New Year's Eve

We spent New Year's Eve with the Hollingsworths. Alice Ann and Jane Gray have become such sweet friends, and they had so much fun together holding hands, watching movies, and playing Uno on Mommy and Daddy's bed. The little kids ran all over the house playing with toys. Jetson especially loved playing with Charlie's big boy toys. After dinner, we went outside and shot fireworks with the Smiths and Hardins. The Hardins provided awesome fireworks, and Daddy gave all of the children sparklers. Meg was terrified of the noise and clung to Mommy the entire time. Mommy thought it was pretty sweet. After the fireworks, we headed inside to warm up by the fire and toast the new year (at least the EST new year - the kids were ready for bed!). It was a great way to start 2010!

Waiting for Daddy

The next best thing to hunting is waiting for Daddy to get home from hunting. Today, Daddy and Uncle Will brought home lots of teal for Charlie to pet and hold. He was so happy!

Fun with our Christmas gifts

The children had a wonderful Christmas and have thoroughly enjoyed playing with all of their new gifts. Meg got THREE baby dolls, and she dutifully strolls them every day! Meg also sings "Jesus Loves Me" to her babies - it is so sweet! Meg's teachers told me that Meg has been the only one in her class to request a song in music - can you guess which song? "Jesus Loves Me," her favorite! Charlie has enjoyed all of his dinosaurs, Leapster games, and gazing at his new deer antlers. Jane Gray loves her zhu zhu pet, books, and Nintendo DS. Mommy is happy to report that all are sharing sweetly (most of the time, anyway), and the children have asked to stay home with Mommy instead of going back to school. That is so not happening!

Daddy and Charlie snoozing on the couch

Tonight, after we put the children to bed, Charlie came out and said he was hungry. We gave him some ham and let him hang out with Daddy on the couch. Ten minutes later, both Daddy and Charlie were snoozing away. It has, apparently, been an exhausting Christmas!

Christmas with Alice

On our way to church, we stopped by the Orchard to see Alice and give her our Christmas gift. Charlie was still in his Spiderman costume, as you can see. Jane Gray and Charlie helped Alice open her gift, and then we visited for a good bit while the children ate Alice's candy. Alice has a sweet tooth the same size as the children's. On our way out, we stopped to visit with Santa. Jane Gray and Charlie wanted to take a picture with him. Meg could not take her eyes off of him! She loves "ho ho!"

Christmas at Nana and Grandpa's house

After church, we went to Nana and Grandpa's for lunch and to open presents with the Zupas and Gibsons. It was our first time to meet Baby Jake - he is so sweet! The kids loved opening more gifts. Aunt Stacy and Uncle Tony gave Charlie a Spiderman costume, and he decided to put it on immediately. He wore it until we made him take it off for night church. Jane Gray received lots of books - her favorite - from Aunt Kim and Uncle Walker and a precious shirt from Aunt Wendy and Uncle Randy! Aunt Stacy and Uncle Tony gave Jane Gray a magic set, which she opened right away. She impressed her cousins with her new tricks! Meg got some puzzles and a onesie to match Jane Gray's shirt. Meg loved her new presents, but she stuck with her old favorite - Spot, Nana and Grandpa's stuffed dalmation puppy.

Saturday in Yazoo City and Louise

Daddy took Jane Gray deer hunting in Louise this afternoon. Before they headed out to Louise, Daddy drove the children around on the four-wheeler. They had so much fun!

Christmas 2009

Daddy and Mommy woke up around 7:00, and the children were still fast asleep. Pop and Sherrie arrived around 7:30, and they helped us wake them up. We opened our stockings first, grabbed a couple of sausage pinwheels and some coffee cake and banana bread, and headed to the sunroom to open our gifts. Santa was good to us, and the children were thrilled! They tore through their gifts and played with their new toys until it was time to head to the Hursts' house for brunch. We ate and opened some more presents before heading home to get ready for lunch with Nana, Grandpa, and Momma Stowe. The kids played outside with the Greggs while Mommy and Daddy cooked and cleaned up the house. As soon as Nana and Grandpa arrived, we opened more presents and then ate lunch. After lunch, we had a lot of fun playing with all of our new toys. Grandpa put together Charlie's racetrack - it was a hit! Jane Gray shared her karoake machine, too, and it was a lot of fun! When Nana and Grandpa left, we popped in Jane Gray and Charlie's new DVD, Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and Mommy and Daddy crashed on the couch! Christmas 2009 was a great one!