Christmas 2010

Christmas was all I had hoped for and much more! Early in the week the weatherman started talking about the possibility of snow Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day. I tried not to get my hopes up too much as I didn’t want to get disappointed, but I REALLY wanted a white Christmas. Growing up in middle Georgia provided many wonderful things but a white Christmas wasn’t one of them. So, I was ecstatic when I woke up to a winter wonderland in our backyard. Matt put it best when he said we were having a Norman Rockwell Christmas. It was fabulous!

Ella Catherine really got into all the Christmas activities this year. She was sooo excited for Christmas morning. Carter just fed off of Ella Catherine’s excitement. He is still too young to really understand. However, he loves his sister and is happy when she is happy.

Carter was the first to wake up. Before I could get to him, he had woken Ella Catherine up. She usually can sleep through his cries but I think she was too excited about Santa to sleep. It was a bit early, 5:15am to be exact, so I took them back to our room and we laid in bed and watched a Christmas movie. Growing up we had a rule that we couldn’t wake up our parents or grandparents until 6am. As a kid that rule used to kill me, as a grown-up I can better appreciate the rule. So, I have enforced that rule in our house. Lucky for us Ella Catherine was into the Christmas movie and by the time it was over it was almost 6:45am. I loved having that snuggle time with all of us in the bed. As to how the rest of the morning went, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.


Santa was here! (the Before picture)
White Christmas!!!

Once she was given the green light to open gifts, Ella Catherine jumped right in without hesitation

CANDYLAND!!! A new tutu

Carter had no problems finding the power button on the four wheeler but we do need to work on steering. :) Carter in his new bean bag chair opening gifts

He finally started getting the hang of opening gifts

SO EXCITED he got some MEGA blocks.

The After picture
Seeing these two playing in the jeep together made my heart smile and then I got a flash of these two as teenagers driving around together and it gave me a heart attack.

Matt putting together the baby crib that mimi sent

The finished product

Grams and Grandpa came to visit the day after Christmas. Matt decided to shovel off our steep driveway and so the kids and I decided to go play in the snow.

Matt shoveling snow
Ella Catherine decided to get her play shovel and help out

Of course Carter couldn't be left out and so he grabbed our other shovel and tried to helpJust a boy and his dog

Grams and Grandpa gave Ella Catherine a princess play tent

and of course Carter couldn't be left out. Playing our new favorite game, Candyland with Grams and Grandpa

Christmas Eve Traditions

In preparation for Jolly ole St.Nick, AKA Santa, we box up all of the toys we no longer play with and have outgrown. We donate them for the little boys and girls that don't have so many toys. We started this last year with Ella Catherine and she is so tender hearted and generous. She always gives away much more than I expect. Carter joined in this year as well. However, I'm not so sure he fully grasped what was happening. I think he just thought it was a fun game to put the toys in the totes. I know he won't miss a thing though!

Christmas Eve Mass.

The reading of "Twas the night before Christmas"

Cookies for Santa and Carrots for the reindeer
Don't forget the milk!

Pre-Christmas Celebration

Nana and Pop came to town this weekend to celebrate Christmas. The kids were so excited to see them when we got home from school Friday night.

Ella Catherie immediately asked Pop to read her a book.

After the kids went to bed we had some Pre-Christmas Eve training as we had to put together the wagon that Nana and Pop had bought for Carter. They would have put it together before coming but they were transporting the rest of the families gifts plus the deer meat from Matt's Thanksgiving deer. So, the box was easier to transport.

Nana and I started the process but were happy that Pop and Matt joined us when they did as we discovered that we had put some washers and bolts on incorrectly. Wouldn't have been near as fun the next morning had it fallen apart the first time he climbed in. Presents under the tree just waiting for two little kids to wake up. :)

This picture really doesn't do justice to how excited he was about the wagon. We rode them all around the house all weekend on the wagon. We even made it into a night night train and dropped each of them off at their rooms for bedtime.

getting ready for the first double wagon rideTHey took turns pulling each other too. Of course they coldn't be bothered to stop for breakfast. Ella Catherine is actually eating her banana as she pulls Carter.Carter even sat in the wagon to open the rest of his presents. He was very excited about his wooden train ornament in this picture. As he opened it he said "WOW".A shot of everyone opening gifts. Ella Catherine was opoening her Dora Christmas Ornament.
Nana surprised Ella Catherine with tickets to go see the "Rockettes". This is a picture of the three of us before we left for the show. I wish I had pictures of her during the show to show you but they didn't allow cameras. She was absolutely mesmerized and LOVED it! Carter wasn't left out though. He enjoyed some one on one Pop time. They read books, played ball and of course took some rides in the wagon. We had a fantastic weekend and of course it ended too soon.

A Christmas Barn

We were at Tractor Supply the other day and saw the gingerbread Barn and new we had to have it. It couldn't have been more perfect considering we moved out to the country this year. It was cold and rainy Saturday and cold, windy and snowy today. So we thought what a better time than this weekend to make our Gingerbread Barn.Matt and Ella Catherine, Architects at work.

Holding the wall straight for daddy

The finished product! A VERY cute Christmas Barn.

SNOW FUN 2010

Carter all bundled up and NOT so sure about the snow. Ella Catherine trying to pick a spot for a snowman

Me and Ella Catherine building her tiny snowman
Ela Catherine and her finsihed tiny, tiny snowman (with carrot nose and all!)

Gobble Gobble til you Wobble!

We loaded up the 2 cars with 3 adults (Amy, Matt and Christopher), 2 kids (Ella Catherine and Carter) and 2 dogs(Baylor and Elway) and headed to Georgia for Thanksgiving. This annual trip is all about 2 things: 1 having a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with the family and being ever so grateful for all our blessings and 2 hunting! Matt was REALLY looking forward to this years trip. He was excited to bring Christopher along for some hunting. He was super excited to have somewhere to hunt, (He still hasn't found a hunting spot in Nashville) and he was glad for some guy time. The hunting was fairly successful this year with multiple people getting a deer. The fishing was outstanding..my uncles tore up the pond. My dad and Matt even had a little time to shoot some dove so that Elway and Sadie could practice their live retrieves. Amidst all the hunting their was also A LOT of football watching by both the males and the females. We do Love our football! I was able to get out and see some great friends for an adult eveing and also able to sneak in some time to get started on my Christmas shopping. The week went by very fast! We came home just in time for Santa to deliver our Christmas Elf, Jess.

Turkey Cupcakes
Festive centerpeice for the table
One turkey down

Another turkey down.

One Deer down. Matt's big doe for the weekend.

kisses for daddymaking Christmas ornamentsPlaying in Nana's sink

Playing on Nana's kitchen counter

Package from SantaThe Arrival of Jess, our Elf from SantaBetter not pout, Better not shout, better not cry I am telling you why.... Santa Claus is coming to town...AND JESS IS WATCHING!!