New Years (Yeah, I know that was 20 days ago . . . )

We started off the evening by attending a party at our friends, The Neilsons. It was great to hang out with "The Brothers" (their 4 boys) and the Allred family.

Then we went to Mom and Dad's for the rest of the night to hang with the fam!
Here is Luke having his first taste of egg nog (we missed that at Christmas somehow) and he LOVED it. He kept saying, "Can I have some more special juice, Papa?"

The adults ate the homemade SUSHI my sister, Lindsey, made. Yum!
(Yeah, her eyes don't lie: she is just a TINY bit Asian! Ha! Ha!)

Me and my honeybun!


"Sisters, sisters - there were never such devoted sisters!"


Getting crazy loco after our Martinelli's!
(Here is a classic example of Lindsey's Asian eyes. You see my point.)


Midnight fireworks

Jake was REALLY proud of his work with the explosives. Man make FIRE!

You KNOW we watched our Buckeyes win the Rose Bowl New Year's Day!
Yeah, my parents were a bit goofy that night. (Who am I kidding? Always.)

A BRISK (aka 0 FREEZING!) walk along the Chattahoochee River!

christmas

So, I know I'm a little behind on my Christmas post.
But, like I've been saying lately:
It is what it is!

Santa brought the HIT toy of the morning:
GEO TRACKS!

Our traditions were switched up a bit this year. Christmas Eve, during our usual singing, scripture reading, Polar Express reading and "talent" show - we talked to Aunt Kelli on the phone and convinced her to fly in the next day to be with us for Christmas!
We looked at stockings and the gifts Santa brought early in the morning, but waited to open presents will after Kelli got here. We had the feast right when Kelli arrived in the afternoon and didn't open gifts till the evening. It was a little harder for the boys to enjoy that part because they were sleepy, but over all it was nice to stretch the celebrating out all day long.

Our family holiday tradition: black olives on our fingers!
I know, we have such fabulous manners!

Miles enjoyed opening presents - when Luke actually let him do his own!

Since we are moving - my family helped us do a little bit of home fix up to help us get ready to sell the house. We got a LITTLE crazy, to say the least!

Mom and Dad took us to CHOW BABY (our new favorite restaurant!!!) the day after Christmas. Can you say, YUM???

Papa helping Miles walk. Though he CAN do it, he's still too chicken to do it all the time.

Jake's mom gave us a family membership to Atlanta's High Museum of Art last Christmas and we have really been enjoying it this year!

Luke and my beautiful sister!


Needless to say, we played HARD and wore the little guys out!

Fun with my Mom ("Lola")

The Annual Snowman Swap!
hUzZah!
This is seriously a favorite event of the season. Mom hosts it every year. I will definitely miss it (except everyone always stealing from ME. . . ha!) Maybe I'll start it in Denver.


Church Christmas Party!
Okay, so even though my mom is in charge of this event every year . . . I am ALWAYS her personal assistant (i.e. - the director of all entertainment) each year. This is always fun, bust stressful! It was totally different this year, but a blast. We turned the completely bare gym into a Christmas wonderland (with the help of the youth) during a 3 minute version of "We Need a Little Christmas!" Fun!


Luke & Lola's Gingerbread House!
My mom has started a new tradition since Luke's been old enough of having a one-on-one Gingerbread House Making Party with him. He LOVES it and this year looked forward to it for 2 days. He is very inquisitive about what looks best where and likes Lola's opinions. He also EATS as much candy as he puts on. Shocker!