Enchanted...

I realize I'm actually writing this post on January 3rd, although I downloaded these pictures well within the "Christmas holiday post allotment." I completely forgot about them until I found an unpublished post and went to see what it was.

I'm telling you, this baby growing thing is doing a number on my brain... and my waistline.

Anyhoo... couldn't let the season pass by without sharing one of our new favorite family traditions. Whoever came up with the name Enchanted Garden of Lights for the Christmas Rock City display hit the nail on the head, at least for my little guy...
I'm kidding.

That's just what he looked like by the time we drove from our house up Lookout Mountain in the dark. Apparently, his no need for an afternoon nap is greatly tempted if you ever put him in the car and ride idly quiet for more than 5 minutes at dusk. He thinks he's SO grown and doesn't need naps anymore, but this keeps happening... huh, it's making mama wonder???

Trace was totally enchanted (once he was vertical) to say the least by Rock City. I wish I had a running video of him throughout the entire trail. I kid you not when I say... the child N.E.V.E.R. stopped talking. Jimmy and I both agreed he definitely has a future in commentating.

He gave a play by play, blow by blow of every light configuration, Christmas scene, and tree display he laid his eyes on, and would then preview what was up ahead by enthusiastically exclaiming, "Oh look... up there, I see a _________________!!!"

My favorite was when we got to the patriotic display that had red, white, and blue toy soldiers lining the path with huge American flags made entirely out of lights hanging above us and he said. "Mommy look, it's the American flag. Isn't it beautiful? I think I have a little tear in my eye!"

I couldn't hold back the laughter. No idea where he heard that one!

While it was all joyful and precious to us as his parents, the poor people in front and behind us would probably have preferred him to turn down the enthusiastic dial a bit and let them admire the beauty in peace and quiet. But... that's the magic of Christmas with a 3-year-old and it was worth every penny we paid just to see it through his eyes!
The only sour note we hit all night, was a HORRIBLE mommy moment. After visiting Santa Clause and getting his picture made (yeah... I managed to stay out of the mall Santa craziness this year!!) we got some hot chocolate.
Yes... you know what happened next, when I let him have it way too soon and didn't properly demonstrate the fine art of "sipping" hot chocolate. Before I realized it, he had turned up a full gulp and then had the dreadful panicked look as he spit it back down his face, coat, and pants.

I could have cried.

I just knew that when we referred back to this wonderful family evening, the only recollection he would recall was scalding his tongue and mouth on the hot chocolate. I guarantee you, if you asked him about the Enchanted Garden of Lights today, the first thing he would say would not be all the lights, beauty and magic... but about that. :(

It was very foggy up there that night, so all of our pictures turned out with water droplets on them.
We made it... barely!

Tis the Season

What a wonderful holiday season this has been. Every year, I feel more and more blessed to have the family God gave me from birth and through marriage! I don't know how I would make it through the day without these special people in my life...
On Wednesday night, we went to my brothers and Kadi's for a family get together. I love that all of our families mesh so well and enjoy spending time together. We didn't get a group picture but it was certainly a festive bunch!
The next day, we went to see Sylvia's dearest friend Jean. She lives at Alexian Village and is the kindest soul you will ever meet. I hope we brought her a little holiday cheer... Trace brought her trains and ate her chocolates of course.

A tradition we started over 30 years ago when we ran across our front yard in our PJ's to our next door neighbors house on Christmas Eve morning, continues to this day. Every year we celebrate with the Campbell's, which have grown to include the spouses, first rounds of kiddos, and as of next Christmas... 2 more!
Sweet Anna Claire and Trace... someone's been in the candy dish!
On Christmas Eve, my mom's side of the family comes to her house. This year, we gave mom and dad our framed wedding portraits. Yes... almost 2 babies later and SEVEN years of marriage and she has yet to get it framed. We thought, OK, if we don't, she never will. Before we left, my brother and I gladly took down my Senior portrait "Glamour Shot" (remember those ;) and his high school picture and replaced them with these. It was high time to update!!
Aunt Kadi trying on Trace's new Batman snow hat...

