Twas the night before Christmas...

well really 3 nights before Christmas! We were leaving for Abilene on Thursday and decided that we'd do our Christmas/Santa here before we left. Wednesday night we ate dinner, took baths and then loaded up in the car to go look at Christmas lights! We let the kids out of their car seats as we drove around this big neighborhood by us. They LOVED it! Madison didn't stop talking and Cooper didn't stop yelling at the lights! It was so much fun. We came home and put out cookies and milk for Santa and then the kids went to bed. Then Santa got started on all of his toys!



Madison made this cookie for Santa! She only wanted him to eat the top part so she could eat the bottom part and the chocolate candy :)



Santa came and left lots of good things...

"Christmas morning" aka Thursday morning Cooper woke up early...like at 6:30...so we went to wake Madison up too! She was being so shy about coming into the living room to see what Santa left her. Here they are running down the hall together :)


Cooper's checking it all out...






My sweet babies!




The mess...

Then we had to go out back to see one last present from us...


a trampoline!

Then we came back inside to play with the toys because it was so cold outside!





Santa only ate the head, just like she requested!


wearing his sister's headband...his Daddy loved that!

We had such a fun morning. The kids are at such a fun age. They were excited about everything this holiday season. Cooper and Madison both LOVED all Christmas lights. Cooper loved all the blow up decorations. Neither of them went to see Santa this year. Madison said she would not sit with him and I never got around to taking Cooper. I'm sure he would have cried too! Maybe next year. It's sad that it comes and goes so quickly! After we played with these toys awhile we packed up and headed to Abilene for 4 days. Those pictures will be posted soon!

When things are missing...

Now we know where to look when we are missing things from inside the house! I sent this picture to Trent, who was at work, and he said he found a fork outside the other day.

Nichols Christmas

We had the Nichols Christmas, our first of 7, on my birthday! It was Sue Ann's year to have it at her house. The Nichols Christmas is Trent's Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and kids on his mom's side of the family. A few years ago we started having it on a weekend before Christmas when everyone can be there! We had a lot of fun visiting, eating, watching the kids play and opening gifts!

Trent had this poor boy chasing this thing all over the living room. He never did let him catch it.

The kids opening their first gifts of the year...




Cooper shooting his first gun :)


Cousins:


Cousins kids:


playing dominoes with Pop Pop

We had such a great time being with our family! Now we have 6 more to go...

LCS Christmas Party

Madison had her school Christmas party on Friday! Since her party was in the morning and mine was in the afternoon, I took a half day off! I loved getting to be home in the morning to get her ready and take her to school. She was excited too...as excited as she could be. She really wasn't feeling THAT great. She wasn't running a fever so we went to the party anyway. She just had an awful cough and runny nose. She wanted to go. It was so fun that Trent and I could both be there too!

They decorated cookies, ate breakfast, played games, had a birthday cake for Jesus, exchanged gifts with each other and then each kid got a present from Mrs. Carpenter.

After the party was over Madison and Trent got to spend the day together at home while I went to work...but only for 2 hours and then I got to come home and join them! :)

Leaves, leaves and more leaves

I went out to sweep our front porch and sidewalk off the other night! Madison kept wanting to jump in my small piles on the sidewalk so I had Trent rake her up a big pile in the yard. She had so much fun running and jumping into them. My camera stinks and I never did get a good shot!

Then they decided to cover Trent up! Cooper was kissing Trent...

still kissing him...

I love this picture: