Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We sure did. We are so blessed to get to spend it with both sides of our family. We spend Christmas Eve at Mama Sally and Granddaddy's. We went to church and then back to their house for dinner and gifts. We got home just in time to get in bed for Santa. Will wouldn't go to sleep and woke up while Santa was here. Luckily Jason was at his door and heard him. Will got right back in bed and woke up 2 more times. When it was time to get up he didn't want to get up because he was so tired!! I wonder why???? I woke up the kids about 6:45. They we so excited to see that Santa indeed did come!! Jason's family comes over Christmas morning. We started this before Amy was married and she still got gifts from Santa. It is a tradition we started and now we still do it and the kids all exchange gifts with each other and John!! Mid morning we headed to Bibbie and Deeda's for gifts with them. Like always the kids got what they asked for and more, most of the time it is better than Santa!! Deeda got all 6 of the grand kids a golf cart to use when they are over there. They were so excited but didn't get to enjoy it since it was raining. Kate got her own pink car. She was so cute when she saw it. She was like a game show winner that had just one a car. Liz got it on video so I will post when I get a copy of it. For lunch we stayed at Bibbie and Deeda's and Jason's family came over minus Amy, Will and MH, they went to Will's moms. Christmas night we went to Neemama and Papa's house so the kids could get their gift from them. They were so cute and loved everything they got. Will got basketball shoes and he was more excited about those than he was anything else he got!! Yesterday we drove to Pensacola to spend Christmas with Neemama's family. We had a great time it is always nice to see family we do not get to see often. I know you are wondering why their is only 1 picture with this post, well, my flash broke on my camera at church Christmas Eve. The several cameras I borrowed from mom didn't take good pictures so I am going to have to get pictures from Elizabeth. I will post them when I get them. Hoping you all enjoy the rest of your Christmas Holiday and have a Wonderful 2011!!

Our Visit with Santa

Today we took the kids to see Santa. We usually go to the mall but opted for the Santa at Eastchase instead. Wonderful idea because there was NO line!! We were also expecting Kate to scream and cry and not do it. She surprised us!! She walked right up to him, sat on his lap and even talked to him. When we were done she almost got upset because she didn't want to leave him!! A HUGE change from the last 2 years!! She even walked over to give him a hug when we were leaving. I hope this means she likes "characters" now! Wishing all our readers a very Merry Christmas!

Ben and Walker break it down

On our last day of school before we got out for Christmas, we had a Christmas program were the entire school came in the cafeteria to sing Christmas songs. During Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Ben got up to dance with one of our teachers, Mrs. Tracey Thomas. Others got up to join him. I don't know what got in to him!! He was hilarious!! You may have to hover your mouse over the picture to click play and volume.

Back to The Manger

This year the children at First United Methodist Church put on a Christmas Musical titled "Back to the Manger". It takes place present day during a Christmas Outreach Christmas Program. The children find a time machine, when they begin playing with it they launch it back in time! They travel through each decade, hear scripture and the grumpy little boy that has come along with his grandmother finally understands the true meaning of Christmas! It is a great story and the kids did a great job. Drew had a part this year. He was Little Hank in the 1940's. He did a great job! I was so proud of him. Ben was a Greaser Boy from the 50's. And Will was a member of the band The Manger Boys from the 1980's! He had a solo and did a great job! The kids had such a great time preparing for the musical!

City of Troy Christms Parade

Tonight was the Annual Christmas Parade. The kids always ride the float with Jason so I get a little peace for myself before they get off the float. Kate was a little unsure about it this year but Jason said once they got started that she loved it! When they got off we watch the rest of the parade in front of Momma Goldbergs with the Lowery's. Kate was so excited when Santa came around on the firetruck! I hope she won't be scared this year when we have our picture taken with him!!






























































Lacey gave Jason this tie one Christmas. I think she was in the 3rd grade and she bought it at the TES School Christmas store! He wears it every year in the parade!















Kate spots Santa

























She was so excited!!

Ben lost his 1st Tooth

Finally, Ben lost his 1st tooth! He is 7 1/2 and in the 2nd grade! Will and Drew were both in Kindergarten when they lost their 1st tooth. They were 6. I was beginning to think that he wasn't going to loose any teeth!! We were getting ready for the Christmas Parade, he was hungry and got a granola bar to eat. He bit into it and he came running to me crying. It hurt he said! I looked at it and told him to go show his daddy. He was scared to let Jason pull it. I got a paper towel, He let me look, because I have them convinced that I don't pull teeth and I really don't. I hate them. But this one was just right! And out it came! The permanent tooth was already coming in behind it so he is not completely snaggled tooth! The one next to it won't be too far behind this one! He is going to look so different with big teeth! But he will still be as cute as ever!!

Decorating for Christmas

Can you believe that we didn't get a "real" tree this year? Well, we didn't. Got mom's hand me down artificial tree. It was the perfect size for us. I thought it would be too big since she had it in her den and the ceiling is open to the second story. It was A LOT easier to decorate! I didn't have to put any lights on it since it is pre-lit!! That was awesome!! The ornaments were so much easier to put on the tree. However, When I got out my ornaments I had 6, yes, 6 broken!! I was able to save all bu 1 of them. Thanks to a hot glue gun!! Anyway, Kate and I did most all the decorating, We did the outside while Daddy and the boys went hunting. On Sunday we, plus Drew, put up my Christmas houses. Kate and Drew really enjoyed picking out which houses we would use. This year we had a little extra decorating since we have a Playhouse in the backyard!! Kate's house got outside decorations too!! I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season! We are!! Kate is so excited about it! It is going to be so much fun watching her!

