Exchanging Gifts with Miles

We met Candice and Miles at El Porton to exchange gifts. 

Miles has the best expressions and commentary when opening presents.

Jack got an itunes gift card for some new Elmo's - yay!!!

We have a new obsession with Lego Friends.

Snow Day

It snowed the day after Christmas. Emi was so excited about the snow but she really had no desire to be out in it - just like her Momma ;)

After about 10 minutes she was ready to come in and spent the rest of her morning here :)

Merry Christmas!!

Santa was here!!

We put our tree in a different spot this year and I very much dislike how you can't see it in the pictures!! Hopefully we will be in our new house next year and I won't have this problem ;)

After opening our Santa gifts we headed out to my Mom and Step-Dad's house.

Emi and my mom

Jack had all he could take - opening gifts is exhausting :)

Emi got this puppet that she named Emma. She is hilarious with that thing! It was a hit!!

That night we headed to Brian's parent's house.

sweet cousins

Emi got the guitar that she was really wanting from Mimi and Poppy!!

We had a great Christmas. I am still trying to find places to put all of our new loot :)

Christmas Eve

After an exhausting night in the ER it was time to kick off our Christmas festivities with my Dad, Step-Mom and grandparents.

my babies 

Emi and GG - poor GG took a tumble and has a black eye :(

yay, presents!!!

chaos!!!!!

my handsome boys

ELMO!!!!

new hat

Emi got a Kindle Fire

baking cookies for Santa

reading about the birth of Jesus before bed

Santa came!!!

Day 23

There was no Day 22 - I did not take a single photo while we were in Texas (I'm so ashamed of myself!!) Saturday was really fun visiting with relatives that we never get to see until lunch time when Emi started complaining of stomach pains. She tried really hard to keep playing and push through the pain but she was really hurting. The whole gang decided they would go out to eat for dinner and while at the restaurant Emi hit her breaking point. She was miserable. All of her symptoms were pointing to appendicitis. We debated whether to take her to the ER in Texas or just try to get home to Memphis but at this point she was finally comfortable and asleep so we decided to wait. The next day she was still in the same boat so we packed up and floored it back to Memphis. After many phone calls to various family members, nurses and friends we drove straight to Lebonheur where we sat for 4 hours in the waiting room with a bunch of people who did not have sick children and did NOT need to be there (that's another rant for another day). After blood work and x-rays all they could determine was that she was severely dehydrated - no appendicitis, thank goodness!! She got 2 bags of IV fluids and some sugar water to perk her up. We managed to make it almost 7 years without an ER visit with her and I hope to make it at least another 7. That was miserable!! Now that we've had her home, she is still pretty lethargic and grumpy and has had hives for 3 days so she has obviously had some type of virus - guess we'll never know. I'm just so glad we did not have to spend Christmas in the hospital!!!

my poor girl in the car as we were speeding home from Texas

waiting, waiting and waiting in the ER

finally in a room!!

Being in the hospital totally threw me. We got home at 5AM on christmas eve, slept until 10 and then had to be at my parents at 11 so needless to say I was not going to be cooking our traditional turkey, dressing, sweet potato and green bean casseroles like I do every year - we enjoyed a nice Huey's burger instead :) I have to say that while the Huey's burger was mighty good I really did miss our traditional christmas eve dinner where we eat by candlelight at the dining room table, just the 4 of us. Oh well, there's always next year ;) I'm just thankful my girl is home and healthy.

Day 21

Willy was peeking at the presents - naughty, naughty!!

Day 21: go to Texas to visit family for the weekend. The advent activity was to open the present that was under Emi's christmas tree. It was the new Tinkerbell Movie to watch in the car.

My in-laws rode in the car bus with us. Now that I have the tank we can do things like that :) Emi and Jack were stuck in the third row- see how excited they are?!?!

Day 20

Willy was zip-lining off the christmas tree

Day 20: Go To Southern Lights

Here is Emi in her PJ's with her chocolate peppermint milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. They are to die for!! I have passed my addiction love of them on to her ;)

Day 19

Willy got into the band-aids last night

Day 19: go to Zoo Lights

and of course I forgot my camera so all you get are terrible iphone pics - sorry!! :)

Jack and Brian on the train

Emi REALLY wanted to watch the magic show and we happened to be walking by right when it started, so we watched. I have to say that it was pretty entertaining plus Emi got selected out of the audience to be his helper. She LOVED it!! He gave her a magic wand for helping out and she has been doing "magic tricks" all day ;)

Day 18

Will was getting into Emi's gingerbread house - she was not happy about that!

Day 18: make a christmas craft

Day 17

hanging out in Jack's stocking

Day 17: watch The Santa Clause

Day 16

Willy was hanging out with Emi and Jack's pictures while we were in Nashville

Day 16 - go to ICE

waiting in line for ICE

as soon as we got into the building I looked down to see Jack fast asleep

here he is, still asleep even after they put blankets on him to keep him warm

thank goodness they give you those parkas because it is freezing in there! I had on about 30 layers and was still cold.

what's Jack doing? still sleeping.

and still asleep....

the nativity made entirely out of ice. it was so pretty!

oh look at that - he's still asleep!

after ICE we walked over to the mall to have lunch at The Aquarium. I'm pretty sure that was Emi's favorite part of the trip.

we were lucky enough to get a table right up front and it just happened to be feeding time for the fish. I have to admit that it kind of took my appetite away to watch the fish eat but it was a good show and the kids loved it.

After some shopping we headed home. It was fun but I don't think that Opryland at Christmas is going to be a family tradition. The crowds were overwhelming and took the fun out of be there.