December 2013

For memory’s sake- a little recap of the weeks leading up to Christmas this year.

December is a blur every year for us. Something about the busyness of the season on top of having both girls’ birthdays within a week of each other always makes this time of year doubly crazy for us.

I joke that our theme song is “if we can make it THROUGH December” :)

Here’s a few highlights of what we’ve been up to…

- Elf-Elf came back on December 1st and brought his annual North Pole breakfast and a few treats for the girls… We were in the middle of painting our house (more on that later), so the girls were excited for a surprise after being slightly neglected during the house painting process. :)

Speaking of Elf-Elf, he surprised us (most) mornings by being in a different spot each day. Some were funnier than others… some days we were just lucky he moved. And a few times during the month he found a place he liked and stayed there for a couple days…Ha. One day he left cards for the girls to send Santa their wish lists…

- The girls and I met Carrie, Allie Claire & Whitt one night for dinner and then “Do Art” for our annual ornament painting. The kids were so excited to see each other.

- AB had a full week of fun the last week of school. The week was full of themed days, parties, crafts and surprises. She had never been happier to be a Pre-Ker. I went in on the day they had breakfast in the classroom and cooked pancakes and sausage with a few other moms. It’s really sweet to get to see the kids in their school element.

AB’s teachers sent them home with gifts on Monday of that week

All ready for “Reindeer Day” at school on Wednesday

- We FINALLY got our tree the second week of December.

It killed me to be so behind, but sickness hit out house the end of November and it stuck around for weeks. Thankfully, we’re all better now! School germs are no fun and we have certainly learned that this year.

- AB hosted her sweet friend, Emma, after school one day for lunch and to decorate gingerbread houses and cookies.

- We saw the “Cinderella” ballet again this year. DW’s cousin’s daughter was the star of the show and we loved seeing Skylar shine as Cinderella! She was gorgeous and is such a talented dancer. (She’s also a celebrity in our house now). :) Before the show, a few of the women in our extended family met at the Ivy House for dinner before heading to Gainesville for the performance. It was a great night.

- While we’re talking ballet… our little ballerina performed a tap number to “Frosty the Snowman” for her last class before Christmas break. She was Adorable with a capital A!

- It was my FIL’s turn to host his sisters & their families for our extended family Christmas party this year. It was also a fun night and we’d planned a few surprises including a rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” complete with props. DW’s Granddaddy was an officer in the U.S. Army and was captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. During his time as a Prisoner of War, he wrote several letters back home. DW’s Grandmother kept all of these as well as many other letters, cards and telegrams that she received during the months her husband was a P.O.W. in a scrapbook. My FIL wanted to share these with the family and so we compiled a few of them, along with pictures and did a little presentation of them. It was really special and sweet. We also all brought food items to donate to our local food pantry. It was a really good night.

- We made our annual trek up to White Springs for the Festival of Lights with Grammy & Pop. We love seeing the oaks wrapped and I say it every year, but ONE DAY we’re going to do that, too.

The girls loved the train display, “snow,” and we even stood in line to see the big guy himself. Mamie took one look at him and shook her head “no” – so that meant Momma was going to have to be in the picture.

- We had a family date night to the Hallmark store, which is also another tradition for us.

The girls picked out their ornaments, and one for Cooper and then we had dinner at Red Robin…Yum.

This year’s ornaments were: Minnie Mouse for Mamie, a Pony for AB, and a red wagon for Coopie.

We also tried to see Santa at the mall that night, but he was leaving as we were getting there, so we missed him.

- AB did get her picture made with “Ho-Ho” at school, though.

 

- Another annual tradition is our “Light-Looking” with Uncle Adam & Nen. This year we went on a week night, which was fun. We had dinner at Cracker Barrel before and Nen had decked out her Tahoe with Christmas lights again this year, as well as printed off our scavenger hunt again. This year, we didn’t see a dolphin or the Grinch. We ended the night, like usual, where all good nights should end, at the Krispy Kreme. We all considered it a “win” when we pulled in and the “Hot Light” was on.

