Christmas Day

Opening gifts and the aftermath...

We have a creek running though our back yard and the kids went down to explore after lunch

...and then played a game of hide and seek. Amelia doesnt like to hide or actually go look for anyone....she mostly just likes to cover her eyes and count!

doesnt everyone love to be photographed mid sentence?

I cant decide if Paul looks scared or amused by this gift

The Christmas princess relaxing with a snack after an excitement filled day

Christmas Eve

Makeshift Santa's workshop...dad in the the living room Dancing in front of the church Christmas Tree
Amelia sang with the children's choir at the beginning of the Christmas Eve service. After the song, the children were instructed to walk down the isle and find their parents (the parents were asked to stand so the kids could see them) Amelia shot down the isle like lightning--leading the pack. I shot this photo just as she reached our pew. she nearly took out a couple of parents on her way!

I love the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Its one of those things without which, Christmas would not be Christmas. We now go to the early children's service which includes a live nativity. Its not exactly a serene service, since the pastor instructs parents to not scold the children if they are loud....hence the title: CHILDRENS SERVICE. a nice concept, but a little noisy and chaotic :))) There is nothing more special to me than taking my daughter to church at Christmastime.

The Christmas Eve handstand

After church, we changed into jammies, had dinner, some eggnog, lots of christmas cookies, and each opened one gift.

Checking Daddy over with the new doctor kit.....

After gifts, we sprinkled reindeer food in the front yard, read the obligatory but still charming: Twas the Night Before Christmas, and put little missy to bed. She woke in the wee hours of the morning and asked "Did santa come???" To which I replied "not yet, please, please, please, go back to sleep" and she did ...whew!

Random Christmas dress photos

Here Comes Santa Clause

Julie and I met when she was in town to let the girls visit with Santa. Sister girl Kacey was a bit reluctant at first, but warmed up pretty quick with the introduction of candy canes and reindeer food :) Amelia, as you can see, is demonstrating the roaring action of the large and noisy dinosaur that she wants for Christmas. Notice, she is still going..... although Santa has turned his attention to wooing sweet Kacey.Ah...Santa isnt such a bag guy after all, right Kacey? I have to agree...anyone traveling with candy and reindeer food ....whose belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly...

Lets Party!

Thanks Steph and David--you are wonderful hosts, great cooks, and apparently good sports as well.....

I'm sure we left your house turned upside down. :) Lets just say, a good time was had by all....including 8 screeming, running, bouncing,giggling kids hopped up on sugar

Christmas Program #2 --Preschool

Sadly, these are two of the few photos I got of this cute, cute Christmas concert at Amelia's preschool. My batteries pooped out in my camera. Amelia is the child furthest to the right --turned the wrong way(of course). She spent half the time singing and dancing and about half looking back at the kids behind her. It was precious to say the least. She fell off her step during the jingle bell song, but didnt miss a beat, and sprung right back up shaking her jingle bell to beat the band! so cute!
Speaking of things pooping out......the other day Amelia and I went to Birmingham to take care of some business and drove back home in the same day (about 3 hours drive each way). When we pulled into the garage, I said "Whew Amelia, I'm pooped!" She said, quick as a flash, "Let me take you to the potty, mama"

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Unless you have a really cute rain coat!

Oh Christmas Tree

Gingerbread House

As you can see, we ran out of icing. Little missy kept eating the icing and candy faster than we could stick it on :) Several days later I saw her picking candies off the house. When I told her to stop, she very innocently said "mama, these balls fall off!!!" :)))

I'm a Little Wooly Lamb

Christmas Play #1-- church choir production

Our church has about 300 kids that participate in choir--its a great program open to everyone and includes weekly rehearsals where the kids learn about music and have fun. Amelia was a wooly lamb in the Christmas program.

My little wooly lamb walked right up to the railing and stayed there for the whole song. she has not a shy bone in her body. When the people clapped at the end of the song, she bent into a deep bow and said "THANK YOU, THANK YOU!"

Kind of reminded me what Christmas is about...or should be about. I cried like a baby for her Thanksgiving production at preschool but held it together for the Christmas play--surprising because I'm very sentimental about Christmas.

Of course, I practically had to battle two men for a decent seat in which to photograph my child, so that kind of squashed the sentimental flow and got my adrenaline flowing. While its perfectly acceptable to save seats for a few relatives, it is not ok to save whole rows for people who may or may not even show up! After insisting they allow me to take just ONE seat at the end of the row, several people that they had "saved" seats for didnt show up anyway. hmph...I dont like conflict, but when it comes to my baby, I can battle it out with the best of them :)))

Elf on a Shelf

On Thanksgiving night, we pulled out our newly purchased Elf on a Shelf. This has been so much fun! Amelia is in awe of the Elf, whom she has named "Elfie." She is very conscious of being "good" so that Elfie will tell santa! We've never seen such good behavior--we wish Elfie were a year round house guest!

Look at her face! so funny.... this was her first glimpse of the Elf sitting on our counter. We read the story upstairs and then had us all come down to look for Elfie. When she spied him in the kitchen she looked incredulous and then giggled and giggled. Part of the fun is in watching her look to see where he moved during the night.Everyday she tells me: "Elfie bery, bery, bery, magic!!!"

Thanksgiving

What a wonderful thanksgiving we had this year! I cooked that turkey within an inch of its life and we had a minimal of leftovers, so the food must have been ok! we had my brothers and kids over as well as Jim's dad. beautiful weather, good food, lots of laughs.

Jim and his dad

Gary and Cheryl

The guys talking sports and politics, sports and politics, and more sports and politics :)

Amelia double fisting it with the beverages....she's a thirsty girl

My nephews, Adam, Paul, and Jonathon with my baby---wide age span amoung my mom's grandchildren, wouldnt you say?

Amelia and me squinting at the camera...

Showing off her boots

Look at that face! Hmmm..wonder what she just tasted....