Wrapping up 2017 Strong

Here are some pictures that capture our life as we wrapped up 2017.   

We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary on December 29th.   Wow life has changed and we have grown.

Facebook Post sums it up well "16 years!!! Happy Anniversary my love. The adventure has provided so many more memories and moments of laughter than we ever imagined. You have encouraged me and challenged me to be better at everything I do through your wisdom and guidance. I love you! You love me well and through that not only love our daughters well but also set the high standard for their expectations of their future husbands! 

To all our tribe around us (those that have been there since the beginning and those that have joined this journey along the way), thank you! Thank you for praying with and for us, thank you for walking the hard with us as we miscarried and jobs changed, thank you for bringing so much laughter and joy that only true friendship can, and thank you for celebrating with us the girls lives and partnering with us in their lives. Each of you is very special to us whether we see you daily or years apart."

The girls were home for over two weeks on break which provided time with friends, family and lots of time to rest which was much needed.

We could not have asked for better friends for our girls.   Lucy is one of Gracie's best friends.  They provide such a balance and support to each other.  As we embrace middle school and beyond we grow even more thankful for these friendships and the parents who are intros together with us! 

I have dreamed of having our family values on display in our home, but could not imagine how perfect this would come out.   One Girl Design is the artist and absolutely made this even better than I expected.  We can't wait to hang this soon.

Maggie wanted to play Laugh Out together.   We giggled so hard playing together.  

eye check up went well.   no much change in her prescription but we expect that she will out grow the need for glasses.  She just uses them at school.   Note:   putting all the drops required for the visit was horrible.   I had to hold her down and a one of the ladies did and then we had to pry her eye open to drop them in.  

Playing dominos with Grammy and Papa! 

A mug!  

A verse for the year! 

Time with Friends

We have very special friends, the Smiths, who are moving to Texas.     We have known them since our kids were all in the same daycare and would pass each other in the mornings and afternoons as we were dropping off and picking up.   Somehow through all that God grew such a special friendship and the kids are very close too.   We soaked in a few last quick visits before we knew they would be headed to Dallas.   Although we sure are excited to visit, we will miss the impromptue opportunities to laugh together as we raise these kids.   

New Years day Jonathan had headed back to Texas and the Nicole and the boys were here a little longer than stopped for a quick breakfast visit and to dip their toes in the COLD water (38 degrees was the water temp to be exact).

We are praying for a smooth transition for everyone into work and school and that God will provide rich friendships there while we look forward to connecting via FaceTime, text and visits when we can snag them in.   We love you all! 

Christmas 2017

Christmas Eve we always do appetizers for dinner, new PJs and then drive around and look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate.   This year the gils thought Bella needed something so we made her a knot blanket as her PJs.   My crew is always my heart! I love our family traditions and this year it was sweet to hear the girls really talk about wha they enjoy and expect as far as time together, not gifts.   It was a wonderful start to a long weekend celebrating Jesus birth.  

Christmas morning we try to make it to 7am before we are all up ready for gifts.  This allows coffee to be made and maybe a sip consumed.  The girls were up about 6:30 and had to snuggle in our bed a little before we started in on gifts. 

A few fun facts about this year.  

--With the family room mini remodel we did not decorate the full house.  In fact, I could have done with just a small Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, but the rest of the family was not having that.  We did decorate the tree but limited it to that this year. 

--I was not as quick to wrap (or buy) gifts.  My goal usually is to have the house decorated by Thanksgiving at the latest, gifts purchased by then as well as wrapped the first week of December.   Well.... the tree was decorated December 12th, the final gift was probably purchased on Amazon just a few days before Christmas and the final gifts wrapped Christmas Eve.  The girls were beginning to wonder if we were going to exchange gifts at all.  

Stockings were hung.... 

Christmas Morning before we did gifts. 

She was a little excited 

absolute favorite character! 

Swim parkas to stay warm during ht winter and also during meets!

So when you have been married 16 years you buy each other the same practical gift... new sheets! 

Gracie has been begging for a fish.  It was the top of her request list.  Maggie wanted to be the one to buy it for her.   and Gracie sure was surprised!!!  

We do have these sweet moments when I feel like we are doing something right and they do like AND love each other! 

Maggie has her pink monkey that she has had since she was a baby given to her by Aunt Tammy.   I saw this one and could not pass it up.  Its not intended to take the place, but it was super soft and a great addition to all her softies she loves.  

Daddy had been telling us for the past 2 years hew as going to buy us (the girls) 1,000 hair ties as we always seem to be loosing them, hunting for them and never have one when e need/ want one.   So they each got 500!!  

Best Daddy ever! 

Inspecting the fish.  She was very worried about 'Holly". 

 We surprised the girls with one last gift later that day once all the gifts were up, the tree was down and we were just enjoying being together.   In January we are going to take them to see the Broadway production, Lion King, at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.   We will stay over night at a hotel and enjoy the get away together.  

The rest of the day we enjoyed just being together.  

and sleeping! 

A few days later we celebrated Christmas with Grammy and Papa in Tennessee.   This was the first year in their new home so close by (well really they are in Georgia, but so close to the TN state line). 

nothing better than Grammy back scratches! 

a special gift this year was all the grandkids got their special keepsake dominos and game pieces.   Grammy and Papa have taught us all to play and it is something we all enjoy.  The older cousins love to play and Gracie and Maggie are beginning to learn.   This will be such a special keepsake when they are older to play and remember such special family memories.