Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was so much fun this year!  Ellie's excitement made the late night driving and "assembly" worth it all.  We didn't get to set out cookies or spread reindeer food like I had hoped, but I made sure to at least put our cookies out so she could see it had been done.  She was OUT by the time we got home from Memphis and I was not about to wake her up to do it.  There's always next year!

 Ellie's stash.  She got Caroline the American Girl doll, a Barbie Jeep, a Melissa and Doug dress up ballerina, some Barbie's, paint your own tea set, Cinderella and Carriage, and a Pottery Barn iron/ironing board.  We also set out all of the handmade AG doll clothes that Granny made for my AG doll, Molly.  They are amazing!  So glad we could pass them down for Ellie to enjoy.

She couldn't believe Santa ate most of the cookies!

The first look...what an excited face!

Checking it all out

She loved her jeep, but we've still got some work to do on the steering:)

This girl LOVES the Wizard of Oz.  It still shocks me how much she loves it.  So Santa put the DVD in her stocking along with tons of stickers, suckers, PEZ, crafting jewels, puppet making sets and more.

Tired mommy with my pretty, happy girl.

We had a yummy breakfast of cheese grits casserole, sausage squares and fresh fruit.

Little Picasso doing some painting.

Ellie and Caroline in their night gowns.  Granny made the doll gown!

They worked puzzles all morning.

Here is a little bit of video from our morning.  She was so excited!!  Please excuse my loud , tired voice.

It was a fun morning at home full of playing.  We soon had to get ready for all 30+ Blackman's to head over to our house for more fun.  It was a full day!

Christmas in Memphis

Well, we've survived another busy Christmas season!  As exhausting and chaotic as it can be, I try to remember that these moments are special and our kid(s) are only young for a short time.  I really think this Christmas was the most fun yet!  Ellie really "got it" this year and to see her sweet face light up over and over just made it even more special.

We arrived in Memphis Sunday around noon and went straight over to Granny and Grandon's.  We had lots of yummy food and even played a few Trivia games and Twister.  It was so much fun!  All Ellie asked Santa for this year was "Baby Caroline and an Easel."  She was SO excited when she saw that easel at Granny's.  I think her reaction was the highlight of everyone's holiday.  It was priceless!

Look at that face. Pure Christmas Joy!

 After Granny's, we went back to DeDe's for more fun and more gifts.  Watching Ellie was the highlight for everyone yet again!

The next morning, she got her big surprise from Peeps and DeDe.  A handmade dress up closet and princess dress!  Peeps made the whole thing himself.  What a special gift!

 Christmas Eve day was spent getting ready for the big Young Family party that night.  We did all mange to get ready and be at church by 4:30.  Ellie wore her pretty purple nativity dress from MawMaw and my purple velvet coat that I wore when I was little.  I thought she looked so sweet.

After church, the crowd began to arrive!  It was loud, it was chaotic, but it was also lots of fun!  The kids exchanged gifts and the adults played dirty Santa.  We ate more delicious food and Ellie ran wild with her cousins.  Just what Christmas is supposed to be like!

Cannot believe there will be THREE more babies next year!

Making reindeer food

We didn't leave Memphis until late, which put us back in Greenfield at midnight.  Santa still had to work to do, but he got it done!  I'll try to recap Christmas day soon!

Baking with Ginger

Yesterday Ginger left all kinds of fun baking treats for Ellie.  I had big hopes of baking and decorating after she got home from Ms. Carla's, but unfortunately it just didn't happen.  All I am going to say is...it's a good thing she's cute because she has been giving me a run for my money lately!

Ginger left Ellie a note that said "let's bake" and a new spatula, cookie cutters and pot holder!  Ellie was so excited to bake with her Elf!

I decided that early morning baking might be in our best interest.  Ellie is like her Peeps, she functions better early in the day:)  

So we got up this morning and got busy!

Cutting out our trees, stars, and gingerbread men...

Happy little baker!

Ready for sprinkles!

Her favorite part...

All ready for the oven...

And warm from the oven ready to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve!

Baking with a 2 year old is always an adventure, but I am glad we got to do this together.  Memories made!

Showering Baby Halton

This past Sunday we held a baby shower at our house for our good friends, Rusty and Alyse.  They are expecting baby Halton in just a few short weeks!  We are SO excited to have our boys grow up only 4 months apart.  I hope they are life long best friends like their Daddy's have been.  There have been so many wonderful friends in Greenfield that made the move such an easy transition for us and I wanted to do something for the Darby's to help celebrate such an exciting time.

I attempted to be crafty.  Don't look too close!

 Baby Halton got so many nice things!

It was kid overload!  Ellie was in heaven.  Pretty much every kid in town she knows was at HER house!  

Mia cracks me up!

All of the lovely ladies that made the shower happen.

It was a fun, WILD afternoon.  Come on, baby Halton!

Christmas Catch-Up

I can't believe Christmas is in a week.  With all of the sad news lately all I have wanted to do is stay home with Ellie and enjoy every second with her.  Unfortunately, busy life gets in the way but we've still managed to have some fun.  I have a few fun things planned for us this week as well that I know she will enjoy.

Last week we decorated our gingerbread house!  I bought a pre-assembled house (I didn't know it at the time) and it is honestly the best invention ever.  It was fun to just decorate and enjoy.  Ellie was on candy overload after we finished.  She managed to sneak quite a few pieces while she decorated:)

Our finished product!

Friday night we went to Jackson to shop.  While Don was getting his haircut we went next door to Panera for a cookie treat.  I couldn't get all of those Connecticut kids off of my mind.  Something little like sharing a cookie was just what we needed!

Friday night after we got back to Greenfield we drove by a house that is decorated like crazy and put to music over the radio.  Ellie squeeled with delight the entire time.  We had such a great time!

Miss Priss...

Some days I still can't believe we are having another baby, let alone a BOY!  I can't quit looking at Don's baby pictures wondering what he will look like.  I wonder if he will weigh almost 11 pounds like Don did?  He was only 2 months old here!

I thought this was a cute little video.  I wouldn't let me download the whole thing, but I still wanted to share.