Merry Christmas!

This is totally not what I had in mind for my Christmas blog BUT here it is Dec. 31st and I still haven't gotten anything posted so I figured I better throw something out there. Christmas morning Ansley had a nasty virus and spent the day throwing up. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures Christmas morning but despite her feeling sick, we had a pretty good day just sitting around doing nothing. Sarah spent the entire day playing with her new doll house and Ansley just wanted to be held. Fortunately for her the virus only lasted a couple of days but it ended up passing around to each one in the house. Other than a minor tummy ache from Sarah, everyone seems to be officially virus free today...YAY!! I hope everyone had a great Christmas!!

P.S. the picture of Adam and Ansley was taken Christmas Eve so that explains the smiles. Little did she know what the next 48 hours had in store for her!

Last batch of cookies

As Christmas day nears, we baked and decorated our last batch of Christmas cookies. It's also going to be our 4th (and last) time to Stone Mountain tonight as we slowly start to wrap up all the holiday activities we've done the past month....and a half! We have stayed so busy doing crafts and other things this season that life might seem pretty boring after it's all over and done with! Sarah LOVED decorating the cookies with her special icing and Ansley.....well, Ansley just enjoyed sucking the icing out of the tube and trying to decorate herself! I can't wait to taste these yummy creations~

Flashback Friday - The TRUE meaning of Christmas

Each year I look forward to the Charlie Brown Christmas special and am even more excited to share that memory with both Sarah and Ansley. My very favorite part is when Linus gets up in front of everyone and tells the real reason for Christmas. I think this is a special memory for me because ever since I was little, I could recite the entire thing with him. As a child we were taught those same verses from Luke chapter 2. I vividly remember being in kindergarten and reciting those verses as we put on a play in our classroom. I don't remember too much from that kindergarten year but I do remember learning bible verses weekly and especially at Christmas time. Thank you mom and dad for instilling the true meaning of Christmas to us at such a young age.

Our special cookies

Yesterday we found out we were having a special visitor. Uncle Sean was in town and would be stopping by for a visit. Sarah loves when Uncle Sean comes to visit. She was so excited that she wanted to make him some cookies. Sarah's favorite part was pushing the hershey's kisses into the cookies and Ansley just wanted to eat them (they were chocolate mint truffle...can you blame her?)

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas

Well, we just got back from Florida so I have had to scramble to make our house look somewhat decorated for Christmas. All of our things are still packed up in storage and most all of my wreaths and Christmas decorations are buried somewhere in the back so I was beginning to worry about how I could make our home look festive without going out and buying new stuff. Fortunately I managed to find the small tree that was in the girls room last year and a handful of their ornaments. Paired with a few ornaments we picked up at Cracker Barrell on our way home, it looks like we have a nice little tree this year. Sarah said it was the perfect size for baby Jesus so I can't argue with that. Now if only I can keep Ansley from shaking everything off!

Ansley, Ansley, Ansley

I thought I would dedicate this post to Ansley since I think she's in need of some attention, or at least I feel that way since she's been getting into everything imaginable the past few days. She's either eating toothpaste, sucking water out of the spray bottle, trying to eat coins, climbing on top of tables, ripping ornaments off the tree, eating air freshener beads, or wreaking some type of havoc on the computer keyboard. The funny thing is that she alerts you most of the time as she's doing all this stuff. A cry for attention? I think so! My baby is almost two and thinks she's a big girl in every way. By the look of her cute little face you would think she's an angel all the time. Actually, she really is.....sent to me from above. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be her mother. I love you Ansley!

Decorating Mema's tree

In usual fashion, Mema (starts) putting up her tree after Thanksgiving. This year we were in Jacksonville for the holiday so the girls were able to help her with the decorating. Sarah and her cousin Emme took their job of hanging ornaments very seriously while Ansley enjoyed walking around touching the lights and removing as many ornaments as possible.

Emme and Sarah hard at work

Hayley showing Ansley an ornament

Sarah and Emme

3rd Annual Gingerbread Party

My little Gingerbread girl

Our House

Bella, Aunt Mandy and Hannah

The finished houses

Each year we have a Gingerbread party with our Florida cousins. We usually do this the day after Thanksgiving and this year we were fortunate to be in Jacksonville so we could participate. The kids (and my sister Ashley :-) all look forward to this day. Each family decorates a gingerbread house of their own and this year I can honestly say Sarah did all the decorating herself. They all did a fantastic job!!