Christmas in Columbia

After breakfast on Christmas morning, we started packing to go to Columbia to celebrate Christmas with my family for the weekend. The kids did great on the drive. We stopped right outside of Atlanta for a quick bite to eat at a Waffle House (where else can you eat when traveling on Christmas Day) and made it to Columbia by 5pm. When we arrived, mom had prepared a Christmas dinner - ham, turkey, stuffing, and lots of other sides. My brother and sister-in-law, Travis and Jaclynn, also were there and we enjoyed spending some time catching up with them. After dinner, Lily insisted on opening gifts. We sat down together and tried out best to open one thing at a time...it took close to 2 hours to get through everything. We all got some great gifts - everyone really did too much! Bear got a new tool bench and tools to go with it, and Lily got an easel and digital camera, among other things. We played with the kids' new toys for a while and then put them to bed. On Saturday, we were able to relax and spend most of the day playing and resting. One set of my grandparents came over for lunch and then we had dinner at a barbecue restaurant with Jaclynn's family. On Sunday, we had lunch with my other set of grandparents and then headed back home to Cartersville. It was a quick weekend, but I'm glad we got to share Christmas with my family!

Bear opening his stocking

Lily goes through her stocking of goodiesGift opening timeLook mom - art supplies!Bear was fascinated with his fish aquarium toyMimi, Granddaddy, Lily and BearTravis and Jaclynn with Lily and Bear

Christmas Morning

Santa and his elves had a busy night at our house on Christmas Eve. We awoke on Christmas morning to a living room full of new toys. Lily woke up around 730am and came into our room excited to see if Santa had brought what she asked for. We got Bear up and he didn't really know what was going on. He was content to sit on the floor in his room playing with his cars. Lily was the first to run downstairs. She ran past the pile of toys and jumped on her new bicycle. She as so excited to see it!

A few minutes later we were able to coax Bear downstairs to see his surprise. I love this picture of Lily pointing out Bear's train table to him. I don't even think she noticed it at first because her eyes were so focused on her bicycle.

Once he realized it was his, Bear had a blast playing "choo choo" all morning long! We couldn't pry him away from his new train table.

While I started breakfast, Daddy helped Lily and Bear open their stockings. They got some fun little toys, new toothbrushes, and a new Children's Bible. We then let them open the few presents we wrapped for them. Lily had to leave her helmet on to unwrap gifts!

Josh and I had exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve night, as we knew we would be so wrapped up in the kids excitement of Christmas morning. He did so good - I got a sewing machine, a new coat, and some pretty work clothes. I gave him a new 5 Wood, a pair of khakis, and a new pair of house slippers.

Josh's mom, dad, and Nanny joined us for Christmas morning breakfast. We had a yummy french toast casserole, fresh fruit, and bacon. After breakfast, we took Lily outside for a bit to try out her new bicycle. She hasn't quite got the hang of pedaling forward, but it was so cute to see her trying. Several older kids in our neighborhood got bikes and scooters and she thought she was so big riding her little bike as she watched them ride up and down the street.

What a wonderful way to spend Christmas morning!

Christmas Eve Celebration

We spent most of Christmas Eve with the rest of the McWhorter family. We started early with a Christmas Eve brunch with the Olivers. Steve, Carol, Sterling, and Chelsea stopped by Cartersville on their way to Mobile for Christmas. Josh's mom made a delicious spread of breakfast casserole, hashbrowns, biscuits and muffins and we had a great time catching up with each other while enjoying brunch. After eating, we exchanged gifts with the Olivers. Lily and Bear got some great new books and art supplies from Steve, Carol, Chelsea, and Sterling. Nanny gave Lily a Strawberry Shortcake doll and Elefun and gave Bear his first remote control car. Josh got a new dress shirt and a pair of gloves from Nanny, and I got a new bedding set from Nanny.

