Christmas Eve 2009

This afternoon we (Jeff, Landree, Hudson, Mommy, Daddy and I) got together with Megan and Hayden, her parents, niece and granddad. In years past we’ve gone to their house, but Megan’s mom has been sick so we decided to get together here. She actually just came home from the hospital yesterday and we are so glad she was able to be home in time for Christmas and join us! We made all of our favorite snack foods and a yummy chicken tortilla soup.

We gave Hayden his Christmas presents. He loved the wrapping.

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Landree read him the books that we gave him.

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And Aunt Megan (and Jeff and Hayden) gave Landree a few rooms for her doll house and she. loved. them! She was as happy as a lark not even knowing that they are going to go with her doll house tomorrow. She put them on a little table beside her bed tonight. Tomorrow morning is going to be so fun!

I’m going to have to pull out some pictures of Megan and I exchanging gifts as kids.

Then tonight before bed we made break and bake cookies for Santa and put them out with a tall glass of milk.

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Now off to bed so Santa can come. When we last checked he was in South America and heading our way soon!

A Crafty Christmas!

We’ve been pretty busy this holiday season, but we’ve taken advantage of our days at home (some of them in pj’s all day) too.  We’ve been making ornaments and gift tags:

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And stain glass window hangings (some of these may show up attached to gifts we are giving):

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And Tuesday night we made this {foam} gingerbread house.  Landree did most of it by herself and she did a really good job.  It was sticky on the back so it wasn’t too messy-we only had to glue a few pieces. 

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My mom and I bought several things last year after Christmas with the intention of doing an advent calendar, but we’ve just done things as we have had time.  We’ll be hitting the stores again the day after Christmas this year.  Jeff made me promise I wouldn’t buy any more decorations, but I do plan to stock up on little goodies like this and we really just enjoy the ‘hunt’.  It’s sort of tradition-Megan will shop with us too (that’s tradition also). 

Can you believe that it’s Christmas eve?  We’ll finish up our wrapping tonight and will be hanging out eating our favorite snack foods.  Megan and Hayden will be joining us too (her husband Jeff has to work.  He’s a policeman.)  And hopefully her parents too.  Her mom has been in the hospital.  It should be a great night!  Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Card Pictures-Take 200

So any of you that have a 3 year old know that it’s nearly impossible to get a good picture these days. Seriously. It’s. Hard. Work. We missed our Santa pictures that I could use on Christmas cards in October when we had the flu. We had family pictures taken a few weeks ago, and I while we got some really good pictures of Hudson {who doesn’t move at this point,} I wasn’t crazy about any of our family pictures. I was hoping to get some pictures of Landree when we were at the mall visiting Santa. Here are the two that made our card (I wish the lights on the tree in her picture looked like they do in Hudson’s pic-that’s called bokeh for all you non photography peeps. I read that somewhere):

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Spoiler alert:

I haven’t sent out my cards yet, but here is a peek at the final product. I’m just hoping to send them out before the 25th. Where has the time gone? I designed these cards using all the ideas I got from the Christmas Card Carousal. There were some fabulous cards! Merry Christmas!

Sleigh Bells Ring…Do you hear crying?

Tonight, after the Gray’s extended family Christmas gathering, Jeff’s mom, sisters, and our little family headed into Greenville to look at the Christmas lights on Park street by carriage. Most everyone had a really great time :) Hudson was getting hungry and he cried until he fell asleep. Luckily, the other family in the carriage with us had a 2 month old little girl and they were used to a crying baby. He did great until he got hungry.

Landree jumped right up into this Santa’s lap and just started chatting it up with him. I think he offered to hold her because she was cold. The piece of candy he gave her didn’t hurt either. I’m not sure what all they talked about, but was sure giggling when she talked to him. Maybe she’s excited that Mia he is going to be getting her drums after all.

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And my baby man before he got upset. Isn’t this little hat cute? Grandma got it for him at Children’s Place-it even has matching socks.

