Last weekend, we hosted an Easter Egg hunt at our house for our SS class and their families! We had 50 + people come and hid 44 dozen Easter eggs from one end of the yard to the other! When they weren't hunting for eggs, they were busy doing sack races, jumping on the trampoline, fishing and just having fun! Each family brought their own picnic lunch and we served ice cream sundaes before everyone left! It turned out to be such a fun and relaxing day (believe it or not!) Hopefully this is only the first of many gatherings we'll have here over the years to come!
After weeks of squinting, complaining of headaches, and asking "What does that say?"......Emma finally got glasses! While her eyesight isn't nearly as bad as Jeb's, he also had to get glasses in the 3rd grade! She wasn't too happy about the idea at first, but seems to love them now! We happen to think they fit her personality perfectly! And, YES.....those are HOT PINK frames!
It's time to play "catch up" again! I'll admit that I don't really think about the blog as much as I used to.....it's usually not until I start getting emails from my mother that I remember to do it! So here are a few updates I forgot about.....better late than never! (Keep scrolling down...this is by far my longest post yet!)
JOLLY'S GRAND FINALE ~
The week leading up to Christmas, Jolly, our ELF, went out with a bang! Good thing He only comes around for a few weeks before Christmas.....I don't think I could handle any more than that! Here are two of His more ambitious pranks ~
Fun with Hair bows!
Anyone who knows Emma, knows that she has way too many hair bows! I've never actually counted them (why would I) but just to put it into perspective, there are 5 "hair bow holders" on the back of her door and they are all full......not to mention 2 whole bathroom drawers designated for hair bows that are full as well! Jolly found them all.....and clipped all He could onto the girls Christmas tree in the playroom!
......that's right! He "wrapped" the doorway leading into the playroom (their bedrooms are off of the playroom) with my Christmas paper which read "Merry Christmas Emma and Ella! Love Jolly". When they woke up the next morning, they had to bust through the paper to get to the living room! However, I have to say that Jolly can't take full credit for this one....a friend gave him the idea! Yep.....sure am glad He's not here all year 'round!!
On New Years Day, we packed up and headed to Eufaula to have Christmas with the Jones! It was our first trip to Eufaula since we moved in May! We spent Friday night with Jeb's family, opening tons of presents and eating dinner! We all had a great time and got so many nice things (thanks Nana and Poppy)!
Because this was also Jebs first chance to hunt this season, we spent the rest of the weekend at the cabin. Saturday night (despite the cold) he built a camp fire for the girls to roast hotdogs and marshmallows and make s'mores! They loved it! Monday morning, before we left, Jeb and Emma were able to get in a little target practice with Jeb's new gun.......she's a natural!
This was a Christmas full of "firsts"! It was our first Christmas spent in our new house, the first time Lori, Brannon and the girls have been with us on Christmas Day, the first time we've lived in a house big enough to even consider accommodating the whole fam for Christmas.....
Lori, Brannon, Ava, Cakes, Loni and Justin ALL spent the night at our house Christmas Eve.....and Christmas morning Santa delivered Toys x 4 (We were up until 3am)! Not long after Loni set off the alarm and woke the kids up, Mimi, Pop and Nanny arrived! Yes, it was a little chaotic at times, but that's what made it special! It's not often that we get the chance to ALL sit and talk, but when we do it's unforgettable! Thanks (family) for a great Christmas!
School let out on December 17th (for Christmas break) so we decided to celebrate by having a few of Emma's friends over to play dirty santa, decorate Christmas cookies, and spend the night! Other than the noise level, things went very well for having 6 girls in the house (lucky for Ella, she got to spend the night with Mimi and Pop). After all of the "planned" activities were done, they spent the rest of the night playing Twister (very interesting), Wii Mario Kart, and watching Home Alone!
The day before school let out for Christmas, Emma's class (along with the rest of the third grade) put on their Christmas play........"Twas the Night Before Christmas"! Emma was "Ma" (which couldn't have been more fitting) and she took her part very seriously! Apparently her "husband" (Pa) did as well! She said he kept calling her "Dear" and "Honey" even when they weren't rehearsing! All of their practice paid off........the play was great!
