Year End Review 2011

It always seems like life is pretty routine until our annual year end review.  We have done this for many years now and it's always so nice to look back over the year and see what happened in our family.  In the past we have gone to our favorite Chinese resteraunt, The Egg Roll Machine, but this year Camden was craving PF Changs lettuce wraps so we headed there.  There are no pictures because I just didn't feel like being bothered with it.  I wanted to be with my family, enjoying every bite of yummy food and just being present in the moment with them.  Every year seems to be passing more quickly, especially where Madison is concerned and sometimes you just need to sit and enjoy.

1. I went to work part time at the Louisville Airport.

2. My boys celebrated their beloved Cats going to the Final Four and beating  Tennessee after a 26 year losing streak.

3. I did the Bible studies Not A Fan & Balancing Lifes Demands.

4. I finished reading the entire Bible on my birthday.

5. I sponsored my first child, Annie through an Orphans Wish.

6. Madison turned the big 18.

7. Madison became a Senior in High School.

8. Madison got accepted to all 3 colleges he applied for.

9. Madison registered to Vote and  registered for the Draft.

10. Our pool had to get a new liner.  It was fun picking it out.

12. I've gone more digital.  I've started digital scrapbooking and reading Ebooks.

11. Our family went on 2 college campus tours.

12. Madison got his first raise at work.

13. Camden had his first root canal.

14. Sophie went to the dentist for the first time in her little life and got 2 cavities filled.

15. Camden completed the Dale Carnegie Training.

16. Sophie got a big girl bed.

17. Madison went on his first road trip by himself.

18.  We began applying for college scholarships.

19. Madison went to his Junior Ring Dance.

20.  Madison had Senior portraits taken.

21. Madison recieved a 25 on his ACT and finsished his Junior year with a 3.94 GPA.

22.  I got an Ipad.

23. Sophie went to her first movie.

I am looking forward to what God has in store for our family in 2012!

Merry Christmas 2011

Camden and I are worse than the kids, they sleep great.  We stay awake all night,too excited for Santa to get here.  About 7am, we woke up the kiddos and ran into the living room to see what Santa brought.

Sophie recieved a doll with a pink dress just like she had asked and was so thrilled to see that it came with a new doll bed.

Even though he is eighteen, I never let him know what he is getting for Christmas.  It's always a surprise to him.  This year one of his gifts was a box of gift cards.  He loved it because each one was individually wrapped and he would have lots of fun stuff to do over Christmas break.

Sophie was thrilled with everything especially the new baby doll clothes!

This year Santa gave our family a Kinect and each person got their own game.  Sophie recieved Nickelodeon's Dora Dance Game, Madison a Sports game and Camden and I got Grease Dance and Sing Along.  We had a blast! 

At noon it was time to stop and head over to the Hardy's for Granny's Christmas.   Sophie has so much fun with her cousins.

Madison is excited to see what he is going to get.

Sophie and SK got to play Santa.  They had fun passing out the presents.

The boys had fun opening the presents!

Madison giving Granny some Christmas love.  Thanks Granny for all the great stuff!

The girls all got new dolls and loved them.

Little Lila loving Christmas.

Daddy getting some Christmas kisses from his girl.  

After we were done we headed back home to throw our PJ's back on and fire up the Kinect.  Camden and I laid around and watched the kids play and thanked God for the blessing of another great Christmas!

Santa Comes Tonight! Christmas With Mamoo & Pappy

Tonight we headed to Mamoo & Pappy's for Christmas Eve Dinner, time with my family and of course presents.  This has been my families tradition since before I was born.  We always went to my Grandmothers house on Christmas Eve.  Everyone looked forward to it because my Grandmother had certain dishes she cooked only at Christmas and they were delicous.  My mom has taken over this tradition and my brothers and I look so forward to getting some of our favorite dishes from our childhood.  My brother Sam informed me that this was his favorite meal out of all the holidays. 

This is my Grandmothers Fresh Apple Nut Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.  It was her mother's recipe and it is so good!  Another favorite on the menu was my Grandmother's fruit salad.  These items bring back such good memories for us all.

The grandkids love coming on Christmas Eve because they feel special eating off the good China and using crystal glasses.  Since I was little my job has always been to set the table.  My Grandmother taught me the proper placement for the silverware when I was a girl and this Christmas I taught my little girl.  She loved helping.  It was like a giant tea party for her.

After dinner and dessert it was gift time.  Sophie recieved everything Barbie and my older brothers enjoyed a good laugh reminding me how I was a Barbie nut and how they used to threaten to pull their heads off just to aggrivate me.

The remote control Barbie Corvette was a big hit.  Even the boys wanted to play with it.

Mamoo with her Grandbabies.  These kids adore her!

Dwayne, Lora and Zachary.  They are ready for Santa to come!

My brother Sam and his girls Angie & Victoria.

Victoria is a Daddy's girl for sure!

When we were finished at mom and dads we headed home to get everything ready for the man in the red suit.  Sophie and Madison said goodbye to Ollie.

Then Daddy sat his children down to read them the story of the night Jesus was born.  Camden has done this since Madison was a baby but this year he read it from his Bible app instead of the book.  It's amazing how fast things seem to change.  One thing stays the same and that is God's word.  Camden and I have always tried to keep Christ as the focus of Christmas for our kids and this tradition of reading the Bible before bed genlty reminds us of why we celebrate Christmas.

We sat out our cookies for Santa, Sophie spread her reindeer food on the front lawn.

Camden read Sophie The Night Before Christmas then one last photo and off to bed for her.  It was time for Santa to come!

Let The Festivities Begin! Christmas With JoJo & Butch

Christmas with family officially bagan for us tonight.  We met at JoJo and Butch's for dinner with Sandy and the boys.  One thing you are always guaranteed is a good meal.  All the boys look forward to the flank steak, twice baked potatoes as big as your head and homeade bread.  As I looked around tonight I couldn't help but remember some of our first Christmas's when all our boys were toddling around.  It seems like only yesterday and now they are grown with jobs and girlfriends.  They sat down with Sophie and played with some of the same trucks they played with when they were little.  Good Christmas memories and hopefully many more to come!

I'm thinking next year for her birthday Sandy is getting a pair of reindeer ears.  She wore Sophie's all night.

 My handsome husband.  

JoJo always cuts fresh plants and flowers from her garden to decorate.  She had used pretty holly cuttings to decorate her deck and table.  So pretty!

 JoJo works so hard to make everything perfect.

 Some of the same toys the boys played with when they were little at Christmas time.

No matter how big Madison gets, he is still so excited for Christmas.