Christmas Eve Eve

 

Our Church has a Christmas Eve Eve Candlelight Service. They do this so that members can share Christmas Eve with their families and so they have a full choir.

 

 

Our Family "self timer" Photo

 

Carson saying "Cheese"

 

This is Carson just chewing gum and no one telling him to say "Cheese"! I love my boys so much, the big boys are growing up on me!!

 

A little role playing before we head out - Carson as a dog!

 

Carson knows this is Landon's gift from Papa P.....he knows it drives Landon nuts when he pulls out his gift!

 

We told Carson all day that at Church that night he got to sit with us and he was able to hold a candle. He was so excited!! Finally at the end of the service it was time for the candle part. Bryan "misplaced" his (how did that happen?) Second when the usher lit my candle, 2 seconds later guess who blew it out? Yep Carson ~ so Landon lit my candle with his.....the whole time Carson wanted to blow them out.....finally I handed my candle off to Bryan (since he lost his) and handed Carson to him....2 seconds later poof the candle was again blew out. Myself and the big boys could not stop laughing!! Bryan says when baby number 4 arrives that we are not going anywhere!! I am beginning to think that may be a good idea.

 

We still enjoyed Christmas Eve Eve service even though the ending we totally were not focused on why we were there! Afterward we went to grab a bite and then headed home. The boys are so excited for Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day! 

Gingerbread Houses & Cookies!

Gingerbread Houses

 

When Landon was in Kindergarten his class had a gingerbread party......it was so much fun!!! We have tried to each year since to do our own little houses at our home! We have tried using graham crackers, kits, and the milk/juice containers. The boys like using the containers the best, we just had to buy juice ahead of time and sip away.

 

I have the teachers icing recipe and it covers great and hardens very quickly!

 

Look at all those toppings!!

As usual Carson is shirtless--and he had the best time snacking on candy and eating the icing!

 

Here are the boys gingerbread creations on display for Santa to see!

 

I love seeing what they each decide to do, Carson had some help from mom but also did plenty himself!

 

 

 

Cookie Time!!!

 

I feel like my cookies never turn out right. Not because of what the boys do, but the recipe that I use. Each year I change it up trying to find the perfect "easy" sugar cookie recipe.

 

This year the one I found done pretty well. As long as the boys get to make the cookies, they really don't care its all in the fun of it!!

 

Oh boy I see a Mess!!!

 

Looks like Peyton needs an apron like Carsons:)

 

Carson and big big brother!

 

Roll it Out!!

 

Ooh this is like painting!!

 

Deep Concentration!

 

Wow Carson dumped almost an entire container of sprinklers!!

 

The cookies and gingerbread houses make quite the mess, but the boys love doing it and that makes cleaning the mess worth it!!

Pre Christmas Fun

Santa 2014

 

Our Church has a breakfast with Santa. Last year Carson screamed his head off! This year I was not sure how his visit with the big man would go. Big brothers didn't want to come, so Bryan and I took Carson to have some breakfast and visit Santa.

 

 

He sat, ate his breakfast and colored until his name was called. There was a couple of children ahead of him and I whispered in his ear "if you sit on Santa's lap, you get a candy cane" Carson LOVES candy!! When it was his turn, with mamas help he visited with Santa. Carson didn't say too much but did tell Santa that he wanted a dump truck for Christmas.

Carson was a very good sport, but as soon as Santa handed him his candy cane, he was done and ready to be back with his mama and daddy! I hope he gets that dump truck for Christmas! I told Carson while we were waiting that next Christmas he will have a buddy to tag along with him and he can show him/her the ropes!

 

 The weekend of Bryan's Birthday we decided to make a trip to Charlotte. We wanted to do several things: Look at a SUV for Bryan that he saw online, visit Ginger Bread Lane, and go look at some area Christmas Lights. We did end up getting the SUV, that process didn't take long at all! Next stop was to Ginger Bread Lane.
Best of all this was FREE! You walk thru all the contest entries and the entries are just amazing. We had not done our houses yet, so it was fun getting some ideas.

                          Landon being a teen decided to stay at home, so I just had my Peyton & Carson for the day of fun!

 

 

Carson loves to play with our wooden soldiers at our home, so he was in aww when he say this giant fellow!

A Frozen Gingerbread house!

 

 

At each one Carson would say "I want to eat it!"

 

This was one of our family favorites!

 

Next Stop was Christmas Town USA!

We got to McAdenville pretty early, so we parked grabbed a snack and was ready to roll at 5:30 on the dot when the lights come on. We ended up sitting in stand still traffic for about 45 minutes, which was crazy since we got up to the town so early!

 

We finally got to go and ride thru the 1.5 mile stretch, We would like to go back but it will be on a week night.

 

After sitting in the car so long Peyton was thrilled to FINALLY see the lighted sign! He wanted his face in the photo!

 

Carson's favorites was spotting Santa & getting to be loose in the car!

It was a long fun and productive day. We finally made it home by 10:00pm Bryan and I were tired, however making family memories is totally worth it!

Christmas 2014 Photo Card Shoot

Our Christmas Cards have been mailed.....I considered not sending them this year and saving some money, however we were having photos done anyway due to the pregnancy so we combined the photo shoot.

I also found a Groupon deal.....$10 for 50 cards at Staples. I actually spent more on the postage than I did the cards. I was limited as to what designs I could choose, but I found something that worked. Definitely in the future if I send photo cards I will look for Groupon deals first, this was a big money saver!

This was a fly by the seat of my pants kinda photo shoot.....I normally have everything planned out just perfect. We just went with what was in our closets......and I knew we would be using the bridge at Old Salem. The bridge is just a neat spot in general regardless of what you are wearing.


Merry Christmas & Happy Happy New Year from our family to yours!! We hope you are enjoying the season with your families and not stressing too much over things left on your to do list!

Bryan's Birthday is today and this weekend we have some Christmas festivities to look forward to!

This was the shot we used for our family photo Christmas card! This will be the last one ever that I will be pregnant in:)

 

 

My sweet awesome boys!!!

Did Santa Leave Anything?

The boys were anxious to get home and see what Santa left.  Myself, Landon, and Carson left ahead of Bryan, because I wanted to get home and put a ham in the oven for dinner. Bryan was estimating that he and Peyton would be home by 6:30. I was able to keep Landon and Carson away from the living room


When I went upstairs this is what I found.........

 

Looks like Santa followed our directions:)

 

Oh DEER! This must be Peyton's....a CAMO bed spread!

 

Carson will be so excited.....his very own ride on Train!

 

 

Looks like Landon got an "adult" sized bike.....where has the time gone? My first born is growing up!

 

 

Smiles and Survivor.....for my Survivor obsessed Teenager!

 

Air Soft for Peyton.....Surprise

 

 

Carson has it all figured out! He can ride his Train and read a new book!!

 

Maybe this model ship will occupy Peyton away from video games for a while!

 

Papa P stayed at our house Christmas night.....we put his gift in one of those Prank Boxes....he almost fell for it!!

 

Carson is starting to figure out this opening gifts task!

 

 

Even though Bryan was exhausted from taking care of his dad....he still managed to play a few board games with the boys.....As you can tell from our disaster in our living room we had a Very Merry & Blessed Christmas!