More Fun Days over Christmas Break!

I have little time to blog lately. I will have to say I agree with Robyn M. that I try to enjoy the memories vs. bloggin' it all the time. But, I hope Madi and Maci will enjoy this as their journal,
Here are some highlights from Christmas Break 08'
We had fun do the following:

1. Having a Christmas Tea with my Sister's of Faith Bible Group
2. Going to the Movies to see "Bride Wars" with Madi and Maci
3. Ice Skating in Bradenton
4. Christmas Time at Gramma Becky's
5. Maci's super cute kitchen and many days of playing restaurant
6. Dinner with Zach and Carrie
7. Decorating Princess Tea Set with rhinestones

and more fun times!!!

I've Been Tagged by Laura

This picture is of my Bible Group Girls! I love you guys! (my 6th pic)

We went to Panera for coffee treats and fellowship time. I think this was sometime in September 08'

I was recently tagged by Laura Halloran. The directions were:



1. Go to the 6th folder

2. Choose the 6th picture

3. Post and explain

Now, I tag Heidi K, Cristy G & Tracy C.

Blog Rewind..

I am a little behind in bloggin', almost 2 months behind. I was doing so good about journaling and printing the pages so my girls can have it later in life. But, as we all do we get busy and it doesn't get done. I lost my camera cord and just found it. So, excuse my page because it will be a rewind over the last few months.

THANKS!!

Christmas Day 2008

This year Ryan and I decided to give back to a needy family so luckily our church was having a program where you choose a family off a tree called Angel Ministries and they get a complete Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings. We had the girls choose the families name and we turned in our donation. My girlfriends in my Bible group also choose a family to sponsor for the Angel Ministries. It was an excellent way to show our girls the meaning of giving back instead of always receiving.
On Christmas Eve morning, Maci had come down with a fever but Motrin was our saving grace to keep her feeling well enough to open gifts, play and enjoy our favorite day. Ryan's Aunt calls it "purple haze" so we are always kidding about giving our kids the "purple haze" (for plane rides, etc).
Christmas Day was perfect. It was the most relaxing Christmas we have had in years. I want to bottle up our girls age-6 and 8 it is such a great age, they have been so much fun (that is another blog). Back to Christmas Morning.
Our Traditions:
1.We always open our stockings first. Stockings were huge when I was growing up so I had to continue it even though the weren't as big in Ryan's family. I love all the little things you can put in them.
2. Ryan and I also stuff each other stockings. He does a really good job.
3. Then Present time, I am anal about the present opening. Mainly because you spend so much time shopping and money that it is over soooo quick. So, the girls each open one gift at a time and watch each other. It is nice and relaxing this way as well. You can ask my brothers and sisters and I was one of those slow gift openers and always was the last with gifts still to open. I didn't want it to be over.
4. The girls had a blast. They had several nice gifts from Santa, Grandparents' and Aunts and Uncles. Here are some of the ones I can remember:
They both got: a Wii and a Karoke machine
Madison:
MP3 Player, Electric Scooter, 3 Movies, High School Musical Monopoly, Trouble, clothes, PJ's, earrings, journal, monogrammed "M" necklace, digital camera with case, monogrammed blanket,
book set, American Girl Doll books,
Maci:
Twin Babies (with stroller, high chairs and swings), Baby doll clothes, W-mart Grocery cart with fake food, a beautiful girly wood kitchen, pots and pans, movies, monogrammed blanket, etc.
After the 15 minutes it took to open the gifts (such a short time for so much planning). We always fix pancakes and sausage. Of course, my favorite "Santas White Christmas" coffee.
After Breakfast, we headed off to my Mom and Dad's house. It is always great to go over and see everyone together. We had a wonderful Christmas lunch. The kids could hardly wait to open gifts so, we began and it is a tradition that everyone sits around and my Dad is Santa and passes out all the gifts. It is so exciting to watch the kids open the gifts.
After, we played games and had dessert. My Mom made the best homemade carmael pumpkin pie. (not sure why this is underlined-if you know, post me)

Our Christmas Eve Tradition...We buy the girls PJ's and they open them on Christmas Eve. Now that they are older they know what that gift is before the open it. Daddy picked these cute christmas tree PJ's in bright pink and green.

Sound asleep...so cute on the coach after a long day.

Maci with her rosy cheeks was sick but her stocking made her smile.



Madison with her stocking that she has had since she was born.



Look, sissy I got connect four!

My favorite...twin babies

Maci's gift for us that she made at school (the best gifts of all).

Madison made a dvd with her talking about the pictures from throughout third grade.

My stocking...Ryan ad I purchased these the year we got married.

Presents...by our small tree

Maci with her twins shopping at Walmart.

Madi loves to help in the kitchen. Here she is makiing our pancakes.

The crew at my parent's house playing Wii.

Maci waiting patiently at Granny's to open gifts.

Us girls ready to go out on Christmas day!

Christmas Eve

Madi and Maci at home
Daddy and his Princess'

My girls

My hubby, best friend and partner in life

Opening gifts at Grandma Frances

My Best Buddy-Cristy

Madi and Maci at Grace Bible

Ryan and I at our Candelight service

The whole group

My great friend-Cristy Goolsby

Maci and Madi opening their Christmas Eve Gift!

Look its Christmas PJ's (Daddy picked them out, he did so good)

Maci not feeling well-look at those red cheeks...