I don't know who in the world would allow children to bring stools in from the kitchen to sit up ON TOP of the coffee table to watch there shows.

Clue... the fun "Nana" in the purple sweater sitting behind them. Again... notice his candy stained mouth.
Just after Santa left...
So, Christmas morning we wake up to a beautiful snow. It was breathtaking! Our plans to head to Alabama to spend Christmas with Jimmy's family quickly changed when we realized they were looking at the same scene out of their window. In the 9 years we've been together, this is only the second Christmas we haven't been there. It didn't feel the same without going, but we knew there was no sense in chancing it. We've got an extra bundle of "precious cargo" with us this year.

The plan was for the grands to all be here around 8:30 to see Trace "open" Santa. We had already made the decision that if he woke up before they got here, we would not dare make him wait, but at 8:00, when he was still asleep, I called them both and told them to start trekking this way in the snow (if they could safely) and we would keep him quarantined in our bedroom until they arrived. They got here just as he was waking up and luckily Diego held his attention long enough for everyone to get into place with cameras and camcorders to capture the big reveal.
I said he certainly had the "trifeca" of Christmas mornings. First, he bounded to the dining room doors and exclaimed "Look at the snow!!!", then turned to see his 4 most favorite people in the world standing in the kitchen (no, sadly, it isn't his mommy and daddy...we've known for a long time and we're OK with it) and then rounded the corner to find all the goodies that Santa left him!

Can't ask for a better Christmas morning than that!

Can you believe of all the things sitting in that living room (ahhh, hello... like the $300, 2 person, battery powered John Deere Gator) he instantly ran to the $2.99 Thomas electric spinning toothbrush... go figure?
That's better!

You notice, he immediately ripped the bow off. Apparently he shares his daddy's sentiments, that John Deere's should never be accessorized with big red bows... it's just insulting.
What was Santa thinking?
Since there were 3 inches of snow outside, he had to take it for a little spin around the house. Can't wait for Girby to hitch a ride with him (Lord, help my heart!) We were going to get the cheaper, one seater version, but then we figured we are quickly becoming a 2 kid family and Ginger can even ride in the Gator on the back!
Funny thing is, of all the Christmas toys he got, the one he's gone to bed and woken up playing with was actually a birthday present of his he found on Christmas Eve, buried deep under some clothes in the back of my dad's closet. He and Nalin were upstairs playing when they somehow spotted his new Tomica Train Mega Station set that mom and dad had already bought for his birthday (which we are celebrating next month due to Girby impending arrival).

I look up from the dinner table to see and hear this massive box being drug step by step down the staircase and "OHHHH, Mommy look what I found!!!" There was no going back from there. Before an adult could even get to them, he and Nalin had half the box torn open, had already begun assembly and had a dozen stickers/decals stuck in all the wrong places.

Oh well, I'm learning to pick my battles... and hide gifts behind locked doors! ha!

MMMOOOO...
I emerged from the closet wearing Jimmy's hunting long underwear pulled over my enormous belly, to which he quickly commented "Boy... those'll never be the same." He then helped me climb into and zipped me up in his camo coveralls and had to put on and tie his waterproof hiking boots around my 3 layers of SmartWool socks and swollen feet.

Needless, to say, it wasn't our 3 year old this year that got completely dressed from head to toe only to then exclaim, "I've got to use the bathroom!"

He was very sweet not to say it, but I know he was thinking... Woman, don't you DARE pee in my long underwear and coveralls. Deer can smell that a mile away!

I'm not ashamed to admit it, I've had a few little "accidents" this go around. We won't even go into what happened when a bird got caught in our Christmas tree and then flew right past my head at warp speed... you can use your imagination.

If not... I've unfortunately got it on video.