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This will definitely be on the list for future traditions. It’s in town, fun, benefits a good cause, and hot chocolate and cookies were only fifty cents each!

Special Message from Santa

Santa sent us a special message today. Click here to watch it!

And here is a little video of Landree watching her special message from Santa (the hair can best be described by the fact that she just woke up from her nap):

Landree's video from Santa from Jennifer Gray on Vimeo.

Grandma’s Christmas Party

Grandma has a Christmas Party annually where she has ladies over for a gift exchange and yummy food. My mom gets to attend, my friend Megan normally attends, but I never get to attend because it’s usually the week before we come home for Christmas, but this year we were here and I was able to come! It was a lot of fun!

Hudson and Landree came too {children don't normally attend}. Landree helped Grandma draw numbers for door prizes! She did a very good job.

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We did our gift exchange 'Dirty Santa' style stealing gifts galore. I brought that cute penguin yard stake and it was the first item opened and stolen. Alice ended up with it in the end with Sandy’s help. I got a copy of the Pioneer Woman’s new cookbook courtesy of my sister in law. Obviously no one knew who she was because they didn’t even try to take it from me. LUCKY ME! I love it! I can’t wait to try out some of her recipes.  

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A rare picture of Landree and Mommy even though she wasn’t looking.

I made corn dip for the party. It’s so good. Here’s the recipe if you need to bring a snack or dip to a party. We are having snacks on Christmas eve this year and this will definitely be on the list of things we’ll be making.

Corn Dip

2 cans of Mexicorn (drained)

8 oz of mayo

8 oz of sour cream

3-5 chopped green onions

3-4 finely diced jalapenos (remove seeds)

1 can of green chili's

8 oz of grated cheese

Mix and chill until ready to serve. Serve with Fritos. Yum!

A little housekeeping: I'm trying to stay updated on all the happenings, but I've run into something with a bigger priority-Shutterfly books that need to be printed! I purchased several prepaid photo books (like maybe 7-8 a few years ago on sale) and they are about to expire so now I'm downloading pictures like a made woman and making books so I may be scarce around here for a few days.

Christmas Cookies

We haven’t been home much since we’ve been in TX. We’ve been busy playing with friends, shopping, and I don’t even know what, but a few days ago {maybe a week now} we did have a chance to stay home and Landree, Mia and I made cookies. They were yummy and they are already gone! We’ll be on round 2 of cookie making and gingerbread houses this weekend at Grandma’s. Fun things like this make the best pictures and Landree actually asked me to take her picture-woo hoo! There are too many cute ones not to share!

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While our cookies were baking we took a break to decorate Landree and Hudson’s trees for their rooms. Landree has a pink tree with everything ballet, pink, and fancy along with a feather boa and rhinestone topper. Hudson has a sports themed tree with a football tree skirt.

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And then it was time for decorating the cookies…

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3 Months Old {Actually 3 1/2}

So I took these pictures on Hudson’s actually 3 month birthday, but I’m just now getting caught up. He’s growing and changing so fast. Jeff said he’s a totally different baby after not seeing him for the last 2 weeks.

He’s officially wearing a size 3 diapers. And unofficially weighs 16-17 pounds. I weighed him on my parents scale. We’ll go back to the doctor in January for his 4 month appointment. He’s growing out of all of his 3-6 month clothes that have feet because he’s so TALL!

He drools all the time! I know there have to be some little teeth in there somewhere! Landree didn’t get teeth until she was 10 months old, but you are so slobbery!

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He constantly does "crunches” he is trying to sit up any time when he’s in his carseat, bouncy or swing.

I love carrying him in the sling and he seems to like it too. We’ve done that a lot more this month with all of our outings and shopping and I love carrying him in it. I’ve been letting his feet hang out of it because he is so long he hates being squished up in there if not.

He is so social and loves to be talked too. He talks and is LOUD. He doesn’t have a chance-he is going to have to be if he wants to get a word in between Jeff, Landree and me.

