Friday, December 22, 2017

2017 Christmas Card

I wanted to share our 2017 Christmas card! I try to post it here each year so that if my hard copy gets lost I still have it! :) I don't think I posted last year's card because we had just returned from China but I DID manage to still send them and I'm SUPER proud of myself for THAT! haha! 

Merry Christmas to you all!




Happy Birthday Reece!

Oh December!!! Why do you fly by so quickly?!

On Wednesday, December 20th, Reece turned 10! Ten years have flown by so quickly! Reece is such a little momma and SO much help to me! I love this age!

Last Saturday we had her party at the McWane Science Center! All the kids had lots of fun! Reece planned out what cake she wanted and BB showed out when she made it! :)

Happy Birthday, my Christmas baby!







 She wouldn't blow out the candles...Brooks to the rescue!


     When did they become grown-ups?




Monday, December 4, 2017

Happy Birthday Josh and Visiting Santa!

On Saturday my Lover Love turned 36! We needed to drive up to Birmingham to have Mia's labs drawn so we stopped by to see our new baby niece on the way! Josh was sickly earlier in the week so he had not met her yet! She was actually due on his birthday but came a few days early! He was excited to finally get to hold her and of course the rest of us loved on her too! Then we headed to the Cheesecake Factory and stuffed our faces with all the food! haha! We ended the day at
Children's Hospital for labs which is no fun but had to be done!

This was also Brooks' first time to see and hold baby Nora. He said, "Mommy, I think I'm about to cry because I love her!" Melt me!

 Mia loved holding her! She fell at school and busted her lip and hurt her chin, poor thing. So clumsy.





































Last week we had our annual visit with Santa! Last year when we visited we only had 7 days until we left for China! We were doing a daily countdown on social media and asked Santa to participate! He was more than happy to and was so excited for us! He held up seven fingers and took a picture with the kids! He made us promise to bring her to see him! 

I fully expected to have a crying Mia in this year's picture. She doesn't really like being around people dressed up and doesn't really like strangers. It's really hit or miss depending on her mood! HA! #truth We walked up with our entourage of people-11 of us(there was no line, which is why we visit Santa so early in the season!). Santa looked directly at Mia through the sea of all of us and said, "Well, there you are!" It was like they were long lost soulmates. Instant love between those two! 

And then the stars aligned and the Heavens opened up because....wait for it...

ALL SEVEN KIDS SMILED FOR THE PICTURE!

Say what? The photographer was like, "UM HOW do y'all get them to all smile?" It was just luck lady, promise!

LOVE IT!

Writing letters to Santa...









And finishing off with a train ride!









Friday, December 1, 2017

Our Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! A few weekends before Josh and I were able to get away for a few days to the beach by ourselves! It was heavenly! We decided when we were down there that we would bring the kids back Thanksgiving weekend. We had lunch at my sister's house and then headed south! YES! While we were there we saw the movie The Star...it was SO good! Highly recommend you take your kids to see it this Christmas season! We also went to a local alligator rescue. Super cool! We saw hundreds and hundreds of alligators from little babies all the way up to gigantic ones! We were also able to hold one! It was a nice break before a super busy time of year!

Watching the game from our fav spot!


 Reece's Thanksgiving lunch at school!

Brooks' Thanksgiving lunch at school!!
 I have no idea! haha!












 Griffin drove all the way to the beach for the first time. #imanervouswreck








Just because she's so cute! And just a tiiiiiiny bit spoiled. She sits behind me in my office chair almost ALL day long!

















AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST! 
Meet Nora Lee! Our sweet little niece was born the Monday after Thanksgiving! She's oh so sweet and cuddly! We just LOVE her!