Lunch date with Jude and family

Somehow I missed posting this picture...last Sunday we joined our sweet friends Jeremy, Courtney, Olivia, Jude and Lincoln for lunch.  We do this from time to time-kids eat free on Sunday's!!  However, this particular lunch was different...it was our last one for a year.  Our sweet friends were heading out of town shortly after we finished lunch.  These two are precious and had such a great time.  They laughed the entire time.  While us adults, knowing the reality of what it really means to be moving to Zambia, shed just a few whole lot of tears.  We re so thankful for what the Lord is doing int heir lives and thankful to be a part of it...our loss is the folks of Zambia's gain.  What a preciou family they are about to welcome!!

Clara and Caroline

Caroline and Clara are attached at the hip!  Wherever we go, she goes.  The two girls have 3 matching outfits that Caroline thinks they should wear EVERYDAY!!  We are slowly working to mix up some of what they each have to some what match... :-)  I hope this is the beginning of a great run for these two!

wreath

A sweet friend at work taught me how to make these burlap wreaths.  I was so excited to be able to make them and give them as Christmas presents along with corn bags...Thankful for fun, EASY DIY crafts.  :-)

Happy birthday Mema

Today is my sweet Mema's 82nd birthday!  She didn't want to celebrate so I don't have any pictures...but we did stop by to visit.  She is such a blessing to our family!! Love her bunches!!

Merry Christmas

For the second year in a row, we had to wake the princess up!  By 8:00 I couldn't stand it anymore!!  It took her a minute to wake up and get out of bed...however, when we got into the den, it didn't take her long to get in the spirit! :-)  

half asleep

 so excited!!!  she couldn't believe she had her own American Girl Doll...AND they matched in their jammies!

Caroline thought she needed to go back to bed 

 her stocking was next

 I was impressed with her will power.  She opened one gift at a time and was so excited over every single gift.  She would say "this is what I always dreamed of" or "this is just what I wanted."  I pray that she will continue to have a thankful heart.

here she is so excited that she got her own corn bag!!

 not sure what Santa was thinking with this purchase...but she actually only asked for an "easy oven" and a pink poodle. :-)  I see lots of fun in our future

 giving daddy a little love

Sadly, Andy had a touch of a stomach bug or something on Christmas day.  So we have stayed in our jammies all day and been pretty lazy.  Caroline has enjoyed playing with all her new things and entertaining herself. :-)  

We are blessed in so many ways.  The Lord continuously meets our every need.  And most important we are loved by our Lord and Saviour.  Without his birth, crucifixion and resurrection, we would be a miserable, hopeless group of people.  So thankful for the significance of what this day is really about!

Christmas Eve-round 3

We left Tomi Jean and Gregs and headed over to Andy's parents.  The kids were in the routine of opening gifts and couldn't wait to open their gifts at Pop and Peeps.  Each kid got the same thing so they had to open the same gift each time. It was funny to watch their expressions...The first gift was a set of stylis.  The next gift was a table cover.  They knew what they were supposed to do with each gift but said "we don't have a Kindle."  The last gift was their tablet.  They were beyond excited!!!

Andy and I were excited with our gifts as well.  He got 2 really nice shirts and a Gamecock devotion book.  I got some coffee and a gift card to Belk's to hopefully find a pair of boots. :-)

Christmas Eve-round 2

After leaving Mom's we headed home, changed clothes and went to our Christmas Eve service at church.  This has recently become one of our favorite family Christmas traditions.  This year we were so excited that Aunt Katy, Jay and Ansley Kate joined us.  The service ends with communion, the lights dimmed in the church, each person lighting a candle and singing "Silent Night."  We exit the church in silence...beautiful!

After church we head to Tomi Jean and Greg's to celebrate Christmas with Andy's family.  We have soup and corn bread and yummy desserts.  After dinner, we open gifts.  1 person opens a gift at a time, love it!!

Tomi Jean, Greg and Christine had each of our names.  I couldn't think of anything that we all needed in the price range of our gifts.  So I asked if we could get a together gift.  They were fine with it and we are the proud owners of a 4 person tent!  Can't wait to try this baby out!!!  Caroline was so excited that we had our own tent like our friends Mrs. Charissa and Catherine.

 even snowflake wanted to get in on the fun with a Christmas hat

Christmas Eve-Round 1

Christmas Eve is our crazy Christmas day full of celebrations.  We decided to head to mom's last night so our day wouldn't be soo busy.  The kids loved playing together.  We enjoyed a yummy Low Country boil for lunch.  Not your typical Christmas lunch but delicious non the less. :-)

finally the kids were going to be able to open presents...they had been asking since they got there when they could start.

 sweet Mary Claire-nothing like having a little one at Christmas time

I forgot to get a picture of the actual Cuisinart 5 in 1 grill but this is what Mom gave us all for Christmas.  I can't wait to use it!!!!

 working on the Hess trucks-a family tradition

the boys all get Hess trucks from Christmas

this tradition started when my brothers were little and still continues

the boys look forward to their truck every year

 we lost them for a minute only to find them in the dining room with the blinds closed, lights off and lights on their truck on :-)

 Granny's Grands

 Jenna would only be in the picture if she could take a silly picture!!

Love that Lucy decided to join in as well 

Bob and Jessica's BBQ

Today we headed home for my brother's annual BBQ.  It was delicious as always!  It was a little warmer than usual but we still had a great time.  The kids enjoyed playing together.  (Caroline was asleep less than 10 minutes into the ride home.)  

Their cute tiny little puppies

 Wilson and Jake

 If you notice in the background, the girls are chasing two cows back into the fence while the boys are just chilling

 Granny and Wilson

Please pray for this sweet boy.  He will go into the hospital on December 26 for approximately 3 days.  His current heart meds are no longer working and they will be changing the meds.  We know we serve a God who is mighty to save, pray that this would be a smooth transition.

 The big girls enjoyed dressing Mary Claire up and she loved every minute of it!!

 Bob and Jessica woke up to find this this morning.  Someone broke through the pasture in front of their house.  Thankfully the person who did it came back this morning to apologize.  Scary...

Gum Drop Tree

Woo hoo!!!  Yesterday was the first day of Christmas Vacation!!!  There was much to celebrate at our house!!  Bentley, our elf, left pancakes and bacon for our first day of vacay breakfast.  Jay and Ansley Kate hung out with us and enjoyed the yummy breakfast as well.  Later in the morning, we headed over to Mema's house.  Mema has all the items for the kids to make a gum drop tree, an annual tradition that the kids love.  They had a great time and were so proud of their creations.  SO very thankful for their time with their great grandmother, what a blessing to know such a sweet little lady!!

 Jay

 Caroline's

Ansley Kate's

Sweetness

• C: Mommy I am not sleepy and I wish you didn't make me sit on my bed for resttime.  You never let me play during rest time anymore.
• M: You don't have to sleep but you do need to sit on your bed with a book, your animals or something and have some quiet time.
• C: Ok but I am not taking a nap

Famous last words.  this is what I found about 5 minutes after she went into her room. 

Chrismas Caroling

I can honestly say that Christmas Caroling with our church family is one of my absolutely FAVORITE Christmas activities.  We have the opporunity to visit with several families from our church who are usually shut in and unable to be with us at church on a regular basis.  This year Aunt Katy, Jay and Ansley Kate joined us!! :-)  It was a beautiful night, not too cold and everyone was in the Christmas spirit.

Our first stop

 This sweet lady lost her husband earlier this year.  Once we finished singing for her, she played her trumpet for us.  It was beatiful!