4 Christmases

***WARNING: This is a VERY long post with LOTS of pictures!!***


Yes we had 4 Christmases, starting the weekend before Christmas. In an effort to see everyone we drove everywhere! I think next year we are staying put! I say that now but I know it will be different when the time comes. Anyway...

We started January 19th in Cullman, AL. This was my mother's side of the family. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch then spent time as a family opening gifts. This Christmas was so much fun this year because Emory actually enjoyed opening the gifts herself and then playing with the toys she got. My favorite gift from the Cullman trip were my Twilight books!!! Now I can read them anytime I want and I don't have to bug anyone to do so! Thanks Gran.

This was the second attempt at this picture. The first one had more of the picture above the sofa then us! Oh Mom...I guess we know Katie didn't get her photography skills from you!

If you turn your head to the side, this picture is perfect! :)

She stole a Hershey's Kiss when she thought no one was watching!!

Mom had a little trouble opening this gift.

Mom asked for a bird bath for her backyard...this is what Gran gave her...and the real bird bath she said was too heavy to wrap and bring in the house. Mom's reaction was priceless "Look Doug, we got a birdbath." Hehe...clever Gran, very clever! :)

Cheese!

Bailey and Emory.

Yep...Katie got a Snuggie!!

Next was Our Christmas. I had to work Christmas Eve but was lucky enough to be off Christmas Day. Christmas Eve I was giving Emory a bath before bedtime and asked her if she knew who was coming to see her. When I told her Santa, she said "no mommy" I guess she was having flash backs from the picture attempt with Santa! Christmas morning she seemed to think this Santa guy was getting better! She loved her Barbie ATV. I thought she might be a little timid on it at first. I mean the Sunday before she was scared of the bouncy blow up thing at church and Christmas morning she went "off-roading" in her ATV...go figure!

She was so excited to see that it moved!!

She had to wear her boots the second she got up

Opening her pots and pans for her kitchen.

She really wanted to open her Lipsmackers!

After we had a relaxing morning at our house, we loaded up and headed to Jacksonville, AL to visit Chase's family. Emory has a DVD player to entertain her during trips. The last trip we took she insisted on watching "Favorite Nursery Rhymes" over and over again...this trip was no different. Even though she was so excited to get an Elmo DVD and a Thomas DVD in her stocking!! Chase and I entertained ourselves with my iPod. We started in Murfreesboro listening to "Alligator Pie" by Dave Matthews on my iPod ( a song for Chase) then we were going to switch to the radio but I wanted to hear "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. So we started our quest. There are 884 songs on my iPod...808 songs later (after we had stopped to listen to other songs along the way) and we are pulling into my in-laws driveway, we find my song. We stayed in the car just to finish listening to it!!! Emory really racked up on gifts here and we had a great time with our family! Friday evening was spent with family and friends and Saturday morning was for shopping!

She stole this from me on the way to Jacksonville!


Emory's loot!!

Blue and Emory saying hello.

Bennett teaching Emory how to play his new game.

Aunt Haley with the girls Saturday morning.

Saturday afternoon we loaded up again (putting Emory's gifts on the 5x8 trailer we brought down with us) and headed to Holly Pond, AL to start round two with my side of the family. After a short stop to shop along the way we ended up at my aunt's house just before 6:30pm. Every year the Freeman side of the family (my mom's mom's side) meets to spend time with each other and celebrate Christmas. Later that night we loaded up again and made the hour trip to Birmingham to sleep and wake up again to have another "Christmas morning." After opening gifts, the girls decided to go spend their Christmas money and pick out some cute clothes!! I was able to get a lot of really cute things, but now I don't know what to spend my birthday money on because now I don't need clothes...don't worry, I'll think of something!! :) After dinner we made a bonfire in the backyard to try out Katie's funky flames we gave her. Then it was time to head back to Nashville. We had a wonderful time and hated to leave so soon!

Emory and Payton's picnic in Amelia's living room floor.

Rawlin wasn't too happy that Emory decided to join him in his car!

During the annual family picture at the Freeman Christmas, Emory and Payton entertained themselves by jumping up and down on their daddy's shoulders!

Lining up all the cars he received.

Checking out her fruit cutting kit from Mandy and Cole.

Will and Payton

Doing what kids do best...jumping on the bed!

We told them to lay down and take a nap...they listened fairly well!!

Trying to stay warm while they built the fire.


Emory wasn't to thrilled about this picture!

If you look closely you can see the green flames at the bottom!

After the bonfire, the kids came in to warm up...this is where we found them.

Cheese!

And finally a family picture for Christmas 2009. Emory wasn't happy about this picture either!!