Lily patiently waits by tree as the adults finish brunch

Bear helps to hand out giftsLily wastes no time opening her giftBear opens his new carTaking a break after the first round of gift opening madness

After exchanging gifts, the Olivers left for Mobile and we spent a while playing Elefun and coloring with Lily's new art kit. A bit later in the afternoon, Jacob, Sabrina, and Brodie came over for the McWhorter gift exchange (they weren't able to make it earlier in the day). We let the kids open gifts first...they were all so excited. I think if I had taken my eyes off Lily for more than 30 seconds, I would have missed seeing what she got because as soon as she opened one, she was on to the next.

Bear gets some help from Daddy opening Cars the movie

Brodie and Sabrina Bear and DaddyLily shows off her new Minnie cupBrodie opening giftsLily's excited about Snow WhiteDaddy and BearWe all got lots of fun things. Josh got some new work clothes and a few Alabama t-shirts. I got a new sweater, a purse, a Vera Bradley lunch tote, and several other nice things. Lily and Bear got more than I could list, but among their favorites were a pink Barbie jeep and a big fire truck.

Sweet brother and sister

Funny Cousin PicThey are all growing up too fast!

Later in the afternoon, we ventured out in the cold to go to the Christmas Eve service at our church. Lily and Brodie both did great and sat in the service rather than the nursery. They loved the music and the children's story, but then nodded off to sleep during the sermon. It was nice to pause and reflect on the true reason we celebrate Christmas after such a busy day. As I held Lily in my arms as we sang "Silent Night" in candlelight, I thought about the love Mary must have felt for Jesus on the night he was born. Knowing how my heart overflows with love and pride for my two babies, I can only imagine how Mary felt knowing her precious child had come to save the world. What a great way to end a wonderful Christmas Eve full of family and fun!

I have to brag...

on my incredible in-laws! They are both so good to me! I could brag on Suzan every day of they year with all she does to help Josh and I with Lily and Bear. I was off the day before Christmas Eve and had planned a day of cleaning and Christmas preparations. I got a phone call from my sweet father-in-law asking if it was okay if he dropped by with a surprise. I was more than surprised when he showed up Wednesday morning with a vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies in tow and wanted to clean my house! He is wonderful and spent part of his day sweeping, vacuuming, and straightening up my house. It was the best surprise I could have asked for. When I married Josh, I gained not only a wonderful husband, but also his loving parents who treat me as one of their very own children!

Christmas Cookies...and more

I had taken today off from work to go to Lily's Christmas festivities at school. Since the weather was so bad, we decided to skip shopping and errand running and instead, stay inside and bake some Christmas goodies. We put Bear down for his afternoon nap and got to cooking. Lily helped me make several treats to give as gifts to her Sunday School teachers this weekend. We made brownies with a mint center, peppermint bark, sugar cookies, and this sweet snack mix that I only know as "Puppy Chow". My college roommate's mom used to make puppy chow for us ever winter and it's a staple in my Christmas baking list now.

Lily measuring the Chex cereal for the puppy chow

Pouring the chocolate/peanut butter/butter mixture

Rolling and cutting out sugar cookies

After the cookies cooled - and quick wardrobe change - we decorated them with frosting and sprinkles.

The finished products turned out great and we've got a few more things to make tomorrow to add as well. Lily is such a good helper when it comes to making things and I love making such fun memories with her!

Singing Around the Christmas Tree

This morning, Lily's preschool put on their Christmas program "Singing Around the Christmas Tree." The 3 and 4 year old classes did a great job singing Christmas favorites as well as a few songs written for them. Lily's favorite to practice was "The Itsy Bitsy Sheperds", but she did a great job singing and doing the motions to all of the selections. I was a bit worried with how she would do in front of such a big group and with her class being in the front/center of the line-up, but she was adorable. I just love watching preschoolers perform - there's something so endearing about little kids who run off stage scared, yell the words to the song, or look around in a daze. Lily had one song where she was yawning and not singing, but other than that she seemed to enjoy the program.

