Cookies, Parties and More!

We decorated (ate icing) with friends!  Some of the kids did pretty good.  DM really just wanted to keep decorating another cookie so she could lick the icing off.  We iced a lot of red cookies as soon as I realized that the red icing was going to blend best on her red dress.

Mommy brings home a GIANT nutcracker from her office party!  Yippy!

Our class party.  Fun times!

DM with Ms. Arleathia who has been amazing!  She has so much of the same teaching style that I had, even if the children are ten years younger.  She is so consistent.

Our DM loves to eat, even if she is the ONLY one left at the table.  Completely unphased by it!

Fun with Dear Friends

Earlier this month we slowed the Christmas Craziness that we've been trying to avoid to have dinner with dear friends who have been patiently awaiting a precious Baby Boy and celebrate Julie's birthday. WLT should arrive any day and will be a HUGE blessing to his parents.

Happy Baby Blessing, Thanner Family!

Christmas comes early!

We had Christmas with my parents a bit early because they'll be traveling for Christmas and we'll have the Patterson crew with us.  It was a quick visit but we had a blast and DM kept us all on our toes.

DM found a new friend in Winston, my parents' dog.  Tahoe will never let her cuddle but Winston tolerated!

David and DM open a gift.

DM shows Mom part of her new book.

DM wants to stop opening presents to read another new book.

On a slightly unrelated note, I love all china, crystal and silver despite the additional care it takes when compared to today's tableware. Pretty sure I'm the only one of my friends who insists on having multiple sets of everything. This is the children's set to Mom's silver. LOVE.

Christmas is Coming!

DM and I made a trip to Lenox with Mom, Amie, and Ro!  Every Atlanta child needs to ride the Pink Pig as much as possible!  As is typical there was so much to take in and DM was quite serious as she observed.  We did get a few smiles ever now and then.

 Pretty much the best picture of DM and me.  She's not one for staying still.

 Here it comes!

Not so sure!

 Okay, this isn't so bad!

DM and part of her "village"!  (Village = people who we feel are helping to raise DM into a loving, giving member of society.) 

 This is the Pink Pig I rode.  It was kind of like a traveling jail cell now that I think about it.  You can even see the wires over the windows.  I think this was the one that was around when my parents were young, too.

 Our goal is to keep Christmas simple.  The chaos of the holidays can easily suck all of the JOY of the holidays.  I am so guilty of allowing this to happen but the I am going to try to be very intentional about it this year!

DM's simple tree.

Our tree is also quite simple this year and we're pretty sure it may not make it to Christmas day but we love it. 

Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a very quiet Thanksgiving weekend.  I ran my first race I'm embarrassed to say since we had DM.  It wasn't the prettiest, but our friend Tim stuck with me.  David was kind enough to stay home with DM and get the turkey going while I ran.  My family came down for Thanksgiving dinner.  We opted to get one last "Home Depot" Christmas tree figuring this is the last year DM won't realize we're just going around the corner to the big orange box to grab our "live, fresh" tree.  After much discussion, we opted to stay home to watch the Dawgs beat the Jackets.  (Really, I do not know why they hate us so much.  It makes me want to recommend that they see a counselor.) 

 Cousin Cricket is ready to eat!

 Maddy teaches Darsey something . . .

 DM is asking for an I-Phone.

DM watching the game with Dad.