2010..........

according to Anna Cate and Brian:

1. What did you do in 2010 that you had never done before?

AC:  Gymnastics
B:  "Ok, wet's (let's) see...rode Space Mountain 8 times."

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and will you make more for next year?
After a brief explanation of a resolution

AC:  I'm not going to say bad words.
B:  I'm not sure

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

AC:  Said very slowly so I would be sure to understand, "Momma, you did."
B:  Aunt Shannon and Grant's mom

4. What is your favorite place you visited this year

AC:  Dollywood
B:  Disneyworld

5.  Where would you like to visit in 2011?

AC:  Paris
B:  China



6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

AC:  A laptop
B:  An airplane 

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched in your memory and why?

AC:  Christmas because it's Jesus's birthday.
B:  Me too

8. What was your biggest achievement this year?

AC:  Becoming a big sister
B:  Why are you asking all of these questions?

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?


AC:  "Yes, remember when you had to come and pick me up at my old school when I was 5 becaause my stomach hurt?  And then I broke my wrist and I had to get that huge pink cast.  Did you keep that cast?  Can you go and get it from the attic?....." 
B:  Nope


10. What was the best thing you bought?

AC:  Daddy's Tennessee slippers I got him for Christmas
B:  Anna Cate's  EZ Bake oven


11. Where did most of your money go?

AC:  To the children who don;t have any
B:  My jar

12. What song will always remind you of 2010?

AC: Jesus Loves Me
B:  Bad Day by Daniel Powter.  


13. What do you wish you would have done more of?

AC:  Played with the babies
B:  Ridden a skateboard

14. What do you wish you would have done less of?

AC:  I don't know
B:  Boring stuff

15. What was your favorite movie?

AC:  Annie
B:  Home Alone

16. What was the best book you read this year?

AC:  Ramona books
B:  My science books

17. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?


AC:  I was 6 and I had a pool party
B:  Me too


20. Who was the best new person you met?

AC:  Mary Jack
B:  "Can we stop doing this?  Grant."

Sisters

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~

Marion C. Garretty



A Very Merry Christmas

Tracking Santa on Norad

Birthday cake for Jesus

Ready for Christmas Eve Service at church.  I'll tell the story of how we almost ignited the church another day.

Opening 2 gifts Christmas Eve:  new pjs and a Christmas book

Leaving "magic food" for the reindeer

Lyla James and Mary Connor love their  Bumbo seats from Santa.  It 's so funny to watch them sit and look at each other!

Anna Cate and Brian- my worst fear has come true...they won't talk to me at all when these things are turned on!

Please look at this snow!  I really think this was the first white Christmas for all of us.

The babies opening their presents

Another view of the snow. 

This is me.

Brian got a Huffy Green Machine from Santa.

I decided it would be great fun to show him how to use it going down our really steep driveway in the snow.

Unfortunately, it flipped and broke.

Tomorrow I will be going to Toys R Us and buying another one.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Tomorrow can't get here soon enough for the little people in this house.  The big people are pretty excited too!    Brian came running out of his room this morning, hair going in every direction, screaming, "Only one more sleep until Christmas!"
This morning we made a birthday cake for Jesus, the kids are delivering cinnamon rolls to our neighbors, and then they will decorate the cookies we made for Santa.  Todd and I are trying to keep them busy so they will not drive us TOTALLY nuts.
Christmas time is here at last! 

A Christmas Prayer

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds,

and the worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate

and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift

and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing

which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning

make us happy to be thy children,

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds

with grateful thoughts,

forgiving and forgiven,

for Jesus' sake.

Santa Baby

This has always been one of my favorite pictures of Anna Cate and Brian.  In fact, we used it for their first Christmas card.  So, I attempted to get a similar picture with Lyla James and Mary Connor.

Oh. My. Word. 

I know they are mine and I may be a tiny bit partial, but could you not eat them up?

Christmas Card 2010

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Our sweet friends, Amanda and Phil, hosted a Redneck Christmas party....hence the camo, bump-it, and overalls! We all brought "gifts" from home to exchange, which was hilarious. 

They even had a cooler of Krystals!

We had a gingerbread house competition...boys vs. girls

We got this idea from some friends who do this every year with their extended family and have the guests at their Christmas party vote on the winner.  Their kids are now teenagers and they get so into it building really elaborate houses and sets. 

