this one is for you Hannah

New Plan

No School this week, I was craaaaazy to even push it to this week. We will finish getting the home in order tomorrow, and then just relax the rest of the week.

So schools starts back on January 5th, my birthday, I'm turning 29.

Todays Agenda

Yes I will look just like this, makeup, smiles, stockings, and heels.
My sweet young child will help with laundry...
Still smiling...

Ooh, yummy things coming from my kitchen...

Ok, really this will be me at the end of the day! But my house will be spic and span, Christmas packed up, and toys organized! We are starting school on Monday!

It's do or die time!

I might just die......

Christmas At Our House

Christmas Eve

We attend our church's candelight service and then go riding around to look at the lights. Our favorite display is the little retirement park before Joann fabrics. They are always decked out.

This year the belief in Santa has been questioned by Maddy. Her friends are at an age that there is doubt. So in order to get another year of the magic of Santa, Amelia & Sarah Beth took jingle bells and

jingled them under the girls window.

Christmas Day

We usually spend Christmas Eve at my parents with my sister, so that we can all get up and be together Christmas morning.

Amelia was coveting Liv's Barbie

Maddy is planning Lyns upcoming wedding

Beautiful earrings from Grandma Anne & Pepa

Lyns gave Maddy her laptop!!

The Hunt

A family tradition since Lyns and I were kids has been a hunt for our "big" gift.

Usually after all the presents are unwrapped and we have had a sausage biscuit roll, we find a letter tucked on the tree somewhere.

In the letter is a clue that leads to another clue, and on it goes until you are lead to the big gift. My dad started this in order to prolong the gift exchange. He said it use to be a flurry of wrapping paper and it was all done in a few minutes. This way it draws it out... Anywho this year the big gifts were at my house, so the clues led us there.

A doll house, a bike and a radio??? Maddy didn't seem thrilled with her radio, so I told her, go upstairs and get a barbie from your room to play in the dollhouse....

Yeah, just a radio...

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a relaxing week to come...

The Big Reveal

Baking

I had some help in the kitchen

Peppermint Red Velvet Cakes

Just part of my kitchen in the aftermath

Bribing a friend to come over and keep me company while I bake 5 cakes, wrap a million gifts, make 2 curtains, and clean my whole house. Not to mention paint my daughters room, put together a beast of a desk, and in general go CRAZZZY.

Was the cake that good, Amy???

Christmas Catch Up "Library, Preschool Play, Nursing Home"

Preschool Flashback

we visited our old preschool for their Christmas play

Nursing Home Visit

the kids made homemade ornaments to give to the residents, and sang some carols

Library Lighting of the Christmas Tree