Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Santa

Santa went overboard this year…I have a feeling that he didn’t actually realize how overboard he went until he unloaded his sleigh, but I bet it made Ms. Claus super happy!  The girls were beyond happy, too!  They loved everything!  Some immediate favorites were the craft table and chairs, over-sized stuffed animals, and hot dog/ice cream cart.  If I had my guess, I’d say a super handy Elf in Santa’s workshop spent approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes putting together that cart, a time span that included 3 different Lifetime Christmas movies…but that is only a guess! 


To follow with tradition and to fill the girls’ jewelry boxes, Charley got her very first Pandora bracelet with 3 charms…she originally requested “no less than 7 charms” when she made her wish list at Puckett’s, but we settled for 3.  She got a Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and red polka dot charm.  (She liked those 3 so much that when we had to replace the bracelet and 3 charms last week because it disappeared, she picked the same charms…I’m not going to place any blame for how this actually happened because that is the chance you take when you purchase an expensive piece of jewelry for a 4 year old…but if I had to point a finger, I’d blame Craig…the jewelry gift was his idea!)  Carter got the sweetest little necklace and bracelet.  She is a “destroyer of all things,” so for now, it stays in the box!





















Monday, April 11, 2016

Christmas morning in Kentucky

It’s April 11th, going on four months since Christmas morning in Kentucky, but I’m behind with the blog…behind in everything with life really, but definitely the blog.  The good news about being behind is that our family pictures from Christmas morning look great.  I see memories that I will cherish forever…Charley making biscuits from scratch with her Granddad…breakfast with all four of my grand parents and four of the girls’ great-grandparents…pure joy when Charley opened her presents…excitement in Carter’s eyes as she made a huge mess…color coordinated outfits for family pictures…watching Granny and Granddad open their gifts from everyone and each other.  I very vividly remember not feeling that way right after Christmas.  In fact, it took a little prodding to even get me to post Christmas pictures on facebook.  I felt like I was being “fake” by portraying a picture-perfect Christmas, when it wasn’t as “merry as it actually looked!” 


Perspective can be so rewarding.  Today, I don’t look at these pictures and feel like we “failed” Christmas 2015.  I see a whole new set of blessings that I glanced over in the midst of my exhaustion and slight disappointment post Christmas Day.  





















(DISCLAIMER: I will still use my how-to-do-Christmas-better-next-year notes when December rolls around…just because I am ok with the turn out, doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement!)

Monday, March 14, 2016

Christmas Eve

Brunch at Granny Martha and Grandaddy Charlie's House



















Dinner at Granny Katherine and Papa's House