The girls and I went with a princess theme.

 
The boys' theme was "Winter Wonderland."


We each had 1 hour and $10 to spend on the set. Since we aren't having a party this year, there is no winner and it was just our kids.  Which is good because I think the girls would have lost and now I know what we are up against for next year!  Next year we will have a prize and plan it so that our cousins can be here.

Last night Brian finally lost his top tooth.  He's not going to be able to eat if he loses any more! 

We went to a local farm that decorates their land with lights and you drive through.  We put the kids to bed, let them fall asleep, and then woke them up to go.  We do this every year and they just think it's so magical!  Driving home, Todd asked the kids if they will still let him drive them around to see the lights when they are teenagers and Brian said, "No, I'll drive us then because I'm going to have a monster truck ."  Can't wait for that....I'll keep our camo handy!

We are out for Christmas break- woo hoo!  I'm so stinkin' excited for some slow-moving mornings I can't even put it in words.  Now, keeping 2 VERY excited 6 year olds and 2 4 month olds busy and content for the rest of the day is a whole different story.

Anna Cate and Brian's classes had Christmas parties in their pjs.  Brian's classmates ran to the stroller to see the babies and it was sweet to see how proud he is of his sisters.

Tonight Lyla James and Mary Connor tried sweet potatoes...........

I think they like them lots more than the rice cereal!

After seeing a recipe for salt dough ornaments, I decided to make them with the kids.  I am not the least bit crafty, but this was a fun project and not nearly as messy as the cookies!  We made cinnamon dough and it smells so good.

AC reads to the babies every night.  They love it!

"Snow" Day

Yesterday evening we got a rare treat for Georgia, especially in December.  On our way to church it was sleating/raining and because it was so cold, the roads quickly became a icy.  After we ate dinner (of course we had to eat!), the children's choirs sang their Christmas carols and the rest of the night's classes were cancelled due to the weather.  Luckily, we had no trouble getting home. 
A couple hours later they cancelled school.  Anna Cate and Brian were already asleep so they didn't find out until this morning.  We spent the day making roll-out sugar cookies, goody bags for their class mates, and treats for their class Christmas parties.  It was so fun to get to spend the day with all of my little people and even though my whole kitchen is covered in frosting and sprinkles, it was worth it.

Brian and Anna Cate eating cookie dough from the beaters.  Brian grabbed Anna Cate's the moment she turned to pose for the picture- you can imagine the drama that followed.......

The captive audience



The Excitement is Growing.....

I think my 6 year olds may just pop with anticipation!  All of the hustle and bustle seems to have them in overdrive or maybe it's just all of the candy they (we) have been eating! 
We are all counting down the days until Friday, when they get out of school for Christmas break.  I personally am looking forward to a break from ironing uniforms and packing lunches at the crack of dawn!
We were going to hold off on giving the babies solids, but lately they seem really interested when we are eating and our pediatrician gave his approval, so we gave them some rice cereal .

They were NOT impressed.  I tried again the next day.  Same reaction.  I think we will wait a little while longer or maybe move on to something tastier...Brian suggested pizza!

Today was Anna Cate and Brian's Christmas play at school. It was so sweet and they all did a great job with their lines and the songs.

Brian was Joseph and Anna Cate was the "kind cow"- in quotes because she corrects us if we just say cow.

Brian and Anna Cate with Mary Jack

Thankfully my parents were with us because the babies got antsy about 3 minutes into the play and didn't settle down until the last song was beginning.  This afternoon I asked Brian if he liked being on stage and he said it was emberrassing because he had to sit with a girl......I'll have to remind him of that in a few years!

Brunch with Santa

 We are one monkey short.  Anna Cate went to my parents for the weekend.

 Even though Santa's head is cut off in this picture, I love the look on Lyla James' face and that she has her fists clenched like she 's ready to punch someone!

 Lyla James and Mary Connor love Amanda (aka Mi-Mi)

 Mary Connor with her future babysitter

 Mary Connor and Samuel.....he was unfazed by all of her drooling!

 These 2 look like they are up to something........

To add to the feeling of Christmas, we are getting a few snow flurries!  Hopefully my parents will be able to get here with Anna Cate....it has been very quiet around here!