Our Christmas Week - Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was so much fun! Mallary woke up about 6:30 and we let her play in our bed until about 7 and we woke Gracie up by telling her that Santa came! We walked into the living room and Gracie ran to her pile and said "my presents!" She wasted no time tearing into them. She kept yelling "Thank You Santa!"

Santa Came to our House!

Mallary loves her new house!

Frenchy Got his new astronaut outfit!
(This was the only request from Gracie and Santa
really sweated it out and found it the weekend before Christmas-
When she opened it - she yelled "See I told you Santa would bring it- I just knew it!"



Gracie helps Mallary open
Mallary is still into her house.



still opening

Bongo Drums!

Gracie Yells "She Shoots, She Scores" Everytime

After all this madness we cleaned up and packed up and headed to Birmingham for 4 more Christmases...yes, several more posts to come!

Our Christmas Week - Christmas Eve

In a very untypical move - I actually had to finish my shopping - just 1 thing, but still...and I had the girls. The store wasn't too bad. When we got home we decided we needed to do our cookies for santa. I let both girls decorate some. That night we went to church and then came home for family dinner.

****not sure why, but my pics are all coming up backwards from the day and only showing code and not images for it to be easy for me to move them around- so enjoy in reverse order












Gracie and her shirt she made at school and all her Christmas artwork. It's so beautiful!

Our Christmas Week - Monday

The girls celebrated with their friends at an ornament exchange party! It was 18 kids 3 and under - so much fun!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Happy Birthday to the love of my life!! His day started off rotten with a terrible cold and a scratched eye, he spent his afternoon in two different Drs. offices, and then was told he had a very sick baby so we just had to eat leftovers so we could keep her in and not try to go out to eat. We did celebrate with some cake and a cards and presents and Gracie wanted it to be a party with balloons so it was!








A new Wii Game!

There's something in the bathtub

Lately Gracie has liked taking a shower instead of a bath - I think she wants to play more crazy than I let her in the bath or b/c it's something new - I'm not sure, but either way she is getting clean and having fun. Mallary will crawl her way into the bathroom when she hears the water running b/c she thinks it is her bathtime and she loves some bath time. She will peek in on Gracie and they play a peek a boo game with the shower curtain or else Gracie will yell out that it's freezing b/c Mallary has turned off the hot water. (I just call that payback b/c Gracie did the same thing to me when she was that age and she would be in the bathroom with me when I took my shower) Anyways, today Gracie was in the shower, I was unloading the dishwasher and I watch Mallary take off for the bathroom. A few minutes later - I hear Mom there's something in the bathtub...




She wasn't waiting for her turn today...she just jumped right in to have some fun too!!!

Ornament Party

Well my friends, I am finally making my post for our family ornament exchange party that me, my sister and mom host each year. It was the 7th year for this fun party and the most wildest one yet! I was waiting for mom and elaine's pictures so I would have all our friends and guests in some pics but now you are getting the ones from my camera since they haven't uploaded theirs yet and I wanted to post this before 2009.

Mom made delicious brunch featuring shrimp and grits and chicken pecan quiches. It was fabulous.

We played dirty santa with no limit on steals...and there were several that never even stayed in the hands of the openers more than one round! My new trick is getting a beautiful bright colored sparkly one and having my children drool on it - b/c no one is touching it after that no matter how lovely it may look on their tree ; )
(and you all just thought my children were there for fun - ha ha - they are my secret weapons - just kidding)

There were children aplenty as the group is growing, My girls, Andrew, Cole Parker, Sally Poole, Mary Mac and Libby Coppedge (or Max and Livi as Gracie so affectionately refers to them). Next year they are getting a sitter and their own kid party downstairs : )

I enjoyed my time with my friends as usual because living in Decatur and having 2 small children has made it harder and harder to visit with these lovely ladies as much as I would like too. Gone are the days of meeting up on our lunch hours or grabbing dinner and playing tennis after work so I cherish the few hours I get every couple of months to visit with my old friends.