He is still sleeping great at night getting up one time to eat after about 7-8 hours. I think he might have even gone almost 9 last night.

He had his first sleepover and official night away from mom and dad when I took Jeff back to the airport the day after Thanksgiving. I think the first time Landree stayed away from both of us was during the 3 day when she was well over one. He stayed with Grandma and did great! Grandma even let me sneak some ‘alone’ shopping in the next day, and that was great, but we were both ready to see each other when I got back.

Hudson, I can’t believe we are about to celebrate your first Christmas and that you are growing so quickly. Soon we’ll be home and you’ll be in your own room. I love you so much! I can’t believe you’ve already been here for 3 1/2 months time has gone by so quickly. Slow down baby. I need you to be little just a little longer! Mommy thinks you’re the best boy in the whole world!

*No Cowboy’s bear picture this month because there was just too much to pack!

Dear Santa,

Landree said, "The favorite part of my day was seeing Santa!" and that made the 5 hour wait worth it. So seriously, when we set out on an adventure to visit the NorthPark Santa we didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't a 5 hour wait. When Momma and Landree got there at about 10 am they got a number-number 122 to be exact, and they told us it would be after 2 before we would be able to see him. It was 3:30, but we made the most of it. Santa had a story time and then we were forced to shop and eat PF Changs but that wasn’t too bad either. Plus the mall has two different Christmas puppet shows that go on throughout the day that Landree really enjoyed.

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I'm not really sure what Landree told Santa she wanted. She's added drums and ponies to the list in the last few days when her original request was only stickers.

Unfortunately, Santa let me know he was getting her a dollhouse-not drums or ponies. And her Daddy and I, along with my parents, and Aunt Megan have all gotten her the rooms to go along with it. I know she will love it! Here she is talking to Santa-we snuck brother in for a picture too, but he didn’t say anything about his wish list.

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Baby Hayden liked Santa too.

We’ll see you soon Santa, and don’t worry we’ll leave your favorite cookies {he told us chocolate chip} and some carrots for the reindeers. Merry Christmas!

Santa, a giveaway, and other random thoughts...

I've said it before-I {love} Canton! I plan trips home around a first Monday! I actually went twice this last month just to get my fill and I'll make one more trip before we head home in January. I've been telling my friends in SC for years about this outdoor 'trade days' and have them all wanting to visit. Even Country Living jumped on board and featured it a few years ago...can't say enough about it. love. it!

LaurieAnna's is one of my favorite booths! It's all white and vintage and wonderful! And it's just my style {which could be classified as anything white with paint chipping off of it or any type of a bird or nest!} Here's a picture (from her blog) of her booth at the Nutcracker Market in Houston. Her booth is set up very similar at Canton. Beautiful!

She is doing 12 days of giveaways (and there are still 7 days left). Today she's giving away the cutest little birds (I bought two of them on Saturday) I am going to be putting mine in a small apothecary jar with birdseed and a little branch. I love these jars-here are a few beautiful examples. I also got a few 'bird' pictures. I can't wait to decorate! I'll be sure and post pictures when our room is all done with my new goodies. We are getting a new king size bed (yea!) and furniture. I'm still working everything out in my head. I'll post a few pictures when I have a chance to put together what I'm thinking.

We did get Santa pictures today. I will download the ones I took and post them soon. I'm not sure he was worth the 5 hour wait, but Momma, Landree, Hudson and I had a good time shopping, eating, and hanging out with Megan and Hayden while we waited. We got some great deals at the LOFT if you are still looking for gifts (or for yourself). I got a pair of jeans for $12 with a 20% off coupon. Seriously-you couldn't buy them that cheap at Walmart! Tomorrow we are going to get Jeff from the airport so I'm off to bed. Goodnight bloggy friends! I've missed you!

Updated: I just highjacked this picture from Megan until I can get mine downloaded. Landree thought Santa was worth the wait and that's all that matters.