Showering our Bride

This past weekend we were able to go to Carrie's first shower!  It was a lovely day and the ladies of Aberdeen were so sweet to throw Carrie the shower.  After church we got to enjoy some cake and drinks while we got to visit.  It was another perfect day to celebrate our beautiful bride! 

 All ladies present and accounted for.  We wouldn't have missed it for the world!

 A perfectly beautiful shower

 Mommy and her girls

 RoRo and Macie

Morgan passed the time playing with Julie (so thankful she was there!) and building forts with the chairs!

The Tale of Two Elizabeths

One of the best days was when Macie Elizabeth got to meet Susan Elizabeth.  Susan and John were passing through town and made time to stop to visit.  It was so special to see these two finally meet!  Macie warmed up to her pretty quickly and she looks absolutely precious in the sweater Susan knitted for her! 

Holiday Happiness

This month has been full of joy and wonder.  This Christmas is truly magical for Morgan and by extension all of us as well.  She is beginning to fully comprehend why we celebrate Jesus' birthday with so much fun.  And she is ready to jump in and join us!  Macie just loves all the lights and decorations!  Below are many of the ways we have been enjoying this season...

 Jeff and Morgan had a date night and went to see Disney on Ice.  Jeff surprised her and she was thrilled!

 While Morgan was away Mommy let Macie into Morgan's room to see her tree.  Shhh... don't tell Morgan!

 Daddy didn't get all the fun!  I took Morgan to see the Nutcracker and to say she loved it would be an understatement.  She was amazed by the ballerinas, costumes, sets and music.  She would chase down the ballerinas after the show to tell them how beautiful they were!

 Mommy and Morgan

 We also took in the Christmas parade!  While looking for a spot we found the Thomas Family and Morgan was thrilled to watch with her friends!

 Bundled up girls ready to watch

 Morgan's class walked to see Santa one day and to mail the letters they wrote to him.  It was so sweet!

 Sending her list straight to the North Pole

 Loving to visit with Santa this year

 Macie came too but she loved Morgan's jingle bell the best

 Morgan's sweet class

 Once day I took the girls to see Santa at the Mall.  It was Morgan's second time to see him this year and she was ready for more.  Macie?  Not so much.  Macie was still terrified even when Santa hid behind the chair!  Maybe next year?

 Elfie came back!  And this year he brought some friends to help keep and eye on the girls!  Please meet Twinkle (a girl elf) and Jingle Bell the reigndeer

 We also made our first trip to Cotton Plant to see the lights.  After a long wait in traffic we loved getting to walk around and take it all in!  Morgan found some favorites- the penguins and Bully.  Macie kept pointing and saying, "Ooohhh!"

 I think we may be visiting this display for many years to come!

 Daddy's three snowgirls 

 Morgan has been loving choir this year at church.  She performed in the Choir Christmas Program at church and then they traveled to Traceway Retirement to sing for the residents.

Morgan's class is also learning about giving this holiday season.  They collected canned goods and walked them to Helping Hands, which is a food pantry our church runs.  It was sweet listening to Morgan talk about helping others.

 Stocking the shelves

 Morgan and Mary Tannler are the sweetest friends.  They held hands the whole way! 

 Christmas wouldn't be complete without a HealthWorks! party at Kathy's house!  These crazy ladies are among my many blessings I am thankful for this Christmas.

Gobble Gobble

This year we have a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.  A week before, Sam suffered a small stroke.  He is doing well and is in rehab working hard to get back in fighting shape!  But he needed to be in rehab during the holiday so this year we had to split up.  Jeff went to Jackson to be with his parents and so the girls and I went to Florence to celebrate with Carrie.  We were worried the girls might be too much to handle in Sam's room so they get to come on the next trip!  It was tough being apart.  But we were all where we needed to be!

 

We had a great time with Aunt Carrie and Morgan was thrilled to spend two nights with her!  Carrie hosted a perfect holiday and we had so much fun I didn't take enough pictures!  Mom got to Florence earlier in the week so the rest of us came later.  The girls, Dad, Grandma, Uncle Jim and I joined them on Wednesday.  It was a Thanksgiving filled with yummy food, family and one of Carrie's students stuck in town (I think Connie played 100 games of Memory with Morgan!).  It was wonderful!  After some Friday shopping, the girls and I went home to see Daddy! 

 My little turkeys (thanks Bubba for our festive pajamas!)

 Watching the parade

 Macie and RoRo

 Aunt Carrie and her girls

Jeff and Sam talking football!

Play Time

It's easy to get bored during holiday breaks from school so we had a play day with our friends!  The whole Schafer crew came to spend the day and all kiddos had a blast!  It is such a treat to watch the big girls play and watch the little two start to figure each other out.  I think I had just as much fun as they did! 

 Our big tea party!  Poor Patrick, he doesn't stand a chance with four girls!

 Macie and Patrick are too sweet together

My baby love

Our Last Tailgate

We were so excited to have Mom spend a few days with us while Dad was out of town.  Especially to celebrate her birthday!  We had a great week that just let to an even better weekend.  On Saturday we headed to Starkville to spend the last home game of the season.  And the Worley girls came with us!  We had a full house and it was tons of fun.We spent the whole day playing, eating and spending time together.  When game time came, Belinda took Emma Kate and Macie back to Tupelo while the rest of us went to the stadium.  We watched our Bulldogs beat Vandy and end the season with a perfect home record!  We made it home just before the rain came! 

 Picture with the girls

 My tailgating babies

 Macie with Mommy and RoRo.  Morgan wouldn't sit still long enough!

 Kathryn, Me, Mom and Belinda

 Lauren came by too!

 Last year I got Emma Kate her first cowbell for Christmas.  This year we went to the bookstore to pick out a sticker.  Just as we got it on the team drove by and we rang it loudly for them!

 Daddy and Morgan ready to cheer!

Spencer, Parker, Kathryn, Morgan and Me

Turkey Time!

One of my new favorite traditions is the FUMC Preschool Thanksgiving Program.  It is always so sweet and really kicks off the holiday season for me.  That, and the fact that Morgan loves it too!  This year was no exception.  She talked about practicing her songs at school and was ready to perform.  RoRo even came to watch the show!  The day of the program was RoRo's birthday so we were ready to celebrate.

 

When it was Morgan's turn to sing we were ready!  And then... nothing.  She played with her necklace the whole time!  Bless her heart.  She was so tired and not interested.  But she said she had fun.  And that's all that matters!  Oh, my little indian.  I guess we will wait until the spring to try again!

 Morgan's class is ready to sing

 Proud little indian

 How she spent the performance

 Family pic

 Morgan and RoRo

 Helping RoRo blow out the candles

Macie patiently waiting on her bite of cupcake!