- We finally took a picture for a Christmas card. I took it on the 21st, added our message in Photo Shop, printed them at one hour photo, and mailed them out on the 22nd. Two years in a row of last minute cards for us. After the year we’ve had, I knew what I wanted them to say… and “A Thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices” seemed perfectly fitting. 2013 was something for both sides of our family and I’m pretty sure I can speak for all of us when I say we were feeling a little weary by the end of the year. There have been many fun times and great memories in 2013, too, but it’s also been a bit of a rough one and we were ready to see the calendar roll over to 2014!

- AB was in our church’s Children’s Christmas Program. She was a Christmas Tree & an angel. Both were adorable. :)

- Christmas Eve we enjoyed our church’s candlelight service. This year DW and Adam had a part in the service as they played the part of two ranchers in a little skit. They did a great job and made us proud. After the service we always have dinner at our house and eat on the set of DW’s grandparents dishes that we have. Then we get ready for Santa to make his big visit…

~amw~

Christmas with Grandma…

The weekend before Christmas is when we get together with DW’s Mom to celebrate. For the past few years, we’ve all gone up to her place in Georgia. But this year, she rented a house at St. Simons Island and we had our Christmas there.

We made it to St. Simons on Friday night. The house my MIL rented was gorgeous. It was four stories, so there was plenty of room to spread out. There were bedrooms and a common living area on each floor, which made a great layout for a large group gathering.

Saturday morning, after the boys cooked breakfast, we all walked down to the beach.

The weather was great…it was warm enough to enjoy being outside, but cool enough to feel “Christmasy.” 

When we made it back to the house, we decided to go into town and check things out. We girls hit the Bailey Boys and then went down to the village area to have some lunch. We ate at a Tex-Mex place and the open air outside seating was perfect. The boys took their mom to the grocery store and they grabbed some “Southern Soul BBQ” for lunch.

We all met back at the house after lunch and had a low key afternoon. Devin’s uncle, aunt, Papa, and cousins all arrived shortly after lunch. It’s always so great to see them and spend some time with them, too. DW’s other Aunt also arrived later that evening.

The boys and their PaPa

Warren and Annabelle wrote everyone’s names on some Christmas cutouts to make ornaments for the tree that was at the house.

We spent the afternoon visiting and all trying on DW’s cousin’s Google glasses…

& this will come as no surprise to anyone who knows my sweetheart… but he worked on fixing the ice maker that afternoon. He seriously can’t go anywhere, even to a rental house and not fix something that’s broken…

For our big dinner, we’d planned to have seafood. DW and Adam fried shrimp and oysters and Van made a really good shrimp pasta. We had clam chowder, red lobster cheese biscuits, (If you’ve not gotten the mix from Sams Club yet, you are missing out! I’ve also gotten it at Super Wal-Mart, too!) and baked potatoes. After seeing our buffet of fried starchy foods and lack of green vegetables, we had what Grandma called a “White Christmas” – Ha. Perfection, in my book. :)

After dinner, it was present time. (Actually, Mamie got to open some of her Christmas early…she was so tired so she and Grandma snuck over to the tree and opened presents while we were getting dinner ready). There’s always things that only a grandma can get away with. :) Mamie went to bed shortly after, so she missed the rest of the gift opening.

The rest of the kids (& adults) had a big time opening their gifts and everyone got some really nice and fun things.

After all the gifts had been opened, George (DW’s StepDad) called the elevator up and it was loaded down with one more box for each of the kids. It was really sweet that he’d ordered them all a “Stuffies” – and “G-Pa” had even picked them all a different one. AB got the Pegasus, and Mamie got the kitty-cat.

The girls’ great-aunt had also gotten them these matching kitty-cats, and Mamie had a fit over them. She is slightly obsessed with cats. Sometimes she will just let out a “Meow” (Which sometimes sounds like “MEE-YOWWW”) out of the blue. I’m far from a pet person, but for sure NOT a cat person, so its pretty hilarious that my girl loves them so much. 

Sunday morning, we were all just lazy and enjoyed not having anything to do. DW, the girls, me and Adam & Lauren all took another walk to the beach.

After lunch, it was time to pack up and head back to Florida.

It was such a fun weekend and the thought and planning that Ms. Teresa put into it meant so much to all of us.

Grandma with the grands

~amw~