Christmas Festivities!

Below I am including some of the Christmas day pictures. I feel like we ran a marathon. We started out at home with our stockings and gifts and then moved on to mom's house. We opened gifts there for a bit, and then went to Jane and Cliff's (Connie's sister and brother-in-law's) for breakfast. It was incredibly tasty and as usual it was fun to see family. Jack got a huge kick out of a gift for Kaylynn, a Cookie/Elmo ball that shakes when you squeeze it. He thought it was the best thing ever and he and Aunt Courtney had a fabulous time giggling over it. Finally we returned to mom's for a late lunch with Uncle Allen and Aunt Judy. (And FINALLY a nap for Jack!!)

The best part of the day was when Jason received his ipod touch. He didn't expect it, which in itself is a miracle, because if you know me then you know I can be read like a book. I managed to keep it a secret and hide it in the bottom of his stocking - the last place you would expect to find a gift like that. He pulled it out of the toe of his stocking and it took him a moment to figure out what the heck it was, and when he did...there are just no words! He was thrilled and I was even more excited that he had gotten something he really loved and that I was able to surprise him! Christmas held lots of fun, excitement and time together, which as everyone knows, is the best gift of all! :)


Mommy and Jack opening his stocking


Playing with the kitchen that Santa brought. It was funny, it took him a few minutes to warm up to the idea. I think he was a bit suspicious at first and came to sit in my lap and open his stocking before he would walk over to it, but he finally did and my living room hasn't been the same since. There is fake food, bowls, spoons, etc. constantly scattered from wall to wall.


Jason a bit confused about the strange, unexpected item in his stocking.


Thrilled! :)


Jack really got good at unwrapping gifts. He always removed the bow and tag first, and then found the right spot to start ripping - he was a natural. :)


Sweet baby Isaac


I think we were all feeling like a nap at this point in the morning....


Jack and Aunt Courtney with the wiggle ball


Jack and Uncle Allen got in trouble for throwing empty plastic bottles back and forth across the kitchen at mom's! Because....of course...we don't throw things in the house..... :) HA!


Cheers! Merry Christmas! :)

Merry Christmas!

Here's a family self portrait taken before heading out to church! We were all dressed up and couldn't miss a great photo opp!Luckily today we got a tripod and remote so from now on family portraits won't be so difficult!

Here is Jack playing with the magnadoodle that Auntie Deidra and Uncle Jason got him. He loves it! :)


I will post Christmas day photos as soon as they are uploaded! I hope you and yours had a wonderfully blessed holiday!!

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

Christmas has seemed a long time coming this year, and I am thrilled that it is only a few days away! We celebrated Christmas at Jason's parents this weekend with immediate family and it was a lot of fun! We exchanged gifts with Courtney and her little ones, as well as Connie, Bill, Muir, and Grandaddy. Connie fixed an excellent dinner and we all really enjoyed spending some quality time together. Below are some pictures from the festivities. The kids are really growing up so fast!


Big girl Kaylynn in her "Big Sis" necklace


Happy baby Isaac!


"What do you mean there aren't any more cookies?!"


Jack, very determined, playing with the fridge DJ

I was also FINALLY able to get the ornaments up on the tree and finish decorating the house. I will post some pics of the final product later, but I needed to post a pic of Jack "helping." :)


The ornament box is apparently the perfect size for him...who knew?!

WOW! Where did November go??

So seriously..where did November go?? It snuck right past me and we are already 13 days away from Christmas - I can't even believe it!! We have been unbelievably busy and in the spare time we do manage to have, I find myself unable to move my lazy hiney from the couch.

So here I am, almost a month later finally updating the blog! :) A lot has happened in a month. Jack is a month older and more independent of course. He is still so very helpful with laundry and his new passion is being a sous chef. He can't stand to not be held while dinner or other goodies are being prepared - which brings on a completely new challenge - being productive with the use of only one arm. Because of his fascination with cooking we decided he might like a Jack-sized kitchen for Christmas. I am really looking forward to setting it up by the tree on Christmas eve. It will be extremely cute to watch him come running in on Christmas morning to find it here. I am hoping we can distract him from it long enough to open his stocking and other gifts!

I am almost finished with our Christmas shopping. I have maybe an item or so left, but most everything else is here and wrapped. We, however, do not have any ornaments on our tree. I am in a panic as to if they will survive Jack this Christmas. He can be extremely gentle if he chooses to be, but the key word there is chooses. He is after all, all boy! Things must be examined, thrown, bounced and completely taken apart if possible. Hopefully tomorrow I will finally get the ornaments up on our completely bare tree. It is still pretty when lit, but it's just not the same without ornaments!

I've included below some of the events I have neglected blogging about over the last month! It sure has been busy - but at the same time a lot of fun! :) Love to all!!


Jack at Allen and Judy's on Thanksgiving


Jack on Thanksgiving with a rubber chicken. If you know Allen and Judy then you realize that having a rubber chicken at their house is not unusual.


Jack visited downtown at the Lighting of the Trees on Market Square. We had lots of fun listening to carols and bells as well as watching his very first fireworks. (above) He was mesmerized. He also made the newspaper - a reference and a quote from Nana on the front page of the News Sentinel local section. Famous at such a young age... :)


Here he is enjoying the carousel at the Fantasy of Trees. We rode it 3 times. Basically as much as mommy and nana could stand! He loved all of the lights and there were two large bears wandering around in baseball uniforms that he was obsessed with. We would have followed them around all night if he had his way. I was shocked that they didn't frighten him. I could probably count on one hand the things that he is afraid of - getting his nose wiped is one! :)


All dressed up to go to the Blount Memorial Hospital Christmas Tree lighting with Nana. He was lookin' way too cute in his Christmas outfit!


Here he is riding ANOTHER carousel! This time we were at the zoo having cookies and milk with Santa!


Jack and Santa- a little suspicious of the big red guy, but not really scared.


I think this pic is just too sweet. He is sporting his Christmas PJs and examining an ornament. The next picture on the camera was one of him pulling the gold piece off the top of the ornament....lovely. :)


Oops... :)