Thanksgiving

Well, as usual, I'm behind. So a little backtracking is required. Emily had a Thanksgiving party at her school before they let out for the Thanksgiving holiday. Since it was the last day of school before the big Alabama & Auburn showdown, the kids were to wear jerseys to show their spirit.

We got there early while the kids were practicing for their Christmas program. As a matter of fact, I need to find out the date so I don't miss it!!!! Things have been so crazy around here that I have gotten a few things confused. Well anyway, the kids were all so cute singing. I can't wait to see it "live".

You have to watch Gracie. She would walk around and get food off of other people's plates. That girl loves going to Emily's school parties.



Girls in Emily's class










Claire and Ali Kate.

Chris and I decided last year that we would flip-flop family Thanksgivings. That means one year at his parent's house and the next at mine. That way we aren't worn out from all the driving and we actually get to visit for awhile instead of eating and leaving! Last year we went to my in-laws, so this year we were at my parents.

My mother is the absolute best cook in the world! I couldn't wait for lunch! My sister-in-law Tessa and I brought side dishes, but mother had the main courses, turkey and dressing. Can I get a YUMM-O!!!! She also makes candied sweet potatoes that are out of this world! I would have loved to take a nap after all the eating, but on Thanksgiving mother lets the girls get out the ornament that she has bought them over the years and hang them on the tree.

Mother takes special time to shop and get ornaments that that reminds her of each of her grand girls. One year Tessa took Robin (my niece) and Emily's picture having a tea party, so their ornament was about a tea party. But my favorite ornament of all time is the one my mom got me when I was pregnant with Emily. It's a little pregnant snow woman. It is the cutest thing to me and I just grin when I see it. I need to take a picture of it so you can see how cute it is.

For Emily's 3rd birthday she had a Little Einsteins party. She loved them!! So that year mom got her a Rocket ornament.



Gracie wasn't impressed with the ornament hanging at all!! She just wanted Emily's juice.



Gran explaining that they need to be careful with the breakable ones.

Robin's new ornament this year is a girl riding a horse. This girl LOVES animals and especially horses.




Since Emily made her first trip to Disney this year, mom picked out Cinderella in her carriage for her.

It was so fun having everyone together! Now onto Christmas!!!

The Rockettes

Sunday night my friend Jennifer and I took our girls to see the Rockettes in Birmingham. We met Jennifer around 4:30 and headed over. We decided to stopped at the Cajun Steamer to eat. I have never eaten there before, but have heard a ton of great things about it, so we tried it. And man-oh-man, was it good!!!!

Carleigh, Emily, and Avery

We got to the BJCC about 15 minutes before the show started, so of course we had to take a few pictures.

Once the show started, Emily never took her eyes of the stage. Right about the time the Rockettes were to come on stage, there was a "technical difficulty". The curtain wouldn't go up! Oh well, what can you do. The girls waited patiently for the show to start, which didn't take too long.

You know when you go to these kind of things they always tell you you're not aloud to take pictures or video. So that was my plan....not to take any pictures. But everyone around me was, and to be honest, not really even trying to hide it! So as they say "When in Rome". I took a few pictures, but they weren't that great. All I could think about was that I have a $200 zoom lens at the house which would have helped tremendously. Stuff like that drives me crazy!!!







I don't know if you can see the next picture real well, but I was pleasantly surprised that they wrapped the story around to the TRUE meaning of Christmas. The Nativity scene was beautiful and they had a child read the Christmas story straight from the Bible!!!

The best part of the whole night was watching the look and Emily's face!!! I love being able to see Christmas through a child's eyes! This year we have really talked to Em the REAL meaning of Christmas. I'm not sure if she really gets it, but I do know she will hear it from us until she does.

A fun time was had by all.