Love, Santa

This is a letter from Santa.

Dear Jase, Jackson & Gracie,

Merry Christmas! I hope this letter finds all of you with big smiles and warm hearts. You all were such great kids this year that I really wanted Christmas morning to be extra special for you! I hope you all are pleased with the gifts that I have selected for you. I chose only the very best for you! To my surprise, I found another creature living in your home this year ~ Miss Bella! I left her a few treats too. I assumed the extra stocking hanging on the mantle belongs to her. Tell her that I said that she has been a good 'ole dog.

Here are a few challenges for you in 2010. Do your very best in school, love each other as Christ loves you and be extra nice to your Mom & Dad - for they love you so very much!

As you are enjoying all of your gifts, please take time to remember the REAL meaning of Christmas. You know, all of the gifts are so much fun but the birth our Savior means so much more! Take time to thank Him for all that He has done in your little life! He loves you so and He deserves your all!

One last thing before I close. I left a little something extra this year. There is an ancient German tradition that I would like to share with your family. It goes something like this.....On Christmas Eve, there will be a small pickle ornament hidden among the branches of the tree. The first one to find the pickle will be rewarded with a special treat. Remember each year to have your Mom & Dad to leave the pickle out so that I may find it and I will hide it over and over every year. May one of the best kiddos win! Remember, be a good sport! (Santa left a $20 gift card to Target for the winner)

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Love, Santa

Christmas Morning

These are few pictures that I captured Christmas morning. I'm finding it more and more difficult to get good pictures. I feel that when I am stuck taking pictures, I miss out on so many memories. So here goes the best of what I got.....

Christmas Fun 2008

These are a few pictures from Christmastime at our house. The picture range from waiting on Daddy to come home from work Christmas Eve, opening gifts from family, to seeing what Santa brought! We had lots of fun! Hope you enjoy as much as we did! Merry Christmas! Love, The Tatums

Baking Cookies for Santa 2008

We spent some time on Christmas Eve baking cookies for Santa. Everyone was given a "job" to do. The kiddos favorite job was being the taste testers. Santa was lucky to find himself some cookies Christmas Eve night. Jackson even ate Santa's leftovers on Christmas morning. Ha! Ha! Guess we did an okay job in the kitchen after all!

Our Unk looked high and low for these special chef hats for our Christmas baking. I think Unk's intentions were for us to make a gingerbread house - sorry Unk! We did good to get some cookies baked for Santa - store bought cookies at that. Oh well - we had good intentions. Thanks Unk for going through so much trouble to make our baking experience extra special. We had lots of fun! Thanks Again - Unk! We love you - The Tatum Chefs

Jackson's Christmas Party @ Granger

Here's me and Jackson at his class Christmas party. We had so much fun! It was really fun to watch him enjoy himself and interact with all of his little friends. He was sad when it was time for me to go to Jase's party. He doesn't want to understand the concept of "splitting time".

Jack Jack and one of his many little friends. So sweet!

Jackson with (as he says) "The bestest teacher in the whole world". He so loves her and she loves him right back!

Jackson was so excited to be having his very first school party!

Jase's Christmas Party @ Granger

Jase ans Mrs. Sheffield. He thinks that she is way cool! She thinks that Jase is way cool too! I am so glad that he is in her class this year.

Kiddos decorating Christmas cookies! They think the more icing - the better! Yummm!

Jase and his friend are in line waiting to make a Christmas craft. Woo!Hoo!

This is Jase and a couple of his friends. They are sitting on the classroom floor eating pizza! YUM-O!

Is Santa Real?

Well - I had to have the talk with Jase this week! He said that in Sunday School last week the kiddos at his table had a discussion about Santa. Jase said "I gave them proof that Santa was real, but Mom, they gave me more proof that he wasn't!". He proceeded to ask "Mom, Tell me the truth! YES or NO - is Santa real?". Hmmm.... What is a mom to say to this million dollar question? Where is Jason when I need him? Ha! Just so happened Jason had to run in to the office for a few hours. How do all the hard questions always come up when he is not home? Well - I knew that it was time for me to let him on Mommy and Daddy's secret about Santa. When I told him that Santa was not real - he was crushed. As we began to talk further and he realized that Santa was actually Mom and Dad, his little heart was filled with such gratitude! He was so amazed that his Daddy and I would "jump through all of the hoops" to make Christmas morning so special for him. He got a real kick out of knowing that his Daddy ate Santa's cookies. He and I also looked at all of the letters that he had written Santa all through the years. At the end of our conversation he said " Mrs. Claus, when do you do all of this shopping?". My response was "I'll never tell. That's part of the Christmas magic.". A real dreaded conversation turned into a wonderful experience for me and for Jase. He is such a humble child. Jason and I are blessed to call him ours.

Fabulous Christmas - Harvest Church

Last night was The Children's Christmas program at church. The children from Kid-U put on the program. It was really cute with an awesome message. Both of the boys were in the program. Jase and Jackson participate in a drum line. It's a really cool way for the kiddos to beat on tables and worship the Lord at the same time. It's really something to see! The boys love it! After the program, there was a cookie reception. It was lots of fun too! I didn't get very good pictures of the program, but I guess they're better than none at all! Enjoy! Hope you have a Fabulous Christmas!