Christmas 2014

I think I was still in frantic mode from the busyness of the last couple of months because I was still stressed out over the holidays. All in all, it was fine, just a little exhausting.

Our family picture on Christmas Eve. You can not tell but both kids were squirming off of our laps. 

My cousin had a baby at the beginning of December so we skyped with them so my grandma could see her.

Christmas morning we loaded up and went to my dad and stepmoms house for breakfast.

Scarlett playing with the big boys.

My nephews Silas and Deacon with Miller and Scarlett.

It was so funny to see my dad on double baby duty on Christmas. 4 years ago, I could not have pictured this.

We all chipped in and gave my Pappaw an iPad for Christmas so that he could facetime with all of us that live out of town.

Miller had a meltdown and ended up taking a nap on me. It has been so long since I got sleepy snuggling with him. The only problem is that we are still putting diapers on when he sleeps and he peed on me during this nap. It wasn't too much since thankfully he had gone potty right before his fit.

We do Christmas with my mom on the 26th. It was so hectic this year. The kids received some repeat presents and that eliminated a lot of the gifts for Christmas morning. Ben and I got up at 5:30 on the 26th, packed up Scarlett and went to Walmart to do some shopping. Talk about last minute shopping!

It all worked out but I learned some lessons that I will fix for next year to make the holidays better for all of us.

Christmas Events

So I am WAAAAAAAAAAYYY behind and I have good reasons. Before I get started with pictures, let me recap the last few months.

 Late September we went to Disney. We came home and a week later was Miller's birthday party which I went all out for. Two weeks later, my grandmother had a stroke and we took a last minute trip up to TN to visit her. We came home and Halloween was a few days later. The next weekend my grandmother passed away and another 5 day trip to TN. We were home for 10 days and then back to TN for Thanksgiving which was extended two days because Ben had a meeting there on the following Tuesday. A week after we got home, my mom came to visit so we could do some Christmas activities. At the same time we got word that Ben's grandmother passed away so we had to push up Scarlett's birthday party a day and go to Memphis on her birthday for a 5 day trip there. We came home for two days where I frantically tried to wrap up all of our Christmas stuff. We left for TN for my sisters shower a few days before Christmas. Normally we would be there from Christmas Eve through January 2nd but again, Ben had a meeting so that got extended to the 6th. Well on Monday the 5th my sister went to her 38th week doctors appointment to be told that she needed to be induced that day. That makes our two week trip to TN grow to three weeks.

I am exhausted and just want to be home. I really want a stretch of time at home because we have a laundry list of projects we want to start on this year. In the past two months, we have only been home for 3 weeks. Ugh!

Now to pictures.

My babies in some Christmas pictures. Love them!

Our annual Christmas potluck with our friends.

While mom was at our house, we went to the Botanical Gardens. I love this event! I love going to look at Christmas lights but it is hard with kids in car seats so this is the perfect way to go look at lights with them.

This is sort of out of order but here our a couple of pictures from my sisters shower. 

My stepmom and sister, Lindsey.

 

My sister and I. 

Since we had to move Scarlett's birthday party, my parents could not come so Scarlett opened her present her. Lindsey doesn't mind sharing the spotlight with her. 

 

That is from me of course. 

 

I can not believe that my baby sister is having a baby. As this is posting, she is in labor and I am so excited for my first niece.

A Christmas Train Ride

All aboard!

Back in Knoxville, we happened to be downtown and see this train leaving the station. I looked it up online and we immediately jumped on buying tickets. I remember seeing the Three Rivers Rambler before and had even saved a link about its Christmas train ride before but every holiday season, it just slipped my mind with everything else to do.

We went with my mom, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousin and we all had an awesome time.

He was super excited!

Scarlett was enjoying her (not so) hot chocolate.

It is not enough to ride on a train but he had to play with a train on the train.

It a was beautiful ride through downtown and some of the countryside.

There was even some snow fall (they produced it but it still made the overall experience more magical).

There was a special visitor who hopped on board at one point.

That evening we all piled in my dads van to go to a drive thru lights display in the mountains. Both of the kids loved getting out of their seats and seeing  the lights.

The next day he asked to go on the train again and when I said not today, he told me, "In two weeks". Mom has already decided to take Miller on their other seasonal ones this year. Between all of these events, we checked off a lot of things on our Christmas bucket list.