After the program (my pictures didn't turn out well due to lighting/my camera), we had her class party. We had cupcakes, fruit, cheese, and juice boxes and then had a fun book exchange led by Miss Jennifer. The girls and boys all brought in wrapped books and each child got a new book. Miss Jennifer also gave everyone a special book and reindeer as a Christmas gift. It was a fun morning, despite the cold, rainy weather outside.

Blessing before the party

Smiling for Momma

Lily loved her cupcake - you can't tell here, but she had red frosting on her eyelid, on her nose, and all over her mouth.

Getting ready for the book exchange. The girls did a swap and then the boys did one.

Christmas with Friends

Last year we started a tradition with our friends Katie & Katie Anne and Natalie & Emma of a mom/daughter outing. We get together at our local "paint your own pottery" store, Pottery Lane to paint Christmas ornaments. The ornaments turned out so cute last year that we decided to do it again this year.

The girls insisted on exchanging Christmas gifts first. They were all so excited about what you had picked out for each other. Lily gave Katie Anne an Ariel doll and Emma got Cinderella. Emma had similar taste and gave Lily the Sleeping Beauty version of the same doll and Katie Anne got Cinderella this time. Katie Anne gave Lily and Emma cute little puppies with a carrier, leash, pretend food, and comb. The girls were all so excited about your new gifts that we had a hard time keeping them focused on painting the ornaments.

Lily getting ready to open her gifts

Katie Anne's ready too!

What did I get?

After opening gifts, we carefully picked out the ornaments to paint. Lily picked a round disk with a L in the middle and a small spiral ornament. The disk was painted pink and blue, to match the tree in her room. The spiral ornament is for our family tree and is half red/half green. Lily's attention span on painting didn't last long - she was bored with it sooner than I thought she would. We managed to get three coats of paint on each ornament and both looked really good. The ornaments should be back in a week or so, once they are glazed and fired, and ready to be hung on our trees.

Emma concentrates on her painting

Lily carefully painting the pink part of her ornamentMomma/Lily pictureWe are so fortunate and grateful for such great girlfriends. It's so much fun to get the big girls and little girls together for an outing and we look forward to doing this for years to come!

Breakfast with Santa

This morning, we had Breakfast with Santa. Lily woke up this morning so excited about this event. She popped out of bed, insisted on taking a shower, and quickly let me get her dressed in her Christmas dress. Bear wasn't feeling 100% this morning and woke up with quite a bad cold. The only thing he would agree to wear to see Santa was his smocked Santa longall from last year, which thrilled Daddy :) We bundled up and headed to the Country Club for the breakfast. Paw met us there (Mammy was home sick) and we got in line to see Santa.

Lily, you seemed a bit unsure at first, but one of your best friends, Katie Anne, was in line in front of us and watching her have fun put you at ease. When it was our turn, you climbed right into Santa's lap. Bear, you were quite the opposite, which I was prepared for. Lily didn't like Santa when she was your age, so I knew there was a 50/50 shot that you'd actually sit with him. I tried to ease you into Santa's lap, but you were not happy about it. The combination of being fearful of a strange man in a red suit and not feeling well didn't work out well for photos. Louis T. tried his best to get you to smile, but you simply wanted back in Momma or Daddy's arms.

After attempting a picture, Lily sat with Santa for a bit to go over her Christmas list. You told Santa you wanted a pink bicycle and a pink frisbee...and he told you he wanted Gingerbread Men from Agan's has his midnight treat. I love how you looked at him with such wonder and joy during your few minutes with him. I love seeing the Christmas season through your eyes.

After our visit with Santa, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast of fruit, eggs, hash browns, pastries, french toast sticks and grits. You both loved Santa's elf who came by with balloons for you. Lily, you asked for a Christmas flower and Bear, you got a white dog which you quickly named Laney. We had a fun morning and look forward to this tradition for years to come.

Christmas Card Mishaps

We did get a good one...but it's coming to your mailbox soon!