Just Because...

Just because the Christmas is taken down and put away, the January bills are paid, the groceries are bought, and the laundry is done....we had some "free" time to get a little crafty this afternoon. I actually like the little holidays because they are fun without the stress!

After our crafting, we ended 2012 with game night with the little girl and watching the ball drop in New York. Cooper has been at Nanna's since Saturday so we've enjoyed doing some "big" girl things with Anna Lauren.  Miss him though and look forward to getting him tomorrow and leaving Anna Lauren with Nanna. Matt and I go back to work Wednesday and school doesn't start until Monday.  Wednesday will be a sad day for us and Cooper.  However, we are so thankful to be able to have the time off we do have at Christmas time!

Reid's 15th Birthday...

This past Thursday, we had lunch and went to Christmas on Ice to celebrate Reid's 15th birthday.  Wow...15...I remember sleeping on the hospital floor all night waiting on this little guy to arrive just like it was yesterday.  What fun it has been watching him grow and mature into a young man...he is crazy smart, musically talented, lives in his "own" world, and doesn't have a lick of common sense!  Look forward to watching him finish high school and seeing what he becomes...Matt says he will work for him one day...we'll see!

Anna Lauren and Reid ready to give ice skating a try...

Cooper just hung out and watched everyone...but...he sure did want to "try" to skate...

Not sure Reid ever turned loose of the wall...

Jake coming down the ice slide...

Anna Lauren and Matt spent a good bit of their time on the wall too...

Hannah (friend), Anna Lauren, and Reid...

Jake and Cooper coming down the ice slide...Cooper wanted to go with Jake!

Think this face will tell you he liked the slide!

Do it again, Jake!  However, Jake wasn't up for that...the line was long and it hurt your bootie at the bottom.

Anna Lauren and Hannah...

However, Cooper talked Daddy into sliding with him...

The kid LOVED it...so glad my children have very little if any fear!

They got better and better...by the end, they were no where near the wall...

Anna Lauren had a great time ice skating and we enjoyed celebrating "15" with Reid!

Christmas is Over...

I read a friend's blog, and she said...Christmas is over...can I get a high five?  That is EXACTLY how I feel!

Most people will tell you this is the most wonderful time of the year...for religious reasons, I would quickly say yes, that is true!  But...we loose focus and don't spend any time really focusing on the "real" reason for Christmas.  We worry about decorating, buying the perfect gift, getting to all the parties, seeing everyone we need to see and attempting to make everyone happy, doing all the traditional things, and on and on and on.  It is so exhausting that I have a hard time sitting back and enjoying the moment...I just want it to come and go so we can start "fresh" with another year.  Call me scrooge...

But now I'm going to give Laura a high five through blog world and say, let's bring on 2013!  The pictures are blogged and all the Christmas has been taken down and put away.  Until next year...

Christmas at Nanna's...

After our train ride to Brookhaven on Christmas Day, we enjoyed a delicious traditional Christmas lunch and opened presents with all of my family.

Cooper is so proud of himself because he started opening a present before it was time...

Not so proud now that Daddy is holding the box not letting him open it yet...

Ashton (such a funny kid...he got a video camera you wear on your head) and Anna Lauren...

Cooper has one cap, an Ole Miss cap that Pop Pop gave him.  Well, one day Jake spent the day with us and Cooper wanted to wear a cap all day like Jake...which meant, his Ole Miss cap.  Jake's family only wears Mississippi State stuff so they quickly knew what to buy him for Christmas.

Anna Lauren not so sure why Aunt Barbie gave her pink pencils...

Then she liked them once she realized they had her name on them...

Jake with his new shoes from Nanna...

Reid checking out his new tennis shoes from Nanna...

New case for his IPad Santa brought...he couldn't figure out why Santa didn't leave him a case.  You know, sometimes Santa and Nanna have to work together!

So excited over her dream lite...she had been asking for one since Bently got one for her birthday in October.

Uncle Brad and Aunt Paula got scooters for Ashton, Bently, and Anna Lauren.  I cannot tell you how many circles they made through Nanna's house on Christmas Day.  They for sure couldn't go outside...it was a yucky, rainy day.

Bently with her new scooter...

Jake showing off his new "Polo" pullover...so into name brands these days.  Let's just say teenager!

Nanna always gets the girls matching outfits...and typically with a tutu skirt!

And the boys get nutcrackers...

Anna Lauren opening our "family" present from Nanna...

Think she likes what she sees...

Yep...she likes it and so do the rest of us!  When Daddy changed jobs, he had to give the IPad back to the Health Department so we were thrilled to get another one...we had missed having one!

Helping Nanny open her presents...

Nanny is the crochet queen...she does it all the time.  Well, Paula bought her some fun colors of yarn to make us all some hats.  Notice Paula got a pink one...well, not sure what happened but Barbie and I managed to get the Ms. Claus hats.  Needless to say, they provided much laughter Christmas afternoon.  And sweet Nanny doesn't even realize what she did...she just picked up yarn and started going...miss her "good" mind so much!

A Trip on the Train...

Thanks to Santa for bringing us tickets, we rode on the train to Brookhaven Christmas Day!

Anna Lauren all smiles at the train station waiting on the train...

On the train...and yes, soaking wet...it was pouring down rain, but we were so excited to be riding the train that it really didn't matter.  And sorry the pictures are not the best...I was using my phone (bad idea).

Looking out the window with Daddy...

Cooper found a lady behind him to talk to...

Of course, we had to go to the snack shop!

Jake, Brad, Reid, Paula, and Nanna met us at the train station in Brookhaven...here the boys are waiting on us to arrive.

Here we come...thanks to Aunt Paula for taking pictures!

Getting off the train...

What a fun adventure...will for sure have to ride again...we all had a good time!