New Year's Eve Fun!

We spent New Year's Eve with the Kirks at The Grims house.  We enjoyed yummy appetizers with two of our favorite Holland Farm families.  The kids, of course, had the best time playing with each other!  Somehow we managed to get all of them to sit still and pose for a photo.  

After we left The Grims, Colleen and I decided that we would put the kids down for bed and let the husbands stay with them while we went to an adult 80's neighborhood party that we were also invited to.  Let's just say that it was a birthday party for a neighbor who was turning 30!!  Yes, 30!!  We felt O-L-D!!  Our neighbors were hilarious all decked out in their 80's attire.  Billy Idol was there.  Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell was there and Madonna look-a-likes seemed to be everywhere!

Oh and don't feel bad for our husbands.  They partake in their own neighborhood shenanigans once a month at poker night.  Mamas need to get out every now and again, too!!  ;)

We sure do love our little neighborhood!

Crazy face!!

Declan had the best time with this horn!

Karcie flying down the stairs!

Glow stick dance party time.  I think Kamdyn and Karcie were dancing to Gangnum Style!!  Ha!

Nikki, Desirae, Colleen, and me

Me, Zack Morris, Patrick Swayze, and Baby.....yep, we had some dirty dancing going on, too!  

Zack Morris and Billy Idol.  Check out that HUGE phone!!

Zack Morris could not put that phone down!!

Playing with Christmas goodies!

We allowed the girls to take some Christmas presents to the lake. When we returned home, they couldn't wait to play with the things that we didn't take.  

Kamdyn got this awesome pillow craft.  She loves doing crafty activities like this.  Baby sister had to "help" her so we quickly had to think up a task for her.  She sorted the flower petals and handed each color to Kamdyn as she needed it.  The pillow turned out so cute!!

Later that evening, the girls dressed their American Girl dolls and themselves in their matching PJ's from Santa.  They looked super cute and couldn't wait to show off their matching jammies!

Cutest little flower pillow!

Video of all of the photo outtakes together in one!!  

Christmas at the Lake

In true Terry fashion, we decided around 11AM on Christmas Day to pack up our circus and go to the lake.  The weather was going to be sunny and in the high 50's the entire weekend.  We knew it would probably be our last weekend of good weather this winter.  Nanny had never been with us up there so it was a perfect opportunity!! This decision prompted some massive clean up, packing, and a little bit of craziness from Mommy.  You can't pack up this circus in a matter of seconds.....especially when you have to take food!!  It was Christmas Day and there was NOTHING open!!

Once we got there we were all as happy as can be. Something about that place brings calmness to our entire family.  It's a great distraction from the hustle and bustle of life!

Nanny stayed two nights with us before she went home.  It was a wonderful weekend that culminated our fabulous 2014 Christmas Season.

This view will never, ever get old!!

Sporting their new My Little Pony PJ's from Georgia!

A day at the park filled with a picnic, playing, and roaming through the woods!

Jumping off the wall.  She wanted this photo to look as if she were jumping in to the water.  

Running through the woods!

 Two little birdies on the tree branch.

Cutest birdies that I ever did see!

Daddy caught this HUGE catfish later in the afternoon.

Karcie wasn't too sure about this ugly thing that was grunting at her.

Kamdyn wanted to touch the slimy thing though!!  Yikes!!

Running from us on the golf cart.  Silly girls!!

Hanging out with Daddy on the dock.

Smores and hot chocolate!!

Sissy kissies!!  Nothing sweeter!!

Christmas Morning with Nanny!

After the girls saw everything that they had gotten from Santa and played with most everything, we moved those gifts to the side because Nanny had a tree full of gifts for all of us to open.  As long as I can remember, my Mom has NEVER known of a "small" Christmas.  Each year, I was blessed with more than I ever deserved.  She always had the perfect gifts for me and there were always BIG surprises.  I will never forget Christmas as a child.  They were magical even as I grew older.  I always strive for Christmas to feel and mean the same to my girls as it always did to me. I certainly hope that the girls will remember the memories more so than the gifts!

