Christmas Part 1

Considering Reese was willing to sit in Santa's lap this year, we made every effort to see him every chance we got. She consistently requested a "sheen to sew Cupcake somepin' somepin' to wear to da ballgame" until this particular visit. It was when we had breakfast with Santa and the Mrs. that she changed it all up. Actually she just added a few new requests: "that chair at the red store to fix the baby's hair." Decoded: salon chair at Target.

We made salt dough hand prints. 

(Yes, she has a diaper on in that picture. She still wears diapers to bed. I know. I'm a failure of a mother.)

We went to Auburn/Opelika for their "Victorian Front Porches." Two streets were closed to traffic so that people could walk through the neighborhood and see the Christmas decorations. Of course, they weren't exactly Adam's brand of decor, but then again not everybody can be as trashy as us with our boat draped in lights with a snowman fishing from it. 

They allowed people to go up on the porches to make pictures with the decorations. It was right here that she said "Ooooo Momma, a pwesent!" and she went for it!

She told Santa at the daycare party that she had lost Cupcake (the baby doll that she was planning to sew some items for) and he said, "You lost your cupcake? Somebody get this baby a cupcake!" 

Ok, so allow me to say this- we attended EIGHT Christmas gatherings...EIGHT, PEOPLE!!...and since we have less than sophisticated internet services I will have to limit my pictures here. (And I'm not complaining because it means that we have a lot of family for which to be thankful, but EIGHT is too many when you're hauling around 2 kids. I'm thinking next year we are going to have to shave a few of those off. I don't who is getting cut, but....EIGHT!) 

Christmas at my parents. Do y'all see her dress? That's the dress she refused to wear last Spring because it has elastic in the waist. But now that it's too small (and only 32 degrees every day) she begs to wear it ALL the time. 

She made Christmas cookies. 

Then changed into her "real clothes" for the present opening event. She loves to play the "pee-no."

And she loves Clay. She even names her baby dolls Clay.

And this... this is my favorite picture of all. HAHA!

Reese will be devastated next year when Elynn wants to open her own gifts.

The annual "$100 Bill Game." PeePaw changes the rules every year and has to explain the procedure. Rumor had it that he spent HOURS planning this year's. Almost every envelope that he was holding had money in it. Some had a couple dollars, some had $20, and the jackpot had $300. There is no way I could ever explain to you how this game played out, but Adam walked away with the $20 envelope...and me? I walked away with the ONE AND ONLY envelope that had NO money in it. How is that even possible?

And then there was this.

I don't think y'all have met, so allow me to formally introduce you to Coozie (as in the thing that you put a beer in to keep it cold except they spelled it with a C as opposed to a K). When my parents told me the name they picked out I was all like "y'all know that's what you put beer in to keep it cold...." They didn't seem to be aware (or care) that that was the origin of their new dog's name. Anyway. Y'all remember Chinney, right? (Lord, where do they get these names!) And y'all remember how Chinney went on to...well....the other side, right? (Ahhem..he was eaten by a coyote...there are witnesses who actually heard it happen...I am one of those witnesses...it still haunts me.) ANNNNNYWAY! This was Coozie's first Christmas with us. (Please allow me to say that I bet if Chinney would have known last year was his last Christmas he would have gone ahead with that nerve pill, stiff drink, and cigarette he so desperately wanted.)

Please stand by for Christmas Part II.