Wow- December is gone!

Where did the month of December go? It has truly zoomed by! Where to start for the last post of 2009....? The boys had their first piano recital a week or so before Christmas and it was Christmas themed. Brenner played "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and Cayden played a rendition of "Jingle Bells". They both spent lots of time practicing and other than some nervous jittery notes, played like little Beethovens! Good Job Boys!

Brenner and the 12 days of Christmas

Push Pause on the player at the bottom, before hitting the play button.

Cayden playing Jingle Bells.

We made a fun Christmas trip up to the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Brantley's and had a blast just eating great food, playing fun games, and trying to keep warm in a little cabin all decorated for the Holidays in the woods.

It was so cold that the Polar Bears were out!

The kidos found a warm spot as long as they were submerged to their necks.

Wow- As the camera always seems to be fixed on the kids, just a picture of US! We need to take more of these!

Thanks, Page, Brandon and Family for such a great time! Let's do it again next year!

At the Stone Mountain Christmas lights. The lights seem to get better every year, and the kids are getting old enough to sit through some of the fun shows. Dinner at Miss Katie's, and all the kids caught their own "Flying Rolls".

Christmas Eve and home made PJ's made by Bing. It is so much fun to see a tradition that you hold dear passed on to your own kids~ THANKS BING! We love you and your Jammies!

Back at the house and the kids Christmas Eve gift swap.

Oh - Santa Delivered, what a Surprise!

Brenner Found the Christmas Pickle hidden in the tree and got to open the first gift of the morning (for the second year in a row now- good eyes!)

Mia and "Swim to Me Puppy" (More like Drowned in front of me Puppy) =)

Cayden and his Legos, He built that whole thing in less than 2 hours! (over 900 pieces)

Brenner and his Indoor Soccer Shoes. Now his "Style" will match is "Skills".

Holding up Mimi and Granddaddy's Money! Funny- Cayden asked this year if Santa really makes the toys or if he just "buys" them? Humm...? Just like his daddy, never satisfied with the "Simple facts of the story"!

After all the parties, lots of great food, cups of hot chocolate, all the here and there, all the wrapping and unwrapping, all the magic and fun in the eyes of young children and all that a "Family Christmas" Holds, it ended with some laps around a slot-car track and some late night Rips on Wii Rock Band with the kids.

What a great December, nice 2009 and just as the Christmas movie title- "What a Wonderful Life! We are truly blessed and thankful!

Christmas in full swing!

It is only the 6th of December and it seems that Christmas has already been around for over 2 weeks! As Thanksgiving was not hosted at our home this year, Nikki got her wish of putting up the decorations and trees the last week of November. I always use Thanksgiving as a logical reason to wait till the first weekend in December, but this year she got her way. It works out though because as the years go on and as we collect more and more Christmas Stuff, we need several weekends for the elves to get it all up! The picture above is a shot of the tradition of sleeping under the tree on the night it goes up (November 24th this year... Yikes!).

This is a preview of the possible Christmas card photo, but if this year is anything like the last, there will be at least one more shoot! The foyer is one of our favorite parts of the house every Christmas as it is always done in clear lights and holds Nikki's "Fancy Adult Tree". The new addition this year is some Mistletoe hung from the light above (can barely see it in the picture if you squint), I will let you all know if it really works the way that tradition holds! =)

Christmas Cookies have been baking.

The kids in front of the outside lights. As many of our outside lights were going on 10 years old, almost none wanted to work this year. I figured that it was time to re-work them and went from multi-colored to red, green and white. It looks Great in the day, and even better at night. Something Clark Griswald would be truly proud of!

Picture of the ever growing Christmas Village (just for Tara).

And last but not least- this years picture with Santa!

Items on their lists:

Brenner- Wii Games, R/C Car, Indoor Soccer Shoes.

Cayden- Nintendo DS and Games, and Legos, Legos and more Legos.

Mia- Baby Dolls, Swim to me Puppy, Dora Backpack, Play Kitchen, Elephants game, Little Baby LuLu Kitty and one of everything that she sees on the TV! She is really getting into the true spirit of Christmas this year!?!?! =)