Christmas at Granma and PaPaw's 2011

Because Christmas fell on a weekend this year, Daddy took the day before Christmas Eve off and we packed up the car, dogs, and you two and took off for Granma and PaPaw's house for a few days.  Uncle Matt was home this year which was so nice.  We spent the 23rd making/baking cookies, cheese cake, white trash, and peppermint bark.  Mackenzie, you LOVE to help bake or cook anything, so it was a treat for you and Granma to be able to help out this year.  We enjoyed the day not having to run around from store to store or house to house.  

 Nolan, every time the mixer turned on, you yelled for PaPaw to come and help too.

 While Daddy and Nolan were mixing in the flour, Nolan, you got a little wild and flung some on Mack.

While the cookie dough was setting, we opened up a gingerbread house to pass the time.  I never thought Daddy and Uncle Matt would be so interested in a gingerbread house!

 The architects

 Granma even got in on the house making.

 This is serious business, your sleeves are up and you are zoned in.

 Once the candy came out, it was pretty much one for you, one for the house.

 Matching those colors up.

 This is our crazy life...

 and we love it.

 So, so, SO thankful to have my little brother home this year.

 Granma and PaPaw with 2 of their 3 grandkids.

 Mackenzie, you mentioned to Aunt Candy that you would love to have a camera and a camera you received!

 Nolan, you were gifted a dancing Mickey "Moush" from Aunt Candy and Uncle Larry.

 This is how you opened the rest of your gifts, on your tractor.

 Uncle Matt pulled through and got you the coveted present of the holiday for you!  And baby Snow White doll!  You love it.

 Uncle Matt bought PaPaw a Harley Davidson shirt and well, PaPaw fell asleep checking it out.  ;)

 Uncle Matt knows nothing about cooking, so he was practicing with all the fun food and cookware you two got.

 Another requested gift for Christmas, you wanted boots and boots you got.

 I think Uncle Matt was having fun playing with your toys.

 After opening presents and waiting for supper, we decorated the cookies.  You ate the sprinkles with the spoon!

 You guys have discovered a new hiding space at G and P's house.  Mack, you always ask for a blanket for your "forch"=fort.

 At the beginning of December, you created this Santa with a beard.  It's an advent calendar and every night we added a cotton ball to Santa's beard.  On Christmas Eve, Santa's beard was full!

 Love.

December 23-24, 2011

Stone Mountain Christmas-Year 2

 Last December, Aunt Carmen and I planned a fun day to take you kids to Stone Mountain, it was magical!  We knew we had to do it again this year, and we did.  Sadly, Daddy couldn't make it because he was in CA, but we managed to still have a GREAT time!  It was a bit more difficult having both of you and no Daddy, however, we enough adults, we made it happen.  Mackenzie, you and Cooper are built in BF'sF.  I just adore the above picture of you two.

Nolan, you were so happy to run free!

 Nicole and Chris came as well, and Mackenzie, when you spotted Abby you immediately grabbed her hand.

Monkey see, monkey do!

 On the Christmas train!

 Right before Chris took you and Abby to Snow Mountain.  I didn't plan for you to play in the snow, but Chris got an extra ticket and Abby wanted you to go.  I pulled you aside and gave you talk about staying with Chris and listening to him.  And that I wouldn't be there, so you better be on your best behavior.  Well, you loved it.  The next day, Nicole emailed me and said that at one point, you started to run off in one direction, and Abby in another.  Chris was calling for you, but either you didn't hear him, or you weren't listening (I vote for the latter) and a few older girls said to you, "Hey, you're daddy is calling for you."  And your response to them?  "That's not my daddy, I don't know who that man is."

While Mack was enjoying Snow Mountain, Carm, Brandon, Nicole, Emily, Nolan and I enjoyed being on top of a freezing mountain!  This picture kind of makes me sad, because last year, we had all 4 of us pictured.

Playing in The Great Barn.  It was such a fun, BIG place.  So big in fact, that I may or may not have "misplaced" you, Mack a few times.  It was 4 stories tall, so by the time Nolan and I would get to the top, you were already down at the bottom.  

Climbing machine!  You didn't let much stop you.

Mackenzie, you are very creative...

Meltdown mode.  Poor Cooper didn't know what to do.

Waiting for the Snow Princess!

There she is!

December 11, 2011

Na-Na (Dorothy) Campbell

While we were in Virginia, Daddy got a phone call from Papa saying that Na-Na had a heart attack and was in the hospital in CA where she lives.  As the days went on, Na-Na would rebound and then progressively get sick, or have another heart attack.  Nanny was able to fly out to be with her and December 5, 2011, she passed away.  It was hard on Daddy, because he now has no living Grandparents and then we had to decide arrangements.  After a long talk, we decided it would be best if Daddy went to CA for the funeral and I stayed behind with you two.  I knew we would miss out on seeing family that we never get to visit with that live in CA, but it was in the best interest if we stayed behind.  We all miss Na-Na dearly.  She was a spit fire, quick witted, lady.  She adored all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren and we were fortunate that she was able to meet both of you.  She had such a special place in her heart for her Scottie and just loved to brag to me about him.  I couldn't agree more with her and we think of her often.

Ma-gina Day 3

We spent the day running outside and getting our pictures taken!  Ronnie and Rick have a background in photography and since Ronnie owns a fancy-shmancy camera, I requested that he take some pictures of all of us.  Lucky for us, we had several helpers to act like monkeys to get you two to smile.

You guys loved on Joyce pretty much the whole time we were visiting and she loved it.

 You and Ronnie shaking your groove things!

 After watching a pitiful UGA game, we all sat down and watched The Polar Express.

 Tinsel even made a special appearance!  That sneaky elf!

December 3, 2011