Ready for Santa-crashed on the couch

We have a few Christmas Eve Traditions that we started with our family. Enjoy the pictures below:

1. Ryan's Grandmas Delicious Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings.

2. After dinner, we always take the girls on a stroll around town to look at Christmas lights. We turn Christmas music on in the car and enjoy the lights. One house, had their lights coordinated to Christmas music. It was neat.

3. We then attend Candlelight service, songs at our Church-Grace Bible (so blessed for a wonderful church).

3. Once we get home, the girls get to open one gift. Since Madi Kate was a newborn, we started this tradition. They both get Christmas PJ's to wear for Santa on Christmas Eve. It is so cute!

We always take a picture in front of the tree in their PJ's. (I am going to work on pulling out the pictures from the last several years to post).

4. Then, we sprinkle Reindeer food on the lawn because we wouldn't want them to fly by and miss our house.

5. Last, we read the "Christmas Story".

Promise Kept

Hello Everyone, it seems forever! I promised myself and kids that I would not blog or use the computer over Christmas Break and I did it! I am so happy for myself. Because as most of you know bloggin' and the internet can be addicting and take up time. It really does take up time away from your family so I try and make an effort to blog and internet search when the kidos are in bed. When I began blogging, my main goal was to capture all our memories and experiences down and then print the pages as I go and keep them for the girls in a binder. It has worked great. They love looking back at the pictures and reading about all the fun times! Scrapbooking days for me are slim so this is a way to document and get it done as we live through the memories.
Enjoy our Christmas Break! Some days are out of order because I am still looking for a camera I misplaced around the house.

Bunco Babes

The Bunco Babes from Memorial Elementary. We started a Bunco group a few months ago. It has been a blast. Especially getting to know new friends. Most of the group are K-2 teachers with 2 office staff. I hosted December Bunco at my house. We had tons of food, snacks and drinks. Then, off we played 3 rounds of Bunco. Crazy Cohen won all of our money and took home most of the cash. She is so much fun! Looking forward to Bunco next month at Courtney's house. "The Bunco Babes"

Me and Ms. Holland (Maci's teacher). She is so much fun!

Vicky Payne, Cara Holland and Bethany Harkey

Crazy Jewish Cohen trying to teach me the Horah (spelling?) dance for the Jewish Holiday!

Courtney, Katherine and Alicia

Kayla and me

Nice Surprise

I arrived home after work to find a very thoughtful surprise from Ryan. He took my memory card from my camera and took it to make enlargements of our pictures from our recent North Carolina trip. He spent time looking through over 160 pictures to find the ones he liked best. He had an 8X10 made of the family and 3-5X7 photos made. He not only enlarged them he went and purchased frames. He loved our trip so much and thought the pictures of the waterfalls during fall with all the nature beauty turned out so nice he even framed them. On top of that he went and got flowers with the once of month flower card he purchased for me and had flowers arranged behind the pictures! Thanks Ryan, I now have updated family pictures to put on my desk at work. I appreciate his thoughtful surprise

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Lunch at Ryan's Aunt Becky's house
Madi Culverhouse and Maci enjoying their Thanksgiving Feast at school

Singing a few songs, they are so cute!


Maci with her placemat she made at school...she remembered to take it to on Thanksgiving Day!



Madi and Maci with their Gramma Becky

My family! Love you guys!

I have many things to be thankful for:
1. My God who is always there for us
2. My Husband, Best Friend, Partner for Life
3. My Girls-Madison and Maci are a joy everyday
4. My family-Everyone of them is unique and special to me!
5. My Friends-Wow, how special they are in all times up and down.
6. My Church-What a church full of grace, authentic christians
7. My House-Love our home that we spend many memories and are grateful to be a first time owner.
8. My Job-Love teaching and always have been a teacher even when I was little playing at home with my sister and cousins.
9. Little things in life such as: coffee, books, naps, chocolate, eating out, Bible studies, losing 8 pounds since Oct. 1st, YEAH! etc.
10. Blessed with many memories on vacations with my husband, children and friends. We have been very lucky to travel and spend time together that you can't replace.

Day 4 in North Carolina-Dupont National Forest

It was our last day to explore in North Carolina. So, we woke up early and made a picnic lunch to take for the day. It was a beautiful 20 minute ride with trees full of fall colors covering the road. It was amazing. We decided to have lunch next to this pond in the forest. We arrived and a very funny and long story short- "The mushroom club" that meets there every Sunday took over the picnic area. Literally, these people meet every Sunday and pick mushrooms and lay them out on the tables and label them. OK, I have now seen everything. Wow, what an exciting club! Anyway, we were still able to have a nice picnic near the pond on a bench.

After our hearty lunch, we headed to our first trail. It was the trail to "Hooker Falls" (yes, lovely name). It was only 1/2 mile and we enjoyed stopping along the way to walk on the rocks and enjoy the stream. We arrived and it was just gorgeous. After a nice relaxing rest, we headed back. On, the way back Maci and Madi wanted to stop and visit the stream again. Well, Maci managed to fall in (I am sure on purpose??) and get so wet but she had a blast (until the walk back to the car soak and wet).

Our next trail took us to Triple High Falls. This was my favorite part of the trip. The walk was about 1 mile and amazing. We reached the top and couldn't beleive the waterfall. Man God is sure AWESOME~ It was three waterfalls all flowing down into a stream. After observing and taking it all in, we decided to rock climb up to the 2nd waterfall. Daddy was a little nervous but we all made it. It was the best scenery, noise and fun I have every had. Enjoy our slide show from this final day. Also, the girls sang a song when we reached the top of the mountain but I am not sure if I will get it loaded or not, I will try. Thanks for visting!

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