a library birthday

We celebrated with my niece, Lily, at her 6th birthday party.  She had a super cute, vintage-y library party!

The girls made bookmarks,

played library (which was a HUGE hit!),

read some books,

ate cake,

and got some quality time together under the table.

Happy Birthday, Lily!  We love you!

A Visit with Santa

Well, we went to visit Santa.  Grace was excited and nervous.  Carter could have cared less.

Santa was so friendly and patient and spent so much time with Grace and Carter.  They cautiously walked up to Santa and handed him their letters.

Carter sat in his lap while he read the letter.  He was nervous, but brave!

Santa had to get on to Carter for hitting Grace...pretty sure that Carter wasn't listening.  Ha!

Next, Santa read Grace's letter.  She was not going to sit in his lap though!

Santa was a little baffled by her request..."a trash can?  a big one?  a little one?  one to go in your room?"  I love how she is looking at him!

Then, it was time for a keepsake photo with Santa.  One to put in a lovely frame.  One to cherish for years to come.  One that would capture these sweet moments with Santa and my babies.

Yep.  That's about right.  Carter's screaming and reaching out for his momma.  White socks. Ugh.  Grace is seven feet away from Santa because there was no way she was going to be tricked into sitting in that man's lap.

still kinda love it.  and it's still going in a frame.

Letters to Santa

Tonight after dinner, we had hot chocolate and Santa hat brownies for dessert while the kids wrote their letters to Santa.

I think Grace liked the brownies.

Carter was loving him some hot lukewarm chocolate!

She was most excited to be writing with Sharpies.  Ha!

Grace's letter...yes, she is asking Santa for a trash can.

Carter wants to do everything that his big sister does, but no Sharpies for him!

I love these sweet little hands!

Carter's letter...he may use his sweet little hands to whack is sister with occasionally every time he walks by her. 

my two crazy kids and their letters to Santa

Tomorrow night, we are going to hand deliver these letters to Santa.  Any guesses on whose gonna sit in Santa's lap and whose gonna totally flip out???  I'll let you know soon!

it's the hap-happiest season of all

This weekend, we went to a Christmas parade and it was very nice out...we weren't even freezing!

Carter was so excited...he bounced the entire time!

There was a lot to be excited about...Minnie, a nativity, some kind of John Deere thing, a Chick-fil-a cow, marching bands, and so much more!

He did stop bouncing every once in awhile to wave.  Grace was loving it too...just in a much calmer way!

Oh yeah, he high fived some of the "paraders" too!

This was the moment she had been waiting on!

Santa Claus was comin' had made it to town!

milk & cookies