Play Dates

We've had a couple play dates at our house this week.  On Wednesday Westin came over while his momma went to a doctor appointment.

After Adeline's nap, we played with her new play-doh.  I love afternoons with this girl.

This is not from a play date, but I had to document this.  On Thursday I was nursing Annabel and I had Clifford on TV.  Adeline actually laid down to watch it.  She NEVER is still this long and absolutely NEVER lays down except to go to sleep for naps and at nighttime.

Today, Cilla and Rebekah came over to play and have lunch.  It is unseasonably warm today, so the girls got to enjoy some outdoor time.

My child refuses to smile or look at the camera.

It's been a fun week.  We are so blessed with such sweet friends!

Christmas Vacation

We went to our hometown in Texas for Christmas as usual.  It was a jam-packed weekend of fun and festivities.  I am one worn out momma.  I think I'll be recovering all week!

We got to Texas on Thursday and spent the night with Jon's parents.  My parents came over for dinner and we visited a while.

We spent Friday visiting a few others and Jon and I got our eyes checked.  I'm getting bifocals!  Oh my, I'm old!  That night went to eat with my aunt, uncle, & cousin.  Adeline calls my aunt Tater Tot.  It's so cute! We stayed the night on Friday with my parents.

Saturday morning one of my BFFs and her precious daughter, Lyla came to visit and exchange gifts.  This is the only picture I got!

Adeline would get right in Lyla's face & talk to her and tickle her.  Lyla thought it was hilarious!  We can't wait to see them again in January for Lyla's first birthday.

Then my mom and Adeline made a Happy Birthday Jesus cake.  What a cute & fun tradition.

After the cake was done we all sang happy birthday to Jesus and then ate some yummy cake.

That afternoon we went back to Jon's parents' to visit his aunt Janice.  Murry was there so we got a picture of the grands and their three matching granddaughters.

Murry & Annabel

We spent Christmas Eve at my grandparents', Pops & MiMi.  Adeline ate everything in sight then had a blast opening all her gifts.

Nana & Annabel

The grand & great-grand kids

We spent Saturday night at my parents' and had Christmas morning at their house.  Once again, Adeline LOVED opening presents.

She got lots of chapstick.  See it smeared on her face?  :)

Annabel watched while her sister opened her gifts for her.

Pappy with his granddaughters

For lunch we went to my other grandmother's, Ginga.  And once again, opened more gifts.

2 of my Loves

Kasey & Annabel

My uncle John showing Adeline how to use the view finder.

We went from there over to some of mine & Jon's high school friends' house (they're brother & sister).  This is Annabel with Emily.  We were majorettes together.  Her brother, Matt, is Jon's age.  He has a little girl named Abigail that is Adeline's age.  He and his wife are expecting a little boy in May.

Adeline & Abigail with Abigail's Nana

We celebrated Christmas night at Jon's parents' house with all his siblings.  I always love being with all of them.

Jon & his mommy

And ta-da!  Christmas is over!  We had such a great time with all our friends and family.  

Our Family Christmas

We had our little family Christmas this morning and it was so much fun!  Last night I let the girls open up one present each (really Adeline opened them both).  They were Christmas pajamas.  I like this tradition and plan to do it every year.  We left out cookies for Santa and he came and left presents and filled our stockings.  He ate all his cookies and even left us a note thanking us for taking such good care of Dee.

Adeline got a balance bike & Annabel got an exersaucer.  Santa left stuff in all our stockings!

Adeline inspecting her stocking stuffers.

I think she likes it. 

After the Santa gifts, both girls had a few presents from us to open, and Jon and I exchanged gifts as well.  We try not to go overboard with gifts since they're going to be getting so much from grandparents and aunts and cousins, etc.  Especially not now when they're so young and don't know better.  I'm sure once they start asking for specific items, it'll be hard to control ourselves.  

Adeline did not want to sit still for a picture.  These crack me up!

This look makes me laugh.

Blue-eyed Beauty

Practicing on her new bike..

And of course, nothing is off-limits.  She gets in here herself, but can't quite get out on her own just yet.  :)

After opening presents, we had yummy blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  After breakfast I was getting ready to get in the shower and it was like Adeline all of a sudden realized she never thanked Santa.  She stopped what she was doing & said, "Oh, thank you, Santa."  It was so sweet!  Along those lines, the other night at our neighborhood party someone asked Adeline if she was ready for Christmas and her reply was, "Yes!  Jesus!"  It made me so happy that Jesus came to mind first when Christmas was mentioned, not toys, or Santa, or presents.  We are enjoying the rest of the day at home getting everything ready to leave for Texas in the morning.

Dee & Other Christmas Happenings

Santa sent one of his scout elves to our house on December 1.  We named her Dee.

 Introducing Dee to Annabel

 After that first night Dee was off-limits and now every time Adeline talks about her she says, "not a toy."

Dee moved somewhere new every night, but I only photographed a few of her perches.

Dee got trapped in the candy jar with the last few M&Ms

Playing with the glo stick.

Hanging from the chandelier with a note about the gingerbread house she brought us to decorate.

Doing acrobatics with the tumbling Santas.

Dee even found Mommy's old Christmas piano music and set it out for us to play.

We've had a lot of fun with Dee and I expect even more fun next year!

This past Friday we just stayed home then went to eat at CFA that night.  Annabel is getting lots of tummy time in these days, but she is NOT a fan.

Adeline enjoys it when her sister is easily accessible, though.  :)

On Saturday we met the Davises on the square for dinner and Lights of the Ozarks.  Dinner was a madhouse so we were worn out by the time the light-viewing commenced.  We took one lap around the square then headed home.  But not without snapping a few pictures first!

Sunday we went to church then spent the rest of the day at home being lazy and baking.  My kind of day!

My girls are so cute in their matching Christmas outfits my MIL made!

These are the cookies Jon and I made for a few people and for our neighborhood party.  We had so much fun with them!

Yesterday Adeline had a Christmas party at KDO.

Annabel and I ran all over town finishing up last-minute Christmas shopping and having lunch with Shannon.  When we picked up Adeline, I took both girls to the doctor.  Annabel had to have 2 vaccines and Adeline had to have blood drawn for her food allergies.  It wasn't as terrible as I had expected.  Both girls were so good about their "owies" as Adeline calls them.

Jon and I made a big, very difficult decision to give our two golden retrievers away.  It's hard for me to even type, but I know it's what's best for them.  We never spent enough time with them and our yard just isn't big enough for them.  We found someone to take them both together.  He and his wife are retired.  They live in Eureka Springs on 40 acres and are letting Sunny & Hunter live in the house with them.  I know they're in a better place with people who can truly give them the attention and love they deserve, but we miss them terribly.  Yesterday was when the guy came to pick them up.  Jon and I were both very upset about it, but we feel like we made a good decision.  However, I wanted to do something fun to cheer him up, so I made him some "reinbeer."

After dinner we attended our 2nd annual neighborhood Christmas party.  Annabel was extremely fussy at the beginning but soon passed out in her daddy's arms while mom and sister got to visit with friends.  

This morning Annabel woke up with 100.7 temp and crying, crying, crying.  Adeline and I are both feeling crummy with low-grade fevers and coughing & runny noses.  I'm thinking Annabel has the same thing and it's not the vaccines causing the fever.  Anyway, Jon is going to stay home with us tomorrow to help out in hopes we can all get a full recovery before we head to Texas on Thursday.  He's such a good man!  And since he's doing that, tonight is Christmas Eve at our house and Santa will come to visit while we're all sleeping!  Yay!!