

  Everyone had a very enjoyable and relaxing time.  

To top off the day, we ended up watching old home movies/videos.  Listening to my voice on camera, I realized that I was more of a Southern sounding kid from the Alabama days than I recalled. 

We loved Christmas time 2011. 

God has blessed us very much so, and we are super excited about our countdown to meeting baby E! 

Woopow!

A Turner Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve this year in Morristown at my parents' house.

Mom has her tree right as you walk in her house.  As the children arrived, they couldn't seem to get past it and kept surveying all the presents under it.

At least until it was time to eat!

They finally pulled themselves away for the delicious Christmas meal waiting on us...

The fam goes all out with the food.

No one goes hungry!

J. putting on a little post dinner concert for us.

Addalee wanted to do the same,

so once J. was done, she sang a little song.

It didn't last too long because they were ready for the big present opening section of the day.

The full scene:

How fun is it watching little kids opening presents?

I remember when we were the kids,

ripping through the paper to see what presents were waiting for us.

Our family always made it special

and still is...

Speaking of special,

Chris and Will made J.'s Christmas by getting him, not only one, but two whoopie cushions:

What was even better was seeing the other kids love it as well.

River didn't get the hang of just putting his bottom on it, 

but rather would face plant into it.  We couldn't help but get a big kick out of them!

I wonder if they've already made a disappearing act...  :)

Will and Beth prior to leaving for the Christmas Eve church service.

It's a tradition for our little family.

Our family.

Us with the awesome bag of goodies Sonya got for baby Elizabeth.

Even though our little baby is still in utero,

Sonya and Nana sweetly gave her great presents...

It makes me excited for next year when she'll be out and about with us!

Thankful for another Christmas holiday

to celebrate the Savior's birth...

He has given us so much.

xoxo

Merry Christmas from us to you!

As all the little children are snug in their beds (just like me!),

I'm thankful for this Christmas Eve.

We spent our day with my side of the family and will be heading to Chris' tomorrow.

There is so much to be grateful for...

Our sweet families.

Yummy food and the hands that prepare it.

Laughing with those you love.

Health and well being for our people.

Being able to give gifts and those who are generous to give to us.

Knowing well that all good things come from the GIVER.

Our reason for this celebration season.

Jesus Christ.

He came as a baby and God set His plan for our salvation into action.

Humbly He came - to be born in a stable.  Our King.

Today we are 6 weeks away from Baby Elizabeth's due date.

I can't help but think of Mary and her side of this story.

With a two day ride on a donkey, no wonder she went into labor!  Chris is my husband and where he goes I will go...  but I wonder if I would follow a "soon to be husband" to a town days away while greatly with child.  But she did.  Mary was sure of the Lord's plan and knew the baby she was carrying was the Son of God.  What trust she had to know that God would work it all out...  and then she had her baby.  Jesus.  (in a barn, mind you)  As she cradled her child, what went through her mind?  I can only imagine it's what every parent who holds their child for the first time feels - an overwhelming love.  and like many parents she probably wondered about His future.  His future that included His death and resurrection, which held our salvation.  

The baby that changes everything.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 1:29

Chris and I are so thankful for this 2011 Christmas and can't wait for more!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

xoxo

Live Nativity

In celebration of Christmas, my Bible study group and our families decided to attend 

the live Nativity production at the Civic Colosseum.

We met first for dinner at Sergeant's Pizza and then headed downtown for this...

The show had started, so we snuck into our seats in the dark.

But what a production it was!

There were so many people in it and the set was incredible.

There's our group, minus Laura and Drew who had already gone to take little Kaitlyn home to bed.

Such a wonderful way to celebrate the meaning of this season -

the birth of our Savior, Jesus!

xoxo

Couples Baby Shower

My Women's Bible Study

{Annie, Emily, me, Allison, Laura, and Emily}

The sweet girls that I do Bible Study with rounded up their husbands and decided to throw Chris and I a beautiful couples baby shower.  Laura and Drew kindly invited everyone to their lovely home...  When choosing a date, the best one that came up was actually on my birthday.

I couldn't ask for a better birthday present than to celebrate this little life growing inside of me, especially with our dear friends!

Three of the six of us are pregnant.  Emily is 5 weeks ahead of me (coming very soon!) and Laura is only about a week after.  Going through this together has been such a treat!  we've almost experienced all that pregnancy has to offer at roughly the same time...  sharing the beauty of it all with each other.  and now, as our time is {quickly} coming to an end, I'm excited to see these little lives grow up together.

Speaking of growing up together...

Having a child makes you an official grown up (or it definitely should).

We're less than 6 weeks away now from Elizabeth's due date...

-ready or not!  Here she comes!-

In the world of being ready, I cannot wait to meet her.

There's a lot left to do before she gets here with work, the nursery, our house on the market,

but all that pales in comparison to actually snuzzling her face to face!

Back to our celebration:

While all the ladies were upstairs with me...

...the men were down in Drew's man cave,

rockin' out on RockBand and playing ping pong.

By the end of the night, one of the now sweaty guys declared it was

"the best baby shower" he had been to.

In the world of guys and showers,

I couldn't agree with him more!

Chris and I were so honored by this celebration!

Thank you for celebrating with us over our coming baby.  We've divided up our people for these fun showers, so stay tuned for more!

We are overwhelmed by the love.

xoxo