Merry Christmas 2013

Another Christmas celebration come and gone. Why does it always go so quickly!? We talk all year about how we can't wait for the holidays and then I get a little depressed when it's all over.

This years festivities went so well and we all had a wonderful time with our families. Here is a rundown of our activities and celebrations.

Monday night Mallory and I attended a little Christmas/Reunion dinner with a handful of the girls I danced with from elementary school through high school. Unfortunately our director that wanted to get together had an emergency and didn't get to come but I sure enjoyed catching up with the girls who could make it. I haven't seen some of them in 10 years! Dusty took Mason to Best Buy and to eat at On The Border. He said they were in BB for over an hour just messing around and pushing buttons, haha.

LPDC Love!

Later after I got everyone settled I started my Christmas baking. I was excited about hosting my first Christmas and went a little crazy! But I had my Christmas music playing over the sound system and it really put me in the Christmas spirit, as if I needed help with that!

As I started baking Dusty began assembly on Santa gifts for the kids. He opened Mallory's doll crib and discovered that they completely left out one of the side rails. I was in tears I was so upset. I was not about to go fight crowds on Christmas Eve to find something else. But this is where I am forever thankful to have a handy husband and Father. Daddy and Poppy to the rescue!! (And, Amazon refunded me for it!)

Built a new rail and painted it!

(Note: Even if the item comes in the original manufacturers box, OPEN IT. Apparently quality control suffers around the holidays.)

While they were fixing mistakes, I was fixing sausage balls and sugar cookies as the kids played with Mami and bugged helped Mommy!

After nap we headed to H&P's for our first Christmas...

The kids decorated cookies for Santa!

Christmas Day we woke up to surprises from Santa. Mason kept exclaiming "wooooow" and Mal, in her sweet little voice saying "oooo, yook at dat".

We went to my Aunt Karen's for lunch with my Dad's side of the family and the kiddos were spoiled with lots more goodies!

Then we made our way back home where D's family had already gotten settled for our final Christmas celebration. We opened presents, the kids were spoiled big time, and then the kids took naps. We enjoyed some yummy prime rib for dinner from Gamaw and Papaw. I fixed some baked potatoes, salad, and homemade mac and cheese. And we had sweets out the wazoo!!

It was a fabulous holiday with lots of love, laughter and family. What a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Hope your Christmas was merry and bright! Looking forward to a fresh start in 2014!

A Season of Miracles and Magic

I have not been this excited to celebrate Christmas since I was a kid myself. Just something about experiencing all the fun with your children that makes it just as special as when you were a child. And of course all the fun activities to celebrate the holiday. Last weekend we had my husbands company kids Christmas party. It was so much fun and the kids did wonderful dancing, eating, and even seeing Santa.

Today we had a small party at the kids PDO program. They did a sock exchange and dressed in their Christmas clothes.

At home we've been playing with what remains of our nativity scene (yep, still missing baby Jesus among others), watching Christmas movies, reading Christmas books and having dance parties to my favorite Christmas music.

(Watching Arthur Christmas on the back patio while enjoying dinner in the 65 degree air. Gotta love west Texas weather. So much for a white Christmas!)

The kids have become fully aware of who "Ho Ho" is and have fun looking for his elves, Max and Piper, every morning. At school and at home we have been talking about how Jesus was born in a manger and he was our gift to us, which is why we celebrate his birthday through giving and family time. Their two year old minds don't comprehend yet but I figure if we discuss Jesus and Santa we will be able to teach them both the miracle and the magic of Christmas!

FIVE days til Christmas y'all!

I've Created A Monster Y'all

Not sure what you're looking at there? That would be three babies placed strategically on blankets, all ready for "nigh, nigh". And it doesn't stop there, we feed babies all day long, we take a baby to the store, we sleep with baby. We are officially all things baby in this house. (Well, baby dolls people. Don't get any big ideas!)

Mason has even gotten in on the craze.

Really though, it's been so fun. I knew if Mami found a baby with those bottles that empty as you feed them that she would love it. And baby has a magnetic paci. My little paci addict thinks that's just fabulous!

Maser has more fun doing this though...

Well, sister won't play wrestling with him so the poor dolls get it!

Love these buggies!

