December 24, 2010

Christmas Eve

Christmas looks a little different every year. This year, we celebrated Christmas at Mom's house on Christmas Eve. We had a great time together!













We had a big lunch/late afternoon meal (if breakfast/lunch = brunch, does dinner/lunch =dunch? I don't know). Anyway, I love how Bailey is hanging in the back, in full attention mode, ready to jump in and assist Mimi with the clean-up should any morsel of turkey fall to the floor. She's a little out of control with the begging these days. Crazy old dog.


This year we went downtown to Peachtree Christian with Mom and Daria for the Christmas Eve service. They have a live nativity outside the church and the kids were enthralled with the animals, including a real-life camel!

December 23, 2010

The Pink Pig

The Pink Pig is an Atlanta Christmas tradition that has been around for years. My sister and I rode it as children, and Josh remembers going down to ride as a child, too. (Fun to think that he and I did many of the same things as children, in the same area, and now all these years later the Lord has brought us together in marriage!)

Here she is, Priscilla the Pink Pig!
Three monkeys waiting outside in the cold
to go in the tent and ride the Pink Pig.
I love them!!
Getting to hug "Priscilla"
"What is this pink place you have brought me to?!"
For several years now, my long-time friend Natalie, her husband George and their family have come down from Athens to meet us. Their son Cole is the same age as Carter,
and in this picture she's pregnant with their daughter, Kathryn.
Look-alikes.
"When is it our turn to ride?"
Carter and his buddy, Auntie Daria. Ready to ride!
Ta-da!! The Pink Pig!
In the back, you can see the original ride that we all rode as children.
Tiny, right?
It used to be at the Rich's department store in downtown Atlanta, and the ride was up on the roof, suspended on a monorail.
Now Rich's has long been closed, and The Pink Pig has moved over to Lenox Mall and is a train ride.
And see what I meant about all the pink?
Like a Pepto-Bismol exploded in there!!
Maybe a little too much pink for my man...plus he barely could get those long legs folded into those little-bitty seats! He's willing to sacrifice though, for the good of the family : )

And afterward, Fellini's Pizza. Yum. Great ending to a fun family tradition!

Christmastime in Norcross

"Oh there's no place like home for the holidays..."

Kate got to help Mom decorate for Christmas this year since we got to be down there a full week before Christmas.  My daughter definitely got the organizer genes that my sister also has.  They tackled the project together and had a fun afternoon of it.

Every time we go to my Mom's house, the kids want to 
go over to the Barnes and Noble at the Forum for storytime.

They've been so often now that they know Mrs. Anne, even though we don't even live here!

There is always a craft after the stories.

Followed by opportunities to play with an uber-cool train table set.

All the kids got new scooters this year courtesy of Mema and Pop.  Mom's driveway is too steep for me to be comfortable with the kids out there riding.  Solution?  Pull the car out and scoot in the garage.  I used to do the same thing way back in the day, except my wheels were rollerskates : )

My kids love to go and play with a whole different set of toys!

Many hours of my life, and theirs, have been spent at this kitchen table.  And I love how concentrated Hudson is on whatever great work of art he is producing in this picture!

Fun, new toys to play with right at her level?  Happy Mollie : )


Kate accompanying the snowman in serenading Mollie.  
Looks like it may be a lullaby for that sleepy baby girl.

We had to be sure and put her in the Johnny-Jump-Up 
since she'll probably be too big for it the next time we come to GA.

We're thankful for every opportunity we have to be in Georgia 
and to spend time with family and friends!

December 22, 2010

The Nutcracker

I love family traditions.
My mom has taken Daria and me to see the Nutcracker Ballet ever since I can remember. We've seen several different versions, in three different countries over the years, and now my little girl is joining us!
I've had to sit out a couple of years along the way, when my babies were new, and this year was one of those years. Kate went down with Mom and Daria though, and had a blast!

Reading up on the Nutcracker story while waiting for their lunch.
The show is about to start! What a sweet thing...I'm very thankful.