Christmas

Everything about Christmas this year was understandably more exciting.
We spent time with family in Longview and Marlin as well.  We got to watch our little one entertain all of those she was around and giggle with the attention that she was getting.

 Christmas Day: Jammies

 Playing with her new toys

 The Brown cousins playing together

 Girls' Lunch with five of my absolute favorites!

 Hanging out watching tv with Big Daddy 

 Sharing her new chair with cousin Colton

 Marling with my cousin, Mindy and her sweet little one, Cami.

 Mamaw and all of her great grands

Christmas is not only a time that helps us focus on the ultimate gift that God gave to us through His son, but also reminds us of how blessed we truly are with friends and family.

A White Christmas

After living in Houston for nearly six years, you get sort of jaded to the idea of snow.  My little mind had forgotten however, that Longview gets the same weather as Dallas, so every once in a while it will actually snow.  We were playing games on Christmas evening, when we started noticing that snow was falling.  We all thought, well it won't stick because the ground is too warm, but low and behold, a nice white fluff filled the ground and stayed there through most of Wednesday.  It was beautiful!

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, I woke up to find a very excited niece and nephew.  My 4 year old niece (five in just a few months) was so ecstatic that Santa had come.  Alex took a little longer to wake up, but we took a picture in our Christmas jammies.

We ate breakfast and opened presents with the family.

After lunch, Cody and I headed over to his parents house to do the same things.  We also played some games, which is a tradition with their family.  And y'all, I took a nap..I don't do that.  Baby Girl was exhausted and appropriately so, she was so spoiled this Christmas already and she is still happily playing along in my belly.  I cannot wait to have our own little one to share Christmas with next year! 

Christmas: Friends

I have been so blessed to see friends this past week!
Last Friday after school, I met up with Marianne who was in visiting from NYC.  What a blessing to have friends that you can just pick back up with even after not seeing them for a few years!

Once we got to Longview, I got to see Haley on her birthday at the coffee mill! (Lots of coffee - decaf of course- this past week!)

Later that day, I got to have lunch with Traci at Barron's before heading over to see our friend, Danielle.

That night we met up with the Redd's for their Christmas Eve Party!

LOVE getting to see all of these sweet faces that we miss most of the time!

Christmas Pillow

My Mimi was my dad's mom.  She was married to my Grandpa.  They lived in Marlin when we were little bitty, but moved 30 minutes away from us to Tyler, so we got to see them a lot.  She was a very gentle and patient woman.  She always did needlepoint.  

 

To this day when you go to my parent's house at Christmas, you will see the stockings that she made for my parents, brother and I.  (Side note: We always tease my brother because all of our stockings say our names big.  His says "Merry Christmas" big and his name much smaller).  Mimi had done a needlepoint picture that also said Merry Christmas.  My mother gave this to us last year, but I had no real place to put it.  I decided instead to back it with some trusty burlap (of course) and turn it into a pillow, so now we have a piece of my Mimi's handiwork decorating our couch at Christmastime.

 

Do you have any "heirloom" pieces in your house?  They are just so much more special than the store bought ones!

Hello Christmas!

It took longer than normal to get decorations up, but we have finally come out of the bah-hum-bug and into to the Falalalala.  Decorations are pretty similar to previous years.  We did move the tree to the dining room this year just to change things up and I love it in there!

The front door

The Tree and card holder

Another view of the tree and the dining room table

My Willow Tree Nativity

The fireplace, stockings and upstairs garland

 

The Upstairs Tree

 

A little decor next to the sink

Kitchen Spirit

Hope your halls are decked as well! Only 15 more days until Christmas!

Christmas Cards Planning

Although I love the holiday season, I am not one who likes to rush it.  That being said, there are some things you have to plan ahead for one of which being presents so that you can spread out the spending, the other being Christmas Cards.  If you wait too late for Christmas Cards you end up with New Year's cards.
Tiny Prints has a great selection of Christmas cards this year.
The obsessive puppy momma in me loves this one

And this card is wonderful.  I love this Christmas carol, it captures the reason for the season and I love the beautiful simplicity

I love the simplicity of this one too

I guess the picture we decide to use will determine the card we pick.  What do you think?

Check out more of their Christmas cards options here.  There are pages and pages of a variety of beautiful cards that are simple on the front and have beautiful, colorful patterns on the back.
As you are planning your Christmas cards, be sure to check out Tiny Prints' Special Offer page at http://www.tinyprints.com/promo/tiny-prints-coupon-codes-promotions.htm.  I mean who doesn't love a good discount!
Let the planning begin!


*This post is sponsored by Tiny Prints

Merry Christmas! (A day late..)

We were a little busy yesterday, so I didn't get around to posting, but

Merry Christmas from the Sages to you!

Have to share a few other pictures too....
Alex with part of one of Cody's Christmas gifts

Alex with his new teddy bear...soon to be besties

Erin had already gone down for a nap when the camera came out, but just know that she was so adorable in her Christmas clothes and that she was a HAM this year! So fun to watch open gifts!
And finally our girls stalking a squirrel in the backyard..