Spending time at Mimi & Pop Pop's house is always special! Spending time with all of the family and celebrating Christmas makes it even extra special! There is always so much action and the kids have so much fun playing together.
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| Bonfires with Pop Pop! |
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| Climbing trees, jumping on the trampoline, fishing, and dressing up! |
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| The boys spent A LOT of time in the avacado grove! |
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| Swimming? In December? Only in South Florida! |
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| These little girls ADORE their Pop Pop |
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| Christmas Cuties |
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| More Christmas Cuties! |
On Christmas Eve, we went to Grandma Munz's church and then had dinner at her house. Grandma & Auntie Nette made adorable dinner baskets for the kids with chicken fingers, macaroni, apple sauce and a juice box - the kids loved them!
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| SO MUCH FUN! |
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| MERRY CHRISTMAS! |
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| A DOZEN COUSINS! With #13 coming home from Ethiopia very soon! |
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| It was so fun watching all the kiddos open their gifts |
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| Christmas breakfast at Grandmas |
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| One of the kiddos got a "tatoo" kit and Pop Pop was their first customer! What a trooper! |
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| King and Allie were best buddies! |
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| Fun in the puddles! |
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| No trip home is complete without a few trips to Knaus Berry Farm! |
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| The boys got to go to hunting camp and have some fun! |
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| Seriously? The body art and now this?! What a TROOPER! |
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| Opening coconuts, swinging on Pop Pop's new swing, and walks at Castello Hammock |
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| What a fun crowd! |
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| Pop Pop took everyone to the ZOO! |
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| New Year's Eve - Katie's kiddos tried so hard to hang! |
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| Visiting with Grandaddy! |
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| BOYS CLUB with Pop Pop |
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| Allie Grace - this girl is TOO MUCH! |
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| Sweet sisters! (Anna in purple & Kate in pink) |
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| They threw me a teacher of the year party! How sweet!!!! |
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| Four wheelers! |
This trip home was marked by a very sad event - the passing of my sweet Grandma Jerri. When Melissa and I drove into town on the Friday before Christmas, Grandma was completely coherent but wasn't feeling well and she and mom decided to call in hospice. She passed just over a week later. Although it was so hard, we rejoice in knowing she is not only with her Jesus, but she is completely pain and cancer free. The timing was absolutely incredible and we were all able to be there to spend her last days visiting with her. I am so blessed to have known this amazing woman and I am thankful that she is a child of the KING and is with Him walking the streets of gold.
Gram had already bought all of the kids Christmas presents and had asked Melissa to wrap them for her. She deteriorated so quickly, that she didn't get a chance to give the gifts to the kids. Sunday evening (Dec. 29, 2013) after Grandma had passed earlier that day, we sat all of the kids down and explained to them that Grandma was now with Jesus. Katie did a great job explaining it to the kids in a way they could understand and she told them how special they all were to Grandma and that she had bought them special gifts. The kids really seemed to understand (for the most part) and it was a very special time.
Kevin Smith came down to do Grandma's service and he did such an amazing job. He told stories about Gram, but he also presented the gospel - which is exactly what Gram would have wanted! Thank you Kevin for loving Gram and for sharing this time with our family.
Time at home is always special and full of new memories. I am so thankful for the family God has blessed us with and am grateful for His continued blessings of time spent together!
