Happy New Year

As we get ready to ring in the New Year of 2011, here is a recap of our Christmas of 2010.  More to come.  We are using family camera's.  Therefore, these are the pictures from Gran's camera.  Hopefully, this week, I can upload the pictures taken with Ma'Lyn's camera!

Christmas morning was soooo much fun with Hughes this year!  He saw NOTHING but the Trac Tor and boots that Santa dropped off at our house EARLY Christmas Eve....early like 1:30...early like...Gran Claus was wrapping the final gifts....Santa Claus was putting the trailer together...and Mrs. Claus was sewing the last batch of stockings for the 2010 year!  Santa's workshop was up and running into the weeee hours!

...but Santa called us Christmas day and said it was ALL worth it, just to see Hughes "working" on his tractor!

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas gatherings!

 

Hughes and Daddy Christmas morning!  ... Notice the boots...this was 1 minute after he went into the den!

Ridin' the tractor. 

P.S.  He DID NOT want the bow on the front.  I had to cut that off first thing!

Hughes unloading his blocks into his trailer!

Papa Sam and Hughes opening a gift from Papa and Gran, as Ben watches in the background!

Family Picture on Christmas Day 2010

Mama Jean with grandchildren and great-grandchildren that were there.

Everyone was not able to make it :(

Christmas Day we went to Mama Jean's house and met up with the McCreary family. 

Alise and Autumn hanging out.  These two little ladies are getting to be so big.  We were sooo glad to see them...and Hughes ALWAYS loves playing with them!

Family Picture the day after Christmas on Papa Sam and Gran's backporch. 

We loaded the car RIGHT after this picture since the snow was starting to stick to the roads.  We were headed to Christmas at Granddaddy Brown's house!

Hughes went right to sleep on our way home...

but not until...

he got one shoe on....and one shoe off!

Are these shoes not ADORABLE?  Aunt Laura got them for him at Mistletoe this year!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and you have a New Year surrounded by friends and family!



Merry Christmas Eve!

Francie and Harlan exchange a Christmas hug!

The Mortimer grandchildren pose for a picture with Big Daddy!

Hughes and Big Daddy hanging out!

I LOVE this picture of France!

Love this picture of Harlan just as much!

Ethlyn made all of the children's outfits for Christmas this year!

We loved her choice of blue.  It looked so great on all three of them.

Next year, she will have four little bundles to wrap in

smocked adorable clothes!  We always love the coordinating outfits she makes for them.

Not to mention, the outfits are that much special since they were made with lots of love!

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Tonight we are having family over to our new home for Christmas Eve dinner. 

Hope to have pictures from the night to upload soon! 

This will be the first "official" meal we have had at our house!

I'm super excited and can't wait to see everyone!

I should be counting out silver right now...

...and washing dishes

...and washing clothes

...and vacuuming

...and going to the grocery store

...and preparing the food

...and cleaning up the packaging popcorn Hughes JUST dumped out of the box ALL over the floor

...and taking a shower

...and making the bed

you get the point!

I'm a procrastinator.  What can I say?

I did do the flower arrangements last night and pull out the china.

That counts for something right? :)

And even though we are pulling out the fine china, glassware and silver, we are planning for a  very

low key evening filled with family and laughter.  There is no place setting.  Just find a spot...whether it be on the floor...sofa...chair...a lap and enjoying each other's company.  We just like to use our China AS MUCH as possible and ANY chance we get!

You should do the same!

Find a reason to pull out the china that you toiled over and finally decided on for your wedding gift!

We are using pieces from our Christmas China and everyday fine china, since we haven't collected a large enough set just yet. 

...and it helps that family will be here to help hand wash it :)

Happy Christmas Eve! 

Don't forget to bake those cookies for Santa tonight!  He has a busy day/night ahead of him!

Oh!  And don't forget the reindeer food.  Show the  hoofed friends some love too!

p.s. They love a mixture of oats, nuts, dried fruit and magic dust.

What is magic dust?  Glitter.  Of course!

  Consider it a little extra boost for Dasher and Rudy!

Kind of like a little energy drink for their get up and go! :)

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours this Christmas season!

Lump of Coal...?

