Sunday, January 5, 2014

atlanta family christmases

The weekend after Christmas, we loaded up in Daddy's truck to head to Atlanta for lots of good visiting.  Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Mike were so sweet to host the big family gatherings for two full days.  So grateful for all that they did to prepare and plan for fun activities with the threatening rainy weather!

Garner wasn't interested in a pic ;)


The kids' table!  Saturday, we had yummy finger foods and football-watching snacks....


Girl cousins snuggling on the couch...


...and Greer and Meg led us in the Jesse Tree reading as Lily looked on.  So very sweet :)


Meanwhile, Garner buddied up to Papa and Rosie's dog, Tucker...


Gifts






My sibs and their families with Papa and Rosie...our bunch is growing!


Christmas bingo!  Lin did such a cute job putting it all together.  Our kiddos loved!


My Christmas date and birthday boy :))


We found Garner snuggling the pup in Megan's closet :)


The boy cousins!  Such cuties :)


Garner was a lot more generous with her snuggles this year!  Good time with her sweet aunts...



So glad for time with you Papa and Rosie!  Thanks for making the trip to see us all :)


After that day's festivities, we headed to Bebe's to crash.  Snug as bugs in rugs...and such a treat getting to sleepover with Bebe in her room!


The next morning, we went over to the Uncle Rob and Aunt Teena's house for breakfast.  We did the same thing last year and just really enjoyed some good visiting time with them.  They were my surrogate family when I was in college there and I miss them all so much!  We were so glad to see Robert, Libba & Stephen and Mema there too.  Such a great morning!

Always the way to get to Garner's heart...Libba is a pro with kiddos!


Stephen too :)


Between the two of us, B and I only have one grandparent still living.  Mema is 90 and super cute and wonderful.  So glad for a morning with her.  Greer especially was attached at her hip :))




She also enjoyed helping Aunt Teena and Libba make breakfast.  So thankful for their hospitality and time spent with us.  We look up to their family so much...they are super fun and have amazing kids who have grown up to love the Lord and follow Him completely.  Such a testimony :)


From there, Mema headed back with us over to the Pouloses for Christmas with Bebe and fam.  It was so fun!  Bebe put together a most delicious Christmas dinner too...yum :))





Greer has been saving up to buy an American Girl doll.  Although we went back and forth about whether it was a good use of funds, we finally decided that it gave her a great opportunity to save and wait for something sweet that she was really excited about.  She has been so patient and was sweet and excited to get more to go in her money/gift card jar for her doll.  She's almost there!



Reading a cute poem from Uncle Britt and Aunt Margaret.  So thankful for their shared excitement for her :))


Bebe is such a great gift giver!




Slade and Jessica gave Greer and Meg beautiful dolls!  Greer has been carrying her around everywhere.  So sweet :))


 Such a fun time playing cards with the ladies...love them all!


Sweet Aunt Teena


And cutest babies!  So thankful for such great time with our crew this year!  Just wish that we could all get together more often...


Back at Bebe's the next morning, the girls saw our scarves and asked for ones to wear themselves. Bebe had some older ones that were shorter and so cute on them.  Garner LOVED it and talked about it all day and how "pwetty" it was...love :)



We visited Uncle Slade's new house and the kids had a blast in his fun backyard.  We loved getting a tour!  It is all beautiful and going to be so nice with all the renovations they are working on.  So happy for them!


And our Christmas finished up at Gretchen, Lisa and Charlie's house...so sweet and good to see them!






He is especially drawn to Uncle B :))




And finishing out with some fun...poor Aunt Gretchen was covered with stickers by the girls.  She is such a good sport and just kept reading!



We feel so blessed to have had so many great visits and to have such great families!  What a wonderful Christmas season...couldn't have asked for anything more :))

Saturday, January 4, 2014

christmas day

I think the bigs were awake by 5am on Christmas morning, which made us grateful we told them to stay put until we came to get them at 7:15!  I love their excitement and will be so sad one day when they are too big for that...it has made Christmas that much better these last few years.  Mammaw and Pots got here late on Christmas Eve and we all gathered in the living room first thing for some reading and worship.  This year, B read the Christmas story from the much-loved Jesus Storybook Bible and we sang Christmas carols together in worship.  SO love :)



Soon after, the present opening commenced :)








I pause here to caption the next few pics because it was the sweetest moment of the morning!  The backstory... Greer was never as attached to her pacifier when she was little, so it wasn't tough to stop using it and thus, she didn't get a replacement "Pappy" like Gehrig did when we weaned him from his. Sometimes she has mentioned that she only has a lovey but no Pappy, so sometime over the last month, Gehrig drew and cut out and colored and stuffed with cotton balls a Pappy that looks identical to his. Then he wrapped it and put it under the tree for her.  None of us knew anything about it!  She was so excited and still says that it was her favorite gift all Christmas.  I'm pretty sure that it was my favorite too :))




Stockings!  Trying to soak up the sweetness of these young years when a pack of gum is so exciting!!



Gehrig's favorite stocking stuffer...NFL teeny mates :)


After opening gifts, we had a yummy breakfast.  Part of it included these beauties from Mammaw...I had to take a pic :)


Playtime!  It is so nice to be home and relaxed all day.  Garner had picked this baby out at Target, saying "She is soooo pwetty, Mama!"  I thought so too and knew that the potty would be a hit since we just went through the training process with Garner too.  She and Greer named her Mackenzie :)


Rainbow-looming and other playtime



So thankful they come to share the morning with us!


Pa arrived in the afternoon and with him, more gifts.  What are these for, Pa? ;)


Garner's sweet Sofia doll


And a crossbow for Greer!


The rest of Gehrig's gift!  He is sooooo excited to have his first gun (BB)...



Outside to practice and play...








I joined them and...


...that '9' is mine!!!


Walked back in to Greer trying out her new pet wii game among the Christmas chaos :)


And Pa got the potty tutorial from Garner :)


All in all, a sweet and very merry Christmas!!  We are so grateful that our Savior came for us and loves us more than we will ever know.  Truly the best news ever!


And the house on December 26th!  I've never had such an itch to take down decorations, but with upcoming company and travel, we were motivated more quickly.  It actually felt nice...


Especially knowing that there was still more Christmas to come :))