Time to make the cookies!

Ahh... holiday baking. One of my favorite childhood memories of the holiday's. How awesome it feels for me to now have this tradition with my children like I did with my mom. It's easy to get overwhelmed while baking with the kids due to the extreme messes we create, but we were smart and waited for Fletch to take his nap before starting our cookies. This made the experience much more relaxed and enjoyable. It was so fun to sit with the kids and create their edible Christmas creations. (sorry Fletch... next year buddy : )





We then went over to Brian and Kelly's (my brother & sis-in-law) to decorate our cookies and celebrate Poppy's birthday (my dad).

Gracie and her cousin and best friend Ava


my brother Brian and his littlest darling, Kaya


I'm one proud aunt of this beauty... Ava Rain

Christmas Eve

Getting three kids to pose for a picture is no easy task!




Look out Jimi, there's a new kid in town!


Mama's littlest love!

Gracie and Fletch with Aunt Katie and "Tank"

Christmas morning

Christmas morning smiles : )


My grandparents "Grammy & Pop" along with their slew of great grandchildren. From oldest to youngest: Colton, Gracie, Ava, Kaya, Fletcher and Eli


see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil


Colton on Christmas day with his favorite gift of all

Family Vacation

Josh's parents John and Suzanne treated us on a fun mini vacation to Orlando to stay at the Gaylord Palms Resort. We left the morning after Christmas and went with them and also Josh's sister Katie and her husband Austin. The hotel was absolutely beautiful! The decorations and flowers were breathtaking. They had a nightly Christian Christmas rock concert that the kids thought was awesome! There was a nutcracker who danced in the sky and of course Gracie being all about ballet, had to go up after the concert and meet the ballerina. There was an amazing drummer who was also playing in the air hanging from cables and Colton thought he rocked! They even had an outdoor ice skating rink but after observing the other skaters, we thought we'd better pass. We went and made fools of ourselves playing mini golf instead. It was all we could do to keep our balls out of the sand. We had a blast though! Our little vacation was the perfect way to end our Christmas celebration.



The kiddos at Gaylord Palms


Gracie and Koi... pure beauty!


No Colton's not drinking coffee... it's hot chocholate : )


Gracie took this picture of Colton and I


Our little golfer chick dressed stylish in an outfit her Grandma made her.