Come On Y'all, It's Christmas Time

I am still in shock that it's December! Although the weather definitely has me convinced that Christmas is around the corner. We've had 2 major ice storms come through and I am just loving it. Now that we have the space to spread out indoors, I enjoy lighting a fire everyday and cuddling up with my loves. Well, as much cuddling as two 2 year olds will do! I am almost finished with all of my shopping. Online people, shop online in the comfort of your sweats, watching a cheesy Christmas movie by the fire. Amazon Prime, I love you. Ha!

And what makes me most happy, the decorations! We have finished decking our halls inside and out and now I want the next 2 weeks to go by slowly so we can just enjoy the happiest time of the year! One of the things I love the most about our Christmas decorations is that many of the things we put up have a lot of sentimental meaning to our family. Perfect for this time of year and to pass on to our children.

My favorite... the tree!

My Momma got me some beautiful candy themed ornaments from Frontgate for my tree this year and they turned out so lovely!

Dusty's Nana collected Christmas cookie jars so I have several collected that always remind us of our sweet Nana. Sure wish she could be here to love on our babies!

Family ornaments 

Dusty and I have ornaments dating back to 2004, the year we were engaged. Every ornament reminds me of where we were in that stage of life and they carry great memories! But my favorite are the last 2 years! ;)

Mallory's Tree

These are in the playroom. I found them last year for pennies after Christmas. Back in 2003 I started collecting ballet ornaments for my love of dance and in hopes that I could one day share them with my daughter. And now feel so blessed to be able to. I have at least 50 more than what would fit on this tree, but we will upgrade once she is actually a little ballerina! :)

Mason's Tree

I actually went and picked up these ornaments for my Bubba this year. He is into all things transportation at the moment so it was really fun to see his eyes light up as he put every ornament on his tree. I plan to let him add to his collection every year.

Nutcrackers!

A few years ago Aunt Suzie and Uncle Tom who we recently visited in Houston gave us their amazing Nutcracker collection and they are displayed all over the house. My favorites are the big ones!

Also, the Christmas bears by the tree are from Gamaw and Papaw and they will get them for the twins every year.  Those are last years! So fun!

My sweet sister bought this for us on the babies first Christmas and I cry every time I look at it. It takes me back to the days with our tiny 5 pound Christmas babies, ya know, this...

Ugh! I could just die at the new baby cuteness!

One of the first decorations Dusty and I bought as a married couple at an after Christmas sale.

Usually it just has the number written all nicely but our elves did some doodling. (Oh yeah, we are doing the elves which we named Max and Piper. Another post on that later!)

I am missing my Granny a lot. Christmas was her favorite and all of my Christmas memories as a child involve her and my Papa, her apple cider, her homemade chex mix, her Christmas parties and piles and piles of gifts we opened with our cousins on Christmas Eve. Before she got really sick she asked my aunt to divide up her "white stuff". She had an amazing collection of these pretty white ceramic Christmas figurines and each of the grandkids received a set. The dining room turned out to be the perfect place for mine this year!

I am going to do something different with them next year but getting Christmas cards from friends is one of my favorite things. In fact I forgot to check the mail on Saturday and Dusty walked me down to the mailbox in the ice after midnight. Unfortunately I think I should have sent out new address cards when we moved because I have finally started getting some forwarded from the post office. Whoops! But I love the ones I have!!

I made a Christmas wreath! I love how it turned out and am feeling a little better with each one I do. In fact my MIL and sister both had me make theirs!

My in laws have patriotic outdoor Christmas decor. Red, white, and blue lights and a blow up Santa in an army uniform. So I thought a patriotic Christmas wreath would be fun. I love how it turned out!

Nativity Scene

Lacye bought this for my kids for their birthday and I love that I can use it to help the kids understand the whole reason we celebrate Christmas. We opened it right after Lacye and her kids had stayed with us so as I was showing Mallory baby Jesus, she kept calling him baby Harper, haha! So hopefully I can clear up that Baby Jesus was born in a manger, not baby Harper. That kid, makes me laugh. We have managed to displace baby Jesus, the sheep, and 2 of the 3 kings though. Maybe they were smuggled outside right before the ice storm and they will turn up the next time we are out there!

Not a great picture but we got some lights up on the house! We plan to get more and do all the ridges up on the roof next year.

And we put some lights up on the patio last week when it was in the 70s before the ice storm hit! I love having lights up out there. So festive!

That's the tour! I am excited about some upcoming Christmas parties, meeting Santa, Christmas lights and all the other fun traditions with my little family. I hope you are enjoying the season! Merry Christmas y'all!