Recap of Christmas Vacations 2011

Hiking, bowling, Smoky Mountain Jump House, Trip to Tennessee, Grandparents Visit, Christmas Party, tons of family time and saw many friends! Loved every second of our break and now ready to see 2011 hit the door and welcome in 2012!

Christmas Eve 2011

Tommy's parents are here and we are kicking off Christmas right! We started with a big dinner of ham, rolls, spinach casserole, baked pineapple, sausage balls and corn and saffron rice and homemade apple pie.

We then opened presents (Santa and stockings come in the morning). The kids went nuts! We got ready and went to the Christmas Eve church service and then home again to get ready for bed.

Carson and Ella sprinkled the lawn with "Reindeer food". Oatmeal and glitter are apparently the food of choice according to Carson's preschool class. The moon reflects off the glitter and helps Rudolph find his way to your house.

And last, Tyler wrote a letter to Santa and left him some cookies and milk. Three very excited kids are in bed right now tossing and turning with anticipation of the morning.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Gingerbread House 2011

Christmas Card 2011

Christmas In Oak Ridge 2011

Went to Oak Ridge this past weekend to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family. My mom, her fiance Ron, my sister Becky and brother in law Hal, niece Sophia and nephew Dawson. Oh, and all of my crew of course. My sister fixed a big Mexican feast and we opened presents. The kids were all thrilled with their stuff- adults also. Then, this is where it got interesting...we left the kids in Oak Ridge and Tommy and I drove back home for a kid-free Christmas party. We decided almost 8 years of never having a date night was long enough(much less a night where all the kids were staying the night somewhere else). It was a lot of driving, but awesome. So after getting up this morning, we drove back to Tennessee to pick them up and visit a little while longer. Great Christmas 2011!

Santa Visits Preschool

Night With Friends

Tonight we had a few friends over to to appetizers and desserts. Each family brought one of each and they we set them all up on the table as a buffet to graze on.

Hummus, bri and gingered-pear chutney tarts, hot artichoke dip and sausage balls were the starters. Followed by raspberry chocolate torte, double chocolate oreo cheesecake and cream puffs with homemade chocolate sauce. Can you tell this group likes chocolate?

All the kids played outside, inside, watched some of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and then went upstairs to put on a play for the adults.

Tommy and I even got to love on our friend Katie and Jeff's little baby boy Charlie.

Good times!

Ella On Christmas

Carson on Christmas

Tyler On Christmas