For the record, 35-year-old bladders were not made to have a baby sitting right on top of them.

We have spent the weekend around the house mostly in our PJs, since we weren't able to make it to Alabama and our church got canceled because of the snow. It has been a wonderful, white Christmas and I am thankful beyond belief.

Hope you and yours had a very merry one as well...can't wait to see all that 2011 has in store for us!!

Kickoff to Christmas

Christmas is in full swing around here. Last week, we had Trace's Preschool Christmas show, 2 Christmas parties and a birthday party for Miss Bentley (I forgot my camera).

Tuesday night, the kiddos at Hixson Pres. Preschool put us all in the holiday spirit with their sweet voices and reenactment of the birth of baby Jesus.

My little drummer boy...
I don't know WHAT was going on with my camera, but every picture I took gave them "demon" eyes.
It was a very lively production this year, with some new songs about various animals coming to visit baby Jesus and "mooing, baaing, and neighing" at him in the manger...
Mine was quite animated to say the least!


Trace greeting his entourage after the performance...

On Friday night, we had our 3rd annual Gingerbread House party with my girlfriends from college at Leslie and Jack's house. This year, Miss Olivia, joined us for the first time. I love how we continue to grow and how the kids all change from year to year.

Olivia just watched this year, but oohhhh next Christmas she will be all in that icing and candy! Get ready Iris!!
Jill is in charge every year of bringing the milk cartons since she's the teacher and gets them from school. Before the party, we all got an e-mail that said... "Houston, we have a problem." Since school was canceled the day before for ice and the teacher's inservice was all that was left, we had to settle for little juice boxes and tiny cracker boxes. So the kids got creative. Ethan made a mansion by stacking his on top of one another and making a multi-story house. Trace did a house with a detached 3 car garage for his boat and other "toys"... Daddy would be proud!

In typical Trace fashion, he slathered on a little icing, popped on a few pieces of candy (ingested a few as well) and was off playing with all of Jack's toys in about 5 minutes. Crafts are not really his cup of tea. Especially when he's at a new house full of toys he's never played with before.
Sweet Abby was the last one standing...

The next night, we went to our church's "Friendship House" for my dad's side of the family's Christmas. I always look forward to getting together with everyone, it's so rare that we do these days. Not everyone could make it this year but it is always so much fun. The kids RUN around like crazy, banging on the piano, stealing cupcakes off the table and making castles out of Solo cups only to knock them down repeatedly.

When I got out of the shower before the party, I found this sweet scene in my living room. Trace had fallen asleep in the floor and Ginger was keeping watch over him while we got ready... she really does love him!!
Generation 1...
Dad's cousins Mike and Greg, Aunt Gail and my dad.

Since we lost my great-aunt Sue in March, this was the first Christmas that one of the "original" 3 sisters that started this whole clan wasn't here with us. We found peace knowing that this year, they were all spending Christmas together in heaven!
Generation 2...
My cousins Casey and Carrie, my brother Andy, me, cousins Cara and Brittany. We were missing Lindsey, Zack, and Allison.
Generation 3...

Drew, Cole, Abram, Lucas, and Trace. We were missing Connor and Sarah.

Moments before... these 5 were running around, scattered everywhere. Someone wrangled them all together, wrestled them to the floor and started snapping pictures. This sweet pose lasted only nanoseconds. I think Drew will be glad when Girby gets here... she is SO outnumbered!

Love this one...
Aunt Carrie and baby Cole
My cousin Cara entertained the kids like such a natural. She is a seventh grade teacher and she was so born to do this. They adore her!

I got the bright idea Saturday morning to attempt candied apples. I used an obscene amount of wax paper and aluminum foil, nearly ruined my countertops and had to throw away every pot and pan I touched. It was a MESS!!! Had to take a picture, because those will be the last! ha!
Greg and I comparing "bumps"... I kept yelling, "Don't you dare suck in... 'cause I can't!"
It has been a great week and I can't wait to see what the rest of this holiday season has in store for us!!

