St. Nicolas Day

Aunt Shelly and Uncle Mike sent Laney this new sweater for her St. Nicolas Day present and she looked so cute in it I had to take her picture. She has started this new thing when she smiles for pictures to close her eyes, so then I have to tell her to open her eyes and we get this cute surprised look each and every time. Merry Merry!

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

When we first started discussing Christmas and asking Laney what she wanted all she asked for was Red Presents ... wow, that is easy! So I wrapped everything in Red with Red bows and they are all safely hidden in the attic. The hardest part about that was finding paper that wasn't red (or didn't have red as the main color) for all of our families gifts since they sit under the tree. I accomplished this (thank you Hobby Lobby). Well, we really haven't told her anything that Santa is bringing and since she didn't ask for anything we just bought her stuff she would like. Last week, she started asking for things ... she asked for a Dora (which we bought ... a doll and a movie) .... SCORE 1 ... she asked for a puppy (which we have bought and are picking up on Christmas Eve and she will get it on Christmas Day from Santa ... BIG SCORE 2 ... she asked for a slide and a swing (which Gigi, G-Dad and Nana got her, but it's really from Santa) ... BIG SCORE 3! I am thinking to myself WHAT how did we do so well, we obviously really know our child. Because she is getting what she wants this Christmas (all by accident) I am so very excited! When she told us she wanted a puppy I really got tears of joy because I was so happy!

She will be excited about all her new treasures! We are having Christmas in Texarkana with all my families this weekend and I know there are great things under their trees that will make her sparkly with joy. I need to do some old toy clean out this week to get the playroom ready for her new things.

I thank God everyday for all of our blessings and this year I feel so wonderfully and truly blessed.

Lights on the Landscape

Last week we went to Garvan Woodland Gardens to see their Lights on
the Landscape. This is normally a weekend activity, however our weekends are few and far between before Christmas. Anyone else feel like your running out of time this year? Anyway, we had lots of fun and it was fab as always. When we pulled up I was excited to see that Santa would be visiting the Gingerbread House that evening. When we made it around to where Santa was we waited in line as all of the kids around us lit up with excitement, including Laney. We know Santa and his helper Pinky Clause so they were ext ta nice to us because Laney didn't want any part of him when it was her turn to see Santa ... Dick aka Santa just told me to sit on his lap with her ... it was OKAY and I stress OKAY. So we left and went to look at more lights ... God Bless Her Soul, she wanted to go back to see Santa ... Regret, this may have been her first experience with that emotion. So we went back and then it was our turn and she wouldn't go in, Santa said well I'm come out there, and then he hugged Kevin, then me but not Laney ... she doesn't want hugs, kisses or anything from Santa, except Red Presents (however, even though she won't show Santa any love, I know she does love him and is excited about the season).

Thanksgiving

Too many pictures to post seperatly so I made a slide show. We had a full house at Thanksgiving ... our whole families were there (minus a few), I think we had 12! The food was great but the company was better!

A Christmas Survey

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate with lots of marshmallows and egg nog with that special sauce

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Both, only leaves out things that will look cool sitting out ... and this year Laney asked for red presents so all but 2 are wrapped

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
white

Do you hang mistletoe? I don’t have any but if I did I would hang it

When do you put your decorations up? Weekend after thanksgiving.


What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Ham from Weldon's Meat Market

Favorite holiday memory as a child: one year drew had a bigger "pile" than me and I was feeling sad and pouting and then my dad brought me out a TV that was hidden ... also remember getting my dooney & bourke ... also remember when Drew got a new truck ... and some new bicycles one year too ... goodness so so many good childhood Christmas memories

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What there's no Santa?

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Only Jammas

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With everything ... it’s fabulously and beautifully gaudy ... every year each of us gets an ornament that represents something with us (this year mine is an apple because it was my first time to go to NYC)

Snow! Love it or Dread it? Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Can you ice skate? Yes, but I'm no Nancy Kerrigan

Do you remember your favorite gift? Um, diamond earring from Kevin ... and a really good shaded pearl necklace ... and everything else I've ever gotten (well almost)

What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Teaching Laney about Christmas and what it all really means

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Coconut Cream Pie

What is your holiday tradition? Christmas Eve service, dinner (starting a new tradition this year and ordering pizza), reading the real Christmas story and Twas the night before Christmas ... Christmas day ... presents, breakfast, and late lunch

What tops your tree? A gold and frosted glass star Kevin and I bought our first year married ... its broken. We also have the first star from the first Christmas tree we shared ... it's not very pretty, I think it cost $1 ... on our tree

Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving

What is your favorite Christmas Song? Traditional: O Holy Night ... Non-Traditional: Christmas in Dixie

Candy Canes? Yum or yuck? Yummy

What do you want for Christmas? Stuff for our house. But I have to say I am super pumped about my present from Kevin this year ... I haven't said I wanted anything and he has been very secretive so I am so excited to see what it is!

Do you attend an annual Christmas Party? Several ... Tis the Season

Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs? Jammas

Do you own a Santa hat? Nope

Who do you normally spend Christmas with? My wonderful beautiful little family

Re-Cap of Summer Vacation

Before we made it to "Christmas Vacation," I thought I would share a few pictures of our Seaside Vacation we made in September. It was Laney's first time at the beach ... and let me tell you, we have a BEACH BABY! She loved it and had so much fun. It was the best vacation and I can't wait to take her back. I created a slide show of a few pictures of our trip. There were too many so I had to narrow it down. Enjoy!

How we live our life

Me, Kevin, & Laney ... my little family ... this is how we live our lives: on the go having fun. That is one thing that me and Kev both think is so important ... to have fun ... our lives shouldn't be all business. If you aren't having fun you are wasting the time God has given you. We are silly and I love it that way!!!! Here are some pictures of us living our lives ... theses were all taken last week after Thanksgiving ... I will post Thanksgiving pictures as soon as mom sends them to me (come on mom!).

Laney loves Gracie ... she gets so excited to hug her, she tells her bye and gives her a hug and a kiss every morning before we leave and as soon as we get in the car after school, she says go see daddy? go see Gracie?

This is Laney's first bedroom Christmas tree, she picked out the tree and put all the ornaments on by herself. And she wants it on ALL the time.

This is Aunt Shelly's dog Abbye. Laney made her a pallet and got her a baby to sleep with and got her a pillow. Abbye was good for a little while, then she got up off her pallet and Laney keep telling her to get back ... to funny!

Just some Razorback tailgating pictures. This was a game that I wanted to leave, esp. at half time when it was really raining ... but goodness gracious ... what a game, so glad we stayed.

We found Laney sleeping like this in her playroom. She was worn out!