merry christmas darlings.

ahhh, christmas.

you were so good to us this year.

so busy, so fun, so memory-filled,

i love this holiday.

love it when its here, love it when its gone.

{did that sound snarky?}

sunday before christmas.

i love the christmas program at church.

its my fav.

i love new christmas clothes for my kids too!

we had a change upthis year with christmas eve.

we spent it with friends!

boy was it fun!

my mom was with my grandma who 

was not doing so well, and i missed them

but we made the best of it with the milnes! 

LOVE that my kids wanted 

to all sleep together!

scenes from a happy christmas morning...

the post christmas crash.

griff had had it.

it really takes a lot out of you to open presents!

 we hunkered down the rest of the day,

watching movies, playing with new things,

and just being together.

we also went and saw my mom and grandma.

it was bittersweet knowing this is my last christmas with her.

apparently i was over it, because as soon as

we got home i tore down christmas.

go ahead, sing it!

"you're a mean one, mr, grinch....."

so!

christmas break has flown by.

we have had a great one.

not all sunshine and roses 

but a pretty great one at that.

i love this little family of mine

and i'm thankful for them every day!

i hope you had a merry one too!

and since this is the last post of 2012...

happy new year...

may it be shiny and bright!

i'm just a bad mom-blogger.

this little doll turned 9. on the 17th.

see, slacker!

she had a fun birthday at get air

and then we celebrated with our family

at training table for dinner, her fav!

scenes from a happy fun-filled day!

oh my girl, i'm so glad you were born.

you are pure joy and you light up every room you enter.

happy birthday my sweet, christmas, angel baby!

life lately according to my iphone.

catch up.

lets play catch up.

cause its my favorite.

we started off this christmas season

with clytie adams "nutcracker"

it was such a fun night.

we loved imagining what part eliza

might have if she tries out nex year!

dinner at tepanyaki first.

it was delish.

we may or may not have a new family member.

her name may or may not be maggie.

just say'n.

oh thanksgiving.

you were so good to us this year.

this is my moms sweet potato casserole.

i gag down the sweet potatos to get that crust.

heaven.

so much to be thankful for.

especially spending it with my sweet grandma.

it will most likely be her last 

and i loved being in her home.

i have so many thanksgiving memories there.

so sam turned 11.

ouch.

sam was my surprise baby.

and he's kept me on my toes ever since.

 sam is the sweetest kid.

he may be a tease(like his mom)

but he is so tender.

he would rather die than hurt someones feelings.

to know sam is to love sam.

if you don't love him, you don't really know him.

he holds a special place in my heart.

happy birthday sweet sam.

and that my friends is called catching up.

if you made it to the end 

pat yourself on the back!

thankful. thankful.

for everyone in this picture.

including myself. cause i'm awesome.

i love my family so much.

its overwhhelming sometimes.

yesterday as i was baking, preparing for today,

josh came up and said,

"i can't wait until our kids come back

with their kids for thanksgiving

and our house is overflowing with our family."

i can't wait either.

happy thanksgiving.

long post, hang in there.

lets start off with date night last weekend.

you all know how i feel about that.

add cheesecake factory to that and well,

heaven.

i took griff and his buddy for a walk the

other day and they were kill'n me.

so cute together.

 adventure day yesterday!

we ventured to hogle zoo.

it was the perfect day!!!

and i have to give a shout out to this boy.

he comes home, makes a snack,

and then gets right to his homework.

i NEVER have to remind him.

its so nice.

he is a great kid.

to know sam is to love sam.

and this random shot is to share my uncluttered kitchen.

i had stuff up above my cabinets and i was over it.

i like it much better.

for now.

and last but not least.

it beginning to look and feel like

thanksgiving around here.

i love this holiday.

it gives us all time to stop and think about

all of the wonderful blessings we have.

for family night the other night

i told my kids to try to focus on what

they have instead of they want.

its hard for us all sometimes.

we really do have all we could ever want.

give thanks.

ok. i will.

shoot. one last shot of griff.

too cute not to share.