Christmas 2008

This was the best Christmas I have ever had!! I had the best time watching Leighton open presents. After each one she would say oooh. She wasn't really sure why she was getting presents but she loved it! My favorite was when she walked in and saw what santa aka ho ho brought. She just stopped stared and had her mouth wide opened. Then of course she went straight for the baby doll. Santa was very good to me this year too! I got a new washer and dryer and a Cannon Rebel. Aren't yall glad.. no more blurry pictures and me complaining about not being able to get a good shot!

The best part of Christmas day was when my parents, andy's parents, and kristen and teddy came over Christmas morning. They all came over around 8, ate breakfast and watched Leighton play with all of her new toys from santa. I hope we will do this every year. Andy and I both said it was our favorite part of all the things we did this year.

Prayer Request

I am sure I have told you all about my friend and neighbor that is expecting triplets. She got some not so good news yesterday. Here is her email -

Just wanted to update everyone: I have some " not so good/ not TOO bad" news from my Drs appt today. Apparently baby C is not growing as well as babies A and B. She has always been a little smaller, but the past 3 weeks she hasn't grown but 4 oz whereas the other 2 have gained over 1/2 pound each. So, here's the deal.....the Dr thinks the blood flow from her placenta is diminished. Right now, she looks okay and so does the blood supply.....but because of her size, that's what they think is wrong. Starting today, I have to go to Dr everyday to have dopplers done to watch the blood supply from the placenta to the baby. Dr says normally they keep the Mom in the hospital indefinitely, but since I live so close they will let me drive. WHEW!!! They will watch her and let her go as long as possible so all 3 can grow a little more, but as soon as it looks like the flow is no longer benefiting her, they will take all 3. Dr says this could be as soon as tomorrow or 2 or 3 weeks from now. YIKES. The other 2 are looking GREAT, but when one gets in danger, it's time to deliver all 3! This is all a little scary, so we are in need of some prayers :). Babies A and B weigh 2 lbs 7 oz and 2 lbs 8 oz. Baby C weighs 1 lb 13 oz....so she is considerably smaller. Please keep us in your prayers over the next several days......we will keep ya'll updated. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Jill

Please pray for them - they really need it - these sweet babies aren't due until March!

Thank you!!

Katie

Gingerbread house or Haunted house??

You decide....

Eating the candy was way more fun than decorating with it!

Yes, I am naked. This is what I look like during all arts and crafts!

Celebrating Christmas..a little early

We had a lot of fun last week celebrating Christmas early with some of Andy's family. Katie and Brandon were here and Leighton's 100 cousins on Andy's side. She is all about opening presents now. The only problem with this is that I have now had to re wrap a lot of the ones under our tree. :)

Hanging with 2 of my 17 (I think that is how many) counsins.
WOW! more presents!!


Delivering presents at Meme and Grumps aka Mumps house.



Which one do I open first?? So many presents to unwrap..so little time...

Merry CHRISTmas!!

Another Favorite Tradition

Back in the day, me and my bff's would go to Memphis around Christmas time. We all went to different colleges but were still great friends. This year Jamie decided we needed to bring the tradition back. We didn't see our toothless friend Chuck who we used to always see but we did get our picture made in front of the Christmas tree at our much nicer hotel than we use to stay in. We had a GREAT time and preggers Robin even hung in there with us until 1 am! I LOVE my girls!!

O Christmas Tree

Every year when I was growing up my family loaded up in the minivan and went and cut down our Christmas tree. This is one of my favorite Christmas memories so since Andy and I have been married we go and cut down our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year we were in South Carolina and I was determined I was coming home with a Christmas tree.

Well, Katie and Brandon warned us about their Christmas tree farm. They said there were lots of fun things to do at the farm but the trees were ugly. I didn't believe them so we loaded up and headed to the Christmas tree farm. They weren't lying - they were the strangest looking trees I had ever seen! We didn't have time to go to the Christmas tree farm here this year because we have so much going on. So, when we came home we went with the Strong's to eat dinner and headed to Lowe's. They didn't have much of a selection so we went to a Christmas tree stand in Gluckstadt. I picked out a tree and Andy told me it was too short. I said no this one is fine it is already 8 o'clock, freezing, and I am mad we didn't get to cut one down! We got it home and it is WAY too short! Oh well, this is the finished product (minus a lot of the ornaments and garland) and we will be back to the Christmas Tree farm next year!

The trees in SC looked like this..

and this....

and this....see what i mean they are triangles with crooked trunks and people were actually buying these crazy looking things!

The zoo and Children's museum in Columbus, SC

We had a great time at the zoo and children's museum. WE meaning all of us - not just Leighton. Her favorite part was the pretend grocery store. She is a future shopaholic. I can't imagine where she got that from. We are so going to get a season pass when the museum here opens. We went to eat lunch afterwards and Leighton slept through it. That hasn't happened since she was a newborn!

Thanks again Katie and Brandon for the fun times and GREAT food all week!!

We also visited a Christmas tree farm while we were there. However, we did not purchase a tree! You will see why in my next post along with the tree we did get...