Grammy and Daddy Sonny's Christmas

Friday afternoon we packed up and headed to Grammy and Daddy Sonny's house for the weekend. They always host a family gathering the weekend after Christmas and instead of just a couple of hours it is usually a 2-3 day gathering of family, fun, and of course food. This year was no exception. Since Grammy loves to bowl on the Wii we brought that with us and everyone had a wonderful time playing it.

Here is cousin Todd rockin' out to some Guitar Hero Aerosmith. Todd was the ring bearer in our wedding and now he's an old married man himself. Boy we are getting old.

Avery has her very own chair and her very own Play Wii remote. This helps her always feel involved in the game.

While we were all in the living room visiting Miss Avery decided to sneak up to the kitchen, stand on the ice chest, and swipe a cookie off the counter. I had to be quick to grab the camera to capture her sneakiness.

And yet another family portrait except with this one we are lacking the finger up the nose :)

Aunt Karin testing out the Wii fit yoga poses.

Grammy and Daddy Sonny with their great grandchildren

Not so sure that this is what the manufacturers of this walker had in mind when they made this thing, but Avery sure loves riding on it!

Grammy playing her favorite bowling game!

Is this what they call multi-tasking? Bowling with a baby on your hip!!

We had a wonderful time and loved getting to see all the family!! Now it is back to the real world and trying to find a place for all these new toys!

We hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as we did!!!!

Christmas Recap

It was definitely a great Christmas around here!! At least for us....I don't think Avery had a clue but she sure has enjoyed playing with ALL her new toys, and I do mean ALL!

So here's our Christmas recap in pictures:

Christmas Eve is spent with my side of the family. Mom always cooks a great meal and the boys rush everyone through eating so they can get to the presents! Opening the presents is just a free for all so you sometimes miss what everyone got until the very end. It is definitely a little chaotic but a fun chaos!!

Avery sporting her "My First Christmas" bib and yes we do have these for every holiday.

Opening her very first package. She was enthralled with the curly ribbon mom had put on top.

My mom and dad aka Grandma and Papaw

Chris, Danette, Kelby and Kolin

With her new doll and stroller she received from Chris and family

Kelby and Avery testing out her new wagon

Avery and her Uncle Chris. I just love this picture of the two of them.

A family picture to be proud of: Avery with her finger up her nose! Yes, that's our girl!!

Grandma and Papaw's pride and joy: their grandkids!

Christmas morning we usually go to Chris and Danette's house for breakfast and check out all the gifts Santa left for the boys. Well, this year since the boys are older everyone decided to come to our house instead. We wound up hosting a pot luck breakfast for both sets of grandparents, Chris and family, and Kathy, Bill, and Dustin. Avery woke up about 30 minutes prior to everyone arriving so Paul just kept her in our room watching tv. When everyone arrived we called her out and she was just a tad overwhelmed with all these people in her living room first thing in the morning. Instead of going straight to the toys she went around modeling her Christmas gown to each person. When we finally brought her over to the toys she was still a tad overwhelmed but slowly began playing with all her stuff:
Do we have a future nurse on our hands??

She also received her very own cleaning set. Our little girl is obsessed with the broom.

The hammer from her Handy Manny tool set.

And her very first 4-wheeler

This was her haul from Santa. She received everything from the 4wheeler, to golf clubs, a medical kit, a toolbox, a cleaning set, and several other things. Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bill also gave her tons of cool stuff including 3 pairs of earring she will have to model for you very soon!

After breakfast everyone started slowing heading to their respective homes and we started getting ready to go to Paul's parents for the day. Once again we had a wonderful meal prepared by Sandra and then it was onto opening the presents. Also once again Avery was the recipient of quite a haul. You can tell all our family was very excited to finally have Avery home for Christmas.

Avery's haul from Mimi and Poppy and Uncle Tony and Aunt Melinda

Avery getting her first taste of the "great green gift" from Grammy and Daddy Sonny. Yes, Avery cash is always good!!

After presents we had dessert and then busted out the Guitar Hero Band.

Avery want to try her hand at the drums!

Tony trying out the guitar, me on the drums, and the cutest little singer you have ever seen!! Don't pay attention to Paul's dad asleep in his recliner. I promise that is not a reflection of our musical talents.

After a very full day we headed home and all collapsed into bed. What a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day and believe it or not there is still more to come!!

Future Blogger

Hang tight people. Major Christmas recap coming soon!!

edited to add and answer to comments:
***this picture was taken a couple of weeks ago right after we had Avery's bangs trimmed, I think the back of her hair was just especially curly that day****

Avery's 1st Christmas

Suffice it say it has been a long couple of days for all of us. I (of course) have a ton of pictures to share and will try to get to it this weekend. Just to give you a sneak peek:

This is how Avery's Christmas morning started:
In her Christmas gown wondering why all these people are at her house this early in the morning.

And this is just before going to bed tonight:

Wow!!! This Christmas stuff really wears a girl out!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!!

scrapkit by: Simply Sweet Designs

9 months ago today.....

Our daughter was placed in our arms!!

Here we are leaving the hotel on our way to the Civil Affairs office to meet our Avery!