Beginning the 7 year itch with a bun in the oven

This week, Jimmy and I celebrated our 7 th wedding anniversary. Sometimes, I can't believe it's been that long already, and then other times it just feels like we've been together since the dawn of time. ha!

We have kind of adopted a few traditions along the way, one being that we watch our wedding video every year on our anniversary in front of our beautiful Christmas tree and fire. We laugh about how much younger and thinner we were then (hello... especially this year!) and love to remember that wonderful night. I think I say every year, "I probably couldn't get one leg in that dress any more."

As much as I love doing that, with each passing year, it seems there are more and more dear family and friends that we've lost since watching the video the year before. Seeing them at our wedding, celebrating the beginning of our lives together fills me with joy but sadness as well. This year, I couldn't help but think, these were very important people in our lives that will never meet or know our sweet baby girl. (at least on this side of heaven)

Regardless, I wouldn't trade anything for that video or our tradition and it totally ranks in the top 5 things I would rescue from my house if it was burning. Yes, my dog, child, and hubby also rank in the top 5... not in that particular order! ha!

Another anniversary "tradition" we have is going to the Melting Pot. On our first anniversary, we went to the Opryland hotel (we didn't actually stay there, because honestly, who could afford the room rates at Christmas in that place???) but we spent the night in Nashville, Christmas shopped, saw all the sights at the Opryland hotel and had dinner at the Melting Pot. We don't make it to a Melting Pot every year but since then, we have been to the one in Atlanta and Destin.

This year, we stuck close to home and thanks to a gift certificate from one of Jimmy's workers, we ate at the new Chattanooga location for free!!! Friday night, Trace went to Parent's Night Out at his school and we had our anniversary date. It never disappoints... and Girby loved it too!! She bounced all the way home after eating all that chocolate fondue.

After the hostess took this picture of us, I told Jimmy the next one better be of us sitting down... I look HUGE (and we hadn't even eaten yet)!!!

31 weeks and everyone that sees me says I will never make it to February. Of course, that didn't stop me from eating nearly every bite of my 4 course meal! My mom asked me if we brought doggie bags home... yeah right :)
One thing not helping my waistline lately is the fact that we splurged on the Carmike Theater's Big - O - Bucket of refillable popcorn back in October and I've been a little obsessed with getting our moneys worth out of it until it expires on December 31st. (Anyone planning on going to a Carmike movie between now and New Years, please come by and borrow our bucket) It only costs $2.50 to refill it so I've been scouring the movie section for any chance to use it.

We saw a movie the day of the SEC Championship football game and barely resisted the urge to refill it (again) before we left. That night, I'll admit, I was not a very attentive mama. In the hopes of staying wrapped cozily in my blanket on my chair and a half, watching the Auburn/South Carolina game I told Trace I would turn on a "little bit of show" as he calls it in our bedroom. A "little bit of show" these days would most likely be a Diego, Team Umizoomi, Dora or Max and Ruby.

(To quote my friend Eddie..."Seriously, where are Max and Ruby's parents?") Probably trying to watch the SEC Championship game in peace. ha!

About an hour in, Jimmy commented about how quiet Trace was being. I begrudgingly unwrap from my cocoon, propel myself off the cushy chair and a half and waddle into our bedroom to find this...
He explained he and Ginger were just sharing a "little bit of popcorn" while they were watching a "little bit of show." I instinctively cringed and imagined her head stuck down inside the bowl of heavily buttered popcorn helping herself to her portion until I saw his little buttery hand emerge with a handful that she then licked clean... while the two lay between the sheets of my bed.
Funny thing is, we never even heard him sneak into the kitchen and snag the bucket off the countertop. He probably waited until a big play when he knew we weren't paying any attention and then made his mad dash.

I'd like to think Ginger put him up to it.

Those two are quite the pair!