I know that on this particular Christmas, they couldn't wait to tear into those gifts underneath the tree.  It was like a second round of Santa!  And wouldn't you know, she still spoils me with lots of gifts.  Richard always racks up, too!  I wouldn't trade one second of the time that we all spent that morning.  It was so wonderful and happy!

WOW!!

Makeup kits!!  Mommy's first question was, "Are these going to Nanny's house?"  

Endless Curl Barbie!!

Happy, sweet girl!!

Nanny bought Kamdyn her first pair of  basketball shoes just as she did for me MANY years ago.  I hope she will learn to love basketball just as much as I did!  My shoes were never that cool though!

Opening the gift that Karcie made for me at Preschool.

Karcie was a proud little peacock!  I love it!!

This was, by far, my most favorite gift.  My Mom bought me one of these awesome hair dryers about 5-6 years ago.  I used it so much that it broke right before we moved to Apex.  I've been using cheap hair dryers ever since.  I finally opened this today and realized immediately what I had been missing.  It dries my hair so quickly and making flat ironing my hair 100 times easier!!  Thanks, Mom!!

New outdoor speakers for the lake!!  And a new Bass Pro Shops hat chosen specifically for him by Kamdyn and Karcie.

Beautiful Christmas chaos and mess!

Georgia mailed the girls their gifts because we weren't able to see her at Christmas.  We Face Timed with her on Christmas morning so she could see the girls open their gifts!!  I love technology!!

Christmas Morning!

Once again, Santa did not disappoint this year!  The girls didn't really have long lists this year.  Nothing overly extravagant.  In fact, Kamdyn's most wanted gift was the 2015 Guiness Book of World Records!  What?!?!  Karcie's most wanted gift was a Snow Glow Elsa.  Santa threw in tons of other surprises and even managed to remember a few things that the girls had asked for earlier in the year.   

I love capturing the look on their faces when they first see everything all over the living room.  It's magical and never gets old! Just as in years past, Richard slept with Kamdyn on Christmas Eve.  It's their little tradition.  Karcie was super excited to see that Santa ate almost all of his cookies and drank every bit of his milk.

Richard spent most of the morning opening up all of the wonderful "never-easy-to-get-in-to" toy packages.  

It was such a low key wonderful morning and we were so glad to have Nanny there with us!  I think it's the first time that she's ever been there to see their excitement on Christmas morning.  She and my Dad usually came over later in the morning after we had finished with all of our Santa gifts.

It was a Merry, Merry Christmas, but we certainly missed Pop Pop!

Kamdyn asked for a bedside table months ago.  She forgot to ask Santa for it.  Good things he's magic!!

Karcie loves some dolls!  This was a doll Christmas for sure along with a Frozen Christmas.

The tree with gifts from Nanny!

Christmas morning before seeing everything!!

The look of amazement, joy, and magic!  I love it!!

Look!!  He left just a little bit!

Satisfied with Santa's cookies and milk.

Checking out her gifts!

Look!

An Olaf Snowcone maker!!

Digging into the stockings!

Pure happiness!

She could not wait for Richard to get Snow Glow Elsa out!

She loved her!!  Her family was tired of Snow Glow Elsa after about an hour.  One can only listen to "Let It Go" for so many times!  ;)

Our little bookworm couldn't wait to get her hands on this!!

Can you open this now, Daddy?

Time to make an Olaf snowcone at 8 AM!!

Happiness in a cup!

Kamdyn has also been asking for luggage for forever!  Mommy and Daddy got this for the girls and Georgia monogrammed each piece for us.  Now all three of us have matching small, medium, and large monogrammed rolling suitcases!!  Daddy, when can we fly on an airplane and put these easy to spot suitcases to use??  Orlando?  February?  

Nanny and her girls on Christmas morning!

Karcie loved her new Elsa Bath Robe.

The Flutterbye was a BIG hit for everyone in the family!!

Karcie is still a little unsure of the Rainbow Flutterbye.

My precious angel!

Daddy and his tiny angel!!