Awesomeville (aka Dawsonville)

We love every chance we get to go up to Josh's brother's house and hang with family.

Mollie sporting her new shirt from Aunt Teri (It says "I'm as cute as my aunt")

We get to do fun stuff like swing

 and ride

 and rediscover long-lost loves

 and play hard with cousins

and chill

 

and play some more

with good friends who were visiting their own family nearby

and came to play with us and our family for a little while.

That hair is awesome.

 

Carter scored on the inside blow-up court, with his whole body : )

 Hudson had no chance on the ride back. 30 minutes in the dark after hard playing all day.  

That's a recipe for some good sleeping!

We treasure days like this, and always leave looking forward to the next time.

Team Jenkins Annual Pancake Breakfast

I love holiday traditions, the things you can count on to remain (mostly) the same year to year.  Love those friendships that you know are abiding.  We gathered again at Bowdie and Andrea's house for their annual Day After Christmas Pancake Breakfast.

It was Mollie's debut for some...here she is meeting Becky for the first time.

Rich.

The friendship between these two is a beautiful thing to witness.  True brotherhood in the faith. 

*Funny story:  I remember the first time Bowdie ever called our house, I had to take a message because Josh wasn't home and I wrote down his name as 'Body' (rhymes with Cody).  Josh laughed so hard when he saw it, and we still laugh now years later!

Sneaking away to enjoy a pancake in solitude

What a treat to have the Carson family join in this year!  

These two have been buddies for about half their lives...

Josh was singing on the worship team at our old church when Carter was born, so he always had to be there way earlier than me on Sundays.  I'd drive our (then) two kids separate and sweet Bowdie would always offer to help carry Carter in his carseat if I should happen to run into them while trekking across that huge parking lot.  I think Carter appreciated it ; )  I know I did!

What a blessing to be a part of this yet another year.  Looking forward to 2011!

Christmastime in Buford

Things we like about Christmastime in Buford:

Pa almost always has a fire going

 This year we liked that we had SNOW!!!

 And cousins nearby to come play in it with us, 

and to loan us snow clothes to play in because we never thought to pack them

 We liked having a real-life baby doll to dress in the latest trends  : )

We liked playing with new toys, ours and each others. 

Her shirt says "Daddy's Honey Bunny" 

I liked that Mollie did this on the coffee table everyday, because it reminded me of a drawing I used to doodle on my school papers growing up (except her nose is much smaller and cuter!)

 What's not to like about matching pink boots?

 All three kids sharing a room together and getting a bedtime story from Aunt Kecia and Uncle Ken

 We always like it when Nen cooks a big breakfast!

We liked that this Christmas Team Reed has sisters. 

 We liked kids being silly and making funny faces.

 We all like her.

 

 We liked having a new jewelry store to shop at : )

Most of all, we liked being together...Thankful for another Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Buford

Every Christmas looks a little different.  This year we were blessed to be able to see both sides of our extended family on Christmas Day!  We did a breakfast at my mom's, and then packed up to come stay in Buford with Josh's family.

I lost all my grandparents before I got to high school, and that makes Josh's grandparents even dearer to my heart.  And I love the fact that my kids have gotten to know their great-grandparents!  

Here's Mema and Pop with 9 of their greats.

 Carter and cousin Caden Lee-Lee (as mine call him).  Wherever you saw one, you'd probably see the other.  Apparently they're making up for lost time...

 My girl is big enough to participate in the reading of the Christmas story!  All the older cousins take turns reading it, and she jumped in the rotation this year.  So proud of my 1st grader!

Nen opening the calendar we made for her and Pa.

Brand-new Chuck Taylors and a monster truck for Carter.  Perfect blend of fashion and fun : )

Loving her new pillow pet.

Cullen and Aunt Teri getting a little Mollie love.

Best grandfather in the world!

Taking a break to read 'Junie B Jones, First Grader: Toothless Wonder".  How appropriate!

Aunt Kecia and Sam

Hudson taking Kate's pillow pet for a horsey ride.

Mollie's very own Bitty Baby!

Pausing for a little coloring

 Uncle Kenny hanging with Mollie

Mollie getting Will Wilson 

Josh and family

Cheese!

Josh's sister and family

Josh's brother and family

The whole family (Mollie didn't like the idea of a group shot)

Nen taking a well-deserved break!  So thankful for all her hard work every year to make Christmas special for all of us.  It was another great year!  Glad we could all be together...