A Very Merry Christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year. The girls loved all of it & we loved watching them! We headed down to my parents house on Christmas Eve & we stopped by Dingdaddy's store to surprise him on our way into town. After getting to the house, we all loaded up to go see Santa. I know that is a very last minute visit, but it was challenging this year to go with Anna in school. They enjoyed getting their picture made with cousin Madison, even though Maelyn looked like a deer in headlights on Santa's lap. Anna told Santa that she wanted a talking horse & a puppy. Maelyn told him she wanted a sucker (at least someone is easy to please).

Here they are afterwards... the little girls were trying to do reindeer antlers, but Mae just stuck one finger in her ear. She needs a little more practice. :)

Back at Grammy's, Anna helped bake Christmas cookies & they both decorated after Mae's nap.
Posing the with yummy cookies... later that night we all sat around the fire pit in my parents back yard roasting marshmellows. When Tom & Mae went inside, she said, "hey, what's Fancy eating? Fancy is eating Santa's cookies!". My Aunt's dog had helped herself, and had eaten at least 3 cookies before she was caught.

Every year since I was born, my Dad has read Twas the Night Before Christmas from this little golden book. This year, Anna sat & enjoyed the whole book (Mae made it halfway before she had to come stand on the fireplace hearth with me where I was videotaping).

Anna woke us up 3 times in the night asking to get up for Christmas morning. Here are the two little snuggle bugs staring at the gifts, waiting for the go ahead to open. We had talked a lot the night before are remembering our manners and being thankful for what we get. Anna said, "you definately don't say I HATE THIS TOY when you open something, right mommy? You just pretend you like it because it's Jesus' birthday." Thank goodness!

Maelyn laid out all the goodies from her stocking in neat little rows (unexpected). The girls favorite stocking stuffer was these princess music boxes. All weekend we got to hear both of them singing at once while the girls danced "ballellae" out on the deck. The girls really loved all of their gifts this year... one of their favorites were the pucci pups that Santa brought. Maelyn said she named hers "ieesha". Hmmmm.

Mamaw & Papaw made Mae a precious doll cradle with quilted bedding. I know she will treasure it. I have pics of the girls as babies in the cradle that Papaw made me as a little girl.

Maelyn playing with her new dollhouse with Uncle Mike.

Snuggles with Mommy wearing a new dress up outfit.
Dancing on the deck with their music boxes.

The girls had so much fun enjoying being with family for the rest of the weekend. We got to play at the park, see Christmas lights, and play outside a lot. My mom opened a pack of glowsticks one night and they had a ball running around the yard. Anna said she was a conducter and kept leading us in Christmas carols. Of course, we also got to do a glow in the dark version of the Jonah musical (which they play every day). Mae mostly just ran around like a crazy chicken.

On Sunday after church while we loaded the car Dingdaddy put up this swing on the deck. It hung on the porch at his grandparent's farm and generations of his family have swung in it as babies (including him and all of us kids). The girls loved it. (Notice Mae's sparkly shoes Aunt Mandy - we can't get her out of them! Thank you!)
This was such a blessed Christmas for our family. We pray that you all had great holidays too!