Christmas Festivities

Christmas has come and gone...we had a GREAT Christmas. Our hearts of course were very tender as we think of so many friends and family members that we wish we could have been with but we know that even though there are thousands of miles between us the friendship and love is felt. 
Here are some highlights of our holiday:

Jangle decided to make a snow angel out of flour his last night with us as we had rain and no snow!  He left a lasting impression and the kids really miss the little guy!

Making sugar cookies for Santa has become our Christmas Eve tradition. The kids decorate them while I make our dinner! 

Mom putting the final touches on the table.  We have a nice dinner by candlelight on Christmas Eve. It helps create some quiet in the anticipation for the next day!
After dinner there are always stories and new jammies!

 

Next it is off to bed...it definitely is hard to sleep on Christmas Eve.  We were up wrapping when we heard a sound and Alyssa was sneaking downstairs at 11:30...too excited!

The kids woke Eli up at 10 to 8 and we tortured them by making them sit at the top of the stairs for a few minutes...they thought it was an eternity!!!

We Finally (said with breathy children sounds) let them downstairs.  It's too fun watching them to take many pictures but I did snap a few!

We chose not to open presents until after church. So we enjoyed all of  Santa's loot, had breakfast and got ready for church.  The kids looked so cute all dressed up in their Christmas clothes. Church was great, there is nothing better than listening to beautiful Christmas music and thinking of our Savior. 

We came home from church and got back in our jammies and opened presents!

There were many happy faces and some fun surprises that they never thought would happen!!

Christmas night we invited 3 other families over. We had a pj party!  Christmas breakfast, visiting and of course a talent show put on by the kids. 

It was a good day!

Catch Up

Whew, we are finally ready to have some fun and celebrate Christmas!
The kids last day of school was Thursday and it was quite the week of finals, projects and tests!  Not a blow off week for sure!

The first day of winter came to Georgia and last year we were freezing with snow in the forecast, this year we celebrated by eating ice cream cones outside!!! It was overcast, rainy and 70 degrees...not too bad!!

Dad was even having fun outside!

Some fun things we've done:

Emmy's Piano recital

We went to a live nativity at the Baptist Church. It was fun for the kids to see and pet all the live animals.

Thursday night we celebrated Kellen Moores last football game with BSU.  I won't lie it was sad to see them all play this last game....

 

The Layde family came over and watched the game with us and we had so much fun that I was a dork and took no pictures.  They are such a fun family with GREAT kids!  The girls had a snowball war against Garrett (14)and Eli...they were pretty cute...again no pictures...sigh! 

Last night the kids all wanted to have a sleepover in the living room under the tree.  So Steve and I snuck out to a late movie (we honestly couldn't remember the last time we saw a movie together) We saw the new Mission Impossible, a good flick! They were all sacked out sleeping when we got home. Pretty cute! 

Time to make Santa's cookies and get ready for our favorite guy to come visit tonight!!!

House Elf

We have a house elf that is with us the month of December. His job is to watch the children carefully and then report nightly to Santa how the children have done during the day.  He hides in a different place every night.  The last two years he was a docile elf, this year he has started being a little bit mischievous! 

Meet Jangle, our funny little Elf of the Shelf!  One day he toilet papered the tree.  Last night he got creative with Eli's unders.....just the right size for hanging around spying on kids!!!

This morning they found him on his very own tire swing!

Some of his other antics have included joy riding around with Barbie in her jeep and making himself a room with the doll house furniture and sleeping on the job!  We'll see what else he does in his last few days with us!

Gingerbread House

We love gingerbread houses at Christmas time!  This is a tradition that Steve grew up with and it has been fun to incorporate it into our own family.
It is a tradition that has kind of evolved. First, grandma would bring the gingerbread house to us all finished and we would enjoy it.  Next, we would receive the pieces and we would have to assemble them to make the house. Last, we are completely on our own!  (Maybe living in Georgia has something to do with it!)  Steve has done a great job with it!  He makes and bakes and cuts the gingerbread. I make sure we have all the fixings and read the notes that say things like put in windows before you assemble the walls!  I know, I am so helpful!

We gathered the children last Sunday after church to assemble the house.  Everyone was there and ready to do this project.  This grouping was short lived...they decided to go upstairs and play house!  It was fun while it lasted!  While they were all "helping" they sampled too many of the roof shingles so we had to wait to finish it until we could get some more Necco Wafers...not found in every store!!!
Emmy was faithful and stayed around to help.  We think she just liked smashing the  Necco Wafers!

When dad is doing frosting you know it's going to wind up on people's noses!

It was fun to assemble and it made the house smell so good when it was baking!  Here is the finished product:

Santa Visit

Every year Santa come to the kid's elementary school. 
Alyssa was very excited when she came home from school yesterday, she breezed through her homework and made made a new list, one to give to Santa and one to leave in her Christmas stocking for Santa in case he misplaces the one she gives him. 
Eli was very excited to go as well.  He decided that he wanted to match Santa so he found his Santa hat and he was ready to go. 
Alyssa let Eli go first.  I still wonder if she was just being kind or she was letting him go so she could work up the courage to sit on his lap. She is still a tab bit  afraid but has been doing great mastering her fears!
Eli climbed up and proceeded to ask for a couple things and when Santa said "Is there anything else you want"? Eli said, "Nope, that's all"! 

Alyssa's turn: She got up there...went through her list, item by item and she was done!

We love Santa!!!

December Activities

Here we are in December and it is rainy and COLD.  Yes, I know I've gone soft...I admit it, I'm a wimp when it comes to cold!!
There has been plenty to keep us hopping this month!  The tree and the house are decorated and now we countdown and wait until the big day gets here!  Hopefully having a little fun along the way!

Friday night Meghan had a choir concert at one of the local churches for their Christmas Festival and Craft Show. It was fun to be out, it's beginning to feel like Christmas time. 

Saturday was a gorgeous day so we went to the Santa Parade.  I only took a couple pictures...darn.
The kids love seeing Santa and real reindeer!

Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving.  Steve's dad and Susan were with us the weekend before Thanksgiving and we took a little jaunt to Savannah. (I'm going to be sad when Steve doesn't have to go anymore for work!) More on our jaunt  later!
We were invited to our friends home for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was nice to only have to bring a few items!
I made 3 batches of rolls and an apple pie. They were all great, if I do say so myself!

Of course I took no pictures that day...but everyone had a good time!

The elementary schools always have a Thanksgiving lunch that grandparents, aunts and uncles are invited to. Well Lyssa is stuck with me but she doesn't seem to mind!  It's always fun to be with her!

My friend took Eli to her daughter's school for their feast...what am I going to do with this boy?

Meghan and Eli having some fun in the leaves!

Notice...

Anything different about Emmy?

Happy Thanksgiving

We wish that we could all go....

Over the River and through the woods to be together on this holiday!
We love you!!!