Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always a busy day for us. We have my side 1st at lunch and Adam's side for dinner.

For Christmas at Nannie Cains we had Nannie, Levi, Cole, Pawpaw Gowers and Aunt Judy.

(Connor dying to open presents and the rest of them playing their DS games.)

Avery and Nannie had good conversation while waiting on everyone to arrive...

We had enough food to last for days and it was so good!

After Nannie's we went home for a quick drop off of our presents and to prepare the snacks for Grandma's.

At Grandmas they had a floating flying Nemo...

and our two oldest were amazed by it!

I finally managed to get a picture of uncle Alex and Avery! He loves Alex so much!

Avery was more excited about the wrapping paper than the gifts inside!

We managed to leave at a decent hour and get the kids in bed just in time for Santa to arrive!

A Gift from Amos

The week before Christmas the kiddos woke up to gifts from Amos waiting for the on them kitchen table! Laynee's first response was "how does he know I love ANIMALS!" Connor was just too tickled to say anything except "Laynee this is my book, not yours."

Amos ended up hanging out in Laynee's dress nearby so he could see them open their presents....

Since I failed to take the clear wrapper off the books, I told them that Amos even attempted to "wrap" their gifts in clear wrapping paper! They thought that was pretty sweet of Amos to do!

What's even sweeter about these little books is that I got them off LTD for half the price that Wal-mart has them for. Check it out here. Santa happened to be bringing the other two! SHH don't tell!



Merry Christmas!

Spit Up

Alittle spit up and they all wanna run!

(Avery trying to figure out what all the excitements about!)

Amos and a Letter from Santa

Amos-Daddy came up with the name after he went weeks with out one. We forgot his name from last year and seeing that no one could think of it daddy came up with "Amos" the kids like it so he's stuck with it. Maybe we'll remember it come next year or maybe we'll have to think of a new name...the kids didn't seem to care either way just as long as he shows up.

And so what has Amos been up he has...

* Meeting the Turkey on Thanksgiving night.

* In the window seal.

* So far its been in the living room in several places.

* In the bathroom using mommy's tooth brush to smear toothpaste all over the sink (one of my pet peeves). Laynee declared that he needed to be spanked for doing it. Ha!

* In the kitchen hanging from a key on the wall.

* Hanging from the chanderlier in the kitchen.

* Playing with Connors trains and race cards along with papa smurf.

* Hooking up with the tooth fairy leaving sweet notes on how beautiful Laynee is without her TWO front teeth.

* Sitting in a vase full of fake snow and little people.

* Swinging in Avery's swing.

* Eating Daddy's Connor's candy.

* Sitting on the Fridge.

* Eating Chips.

Not only have we been entertained with our elf this year but Santa mailed the oldest two sweet letters straight from the north pole. Laynee immediately blushed and Connor squealed with excitement and could not wait to see what it said.

It's not to late to personalize your very own Santa letter for FREE here. Print it and mail it off! Trust me you'll thank me later!

All I want for Christmas

Every body stops

and stares at me

These two teeth are

gone as you can see

I don't know just who

to blame for this catastrophe!

But my one wish on Christmas Eve

is as plain as it can be!

All I want for Christmas

is my two front teeth,

my two front teeth,

see my two front teeth!

Gee, if I could only

have my two front teeth,

then I could be with you

"Merry Christmas."

It seems so long since I could say,

"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!"

Gosh oh gee, how happy I'd be,

if I could only whistle (thhhh)

All I want for Christmas

is my two front teeth,

my two front teeth,

see my two front teeth.

Gee, if I could only

have my two front teeth,

then I could wish you

"Merry Christmas!"

Our weekend

This little guy is sick. Coughing, sneezing and stuffy nose.

He spent his weekend in different sleeping positions...anywhere that he would sleep we let him.

Note: Daddy's recliner is not a favorite spot of his, it only lasted a few minutes. :(

Connor has finally announced our house is Christmas-y enough. YAY!

Our stockings are hung. Two need to be monagrammed...maybe that will happen next year...

Friday night we went to Bass Pro Shop for our FREE santa picture and ended up purchasing one of the smaller packages. Laynee could pass as a nutcracker as stiff as she looks, Connor is a little scared but still smiling and Avery is wondering why the hell his daddy sat him in this strange mans lap.

