Oh Maggie!!!

May your new year be filled with as much excitement and as many emotions as Maggie's face on Christmas Morning!!  SO long 2024, 2025 we can't wait to see what you have in store for us!!
 

Christmas with TJ and family

Nothing about this Christmas has been 'normal.'  So many things didn't happen, so many things happened that don't typical happen...just different.  So we were supposed to get together on Monday but due to everybody being tired, we just didn't.  Teresa and I went to Charleston for a follow up for her and Tomi Jean was tired from the Christmas party they hosted the night before.  We had plans to meet for Mema's birthday today for lunch.  So instead, we decided to meet at Tomi Jean's for soup, chili and Christmas.  It was another great gathering...we weren't rushed, we hadn't eaten several meals, no where we had to be.  We decided that this might be our new tradition...celebrate two things at once. :-)

 

Christmas night...

We've had a really quiet, lazy day today.  Andy cooked my favorite Christmas dinner, Low Country Boil.  It was delicious!!!!  

After dinner, we decided to fix hot chocolate, Maggie created a scavenger hunt list and off we went to look at Christmas lights.  (We didn't get a chance to do this prior to Christmas so tonight was the perfect time...)  This might become our new Christmas night tradition.

These two houses are our favorite houses in town.  The first house has it's own website where you can choose your favorite Christmas song to set the rhythm to the music and lets.    The second one if just fun with so many different things put out for our enjoyment. :-)

 

Christmas with Katy and the kids

This was a difficult Christmas for these two...the first Christmas without either of their parents.  Katy and the kids came over for appetizers and gifts.  We enjoyed the slow, mid day time together.  Things look so very different now but I pray that we begin new traditions that would honor their parents.    

 

Christmas Morning with our Family

I think this may have been our sweetest Christmas morning yet!!  The girls were so excited with their gifts and truly seemed to appreciate everything they received.  They didn't seem to be in a hurry and we just enjoyed a slow, sweet morning together.  It was such a gift!!

A volleyball net!

Maggie loved her rose velvet chair for her desk!

Everybody needs a crumble cookie cutter...this little tool will divide the Crumbl cookie in 4 equal parts.

Tickets to a Carolina Basketball game!

"Well this certainly isn't my journal!" :-)

Caroline's favorite gift this Christmas!!  She and Andy are super excited!

Christmas Morning Selfie

Caroline worked really hard to put her vanity together from Granny and Mr. Archie.  As good as she is with this stuff, it was a little more than she could do on her own.  So Daddy was happy to help!

Caroline was so excited to receive this beautiful coat.  If she takes care of it, she should get many years of enjoyment out of it!

 

Christmas with my family!

We gathered at Daniel and Claire's this morning for Christmas Brunch and games.  The food was delicious and the fellowship was fun but the games were hilarious!  We've tried lots of different things over the last few years as the kids have gotten older.  We have drawn names and done white elephant but this year to make things a little easier on everyone, we decided to play G family Christmas Olympics.  Each family put $20 towards prizes.  Claire and I came up with 5 games for us to play.  All ages appeared to enjoy themselves.  We laughed until we cried.  It was truly a fun morning that flew by...it's been a hard year for all of our families...Jennifer lost her brother, Jessica and Andy both lost their mothers.  We are reminded that we aren't promised tomorrow...none of us knew that last Christmas would be the last Christmas with those family members.  So we truly must treasure and enjoy each opportunity to love one another!  This may go down as one of my favorite adult Christmas' with my family!!

Game 1: Head, shoulders, knees and cup!  Played just like head, shoulders, knees and toes but instead of toes, you have to be the first person to grab the cup.

Daniel and Claire were the winners of the cup game.  Next we moved on to game 2, scooping snowballs, aka cotton balls.  Using a spatula while blindfolded, you had to scoop as many cotton balls into the bowl as possible.

Game 3 was the candy cane fishing game.  On one end of the string was a candy cane and the other end was tied around the waist.  The player had to 'hook' a candy cane from the bowl and then shack it off.  This was absolutely hilarious!!!!!  Peyton managed to hook the most with 4 and Andy and Wilson tied for 2nd with 3 candy canes.

Game 4 was the reindeer scoop.  You had to put your hands in the red cups and pick up as many cotton balls as possible.  Sweet Turner helped me set this game up!

We took a break from games to open presents.  While opening presents, the lights went out...but Claire's road was the only folks effected by the power outage.  Come to find out, one of their neighbors hit the power pole...but we still managed to have fun.

Game 5, which I didn't get pictures of was a spin and choose.  We had a turn table that had 5 different color Christmas bows in it.  You spun the table.  Whatever color bow you landed on, you got to choose a red cup with that same color bow.  Everyone played this game and the prizes ranged from a ring pop, a car was certificate, a Krispy Kreme certificate, a lottery ticket or cash prizes from $1-$20.  

Merry Christmas Eve!
 

Christmas Fun with Jill and John

We can't remember when this tradition started...but definitely the last 5 years we have eaten Mexican and then gone to Lights for Paws together.  It has been such a fun tradition.  Sadly this is the last year that Lights for  Paws will be open...so we're thinking we may change to Mexican and Karaoke! :-)  We warned the kids last night!

We told them there would be lots of photos...

My main man!

Family fun!

Andy's favorite

Maggie's favorite

Caroline's favorite

My favorite

So thankful she decided to allow an intern in the fall of 2002!  That one mentorship has turned into a 21 year friendship!

So long Lights for Paws!  Thanks for the core memories of our girls childhood! 

 

Annual pictures with Santa

Today the girls had their annual pictures with Santa.  I look forward to these pictures each year.  I am so thankful that we have a picture with Santa every year for the last 10 years.  It's fun to see how the girls have grown since their very first picture with Santa. 

 

Gingerbread House Fun

Bentley, our elf, brought us a Gingerbread house to complete on National Gingerbread House Day!  We enjoyed working together to complete it.  The girls did the house.  Then we each decorated a tree or snowman to add to the front lawn.  These things never look like the one on the box but we had fun and love our little Ginger house...