The Christmas Season

We got a few more pictures at church last week in the same spot as before. 

Love, love, love this picture of Rachel!  

The kids last week of school before Christmas was last week.  Since we have four teachers to buy for right now, we don't go big.  But I saw this and thought it was super cute.  It's wrapping paper, tape and the tag reads:

Since November, you've been shopping, barely sleeping, hardly stopping.

Now it's late, you're in a scrape, out of paper or out of tape.

Hope this wrap helps save the day!

Have a Happy Holiday!

Everyone loved them.

We left Saturday morning and drove to Charlotte for the weekend to spend some time with my side of the family.  We spent Saturday with mom & Jim and Jeremy and Cathy's family.  Rachel and Jackson love getting to play with their cousins!

Separating presents!

Loving on Ted...

Both got new umbrellas and love them!

Julia, Anna Grace and Rachel.

All of us.

Jackson loves to play with Jeremy...he was being so silly.

And this little guy isn't so little anymore!!  Samuel, my oldest nephew, turns 13 this week... can't believe that!  Happy birthday, Sam!  

Sunday, we went over to the Davidson side and spent time with everyone there.

Rachel and Tori were sharing cheers with each other. 

Playing hide-n-seek!

Group picture #2.

And with my grandparents... four generations here.

And before we headed out, we went by and saw my Grandma Perkins.  It was so good to see her as well!

Yesterday was a long day since we drove home.  Everyone was tired - the kids got a short nap and then we went out to Petit Creek Farms to look at Christmas lights.  I had a Groupon for the hayride but it was supposed to rain.  We got there and saw it was covered, so we attempted it anyways.  It was fun.  They saw goats, camels, zebras and an emu along the way.  I had hoped to get a picture of us in front of the lights but it started raining harder and I forgot.  

The white baby goat was so cute!

The camels came right up to us to be fed!

Jackson got a little freaked out by them being so close...

And behind the kids here are two reindeer laying down... Comet and Cupid.  

 

 Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  We're going to our first Christmas Eve service as a family.  Merry Christmas!

The Start of Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year... I love the Christmas season.  We decorated our house the day after Thanksgiving and went to visit Santa the same night (got it done early this year!).

Here are the kids with Santa.

And Mrs. Claus.

 

Our church has a great area decorated really well at Christmas and I love to take their pictures there.  Here are a few we got last week.  We were just about to get a family picture when Jackson tripped and fell and ruined that chance.  Maybe this week we'll get that one.

Jackson loved that sheep.

Love this picture!

 

 

Last night was my office Christmas party and it was Rachel's Father-Daughter dance at her school - the same night.  It was the same night last year as well so Michael missed my party.  This year, Rachel said she'd like for Granddaddy to take her to the dance, so Dawson came over and went with her - and Michael went with me.  Barbara stayed with Jackson and they had fun night together as well!

We were trying to get a picture of the three of us and Jackson just crawled over and sat down with us... I think he felt a little left out because he wasn't getting dressed up to go anywhere...

Grandmama took him to McDonald's for dinner (where else would he choose to go?) and then to Target to walk around and look at toys - which he loves doing.  Here he is modeling a Santa hat. 

They both had a great time and were exhausted by the time they got in bed.  

I'm sure there will be more Christmas pictures to come soon. 

More Pics From My Phone

Here are a few more pictures that I've taken that haven't made it to an actual blog post yet...

 

We have a new member in our family.  Mathieu was born to Constance and Jeffrey towards the beginning of October.  He is so cute!!!  He was a big baby too... This is Michael and I visiting them in the hospital.

 

 

 

Just the other day, the kids got to meet him. 

 

 

Having lunch together - Jackson didn't want to be in the picture.

 

 

 

 

Pretty in red...

 

 

Jackson and his first trophy - for soccer.  I didn't get a picture of Rachel with hers.  They both had a good first season.  Rachel really enjoyed it (even scored a goal during one game) and Jackson got to where he was staying out most of the game (or not with us anyways)... He was the youngest on his team but he enjoyed it!

 

 

 

Rachel and Jackson playing in the hamster ball at the fall festival.  That was their favorite part!

 

 

Another of Rachel's class projects.  She had to create her own state and state items (state bird, state flower, state flag, motto, etc.)  She loves art so her state was named Artasia.

 

 

Sitting in front of the fire the other night...Rachel was doing my hair.  Pretty relaxing!

 

 

Today was Jackson's class Thanksgiving lunch and program.  He was an indian.