Christmas day and next..

The girls make a sign to hang at the top of the staircase each year to remind them not to come running down on Christmas morning. Here they are eagerly waiting to head down. They can't get to our room without passing the tree in the living room so we don't want to miss their faces!!! They really look forward to making the sign every year.



Mia was very excited about her new ball popper!
The big girls got American Girl dolls this year after their scavenger hunt from Santa. They were actually from the grandparents, but they wanted them to get them Christmas morning so they asked Santa to deliver them for them!

After Christmas morning at home, a nice big breakfast and a few hours to play, we loaded up and headed to Grammy and Uncle Jeff's house in Birmingham.

Here is sticky Mia eating a peppermint stick....


...family shot after church in B'ham (the Sunday after Christmas)The girls by Grammy's tree....


Mia sitting with Grammy at the Phillips-side gift exchange...

...girls wearing their new matching vests from Gymboree!!! Love them!

Rockettes and more Santa breakfasts

Morgan and I got to go see the Rockettes with her Girl Scout troop on December 23rd. We absolutely loved it!! Maybe the family can go next time.

Morgan and her Girl Scout friends during intermission at the Rockettes!

Morgan and one of her best friends Ella (she is also Mrs. Angie's daughter who is Mollie's speech teacher)
Morgan and Mommy...

Mollie with Ms. Cockrell at her Kindergarten Christmas program...
Mollie dressed as her Gingerbread girl cookie (she had to dance across the stage during the "visions of sugarplums" part of the Night before Christmas poem...)
This was at the Santa pancake breakfast from our church....yes, Mia is crying again!

December activiities

Mollie at her Christmas party with Mia trying to swipe everyone's drinks!
Mollie and her friend Eden...
These were the chocolate cherry mice that I had to make for the party! Very cute, but time-consuming!

Mia was putting on my oven mitt and then would walk over to the stove! So cute!
Morgan's class during their Pajama Polar Express Day! They were holding their bells here! Morgan is 3rd in the back row in lavender pjs.

Jason was gone for the whole week so we made a Gingerbread house one night to help pass the time!

Both girls were in the Smyrna Christmas parade with their school. First is Morgan on the corner
waving...
..and Mollie is leaning over
This was the Santa breakfast at their school...our first of 3 and the only one that Mia didn't cry when she sat with Santa!
The girls in matching sweaters right after we decorated our tree!
Mia "helping" with the lights!
Our visit with Santa at the bank...Mia didn't care to sit with him this time. She was fine just looking and talking with him, but not sitting on him!
Then, there's Morgan, in deep conversation!


We always tell Mia to come down the stairs on her tummy...she actually did it this time and I thought this picture was so cute with her tights and her dress pushed up!

Thanksgiving

This was our year to go to Indiana for Thanksgiving. My brother Craig, his wife Hasmig and their kids Bennett (almost 3) and Brynn (6 months) were there too. It was crazy with all of us there but great to see everyone!

The kids like to wake up and go wake up Papaw in the mornings. All 5 grandkids piled in with him this morning!
Mollie and Grandpa napping...
Morgan loved to help with Brynn!
Mollie finally got to go out hunting with Daddy one morning.
Mia and Brynn in matching pjs! Those were Mia's last year!

Bennett and Mia had both just woken up from a nap.
Mollie holding Brynn...
...the kids were piling up on Uncle Craig!

Thanksgiving activities at school

Morgan and Mollie had several activities at school this Fall. Mollie was a Pilgrim woman in the Thanksgiving play where she had to say "Mercy Me" several times! She is quite the performer.
They also had a Pow-Wow where everyone dressed in the native american things they'd made and paraded around outside. Here is Mollie's class...she is directly behind her teacher.
Her teacher, Ms. Cockrell, leading the group. Morgan and Mollie have both had her!

Here is Morgan doing her "Corny Jokes and Riddles" performance in her class. They made people out of dry corn cobs and performed jokes for the class.

Morgan's 8th birthday

For Morgan's 8th birthday this year, we had some of her friends come over for a "Spa Day." They did parafin wax on their hands, color-sprayed their hair, did make-up and painted nails. Here are the final toes!

Jenny, Mollie, Hannah, Morgan, Gracelyn and Kinsey (several couldn't come that day)
...time for pizza!
...parafin wax in the dining room

Halloween

I realize that it's been a couple months since I've updated this...I've had some major trouble downloading pictures.

Halloween 2009
Here is Morgan dressed as Hannah Montana
Mia wore the same pink princess dress she wore last year! Last year...

....and this year!