Judging by the encounter with Santa this past Sunday at Old Waverly, Hughes may be getting only a lump of coal in his stocking this year!

Oh...Nah!  Maybe we will up it to 2 pieces of fruit and a candy cane.

I snuck Santa Hughes wish list while Kent was prying Hughes from Santa's chilly fingertips...it's cold at the North Pole you know!

I was SO disappointed that Hughes didn't hang out with Santa, kiss his cheek, give him five...

you know...all the things Hughes does whenever he sits in someones lap.

Hughes is not afraid of new people...normally.

But, Santa, was a whole new ballgame.

I mean, Hughes is a boy.  Boys are scared of Santa.

Once again.  I have been proven wrong. 

Hughes enjoys doing this to me lately.

Well, there is always next year.

Random Thought:  Don't you know that Santa dressed in his red attire, hopped on his sleigh and his belly jiggled like a bowl full of jelly as he chuckled thinking of all the Christmas cheer he was about to bring to all the good girls and boys at Old Waverly.  he even brought cookies and candy canes for everyone.

Much to his dismay, more children cried with fear than smiled with glee when their parents and grandparents threw the sweet babies in Santa's lap.

Poor Santa.  I hope we didn't hurt his feelings.

Maybe we should make him an extra cookie Christmas Eve and make that glass of whole milk steaming hot chocolate to make up for the sadness we brought him.

He has feelings too, after all.

Cozy and Warm

Hughes was cozy and warm tonight running around in his Christmas pajamas!

He played around a bit before he "hit the hay"...aka went to bed.

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Side Note:  Why do people say "hit the hay"?  What exactly does it mean?  Where does that statement parallel with bedtime?  Nonetheless, I use it very often.  Why?  Because my Daddy did when I was growing up.  That's why.

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He be bopped around the house slipping around on his little socks for about 30 minutes after his bath time. 

Bath time is Hughes FAVORITE part of the day.  It is a fight to get him out EVERY TIME.

And, better yet, if he hears the water, he wants in the bathtub.

Can't remember the last time I took a bath/shower with complete privacy.

Oh...well.  Life goes on.

But, most possibly Hughes FAVORITE FAVORITE part of the day is when we get out

the loud

machine

it roars

it rumbles

it vibrates the floor his little bitty feet stand on

it's the

Vac Vac.

Hughes calls it the "Vac Vac". 

Very appropriate, I think.

He loves it.  If someone ask me what Hughes favorite toys are right now, if I speak honestly, which I usually do, it would be the mixer...

the hair dryer...

and the Vac Vac.

You heard me.

The mixer.  Yes, the one that mixes brownies.  The real one.  From the kitchen.

The hair dryer.  The one that makes a loud noise and sounds as if it's really doing something important.

And, the Vac Vac.  He attempts to pull it around the house.  The poor Dyson is in an horizontal position with about a 10 degree angle off the floor, pulled behind this little tot.

The child loves things that are loud and dangerous and have electricity if plugged into a wall.

You don't have to tell me.

I know.

I have my hands full.  We have to keep CLOSE eyes on Hughes to make sure he doesn't actually plug up the electronics.

And, believe me......he knows how!

So, tonight before you go to bed, say a prayer for Hughes safety

...and my sanity while your at it.

We had a great time with Kim, Kate, Jack and Joseph decorating our home for the holidays today!

Can't wait to share this Christmas season with you all!

B

Header Photo

The header photo used above was from our Christmas card last year! 

Allison Muirhead has done our Christmas cards the past two years! 

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Side Note:  Hughes has grown sooo much in a year!  Isn't it amazing how much children change in the course of a year?

Wish adults could evolve...for the better...in one years time! :)

Back to the photo...

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She ALWAYS does an amazing job!  Next year, if you are looking for a photographer, book her fast!  Allison is wonderful with children.  She just hired Sherry and she was also great to work with during the photo shoot!

Be looking for your 2010 Christmas card in the mail! 

Hughes and I just picked them up from Santa's Elves...aka Allison's doorstep...last night!

OOoooohh!  We just LOVE Christmas cards! 

Does anyone have a fun and creative way to show off all of your Christmas cards?