November & December

First and foremost, this may be one of the first times a new years resolution has lasted this long for me! Last January I decided I would attempt to document the lives of my precious babies via blogging due to the incessant encouragement from my dear friend, and I am so glad Chollet Helfer pestered me to begin this blogging journey! I have found my monthly blogs to be fun and therapeutic for myself, and I like to look back at our adventures. 
Let’s rewind to November.  Apparently I didn’t take many pictures during November until Thanksgiving weekend.  We enjoyed a trip to Grandma’s and got to see Aunt Kim, Uncle Greg, and Cousin Tyler.

I love that I get to watch my children interact with their great grandmother/one of my favorite people.

We walked down to our favorite Gaffney park… we being my 3 kids and me.

After Grandma’s house we buckeled up and drove to Columbia to see the Helfers.
As usual, I stole some  pictures from Chollet’s blog… actually all of these are from Chollet.  This was such a fun trip because Jack and James were really playing together, rather than parallel playing like in the past.  This left more time for the parents to just sit and relax. 




AW, blissful adult time..



Oh, and we saw Cousin Tyler again… this time on TV.
When we got home there was a special delivery from the North Pole on our front door step.  It was our very own elf on the shelf.  Jack named him Chippy (which is the name of the elf in the movie… we are lacking some creativity here.)

Chippy’s job is to watch the children and report to the North pole each night to Santa.  He lands in a different spot each day and Jack couldn’t wait to find him each morning.

We visited “Christmasland” so that Jack could tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas… and we could have a little fun.

Lucy is not a fan yet.

 

There is not a ton documented in December because Mike, Jack and I all had the flu.  Jack and I also had a stomach bug.  I had the stomach bug while everyone else was ringing in the new year. YUCK!

 

We did have some visitors in between sicknesses… Aunt Trika & Uncle Andy!  Lucy is such a flirt.

We celebrated Christmas with Mimi, Poppie, and Uncle Josh on Christmas Eve morning at our house.  While we were waiting for Uncle Josh who was late (SHOCKER), the kids played hide and seek with Poppie in the back yard.  We enjoyed breakfast together and gave gifts. It was a relaxing morning.

That evening we went to Christmas Eve service.  Jack was a shepherd and Lucy was an angel…Jack played his part well, but Lucy couldn’t keep quiet when she saw her Poppie at the front of the sanctuary!

After service we went to Nana & Grandaddy’s to spend the night.
There was a lot to do that night.  First we had to leave out food for the reindeer.

Then we had to leave milk and cookies for Santa.  Jack insisted that Santa would want chocolate milk.

It’s important to write Santa a note and to test the cookies to make sure they taste good. Then it is time to snuggle up.

This is what time the adults were done wrapping presents: It’s our earliest time ever!


What a fun day!
After Christmas we took a short trip to Columbia to see the Helfers again.  Unfortunately our trip was cut short because we weren’t feeling well. But it is always nice to see our friends.

I wish this picture of Jack & James had turned out!

I had most of this blog finished a month ago… Glad I am finally posting it!  Despite our illnesses, 2012 was very good to us.  We are rich in love, friendship, and family.  We are thankful and looking forward to another year of making memories.