It was a long and exhausting Christmas but a WONDERFUL and family oriented Christmas as well and I wouldn't have traded a second to be anywhere else!! It was so great to see everyone we did. Thank you so much for everything! We love you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Past and Present

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2009

So last year Santa wasn't a big deal. When I say big deal I mean, Emory didn't mind him last year. She even smiled in the pictures. This year was a COMPLETELY different story. This child is SO NOT adventurous (I blame myself for that). The picture above is the second attempt at a Santa picture. The first time was at our church at the beginning of December. I had to work but Chase attempted without success. I thought that maybe he wasn't trying hard enough (well, I guess being mean enough really) and that I would be able to get the picture, no problem. Well, with minimal tears. HA! So Nancy (my mother-in-law) and I went to Bass pro shop at Opry Mills yesterday to get the yearly Santa picture. We waited in line for about 40 minutes and the whole time Emory was talking about Santa. Not necessarily that she wanted to see him, but she would tell you that Santa says "Ho, Ho, Ho." When we got to the front of the line I passed off my purse to Nancy, in case I had to be in the picture, and then the tears started. She had a clear view of Santa and a clear picture of what was about to happen...She was going to have to sit in that scary man's lap!! He was a great Santa and very understanding. I guess he has to be when part of the children population hates to sit in his lap!! At first Emory just cried but as I started to walk towards Santa, the tears turned to screams, LOUD screams!! I think the whole store went quiet, because you would have thought someone was trying to kill her, not try and get a picture with Santa. I wish I had had the video camera so that I can show her next year how crazy she was. As you can see I ended up in the picture as well. There was no pealing her off of me to get her into his lap. She wasn't having any part of it!! Hopefully next year will be better! :)

Tis' the Season

I think I'm done...decorations are up, presents are bought (not wrapped, but at least purchased), goodies baked to send to Chase's work...I think that was all on my list!! Today is also my mom's birthday so I had to get her a birthday present too! I tell myself every year that I am going to start getting gifts for people in October, and every year I wait until the last minute and spend entirely too much money at once!!! Ugh!



I also have tried to take Christmas pictures of Emory but she thinks it's hilarious to be all cute and smilely when the camera isn't around and then run the other way as soon as I get it out! If only I had my sister's camera! The pictures above are an attempt to get a few cute pictures. I was going to put one on our Christmas card but never got one that would work, so the card is just a picture of the three of us...which I finally ordered and will hopefully have in the mail next week.

Apparently, one paci wasn't enough!

The last two pictures are just because. Isn't she a cutie!! A complete mess, but SO much fun!

Baby Fever

For Emory not me!! Ha ha! She has recently become obsessed with babies and loves anything to do with them. Last Saturday, while Cheryl and Travis were at our house, we decided to let Emory try and "hold" Kolton. She was so excited!! She kept trying to give him his paci and kept saying "mommy, baby!" Isn't he the cutest thing...look at those thighs!!

Turkey Day 2009

I know, I know, Thanksgiving was almost two weeks ago, but we were out of town SO much that when we got home I had SO much to do here, that blogging was not at the top of the "to do" list.

Ok so our Turkey Day was actually a turkey week. We left Wednesday night after I got off from work and drove to Jacksonville, AL (that's a 4 hour drive). We slept for a few hours, dropped the dogs off at the in-laws and headed out again for another 4 hour drive to "the middle of nowhere", AL. Seriously, it's the middle of nowhere but so peaceful and so much fun. It's actually Copeland, AL and it is where my granddad's farmhouse is located. It was his mother's house and the rest of his siblings still live in the area. Emory's favorite part was riding the 4-wheeler around the property. She wasn't too sure at first but grew to love it. In fact, just two nights ago she asked to ride the "vroom, vroom" again. So now instead of a slide for her big Christmas present, Chase is insisting on getting her the Barbie 4-wheeler Powerwheels!

Skeet shooting.

The cousins playing together.

Tripp and Cole wrestling...over what, I'm not sure! I think Tripp won!

ALL the kids!!

Tripp and Katie.

Payton playing football.

Scary...I know!

We spent Thursday night at the farmhouse making smores and enjoying the time with our family. Friday we left Copeland around 1130 or so, to head back to Birmingham (a 3.5 hour drive). Friday night Katie and Chase and I went and saw New Moon. It was the second time for me and Katie and the first for Chase. It was just as good the second time as the first!! Saturday was the last UAB home football game for the season. We lost but we finished the season 4-4 in the conference and we were suppose to go 0-8 for the conference, so I guess we can't really complain. Maybe next year we can have a winning season.

Helping Gee cook dinner.

Bennett discovered a new toy...my Nintendo DS! He played Mario for hours...until the battery died.

After the football game we headed back to Jacksonville, AL to spend some time with Chase's family (a 1 hour drive). Nancy kept asking us what we wanted to do...our answer...absolutely nothing!! We had driven so much it was nice to just sit back and relax a little and enjoy the company of family. We spent two nights there which meant that we didn't have to drive anywhere on Sunday except to the park.

Throwing rocks into the river.

Monday ended our Thanksgiving trip. Poor Emory didn't sleep well at all the entire trip so when we got home at 4pm on Monday she took a 3-hour nap then went back down at 9:30pm and slept until 9am! She was worn out from all the excitement of the week. We had a great time but traveling all that way with a 19-month old was NOT fun. She hardly slept in the car and the only video that really kept her attention was the "Favorite Nursery Rhymes!" At least she can sing her "ABC's" now!!