Here she is...
finally united with her mommy and daddy

And here she is today...
opening her very first Christmas present from my co-worker and dear friend Keysla.

Thank you for the best 9 months of our lives Avery. Your are definitely the best gift we have ever received.

Tonight we will go to my moms for our Christmas celebration. In the morning all the grandparents are coming here for breakfast to check out Avery's haul from Santa Claus and in the afternoon we will go to Paul's parents for yet more gifts and family time.

Merry Christmas everyone!!! May your holiday be blessed!

What a difference an Avery makes.....

In year's past on Christmas Eve Eve I have it all together. Tons of homemade candy just waiting to be consumed, gifts all wrapped with coordinating handmade bows, Christmas cards sent the week after Thanksgiving, nothing really left to do but enjoy the holiday. This year: not so much!!

No candy making for me, the gifts are wrapped but bows are no where to be found, the final group of Christmas cards went in the mail today, and I still have to go to the grocery store in the morning for ingredients for dishes I am taking to our various family gatherings. Am I complaining??? Heck no!! For the first time in our lives Paul and I get to be Santa! Our little angel is finally home and we are truly focusing on what matters: not the fancy bows just enjoying each other and marveling at the miracles that brought us together as a family.

This evening was spent unpacking all the toys and making sure that Santa had all the batteries required and that everything was ready to go Christmas morning. As Paul and I were opening stuff this evening we just looked at each other with huge smiles on our faces and said "this stuff if for OUR kid!" and just giggled like you wouldn't believe. So are the preparations different from years past? Yeah, but we wouldn't change a thing.

And just maybe if I start working on the handmade bows in January next year's gifts will be appropriately adorned and hopefully Avery will be old enough to be Mommy's little helper in the kitchen. If not, who cares?

This year brings us new traditions, new experiences, and a whole new kind of love in the form of a little angel from China.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus we will also celebrate all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. We are so very thankful!!!

Happy Tuesday!!

My little poser!!!!!

Happy Sunday!!!

The many facets of my daughter......

She can be just as happy

strolling around the mall carrying her very own Victoria's Secret shopping bag

or.......

checking out the fit of a big ole cowboy hat

or.......


trying to decide which 4 wheeler she may want when she gets just a little older

Guess you can't tell mommy always has a camera handy, huh?

Happy Friday!!!

Weekend Recap....

Did you ever wonder if there was a max on the number of pics you could put on one blog post? Well, we are about to test that out.....

This past weekend was packed full of fun for our family!! And thankfully we have the pictures to prove it.

It started on Thursday with our annual M3 Holiday Lunch at a local tearoom. This is the third year we have all gathered together to celebrate the season and our friendship. What made this year totally different?? The amount of babies present!!

Here we all are in front of the huge Christmas tree!
We have all changed from years past. Click here to check out our group shot from the first tearoom lunch in '06

These four precious bundles are all new to to us this year!
Meisey and Quint were none to happy to share the chair with Avery and Aubriana.

You would think Quint would be happy joined by these two lovely girls!

Me and my precious daughter!!

Kelley was the only one to attend solo...and after watching us chase our kids around I am sure she was loving every minute of it.

Our newest addition: Meisey with her mommy Erin.

Matching smiles from Christie and Quint.

Sadly, this was the best picture I got of Valerie and Aubriana. V was very busy chasing her dainty little girl around!!

Thanks for the wonderful lunch girls!! It was a blast as usual. Your friendship has been the best Christmas present ever!!

On Friday we celebrated my Aunt Kathy's birthday with dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
The birthday girl....and her hubby!

Who needs utensils??

Bill and Dustin posing for a pic.

Instead of birthday cake, we celebrated with birthday ice cream!!

Avery munching on her very own ice cream cone.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday Kathy!! We love you!!!

Saturday was chocked full of last minute Christmas shopping with Kiesha and a trip to the Gaylord Texan to see the ICE exhibit.

Avery just had to have a winter ensemble to wear to the ICE exhibit. We found this while marathon shopping the day after Thanksgiving and it looks adorable on her (not that I am prejudice or anything!)

She is finally learning how to ham it up for the camera!

Being bribed with some pringles to pose for just a few more pictures!

This is how you look wistful while eating your chips.

Have I told you lately how much I love this girl??

After Kiesha and I shopped for a couple of hours Paul brought the kids to meet us and we ventured over to the Gaylord. If you have a chance to see this exhibit it is totally worth cost.

While we were waiting for our turn to enter I got the camera out and took a couple of random shots.

Avery and daddy wishing mommy would just put the camera up for once!!

I love this face!!

Kiesha and her girls! Mekenzie and Mekarlie are growing up so fast!

Because the temperature of the exhibit is a chilly 19 degrees these very stylish parkas are provided to all the patrons
Me, Mekenzie, Allie (Mekarlie's friend), Mekarlie, Keisha, and Avery ready to see some ice.

We got Avery the smalled parka offered and it still swallowed her. She was like a little penguin just waddling all around.

Here are some of my favorite shots, hope you enjoy!!












We were all so impressed with the exhibit. It was definitely a time to remember.

That wraps up our weekend. Thanks for checking in on us!

Happy Monday!!