New Year's Eve

We celebrated Christmas with Stephen's family on New Year's Eve up in Raleigh at Erin and Ronald's house.  The girls were so excited because they got to have their first sleepover with their cousins!  I think they were all asleep by 10:30....not too bad!  We had a great time opening presents, playing with Emma's new Wii and ringing in the new year with a riveting game of dominoes!  Happy New Year everyone!

All the cousins drinking their "spicy juice" - aka Sparkling Grape Juice

Hannah chose to use the pretty wine glass

Stephen showing off one of his gifts from Philip - no, those aren't his real teeth!

Ashlyn looks like she's drinking out of a bowl!

Notice anything different about Stephen?

Rachel tests out her drink

Emma keeping Ashlyn company

Hannah hiding among the Christmas animals

Ashlyn and Rachel playing with Emma's Wii - they are bowling in these pictures

Hannah really wanted to try out Emma's Nintendo DS

The little girls all ready for bed and Ashlyn and Hannah were trying out their brand new sleeping bags from Grandma Ruth and Papa!

Emma read the little girls a bedtime story....sweet cousins!

Christmas Day in the Morning :)

The girls must have been on the Nice list because Santa brought presents!  I didn't get many pictures from Christmas morning....it was a bit chaotic!  Here are the few that I did take!

Santa brought the girls princess dresses

Hannah surrounded by her presents

Strawberry Shortcake!

This was the hit of the day....a $5 alarm clock!

Minnie Mouse

Tearing into the presents

Hannah tries out her piggy bank

 A view of the living room after the destruction of the morning :)

Christmas Eve!

On Christmas Eve we were in Augusta and went to Covenant's Christmas Eve Service.  To our surprise, the girls were asked to help out with their impromptu pageant and dressed as angels to help tell the Christmas Story.  It was such a nice service, and so special to have all of the kids participating.  After we got home it was time to put the cookies out for Santa and head to bed!

The angels surrounding baby Jesus.

The Wise Men have arrived

Grandma with her girls

The cookies are out for Santa!

Ashlyn wrote Santa a little note.

How could Santa not want to eat that?

Christmas Goodies

The girls and I spent one Saturday morning baking....well, technically it wasn't baking, but we did make reindeer cookies out of Nutter Butters and chocolate dipped marshmallows!  They had a great time adding sprinkles to the marshmallows and being in charge of adding the eyes, antlers, and noses of the reindeer.  They must have been good, because Santa seemed to enjoy them when he stopped by our house to deliver his presents!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Right after we left Ashlyn's Christmas party at school we picked up Hannah and headed over to the Anderson Mall to see Santa.  Ashlyn and Hannah were both able to sit on his lap for a long time and he even sang Jingle Bells to them.  And the best part was we didn't have to wait at all!  Walked right in and were the first in line!  (sometimes it pays to live in small-town America!)  Here are some pictures that I took of them talking to Santa.....

All smiles!

Hannah could hold back her excitement of being in Santa's lap.

Ashlyn had her lip stuck out as she concentrated on what else she might want Santa to bring her.

I think this is when Santa was singing Jingle Bells

 And one last hug before it was time to go!

School's Out!

For Christmas break, that is!  Stephen and I were able to go to Ashlyn's elementary school the Friday they got out and enjoyed watching a Christmas program with her and then got to go back to her classroom for their Christmas party.  What a great way to start off their winter break!

Waiting for the program to begin!

Ashlyn and her friend Maren Claire

Ashlyn with her teachers - Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Drummond