Christmas Highlights

Here are our highlights from the holidays! 

I have loved dressing my little bit up in her sister's hand me downs!

 I never realized that Lollipop gets her crazy faces from me!!! I downloaded so many votes where I'm making the weirdest expressions (don't tell me I never post unflattering pics of myself :)! Here we are at my parents house on the 23rd (which is also my Bubba's bday--have I ever mentioned that we have FIVE (5!) December birthdays in the family???):

Then on Christmas Eve we went to my brother-in-laws house.  The kids grandparents had a scavenger hunt to find their gifts.

 Every one got a new vehicle!  

 Then we cleaned up and went to Christmas Eve service at Church.  

 As usual, getting a picture is the most fun part of the day!

 Santa was good to us on Christmas morning!

 Then my parents came over for breakfast and surprised them with a airplane seesaw!  Spoiled kids!!!!

 How cute is Rudolph?

 Again, not so much photo success!

 We had a wonderful holly jolly Christmas!  Happy 2013!

I'd be Honored (and a little freaked out!)

A few weeks ago I was asked a really, REALLY big question.

The phone call went like this, "Hi!  It's Whitney (who happens to be a very good friend but was oh so professional) with the Membership Placement Committee. As you know, we are slating Executive Positions today and we would like to ask you to be the President-Elect of the Junior League of Midland for next year."

I so wanted to play it cool but I so didn't.  I cried and then said I'd be HONORED! This organization means so much to me.  Even though I grew up 20 miles away when I moved here, I had only one friend in town--my sister in law.  She sponsored me for membership 6 years ago and I started my Provisional (introductory) year.  I met some of my very best friends that year and have continued to make friends every year since. I have been a part of amazing work done in the community as a League member.  I'm inspired so much by the women around me and the gifts they give to our community.  I know that this is HUGE and that I will desperately need my friends and family's support to take this on.  This is a 2 1/2 year commitment that begins....umm...right now. I'll travel to 7 conferences over this time frame, which will undoubtedly be the hardest part for my family. But, I have faith that they asked me to do this job and therefore God knows that we can all handle it!

 The VERY, VERY best part of all of this is that one of my best friends will be President next year!!!!  I can't imagine a better person to do this with!  I'm so excited and energized and I can't wait to lead this League.  I'm so honored and so grateful....and like I said....a little freaked out.  I sure hope I can do this, here's to the next 2 1/2 years!

The cookies are for Santa, not me?

I have a plethora of pics to post on a later date.  For now, here is our Christmas Eve meltdown.  My little Gumdrop (without a nap and past her bedtime) could not be reasoned with over Santa's cookies.  Cookies, evidently, are to be eaten and NOT left on a plate for jolly old Saint Nick. Sweet Christmas memories (even with tears involved)!

Bye, Buddy

 Buddy the Elf needs to help Santa get ready for Christmas, so our adventures for this year are nearing an end.  He's headed back to the North Pole tonight, we will miss him so!

Buddy played a little tic tac toe on my bathroom mirror

 He went for a sleigh ride

 He dyed our milk green (naughty boy!)

 The Santa on this cabinet is famous in our home.  I found it when My Boy was about 1 1/2.  He would walk by it in our old house when he was little and ask me to pull on him. When I let go and the Santa would bounce up and down he would yell, "Woo Hoo!"  So, he became WooHoo Santa.  Buddy didn't want to be outdone, so he made himself WooHoo Buddy one night!

To keep in the spirit of things, Lollipop made a WooHoo gingerbread man :)

Buddy figured out how to use the copy machine

 And finally, Buddy left the kids a note this morning.  

I'm so thankful they all made the nice list!  This past week we've also had our weekly swim lessons,

 Started our second week of Upwards Basketball for My Boy and Cheerleading for Lollipop,

 Had numerous Christmas parties and programs,

And after two failed contracts we finally SOLD!!! our old house (this story would take an entire blogpost but I'm just not up to telling the story, lets just say that we are sooooo thankful!!)

 Our old swingset sold with the old house, so we got a new one and have been putting it together the past two weekends.  Merry Christmas kiddos!

 Mommy isn't perfect, she forgot that the gingerbread house that she bought a month ago existed. I remembered it yesterday, so we went to work on it.  We've made one every year since My Boy was a baby and it is one of their favorite things.  We may have to leave it out for a little while :).

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Holiday Cheer Part 2

My brother in law and sister in law had a big shindig and we had a few friends over for dinner before hand.  I'm loving seeing all my lovely ladies dressed up! 

Disclaimer: that is sparkling cider in J's hand on the far left :).

Last night we headed on over to another friends' house for their annual Santa party. Somehow, I only managed to photograph Gumdrop!

Our mission upon waking is to find good ole' Buddy. He is still up to his tricks (although, I feel that he is not at the top of his game as the season stretches on).

He brought a new movie for the kiddos back from the North Pole since they have been so "nice" this week

 He climbed Mt. Sparkle

 He drew Santa hats on the kids!

 And he played a rousing game of Angry Birds!