Roll Tide Always and Forever!!

Ok, so we aren't getting a repeat National Championship and we didn't win the Auburn game but who care? We don't because win or lose we love the Tide and have the CUTEST fans anywhere around! So here is putting the season away for this year and ready to come back stronger than ever next year!! Here are those cutest fans ever!! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!
























Future Bama Cheerleader!!

















Future Running Back, Defensive Lineman and Quarter Back!!!











A House Divided!! Hayes must convert before Kate can marry him!!!

Ben finally got his 1st Deer

Jason wasn't going to let him go hunting today since he just got his cast off, he was afraid he would hurt his arm. I told Jason, if he hadn't hurt his arm by now he certainly was not going to hurt it shooting a gun! Luckily Jason listened to me and took Ben with him. They were in the Big House, all four of them, and Drew spotted the deer. Jason put Ben on the deer and then out walked another deer, what looked like a buck and before Jason could say anything, Bang goes the gun and down goes the Doe! Jason couldn't believe it! He did it all by himself. Ben hasn't shot a gun in a year, it is all the practice he gets on Big Buck Hunter Pro on the iPad!! He was just playing it today before he went hunting!! He was so excited!! I wish Jason had a video camera with him when the boys hunt so I can see it. I hate missing these big moments the boys have. Next time, hopefully, I'll be posting about a Big Buck they have killed!!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

We got Kate's tree out last night. She was so excited to decorate it. She was trying to sing "O Christmas Tree" but it just came out as "Kissmas tree, kissmas tree" she had a great tune going but those were the only words she knew! Every now and then she would sing "Jingle Bells"! She re-arranged the ornaments several times and has done it several more times since. She wanted a star for her tree and we went to Wal-mart to get one, but they didn't have one. She is ready to get the other decorations out so I guess we will work on that this weekend. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Kate!!

Today is my baby girl's 3rd birthday. I can't believe she is 3, where does the time go? Kate is everything and more I could have asked for. I love her brothers don't get me wrong, but there is something special about girls! She is so much like me it is scary, I mean like what I was as a little girl. It is all totally heredity. As a little girl, I hated to be dressed in cute un-comfortable clothes. Every time mom would have me dressed up I would as her to please take me home and put on my clothes, meaning something that was comfortable. Well, Kate is no different!! Every morning I get her ready for school she tells me she is not wearing that...and I tell her, yes you are and when you get home you can put on whatever you want!!! And she does!! I had to buy her some comfortable clothes just so she would at least look cute and match!!
She is completely a sponge, if she hears her brothers say it, she says it. They have totally corrupted my sweet little girl. But she makes my heart smile 99% of the time!! She is all girl and I am so thankful for her. No matter what heartaches I have coming, she is going to be worth everyone of them!! We love you baby girl!! Happy 3rd Birthday!!

Kate's Playhouse Party

Kate turns 3 on Tuesday and we celebrated today. We decided back in August that she was getting her playhouse this year from Bibbie and Deeda. It is her Birthday and Christmas present. Bibbie met with the playhouse man and they put the plans in motion. It seemed like it would never get here. During October break, I spent all my free time trying to figure out what we would do. I emailed my very creative friend Laura Renfroe for ideas and began searching the website. I didn't find many ideas for a "playhouse warming party", well really only one, but I found a lot of cute ideas and just started bookmarking them in my computer. After getting all my ideas together, I had to start planning and putting it all together. Since I am a working woman now, I had to work several weeks on this. I did order some of it but I did make some of it myself. I am real pleased on how it turned out and I think everyone had a great time!
I had originally planned that we would make gingerbread houses so I ordered everyone an apron for their party favor, but after I tried to put one together last weekend I decided that this would be too much and too messy for 2 & 3 year olds. So I ordered the foam gingerbread houses from Oriental Trading and instead of decorating them like Christmas, I got plain stickers from Wal-Mart and let the kids decorate with that. We had mostly pink and green food. I found a cute house cookie cutter online and had a friends mom make cookies. They turned out so cute and they were so yummy!! Enjoy Kate's party through the pictures...


The invite by Jennifer Dunn Lindsey~cake and some gifts were inspired from this invite.



















The House, from Backyard Solutions. arrived on Saturday morning, bright and early at 8am













Kate sees it for the first time after the parade













Kate and Bibbie...she was so excited!!

















The party spread~ ribbon topiary made by me, house sugar cookies made by Ann Crawley, solid color candy ordered from Oh Nuts! , plates, napkins and forks from Party City











The Cake~made by Nikole Cox

















Banner made by me!!
















Kids tables, covered in pink and green tablecloths, Pom Poms ordered from Pom Love on Etsy put together by me and Misty.














Drink table - custom water bottle label by Big Day Creations













Sign made for Front Door so everyone would come around back

















Prissy Missy

















Kate and Hayes at their 1st house!!




















Foam Gingerbread houses from Oriental Trading











Picture from Lola












All Kate's Friends

















The Mama Queens!!












The Princess~in her dress up clothes from Mrs. Kim










Kate and her Prince!!