Getting ready for Santa

Aren't we so cute in our matching PJ's?!?! Mom bought them for us and we just had to model Travis wowed us all with the Piano...it's always fun to hear him play

The kids sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn in their matching PJ's. You can see their new Crocs in the picture below. They are the winter version with soft fleece lining...so comfy or so the kids tell me anyway.
Getting Cookies and Milk ready for the big man of the night:)

Christmas Eve continued

After these two presents were opened it wouldn't have mattered if there was much else. Christian loved his Bumblebee Transformer (even though plastic snaps apart a lot easier than the metal ones we used to play with) and Baylor loved her dress up trunk. She was a little unsure of the heels at first but was stepping pretty well by the end of the night. Both gifts were from Mim and Travis so you see who gets the favorite gifts of the year award:)
Jeff and I did really well for Mim and Travis too...we bought them a TiVo!! You can see their excitement below.
Everyone wanted some of my yummy Garrett's Popcorn from Chicago
and Daddy always picks his girls out something special. These little bears were wearing sweaters that said 'I am Loved', but their messenger bags are what held the goods...we all three received beautiful journey necklaces. The diamonds resemble a winding road...very sweet and very pretty. Thank you Daddy

Christmas Eve 2007

was spent with my family. We had a late lunch that was filled with way too many foods and then we went to a candlelight service at Brentwood Baptist. It was really neat and I think we may do it again in years to come. We then headed back to my parents house for presents:) Christian was ohh so patient to give me this cute family pic first... then it was on to opening!! He had been eyeing this particular gift for the last week and could hardly wait to see what was inside. It turned out to be a moon and solar system for his room. These things are really cool and come with remotes to turn the different phases of the moon/ light up the planets. Christian loves it because he has a new found love of all things space...it's been building over the past year, but is now in full swing. He is going to be an astronaut when he grows up and get to float in space...and he says he'll take me along too:)
A pretty decent attempt at a group shot...I still have so much to learn
Baylor wasn't too sure about the whole present thing until she saw stuff she liked inside
My cutest presents of all

The McVey's annual visit

Our good friends from Atlanta normally make a stop through visit sometime over the holidays. We are smack in the middle of their two families so it gives them rest from the road and we see old friends:) Macy and Christian are a month apart in age and play so well. Every year they just pick up where they left off and love playing together. The funny part about them being a month apart is... I babysat their older girls (pictured below) They are in High School now and one of them is about to start driving!!! I spent many days and nights with these two while they were growing up and it is crazy to me that they can be getting so much older.
The kids exchanged some fun little presents
and had a dance party:) We have a dancing Mickey that plays 'Rockin' around the Christmas tree' that is always a hit

The weekend before Christmas

Every year Jeff's dad's side of the family gets together for a big meal and gift exchange. The kids get real presents and the adults exchange gag gifts. I was remiss in getting pictures of anyone but my kids:( Nana, Papa, Uncle Jeremy and tons of Aunts, Uncles and cousins were all there too. Christian got a super cool robot and singing Spider-Man. Baylor has a new baby doll and a Leap Frog learning drum to play with.
We met my family at Opryland to see the lights one more time
Sunday we all had lunch at the club. Christian loves eating there b/c he gets all the waffles with cinnamon sugar and Fruit Loops that he wants:) He also had fun playing with the icicle ornaments that were on a tree near our table. We caught him trying to lick one:)

The four girls posed for a pic...can you tell Baylor wasn't too thrilled?!?!

Meet Thunder

The kids got an early present the Saturday before Christmas. Tex told us all to come to the barn for a surprise. I had no idea what was coming, but knowing my Dad I should have. Here Christian is waiting to see what it is.
And here it is. Meet Thunder (Christian was able to pick out his name), a 17 year old Tennessee walking horse that now resides at Tex's barn. Baylor was much more interested when he was on the other side of the fence, but Christian LOVED it.

Here Christian is calling his girlfriend, Caitlyn. She has her own horse and that was t he first thing Christian said we he rode his: "Now I have a horse just like Caitlyn!"

Merry Christmas from the McInturffs

We pray God's richest blessings on you and your family during these beautiful Christmas celebrations. We plan on having lots of fun family time, but also time to focus on Christ's birth...the reason for the season.

The kids can hardly wait for Santa to arrive and all those presents:) Having kids at Christmas adds a magic that is hard to describe. They find joy in all the little things that we, as adults, may not even notice anymore. Take time to enjoy it with them...I have to stop and remind myself to, but they make it worth the extra time spent.

Second Annual Christmas Party

We had a fun evening with some very close friends on Friday. Everyone contributed to a delicious dinner of London Broil, lots of yummy sides and Hailey's special recipe rolls. Even at 8 months pregnant Andrea can kick our butts when it comes to exercising. Here she is teaching the boys some of her kickboxing moves.

Notice my straight hair?!?! I had it cut and straightened the day before and tried to keep it for the evening...just a different look every once in awhile

This year we had special visitors...Kim and Travis stopped by:) He was the nights entertainment when a guitar was brought out to play. Jeremy claims it has never been played so well!! I forgot to take a pic of him playing, but it wouldn't have shown just how awesome he sounded anyway:)

Christmas Program 2007

Otter Creek's Tuesday/Thursday classes had their program today. Christian and his class were the 'big kids' and he was so excited that they got to stand on the blocks:) Baylor loved seeing her big brother on stage and kept calling out to him. They sang several cute songs
It's always fun to watch all the parents too
Here we are in Christian's classroom for the party after the program. Santa made a visit and all the kids were able to sit on his lap. Each child switched names and bought a small gift for their friend...Caitlyn had Christian's name and she bought him some Star Wars figures that he is oh so excited to play with.

cul-de-sac party

We hosted our 1st annual Christmas party at our house last Friday evening. All of these families have grown closer over the past year and makes living in this neighborhood fun. The girls around the tree and the boys around the food:)
Here are all the kids...even with all of them together there were minimal fights:) With kids that always makes for a successful evening
Miss Gina and I each had presents for the kids (hers were way cooler)

Christmas at our house part 2

My mom and dad sent me this pretty centerpiece
Tex bought Baylor this ornament in Disney
Tigger all nestled up under the tree
This one is for Miss Gina...she bought the kids these sweet sweaters. Her family have become good friends over the past year...this was way too much, but it made us smile...she knows we love all things Disney!

Christmas at our house

We can go from crying (like above) to dancing around and laughing (like below) all in a matter of minutes:)

Jeff and Christian decorated this tree all by themselves

Our stockings all hung with care