December...well this picture does a good job of seeing what it was like! A lot of baking, a lot of sweets, a lot of smiles and a lot of Fun!
We were baking cookies for Reese and Hadley's ballet classes, I told Bryn she could look and not touch...so she did (she was a close as she could get without touching)
Getting the Christmas Tree has been a fun tradition every year. While I am sure some of you have great stories of going to a big tree farm and picking out your tree...we prefer to drive straight over to Home Depot after retiring from Thanksgiving travel and the girls and Daddy help us pick the winner!
I think we picked a good one. The first Christmas in the new house was fun. We put the real tree upstairs, and then put a large artificial one downstairs for the girls to decorate however. That was really fun, but still pretty sure I prefer a real tree to artificial anyway!
Reindeer cupcakes for Hadley's ballet class. I love making these cute little things, every year for one Christmas party or another we make reindeer cookies or cupcakes. They are not perfect, they would not win a prize, but the girls and I have fun making them, they taste great and they are cute! This is always my big lesson to renind the girls that you don't have to do something perfect to do it...I really need to remind myself of that more!
It wouldn't be Christmas time without seeing this big guy. We did our annual fun night at the ZOO...Zoo Lights Safari and then the girls went and sat with Santa. Jason and I are trying to balance making sure our girls understand Christmas is about the gift of Jesus God gave to us, that all of our gifts come from Him...we have told them the true story of St. Nicholas but it is hard to get totally away from Santa when society makes it such a huge thing...and I do love the ole guy!
I love these girls...being a mom is more than I could have ever asked for.
This tent was an early Christmas Present that has been tons of fun. From a fort to a reading nook it was worth every penny. And speaking of pennies, I actually found it at TJ Maxx and talked the man to mark it down to over 70% off because of a rip in the fabric that I could fix. It was on sale because it was the floor model...but just shows it never hurst to ask for a better deal.
Like I said, baking was a big part of our December...here the girls and I made cookies and used the cookie cutter shapes to give to neighbors and friends.
The Christmas party at Reese's school. They had fun playing a game of hot potato and other fun things. Her first grade class has been so sweet, I love all of the girls, it truly has been a blessing this year.
By far the best Christmas present and surprise was having uncle Jonathan and Aunt Caitlin come and stay with us a few days before Christmas and give up the surprise of the year that they are pregnant! I had no idea, no one did! A miracle for sure...they were not supposed to be able to have children and had begun looking into the adoption process in Texas...and shock...Caitlin was pregnant! She is due in July and these three little redheads already have their money on a little girl cousin!
Christmas Eve Tradition...Fondu! Growing up we always did this as a family, and our little family has decided to try and be at our house for Christmas Eve and morning each year...it is hard with travels but we think it is important. We all love some fondu...the chocolate is the best part for sure.
Christmas morning...these three sleepy heads (well Reese is wide awake, she is just like her mommy, the first one up on Christmas morning, dying to wake everyone else up) waiting to see if they can go downstairs to see what fun things await!
The rest of these are a little out of order...but we headed over to Atlanta on Christmas afternoon to celebrate with my mom, aunts, uncles, cousins and more. Bebe gave the girls some really cowgirl boots and I guess a little attitude comes with them!
Eating at the American Girl cafe with Bebe for a Christmas treat was so fun!
Hadley at my Aunt Hollye's house, celebrating Christmas and waiting for present time with Bebe and and Caitlin.
Ahh, tradition. The Christmas story family play is something we have almost always done each year with my mom's family. This year there was a slight twist..normally it is the grandchildren who put on the spectacular show...this year however it was the adults...as in all of my moms brothers and sisters...and well it was something to behold!
Celebrating with Pop at his house
Bebe always has something fun planned for the girls and this year it was scavenger hunt around the house to find the prized gingerbread man cookies. The girls love the adventure (and the icing)!
A little after Christmas mexican dinner with one of my besties, Lindsay and her two sweet children. One of my favorite things is to see my girls playing with some of my best friends children. Hadley has the camera poses down...should I be worried?
Speaking of friends and children, we headed over to Tuscaloosa for New Years Day to celebrate with a group of my college sorority girls and all of the children came. It was so fun!
Reese, Addie, and Addie Gail having a little fun
Julie (all the way from Singapore), Audrey, Shannon and Anna Brooke
It was a wonderful Chirstmas, a reminder again of what is important...not thing items inside the packages, but the people who give them, the people you are sitting around the table with, the ones your travel to see, the ones you get a Christmas card from...the relationships, the gift that God has given us...to learn to love others like He loves us!
