Andrew Alpaugh Blast From the Past

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

This is an awesome video with a powerful message. If you don't watch the video please read the lyrics below. Oh little town of Bethlehem Looks like another silent night Above your deep and dreamless sleep A giant star lights up the sky And while you're lying in the dark There shines an everlasting light For the King has left His throne And is sleeping in a manger tonight Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping For God became a man And stepped into your world today Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history As a city with no room for its King While you were sleeping While you were sleeping Oh little town of Jerusalem Looks like another silent night The Father gave His only Son The Way, the Truth, the Life had come But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today Jerusalem, you will go down in history As a city with no room for its King While y...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

As promised, here are the cookies Emily decorated. She had a great time. :-) She's ready to make another batch! We'll see.

Yesterday was Andrew's mom's 67th birthday and we took her to the Drake House for lunch. I can't say that we were very impressed with the buffet choices this visit. (oh-well) After lunch we headed over to the the antique shops in downtown Landrum and browsed around. I've been wanting an old milk can for some time now to sit out on our porch, and we happened to spot one in one of the stores for a great deal. I'll take a picture and post it later. I wouldn't advise antique shopping with a stroller however- They are not stroller friendly stores!! Or a curious little 8 year old girl. Emily seemed to have quite an appreciation for all the old stuff and had to keep being reminded DON'T TOUCH! Ughhhhh! Tyler of course was bored to death. "Can we go now"? Let's just say the next time we go antiquing it won't be with our children!

Last night Andrew and I mixed up the cookie dough for sugar cookies. Tonight my mom came over and helped roll the dough, bake and then decorate. What a MESS!! Lots of icing and lots of sprinkles. My favorites are the candy canes. Emily wanted to help decorate but went off to sleep before we got to that part. We saved the ornament ones for her to do tomorrow. We'll post pictures after they are decorated.

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If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime: but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. If I work at a soup kitchen carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity; but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point. Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love does not envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is...

We finally made a trip to the mall so that Bryson could have his first picture made with Santa. We stood in line for about 30 minutes and when we got up to the entrance we read a sign that says "Please refrain from taking any pictures unless purchasing the minimum photo package ." Bah Humbug! We were not very happy to say the least. Anyways- we sent Emily to sit with him and had decided we would just skip Bryson since we couldn't take his picture. Then Santa asked if we wanted to take a picture and we said- We were told we couldn't. Then he says- "Who said you couldn't?" Go ahead! So we did. :-) I can only imagine what the little photo workers must have been thinking. LOL Anyways- we got a few shots and here they are. The last picture is of Bryson while we were shopping.

The kids have put this heartfelt Christmas wish together for all of you .... enjoy ( click the link below ) - Andrew Our Little Elves

This is an awesome story that is a picture of our Heavenly Father's love!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

Many thanks to my brother Steve Wagner for these awesome shots he took of our little guy! Check out his website.

We had the privilege of seeing one of Emily's friends Dixie (she is our neighbor) be baptized Sunday. After the service we all headed to the Drake House in Landrum S.C. The food was DELICIOUS and we can't wait to go back! Hopefully very soon! What a neat place. Since the weather was so nice and warm we decided to stay after lunch for a little bit and snap a few pictures of the kids. We had a great time.