The Greatest Gift

After days of nonstop gift giving & receiving with our families, I just want to say how thankful I am for Jesus, the greatest gift of all. What a blessing it is to celebrate His birth this time every year. Luke 2:19&20, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The sheperds returned, glorifying and praising God for the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told." Like Mary, I want to spent 2009 treasuring and pondering the wonders of Christmas & like the sheperds, glorifying & praising God. Happy New Year!

Dance Party!

Checking out Nanna's Snow Village w/ Leigh Anne

 
 
 
 
Caroline is a "dancing queen"! I think she started dancing as soon as she could stand & has always been a natural. Laura Ann tried to copy some of her ballet moves & Daniel danced with "Princess Belle". Big Daddy & Nanna gave Caroline & Laura Ann dance cams for Christmas. Caroline really put on a show when we plugged it up. Oh what fun! Dan's extended family came over Christmas evening & we had the most delicious meal (we were a little worried about how it might turn out since the meal preparation landed Nanna in the ER getting stitches in her finger, but it was as yummy as ever!). Thanks to Nanna, Granny & Aunt Beth, I know nothing about cooking Christmas dinner! Daniel, of course, was especially excited to see "Miss Leigh Anne" & said several times the next day how much he misses her!

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Fun, fun , fun....

 
 
&
Daniel, Laura Ann & Caroline didn't waste any time opening their gifts from Nanna & Big Daddy & we all had fun watching them!

Christmas in Douglasville

 
 
After some playtime with the toys Santa left & a quick breakfast, we loaded up & headed to Douglasville to celebrate Christmas with Dan's family. Daniel & Laura Ann were very excited to see Caroline. They were all "stylin" in their new shoes- Caroline got new sparkle shoes from Santa, Daniel & Laura Ann got new boots from Santa. I especially love Laura Ann's hot pink boots with her red dress! :) It got even better as the day went on, Caroline changed into her beautiful "Belle" gown & Laura Ann changed into her new yellow stripe boots from Nanna. Nanna & Big Daddy also gave the girls tutus that were a hit. I don't think Caroline took hers off for the 2 days we were there!

Santa came to see Laura Ann too!

 
 
 
 
Laura Ann woke up about an hour after Daniel, so we got to do the whole thing again! It is much easier to get her on video because she is still in her crib & has to wait for us to get her out. She was really excited too. She asked Santa for a dollhouse & a baby doll. I'm not sure she knew exactly what a dollhouse was, but Santa thought she would really like it. She has the little people dollhouse & loves it, but she calls it her "barn" b/c Daniel has the little people barn & she thinks the house is her "barn"! Anyway, she ran straight to the dollhouse & started moving all of the people around. When she found the baby, she said, "Look Mom, it's baby Jesus!" She loves babies & has really enjoyed all of the Nativities as we've celebrated Jesus' birthday this year!

Santa Came!!!

 
 
 
 
Last Christmas, I made 2 mistakes. First of all, I was asleep & Dan was upstairs when Daniel woke up Christmas morning, so we didn't get his initial reaction on tape (which was priceless). Second, I had in my mind that he & Laura Ann needed to see their gifts together at the same time, so I woke Laura Ann up an hour early to accomplish this & she was very unhappy about it. I was more prepared this year. Dan sat in the family room with the camera on when he got up, so we got Daniel coming out of his room on video & we did Santa w/ Daniel first & then about an hour later with Laura Ann when she woke up. Things went much better!
Daniel was beside himself with excitement when he got up & found that Santa had been here! He came out of his room, looked at it all & then ran down the hall to our room. I heard him coming & he was the most precious sight when he got to my side of the bed- he was all of breath, saying "Mom, he came, Santa came, he came!!" It was the cutest thing. Santa brought just what Daniel asked him for- a Thomas set! Daniel stayed on the floor playing with his train set for at least an hour without a break- he absolutely loved it! This is absolutely the most FUN age!!!

Christmas Eve at Mamaw & Papaw's

Mac, Jackson, Ruby, Sutton, Laura Ann, Daniel, Rylee, Kate


 
 
 
 
We went to Mamaw & Papaw's Christmas Eve evening to celebrate with the extended McWhorter family. There are 8 great grandchildren under the age of 7, so it is always lots of fun! Besides opening gifts, the Christmas tatoos from Kelly were the highlight of the evening!

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Photo Session by Gran's Tree

 
 
 
 

PJ Pics.....

...with Grandmama!! After opening gifts at Gran & Papa's, we went to visit Grandmama Compton (we missed the Compton Christmas on Christmas day, b/c we were in GA w/ the James family). Since Grandmama, Daniel & Laura Ann were all still in PJs, we thought they should all pose in front of her Christmas tree together!

Christmas Eve Morning

 
 
 
 
Christmas Eve morning finally arrived & that meant opening gifts. Daniel & Laura Ann had so much fun opening all of their gifts & playing with what was inside of them. Kate enjoyed all of the paper & especially the bows! :) After opening gifts, we all enjoyed one of Gran's famous breakfasts complete with my FAVORITE- chocolate n'biscuits!!!

Kate......

 
 
 
came to Gran & Papa's too! Daniel & Laura Ann were thrilled to see her & had lots of fun playing with her. Sweet Kate patiently endured their many hugs & kisses! Kate got a new wagon from Gran & Papa & enjoyed rides around the house in it (it was too cold to go outside!).

Christmas in Moulton

 
 
 
 
We went to Gran & Papa's on Tuesday to celebrate Christmas. We don't usually open gifts until Christmas Eve morning, but b/c Daniel was about to bust, Gran let them both have one thing from their stocking as soon as we got there- Daniel got a hole puncher & pad of tickets (just like the Polar Express conductor) & Laura Ann got a princess purse filled w/ make-up, sunglasses & jewelry- oh what fun! Gran helped Daniel & Laura Ann to make cookies to leave out for Santa (I got some really good pictures of the process, only my memory card wasn't in my camera when I took them!). Then Aunt Reta came over & brought her new puppy, Okie, who is from Oklahoma!