Christmas Day and Happy New Year!

Looks like Santa thought one little girl and boy were especially good this year.



Christmas Day was spent just the way we pictured it. We cooked cinnamon rolls and as the aroma filled the house, we opened presents.



We stayed in our pajama's all day and we played with toys. Dave and I cooked our very first turkey. And it was the bomb if I do say so myself.



We watched "A Christmas Story" at least 5 times and we snuggled.

And later on we were visited by Dave's family for the last round of presents.

We were blessed to have Dave's Great Grandma stop by.



This was like her 90th Christmas, so you know she knows how to do it up right ;)
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Tonight is New Year's Eve

Looking back over this past year it has been just like every year before this one. A lot of ups and downs and in-betweens.

We moved into our new place. 



Punkie learned to swim.



First Hair Cut.



My baby turned 2.







We welcomed our little Bubba.









1 Month:



2 Months:



3 Months:



4 Months:



5 Months:



Actually, looking back...this year kicked every other years butt. This year rocked. Looking forward to 2011 and all the possibility it holds.

Have a safe and happy New Year!!!!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve my parents, grandparents and brother came over. We had a really great meal. My mom made hogie bake and we had pretzel bread, a cheese ball, shrimp and grasshopper pie. I think Kensley and Rowan got a few gifts as well ;)

What would Christmas be without a gift basket of pure sugar?



The kids with Uncle Colton:



My bubbas



Is it true what they say about after being with someone for so long you start to look alike? Because after 50 years together...



Grandma kicking Grandpa's bum in bowling.



Kensley wrestling Papa to the ground. Pretty sure I heard him scream UNCLE.





Rowan's first racetrack:









We had so much fun, ate too much food and had a fabulous Christmas eve with family. Now off to bed because Santa comes tonight!

Christmas Eve Eve

I am going to break these posts into days because there is a lot to cover and I don't have much time. Rowan is napping so I'm hopping on real quick to get these pictures up for family.

The night before Christmas Eve, Dave's Aunt and Uncle stopped by with their gifts for Kensley and Rowan.



Kensley literally made it 5 seconds with those presents in the room before she started to tear into them. I had to ask her to stop and wait for everyone and she wasn't so thrilled with that idea.





She went ahead and opened Rowan's gifts as well. In fact I am just now noticing that I didn't even get a picture of Rowan that night. Sorry Bubba.



This was the "BIG GIFT." It was a play table with little side storage compartments. Rowan ended up getting a race track and it went on this table in the playroom.



Daddy opening the BIG GIFT.





The Barbie make-up kit. This was probably one of her favorite gifts. I spent all day Christmas eve wiping make-up off her face.



We were so grateful that we got to see Dave's aunt and uncle before they headed to D.C for the holidays. They spoil Kensley and Rowan and even Dave and myself and we are so blessed to have them!



Thank you for the toys!!!

Merry Christmas From All of Us to You

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Well, if you look outside it doesn't. It is currently 56 degrees here and rainy. This has been one of the warmest fall/winter seasons that I can remember. But they are calling for snow tomorrow and I will keep my fingers crossed!

But inside our home...things are looking festive. Christmas time is by far my favorite time of year. The music, lights, food and all the time spent with family. Someone said that being a mom at Christmas time is a lot of responsibility and I agree. I am the one in charge of traditions and the memories my own children will have when they think back to their holidays as children. So I spend hours thinking and planning the traditions I want to start.

Thanksgiving night we started with the tree.





Kensley helped us out the entire time. To pulling out the lights, hanging the beads to pulling out each and every one of the ornaments and hanging them on the lowest branches.

And just like it does every year as we pull out those ornaments, the memories come flooding back. Our engagement ornament in 2003, First Christmas Together in 2004, Baby's First Christmas in 2008 and now 2010, Kensley's little hand print from her first Christmas. Those ornaments mean the most to us.



And major kudos to my husband, who always makes our tree look amazing. Glad I married a tall guy ;)



There is nothing like seeing your favorite holiday come alive again through the eyes of your child.



Here is to making memories. Lots and lots of 'em.

For those of you who wondered how Kensley liked Santa this year...

Christmas Cookies '09

Last Saturday we spent the day at my Grandma Sally's (or GiGi's as Kensley would say) making Christmas cookies. This is an annual tradition although now when I come to think of it I don't think I participated last year for some reason or another. I think the weather was bad or something. Anyway, this year Kensley got to participate and she had a blast. Adding sprinkles to the cookies was by far her favorite. She ate A LOT more than she put on the cookies, but that is what sprinkles are for! Here is my brother putting all those arm muscles to good use ;) My Official Cookie Taster ;) Spencer was ready to gobble up any cookie crumbs Kensley and GiGi Ready to get my sprinkle on! It was so very neat to see how involved K got to be this year. Last Christmas she was only 9 months old and just starting to crawl and this year she is so much more interested in everything and she is such an intelligent little girl. She has made this holiday so very special and I can not wait to make even more Christmas memories with her this year and all the many more to come!