Mary and Alison

Mary, Jenn and Claire

Amy and Cole, Mary and Mal, Andi, and Niccole and Sally
(We missed Mandy who was celebrating her big 3-0 and
Heather who has moved to DC)

Mallary and Sally

Cole being sweet to Gracie

Miss Andi and Mallary.
Miss Andi loves my girls and is always ready to hold them when I need her too!

Where was it?

Several of you have asked where we did the Polar Express...

We did it at the Heart of Dixie RR Musuem in Calera, AL about 30 minutes south of Hoover, AL.

Web address w/ 2009 events.

This is an annual event for our family and will be maybe even after the girls outgrow it!

CWS Christmas Party

Gracie had her Christmas class party this week at school. The children were all so quiet and tame - they must be worn out. They all at their snack/pizza lunch so quietly and sweetly. Rumor is though they are only quiet during snack time : ) Gracie received special little gifts from her friends and brought home several cute Christmas crafts. She even put a special little present for mommy and daddy that she made at school under the tree. I think that will be my most favorite present of all!

Gracie's class

yummy pizza!

this little thief acted like she wanted to see her big sis,
instead she really just wanted chips!

Gracie insisted on carrying her big bag of treats.
I thought she looked funny!

The Polar Express!

This past Sunday was time for our trip on the Polar Express. This year it was Alan's brother Alex's family, the Blacks, the Salmons and the LaMasters. We had a group of children 4 months to 5 years and everyone enjoyed it including all the parents. Each year has a new little touch that adds more fun. As we take off for the North Pole, we hear the story The Polar Express. As we get closer to the North Pole, there are all kinds of Christmas lights outside. Once we arrive to the North Pole, the children can look out the window and see Santa and Mrs. Claus outside waving to the train. When we arrived, Santa's elves boarded and handed out jingle bells for us to ring while singing Christmas Carols. Then they sprinkled Elf sparkle dust on each child. Later, Santa gets on the train and visits each family. Then, the elves come back to bring chocolate milk, cookies. Later before we leave the North Pole each child gets a Christmas Present. This year it was a special Polar Express Ornament for our tree. Then we leave and head back to the train station.

Gracie, Katelyn and Tyler

Gracie, Karoline, Katelyn, Tyler and Sam
and the backs of Brayden, Skyelar and Campbell

Peeking over to check on Jeff, Katie and Baby Price

Jingle Bells

Still don't like Santa

But she loves Chocolatte!

Heading back home. We'll do it again next year!

Some Gracie Funnies for Me

Lately Gracie has been referring to herself in 3rd person...
Gracie wants a treat
Gracie is thirsty
Gracie wants to watch toons
Pretty funny!


The other day, I dressed her in a new outfit that she hated! She kept telling me that it was not beautiful, she did not want to wear it and she just cried and cried. Well it was one of her HB ones so I know that it is cute regardless of what she thinks. So finally it's almost time to leave and she gets her jacket and says put this jacket on me and I did and she said - Good now no one can see what I am wearing!

We were mixing playdoh blue and yellow to make green and when I give it to her she gives it back and says she wants "chartreuse"....who knew plain green wasn't good enough for her!


The other day Gracie wanted pancakes and when I was cooking them she goes mommy you are a good "cheffer"

Christmas Choir Concert

Since Gracie turned 3, she has been allowed to go to the Cherub Choir on Wednesday nights at church. She got in just in time to practice and participate in the Christmas Concert. They (meaning everyone but Gracie) sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Away in a Manger and Jingle Bells. I saw her mouth move a little during Jingle Bells but not much. She stood up their so nicely though. I was proud of her for just being up there. You'd never know from the way she sings around the house that she didn't want to sing up there. Also, her favorite this year so far has been Bruce Springsteen's version of Santa Claus is coming to town. We listen to it over and over in the car and boy can she belt that one out!