Family Christmas Traditions~Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights

Our family has a few Christmas traditions that we look forward to and love to do. One of those traditions is to go to Callaway Gardens and see the lights. This tradition is not one we do every year, but as often as we can. We've been enjoying the Callaway lights since the very first year that Callaway started doing the lights, and that was all the way back to Zach's first Christmas in 1992.

Since we don't have a vehicle that we can all ride in together Karl thought we should rent one. We started out in a mini van, because they had rented out all of the larger suvs. So we ended up squeezing into the mini van until we could get down the road to the next Enterprise to rent the larger one. When we got there, we all opted for the large homeschool van so that we could have plenty of space.

Karlie called it our Duggar van...

We stopped at the Bulloch House for a lupper. We enjoyed the awesome food, the lovely decor, and the giftshop.

 We headed over to Callaway Gardens, and had some time to spare, so we went to see the butterfly house.

 Karl and me

 The kids pose with Gam and Pop

 We Saw a few butterflies.

 Jolie and Pop

Jolie wants to be in every photo with Emily and Zach.

 The butterfly house has lots of places for photo opportunities...

 pretty flowers, butterflies, and girls....

 I told ya, Momma had her camera and she was using it...

 There was a huge tree in the entrance to the butterfly house. 

Shek poses for me by the tree.

 Then it was time to get on the trolleys, and bundle up for the ride. We sang carols, and looked at beautiful lights.

 Sitting on the trolley

 Gam and Pop wait for the trolley to roll

 Where's the lights

 Karl

 It's not everyday, I wear one of those winter caps...

 The lights...

 I snapped a few photos...

 the photos of the lights just don't do it justice...you have to see it in person...

 We headed back to the village tent, Jolie wanted to see Jesus.

 She calls him JEsus....just like a true southerner pronunciation.

 Jolie loves having her face painted.

She had a butterfly and a rudolph nose.

 Jolie loves the characters that are dressed up...unlike my other children. She hugged and hugged Rudolph. He picked her up and danced with her. It was so precious.

 how did he know that she loves dancing and twirling...

Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights 2013...a great family tradition.

Egypt Night

It was Egypt night at Konos Academy last night. The kids wore Egyptian type outfits, hairstyles and makeup.
Karlie wore a sheet, wrapped and pinned and topped with her old acteens robe thing that had been cut for a collar....and then the eye shadow.

Those Egypt eyes are almost '80's eyes aren't they?

Each student had topics to discuss. Some acted out skits, did videos or told about their topic. Karlie's group discussed the hair, and makeup for the Egyptians.

After the presentations, there was Egyptian food and fellowship and a few photos with friends. 

Aren't they lovely Egyptians? 

Elf in the Vent

Every Year at this Time, I see all of these Elves on the Shelves photos, posts, etc. and I can't help but think how the marketers of this Christmas item had to be one of my mom's friends back in the '70's. Because you see, I had an elf too, all the way back then, in the 1900's. 

This elf even looks like he is from the '70's...

But my elf was invisible and he lived in the air vent in my room, and he lived their all year round, not just a few weeks before Christmas. And we wonder why I was scared to sleep in my room for a time. My mom often told  me that my elf was watching me and reporting back to the North Pole. 

See that little angelic face right there....she knew about the elf in the air vent.

So I just know that the makers of the Elf on the Shelf just had to be one of my mom's friends or one of her customers at the bank....someone had to hear how she  talked about the elf in the air vent, and years later marketed her idea. Just think, Mom, you were on to something..AND NOW someone stole your idea.

Christmas at Honey's and Lovey's in the '70s...Can you dig my Brady Bunch style dress? 

And So from My experience with the elf in the air vent, that's why we don't really get involved in the elf thing...it was pretty scary to me back in the day.and these elves that make little messes, my kids make enough of those as it is, we don't need to make any on purpose.

Enjoy your elves on the shelf....but remember it was my mom's idea...and the original elf lives in the air vent ALL YEAR LONG....and he's invisible. 

Out takes happen...

Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Christmas decor is up...and the family knows what that means...it's time for the family photo for the Christmas card. I prepare my family early, reminding them that the family photo shoot is coming soon, but no one really gets excited about it.

So on Sunday, just moments before Zach is ready to head back to college, I say, "Let's get that photo taken." At which I get the following responses: "I have not shaved in three days, Zach needs to load up, what are we going to wear??
Eventually everyone gets ready or sort of ready....Shek decides to pose with the GQ pose on the back of the couch. Zach says, we have to take these outside not inside. I wanted the inside so maybe just maybe we would all keep our eyes open at the same time....
BUT we went outside, and Gam was here so she snapped our photos.

 Just the Berry family keeping it real. 

No photo shoot is complete with out our photo bomber, Shek. I was trying to take Jolie and Gam's photo. 

I liked this one..we look half way decent and the black and white kind of camouflages squinting eyes, but this photo will not fit on any photo cards in shutterfly...it won't even fit as my cover page on facebook without cutting someone out.

 I look at everyone else's blog, and facebook and see happy photogenic families AND I wonder how do they do it? Maybe, everyone else keeps the out takes to themselves?
Wouldn't it be great if one year everyone on your Christmas card list chose a blooper for their card instead of a picture perfect one. It would be a fun way to spread a little Christmas cheer....

I finally got the cards ordered last night. Yes, Virginia, we have a photo that made the Christmas Card Cut!!!
Stay tuned to see which one we used for our Christmas card..
Thanks Gam for snapping the photos of our not so camera happy group.