Quick (?!?) Trip to Florida

On Tuesday, we realized that Katie had only seen our house.  So the girls and I took Katie on a driving tour of Brunswick, Saint Simons Island, and Jeckyll Island.  We got out long enough to take pictures at the beach.

On Wednesday, the 4 kids and I drove Katie home to Clearwater, FL.  We dropped her off at the tattoo shop where she works.  Then we went to lunch with my Uncle Dave and Cousin Mike.  Then up to Tampa for a visit with our bestest friends...Cleo, Jarrod (or Jared...can't remember how to spell) and Luke.  Then home...all in one day.  We left at 6:15am and returned home at 11:15pm.  It was a LONG day, but well worth it!!!



Christmas Dinner

For several years Spencer has wanted to purchase a turkey frier.  Well...he finally did.  His first attempt resulted in NO burns or fires.  Woo-Hoot!!!  And even better, the turkey was AMAZING!!!!  Double Y.U.M.!!!



Christmas

Spencer's sister Katie was able to join us for Christmas.  The girls have LOVED having someone new to play with...especially someone with long hair and makeup!!!

I received several wonderful Christmas presents:

~~Riley splept for a solid 5 hours that night!!!

~~For the first time as a parent, I was awoken by Makenzie coming into my room and squeeling excitedly that Santa had come and left presents!!!

~~We had enough time to open all our presents infront of the fire  before heading to church.

~~The church service was BEAUTIFUL!

We had a wonderful Christmas.  We have been truly blessed and are very thankful.



Silver Springs

On the 23rd of December, we went to Silver Springs.  It's an old-school park in Florida, located near Ocala.  They have random animal exhibits and several glass-bottom boat rides.  Every Christmas, they have a wonderful light display.  My parents took the kids last year, and Spencer and I joined them this year.  It was beautiful!  The kids got to see a wild alligator, pet a captive alligator, feed a girraffe, and see Santa riding a boat!!!  It was a perfect start to the Christmas weekend!



22 December 2011

It's the 2nd official day of winter, and it was so warm Hailey asked to go swimming!  She jumped in the deep end and swam to the shallow end.  It was COLD!  I don't think she'll be trying again for a little while.



Ginger Bread Houses

For our Family Home Evening activity, we decorated ginger bread houses.  Makenzie decorated hers all by herself and wouldn't let us look upon the materpiece until it was completed.  She did a wonderful job!



Daddy helped Hailey decorate.  Hailey was more interested in eating but enjoyed the decorating too.

Mommy and Isaiah decorated the mini houses.  Isaiah helped with the gumdrops...many of which were deprived of their sugar coating before being added to the houses!  After the gumdrops, Isaiah was done and Mommy was left to finish the decorating.

As soon as her house was done, Hailey asked to eat it!  I'm not sure her house will make it!!!

Welcome to our Ginger-Bread Village!!!

Visit with Santa

We went to the Orange Park Mall and gave Santa our Christmas Letters.  Before we left, Hailey wanted to get her thick jacket.  I asked her why.  She sighed and said, "Mom...it's cold at the North Pole!"  Makenzie was just star-struck sitting next to Santa.  Isaiah kept patting him on his belly and pointing out all the cool decorations all around.  Overall, it was a wonderful experience.



Our Christmas Tree

Thanks to our local homeschool group, we found a wonderful Christmas Tree Farm.  The tree is up and decorated.  Now we just need some presents underneath...



Hair Cuts at Grandpa's Salon.

Hailey decided she needed a new hairstyle, so she gave herself some bangs 3 days before family pictures!!!  Needless to say, we took a quick trip to FL to get Grandpa to give Hailey a professional hair-cut.  Hailey LOVES to be pampered!!!   Isaiah wasn't so sure he liked the clipper vibration, and the hair kept tickling his face.  Makenzie wanted a short haircut, too.  Luckily, all Grandpa has to do is dry her hair and it curls up to be short.  Riley was perfectly content to cuddle with Grams.