Christmas Eve and Day

What a wonderful Christmas we had! We have had a ridiculous number of Christmas "celebrations" this year but I am so grateful that we were able to share the holiday with so many members of our family. We are so blessed. Bear with me, I am going to divide up the events so there will be a lot of little posts and lots of pictures! If you don't want to read about it you can skip the next few posts!! 

I actually had to work on Christmas Eve. We had a very busy morning at work but I got off around 1. When I got home I was so tired but I still had a lot to do. 

I showered and cleaned and then I remembered I still had one gift to get. It was for a child so I actually decided to brave Wal-Mart! Oh my! It was horrible, but I got a great parking spot and had good luck. I had a few other things to get but it really wasn't bad. I got in and out fairly quick. 

Last year, we started the tradition of having Derek's family over for a Christmas Eve dinner. So this year we wanted to do the same but decided to change up the menu. I had several ideas but eventually settled on doing breakfast for dinner so we could all wear our pajamas. Then with the time constraints from working I simplified and decided on breakfast casserole and biscuits with chocolate gravy for dessert. I have a recipe in my Paula Deen Cookbook but I altered it a bit. It's so good! I layered shredded hashbrowns, french bread cubed, sausage and cheese and then poured an egg mixture over. Yum! I made two casseroles so that we would have some left over for breakfast! I normally would have made biscuits from scratch but I knew that I'd be working and would need all the time I had to clean and get ready so I bought frozen biscuits. I used a Paula Deen recipe for the chocolate gravy too. That was my first time making it and really my first time eating it. It is so good! If you have never made it, you need to! 

We were ready so we decided to try a family picture! 

After dinner, we watched Elf. It's one of my favorite Christmas movies. Second to all of the claymation movies of course! 

When everyone left we put Thomas to bed and then let Anna-Kate help us set the cookies out for Santa and the carrots out for the reindeer. Then we let Anna-Kate throw out the reindeer food she got at school. It was so cute! This year has been so fun with Anna-Kate. She got so into Santa! Once she got in bed it was time for us to get to work! 

Every year so far Derek and I have stayed up on Christmas Eve and wrapped all of the gifts except for one or two things and then set the gifts out and filled the stockings. We always have a lot of fun doing that. I had wanted to wrap the gifts sooner but Derek wanted to stick with tradition. So we played Christmas music and wrapped everything! I think we were more excited than Anna-Kate! 

Anna-Kate woke up around 8 and came into our room saying "I think we need to go in the living room and see if Santa came." It was so cute. So we let her go in and see the presents under the tree. She was so excited! Derek grabbed Thomas while she checked out her changing table and her pillow pet. 

We did stockings and then let Thomas see his gifts that were sitting out. He got his first Thomas the Train set and big box of wooden blocks! He immediately pushed the train along the tracks and made the motor sounds! Ha- it's amazing how he knew to do that!! 

I love how he squats down now! 

Oh and as you can see, Thomas is now walking all over! :) He walked around so excited for the gifts! 

We finished opening gifts and then played for a bit before getting ready to do Christmas with Derek's family. 

When we got to Derek's grandmother's we played for a bit before getting started on the gifts. There were 11 people so there was a lot to go through!

Thomas decided that this was the coolest place. Every time I turned around he was standing on that bench! 

Derek got a nice sports coat

Thomas wasn't so sure about how to open gifts but he had plenty of help! 

Thomas loved this glow worm! He would hand it to me and let me push the button and then he would rock  with it. So sweet! 

I got a Pandora bracelet with a treasure chest charm. I love it! 

Anna-Kate got pretty tired- we opened gifts for a long time! 

After we opened all of the gifts we went outside and let the girls open their new cars! haha! Anna-Kate was so excited!

We even got some snow flurries on Christmas day! I just wish some of it had stuck! 

After we got everything cleaned up, we ate and then visited and let the girls play with their toys. 

This is a horrible picture but I thought Anna-Kate was so cute in her dress up outfit! She's even got the little shoes on!

We got home and were all worn out! The kids went to bed and then Derek and I got things cleaned up. We had to pack for the Franklin trip too. We got most everything in order but still had a few things to do so we decided to hold off on leaving for Franklin until Monday morning.

We had a crazy Christmas day but it was wonderful! 

Picture-Packed Weekend!

Weekends have quickly become even more special for me now that I'm working. I cherish the moments I get to share with Anna-Kate and Thomas. 

