christmas 2013

It's tradition to go to Nana and Papaw's on Christmas Eve and that's just what we did!  To grandmother's house we go!

 Ryder with two of his second cousins--Sterling & Aidan!

Getting a little festive with my Santa hat!  ;)

I used to sit on Papaw's lap while he read the Christmas story...and now my little guy gets to!  This was the 20th year for us to read out of that book!

Santa Linda Sue getting ready for us to play dirty santa with gift cards!  SO fun!

Made these sugar cookies for G!  ;)

We made it home from Nana & Papaw's and R put out some of the sugar cookies we decorated and milk for Santa!

Christmas Eve night we also opened up gifts from our family in Georgia and R got some Power Ranger gloves...which he is wearing in this pic!  Too funny!

Christmas morning!  Up and ready to go!  Before he even opened his eyes he said, "Merry Christmas Mom!"  So sweet!

"This is exactly what I wantttttted!" {THANK YOU TJMaxx! ;)}

We have always joked with each other about wanting a Jeep Wrangler...and Santa got R a remote control one...he had asked for a remote control monster truck, but the Jeep was too fun to pass up! ;)

R went to his other grandparents for the day and the rest of us chilled out.  I'm sad to say I didn't get out of my PJs all day long because I just didn't feel right.  I am currently recovering from a sinus infection that I now know made itself known on Christmas Day...blah.

One of my favorite new ornaments this year--from my Mama!

R's dog Hawk looks just like this, so this was the ornament I got him this year!  He loves it!

My new Keurig is fitting right in...I know I'm only 2-3 years behind, but that's okay!  Also loving my new "YOU ARE HERE" mug from Atlanta that Luke and Tonya got me for Christmas.

snuggle bug christmas party!

SB has a fun Christmas Party every year...potluck style!  Those are my fav!  I signed up to bring a type of dip!  There was NONE left to take home so I assume it was a hit...it always is!

{1 box of cream cheese, 1/2 a block of velveeta, one day of rotel, 1 lb. of cooked sausage meat;  combine in crock pot to cook and serve}

I made reindeer food for all the kiddos! They seemed to love it, and R loved handing it out to them!

Singing their songs....he was into it! I just love all his little friends, they are all so sweet and so are their parents!  We are truly BLESSED to be apart of Snuggle Bug!

 Their present that they made for us...he was excited can you tell!!  I loved getting a little ornament of his handprint--something I have always wanted to do, just never got around to it!

 SELFIE!!!

 Ryder & Eli--they exchanged gifts with each other last year and this year!

Santa even made a visit to see everybody!  R said, "Hey Santa!!  Do you remember me from last year?!"  Ha!

Then we got another gift from R's teachers...how precious is this?  There were many many tears involved in that room when we all opened our gift!  This is something I will cherish FOREVER!

Back to Squeak...he was feeling a lil crazy one night!  :P

I made reindeer pancakes (or waffles) for Mom, R & G on Christmas Eve morning (Poppy was at work)--this is something new for us, but I hope to continue in the years to come!

This was our Christmas card this year!  

pre christmas festivities

We had busy month of December...with me graduating and having LOTS of big things to do at the end of the semester and parties and activities, and being in Atlanta till the 30th etc.--I'll admit I didn't get around to everything I wanted to get done but THAT'S OKAY!  That's not what this season is about so I'm perfectly okay with that!

We did do our lil activity countdown...but didn't do something major every day.

Squeak still made his appearance every day!  I couldn't believe this was our third year to do Elf on a Shelf!  This is something new I had Squeak do this year and am definitely going to do it each year moving forward.  G was excited about going thru his stuff and making room for all of the new that was to come!

I thought this might upset R but it didn't--he LOVED it!

My sweet baby all snuggled up with his friends!

Even though it was cold her...when you have a hangerin' for your first love from Starbucks...you gotta just go for it!  ;)

We met Poppy for coffee one afternoon & R had to get the Snowman cookie!  :P

We are still loving my mom's new kitchen!!  {& kitchen table!} it's so warm and welcoming in there!

I discovered a new recipe to make "cookies" {two mashed bananas, cup of quick oats & some chocolate chips;  cook for 15 mins. on 350} and R loves helping me mix them up!  Delish lil snack for us both!

Since I got out of school before R's school got out, I got to go watch him in gymnastics one day!  He loved having me there and I loved watching him!

I saw this picture pop up on my screen saver from last year--he looks like a baby huh!? :(

R got his first hot chocolate from Starbucks on a rainy night we went out to look at Christmas lights!  He was excited about it! ;)

Well...Mama finally graduated!  With all the talk about me graduating R would always say, "I want to graduate!!!"  I told him one day he can and he WILL!  Trying on Mama's hat the night before!

So happy to have Aunt Kathy in from GA for my graduation!

Me & R...For some reason I didn't have any pics with my parents on my phone.  :/

R got to go to his cousin Hannah's Christmas program at her church.  Aren't they cute?!

I got in some subbing time before public schools were out for Christmas Break--makes me SO ready for my own classroom!

We read some of our favorite Christmas books, and added some new ones!

R listened to his great grandpa read The Christmas Story in a Hallmark book OVER and OVER again!

I thought about keeping some of the Christmas gifts that I got for other people--jk....sorda!  ;)

Did some snugglin' when we had time!

We went to LR with Poppy & Uncle G to shop for KeeKee (even though we had already ordered everything for her online! ;)) and we made a stop at the new Bass Pro Shop to look around and see Santa!  Poor Santa didn't have much of a "lap" so this is what we got!

HAHA!

Busy little bees!  Phew!!  I'm tired all over again just talking about it!  ;)