Christmas 2009, in Atlanta with Family

What a fabulous Christmas we had!!

Both girls began their Christmas week in Atlanta by staying with Gigi and PapaDoc for a couple of nights until Brad and I got up there. They had a blast, and we were able to get a lot done around here, including making a day trip to Savannah to meet with our builder. Thanks to Gigi and PapaDoc for helping us out!

When Brad and I got to Atlanta, we stayed with Gigi and PapaDoc and were able to get some great visiting time with them. Then we went to Dede's house. We had a few minutes before we left for Nana and Papa's so we opened some gifts...

...and Dede let Alli Lane help her decorate the Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus. Alli also did a great job of removing access chocolate icing that looked too "bumpy" for her liking. 'Good thing we had her around to save the cake! Whew! :)

The girls' big gift from Dede is a basketball goal, but to save room in the car (thank goodness!), Dede had it shipped to Augusta, so Christmas continued when we got home.....


One of Boots' favorite gifts that day was a baby doll diaper bag, complete with everything from a sippy cup to a pacifier.

Silly Boots!

Alli Lane's favorite gift of the day was 6 Disney Princesses! (There is an "extra" in the picture below.)

(She has slept with ALL of them every night since then! Needless to say, her bed is quite crowded!) :)

We spent Christmas Eve at Nana and Papa's house, where we reinstated our tradition of eating Mexican food on Christmas Eve.

We also celebrated Baby Jesus' Birthday with cake!

Santa Claus came that night and left lots of goodies for both of the girls. Since the Wisemen brought Baby Jesus three gifts, both of the girls were allowed to ask Santa for 3 "big" gifts. Alli Lane got a soccer set, Legos, and a My Little Ponies miniatures set. Boots got a 3 Little Pigs set, a(nother) Mr. Potato Head, and her favorite ~ a Rody! They got some stocking goodies, too.

We enjoyed having Clifford the Elf around the house again this year. Even though Clifford was supposed to leave with Santa on Christmas Eve, Santa gave him special permission to stick around for a few more days, to be sure the girls liked their toys and were sharing them sweetly.

One of Alli Lane's gifts was a puzzle, and we all got a kick out of realizing it was the men who "took over" putting this Little Ponies puzzle together. Here is a picture of Brad and Keith working hard on the puzzle! Both AL and Boots loved seeing their Uncle Keith! Or, "keys," as Boots called him. :)

Dede asked Gigi and PapaDoc to stop by the house on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought the girls. We were so happy to see them, and the girls loved showing off their new stuff! PapaDoc couldn't resist jumping in and helping with the puzzle.

Here are a few pictures of the girls enjoying their new stuff.

Alli, wearing Dede's slippers

After the excitement of the morning, naptime was a welcome relief!

That afternoon, we went to Mimi's house for another Christmas celebration with that side of Brad's family. It was such fun seeing everyone! The girls had such a great time.

Brad had to check in at work late the next afternoon, but before we left Atlanta, we went back to Gigi and PapaDoc's house for breakfast and one more Christmas celebration with Steph, Phil, and Philip, and Blake and Lydia.

The hit for Boots was her new watertable! She and Philip thought it was more of a decorative water fountain than anything else, and they kept drinking out of the spray of water! Hysterical!

Brad, master packer that he is, loaded up as much as he could into the car; the rest had to stay in Atlanta for us to get later.

Both of the girls got dress-up dresses with tutus on them, and both of them wore them home over their clothes. Before we left, AL was dancing around the yard in her dress, with her Tinkerbell umbrella. They loved their play dresses, and Alli loved all of her Tinkerbell stuff!

Thank you, everyone, for helping us to have an amazing, special Christmas!

LIGHTS OF THE SOUTH! An Annual Tradition....

We have several traditions over the Christmas Holidays that we enjoy ~ riding around looking at Christmas lights, making a birthday cake for Baby Jesus, decorating the tree as a family while listening to Christmas music, Brad and me giving the girls an ornament to represent each Christmas (and each vacation and event), and many more...! One of our favorite traditions is going to Lights of the South each year with a group of friends. It is a beautiful, lighted winter wonderland that says "Christmas" to all of us. This was our 4th year to go, and you had better believe that we are going to really miss being able to go each year once we move to Savannah! We always start the evening with supper in Mrs. Claus' kitchen and of course a hot cup of some of the best hot chocolate ever! The kids play in the gingerbread house, ride the train, and play in the playhouse (you have to slide your way out!); we all love to roast marshmallows over the fire and ride the hayride through the lighted wonderland that displays everything from GWTW's Tara and The Yellow Brick Road, to Santa's Toyshop and Castle, The Nativity, and a Georgia "G"! This year, the Greggs and the Duckworths joined us.

Patrick and Anna Kay Duckworth, and Ella Reyn

"BELIEVE!"

The Reason for the Season

This is when Boots said, "Go Dawg Dawgs!"

Boots, Addie Dayne Gregg, and Alli Lane, standing in line for the hayride.

Boots, peeking out of the gingerbread house.

Ella Reyn, playing in the gingerbread house.

Brad and Alli, roasting marshmallows over the fire ~ yummy!

As always, we had a blast! We were so happy to be joined by good friends but we missed good friends who have always gone with us in the past ~ The Greers, The Bells, and The Lewises, to name a few....

Boots' Birthday ~ "I TWO!"

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY PRECIOUS ANGEL BABY!!

Boots had her 2nd birthday party on her actual birthday, December 12, at the Pink Dipper, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. We had fun and appreciated the intimate group who came to celebrate with us! The McDougals, Hughes, Duckworths, and Greggs came to the party ~ and Gigi and Dede came to celebrate Boots, as well! We did a whole ice cream theme, and the children seemed to have a great time ~ I know Boots certainly did! And she definitely knows she is two now. Most of the time, she will tell you, "I TWO!" although occasionally, she will grin her mischieveous grin and say, "I not two, Mama. I FIVE!" :) She is a hoot! She has such a sense of humor and knows she is being silly.

The girls standing in the doorway at The Pink Dipper, waiting on guests to arrive.

A kiss from her big sis while we sang "Happy Birthday!"

(Notice that the cupcake cake matches the girls shirts.)

Boots did a great job blowing out her candle, with a little bit of help from Alli Lane.

The children colored on coloring sheets that Dede made and were treated to ice cream and cupcakes!

One of Boots' most favorite birthday presents ~ her new riding toy! It really is cute, but the music (which plays constantly) begins to drive me batty by late afternoon each day. :) But she loves it! And so does Alli.

Boots loves her walking doll from Gigi.

Precious little feet and toes!

Thanks, Gigi, for coming all the way to Augusta for only 2 hours before you had to turn around and leave again!! What dedication!

Thanks, Dede, for coming to the party and helping with coloring sheets and the party!

Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate our precious girl's second birthday!!