Last Thursday Anna-Kate told me that she missed me which absolutely broke my heart! I was extra good this weekend and took lots of pictures! :) Aren't you proud of me? ;) haha. 

I threw in the first few pictures from last week because they were too cute to resist! 

Wednesday nights we host Bible study while Anna-Kate and Thomas go to church across the street. Derek's parents usually walk them over to us and then chat and stay for a few minutes. I walked into Anna-Kate's room and found her in her 'Fancy Nancy' dress up outfit! It was so cute! 

Anna-Kate also has a new rug, isn't it super cute! Thanks to Nini and Granddaddy!! 

Thomas enjoyed a special treat- sausage balls! He loves them! 

After everyone left, we played in our jammies for a few minutes! 

Growing up, Frosty always hung on the wall in our kitchen around the holidays! I love sharing him with my children! 

Anna-Kate decided to leave on her leggings and shoes and wear the dress OVER her nightgown! haha! 

Friday Morning I made Thomas some pancakes before work! He was very happy about them! 

We got invited to a Christmas Party Friday night! It was so much fun! 

He's such a cutie! :) 

Anna-Kate wore her cheerleading uniform because her school made it to the State Play-offs! :) More on that in a second! 

I know this is going to make me sound so lazy but Saturday morning we all slept until nearly 10!! It was great! After we got ready we grabbed lunch at a pasta place in town! 

The waitress brought Thomas his own marinara sauce and he loved it! He wanted to dip his own bread! 

Thomas and Anna-Kate shared tortellini. It was so good! Thomas ate most of it though! 

After we ate, Derek took Thomas for a nap while Anna-Kate and I had a special "girls only" movie date to see Tangled! 

She was so excited! Although once we got in she did point out all the "daddies" and say that it was girls only! haha! 

She liked the movie a lot but I think it was a little scary for her. She wound up falling asleep just over halfway through! Poor thing! 

After the movie, Derek went to the play-off game in Little Rock! We decided that it would be too cold for the kids, so I stayed at home with them! 

We played for a while... 

and attempted watching The Polar Express. Then we ate dinner and took baths and the kids went to bed while I did some online Christmas Shopping! 

Our team lost, but Derek said they played really good! 

Sunday we went to Lepanto and I taught Sunday School! 

Anna-Kate was probably telling me how I don't do things like her other teacher... haha. She's a good "helper." 

Poor Thomas had to wear his jammies through class! :) 

Thomas was WILD during church! It is so hard to keep him from distracting everyone! He was putting the attendance cards in and out and then he'd reach up on his tippy toes and look in. After church, I tried to catch him doing that but he was not cooperating! 

After church Sunday night, we made the drive back home! 

I know it's not super exciting, but we had a good weekend! 

Return to the Christmas Tree Farm!

Last weekend we made our second-annual trip to the Christmas Tree farm!! You might remember our trip last year, but if not click here. It's really neat to see how much the kids have changed! :)

Anna-Kate wanted Kristen to join us, so we picked her up on our way! She was super excited too! 

All ready to go! 

When the girls get along they are so sweet!! 

When we first got there we went on a hayride up the hill to find our tree. 

Haha! Thomas really wanted out of the stroller! 

The girls chose this tree, but sadly it wasn't for sale! haha. 

Posing by our tree!! 

Helping Daddy cut down the tree. 

Waiting on the hayride to pick us up and our tree! 

After we got off the hayride, Derek went to get the tree and I took the girls over to the little petting zoo! 

They thought this piggy was super cute until they were petting it and it "oinked" at them! haha! 

This goat tried to eat Anna-Kate's shirt! 

After the petting zoo, the girls wanted to swing. 

They loved the swings but it's hard work keeping three swings going by yourself! haha! 

I was happy to have Derek's help! 

When we got to the farm, the girls quickly spotted the cow ride and that was pretty much all they wanted to do! They were very excited when they finally got to ride! 

What's with my face? Oh my! 

The man running the ride pretty much insisted that Thomas join in on the fun and Derek was so sweet to "let" me go while he sipped hot chocolate! 

Thomas and the girls loved the ride so much that we let them ride again! This time Derek "got" to ride while I drank hot chocolate! haha! 

We pretty much loaded up after this. The girls and Thomas all did so good! We had a lot of fun and I love the tree we picked out!! 

After the farm, we ate at a Mexican place and then headed home. We dropped Kristen off and then decorated our tree. I am planning on joining in on Kelly's Korner's Tour of Homes soon, so I'll post a picture of the tree on that!