Fun times, Santa was not a jolly ole' fellow but nice enough to tell Laynee he knew she had been a good girl and to tell Connor that he was watching him. ;)

We spend the majority of our weekend at home. We managed to miss two birthday parties and alot of other things I had on our never ending to do list. I'm ok with this. Life happens and we're not going to make every party or check off everything our my to do list. Life goes on, sometimes not how we want it to happen but it still goes on.

Here's to Avery getting well cause sleepness nights are for the birds!

Have you had your santa pictures made? How did they turn out?

He's Back!

Ole Saint Nick

Can you believe Santa Clause is due to arrive in just 10+ short weeks? Me either! My shopping has yet to happen and I've just recently collected a list for Ole' Saint Nick! I started my list this weekend. Here's a few items off my kiddos list of must haves...

Laynee:

Connor:

(if you know Connor you know he CRAZY about bubbles! He will die when he sees this for the bath tub!

Avery:

What about you? Have you started your Christmas Shopping? What did your kids ask for?

Merry Christmas!

(all photos by White Cotton Photography)

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!



Stocking Stuffers

This year and probably last year too I've found myself struggling to "stuff" Connors stocking. Little girls are fun. Always full of nail polish, hair accessories, bubble bath stuff etc. Laynee's is already packed out. Connor is only half way there, if that.

(picture above as nothing to do with this post! I just think our Sally Mae is so cute!)

With that being said...

 What is something you put in your little boys stockings or something that can go for both boy and girl????

Christmas Cards/Shutterfly

It's that time of year-Have you thought about your christmas cards this year? Where do you get yours? This year Shutterfly is offering bloggers 50 Free Christmas Cards!

Since we just got our christmas pictures made this past weekend I have already been searching for our cards! I could go crazy looking through all the choices on Shutterfly! Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love sending out Christmas cards! I also love going back and looking through all the past years cards to see how much everyone has changed!Click here to visit  Shutterfly to see the many choices that Shutterfly has to offer! Click here for more details on how you can recieve 50 FREE Christmas Cards! Some of my favorites are...

Found Here

Found Here

Found Here

Afterall it is the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR! Happy Holidays!

Sign up to get yours now! Be sure to mention my blog when you do!

Everything you are dying to know about how we celebrate Christmas **

** but didn't care enough to ask
I copied this from a blog Kristen suggested we visit. I love her blog-Thanks Kristen!




1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate


2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? It depends on how tired Santa is.


3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored lights this year on the tree-that's the way Adam and the kids like it! I perfer white!


4. Do you hang mistletoe? no.


5. When do you put your decorations up? Day after Thanksgiving.


6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Grandmas dressing! Nannie's coleslaw!



7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? The year I got my first bike and always waking up before Clay and waking him up! :)


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? not sure.


9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We did as a kid, sometimes we do at the house it depends on how tired we are when we get home from Grandma's.


10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Reds and blues.


11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, we rarely get it in Alabama so its nice when it comes!


12. Can you ice skate?  no.


13. Do you remember your favorite gift? see 7



14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?  THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST and family together!



15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Grandma's chocolate cake, pecan pie...the list can go on and on!



16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Not sure.


17. What tops your tree? A red and white bow.



18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving.


19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? ?


20. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum



21 Favorite Christmas Show? The Grinch





22. Saddest Christmas Song? Mary Did You Know.




Feeling fat and lazy? Go ahead, copy this post and fill it out on your blog. See? I'm all about giving.

Christmas Eve Afternoon

Click on picture above!

I had every intention on getting the perfect family picture but that didn't happen. It was crazy at Grandma's house. Which is where we spent Christmas Eve afternoon. The kids had their naps and were ready to go...til atleast 11 p.m. Yes I didn't manage to get Connor asleep til then and the only way I got Laynee asleep was to tell her Santa wouldn't come if she wasn't asleep-hey it worked!

Christmas Eve Morning

Click on picture above!

We started out Christmas Eve at my Nannie Cains (dad's mom). Connor was all excited to leave (almost like he knew he was going to get presents)! Laynee on the other hand was in rare Laynee form and didn't want to take pictures etc. We ate like pigs and then opened presents. We were there by 11 and home by 2:30p.m. for nap time!