christmas blessings

a few days before Christmas, we drove up to Florence to celebrate Christmas with everyone! emma and ava did a little bedtime reading in her pack-n-play!


and this child seriously melts me in this nightgown.


seriously. melts.


and this would be the last year that we would get to celebrate with mamaw outside of a nursing home. little did I know at the time, but I'm so thankful for this picture.


and then the kiddos opened:


and opened:


and opened some more!




and then sang karaoke:


and read books. it was such a wonderful celebration and as always, so much fun with family that we love so dearly!


back in birmingham, we woke up to find lots of surprises under our tree on christmas morning!


so thrilled to see the tricycle {which was on our list to santa}:


and also the purple crocs {which were the most requested item on the list by far}!







then off to celebrate at mimi's:



mimi gave emma the madame alexander doll, "victoria" which is the doll that I LOVED growing up.


here is victoria's first diaper change.


what???


and here another baby is getting a little "lift" from charlie!


and another diaper change!


what a truly wonderful Christmas!!

christmas card pictures!

the chosen one:


the outtakes:



God love her!


and mimi's "chosen one":


the outtakes:


"hark the herald angels sing", I guess.

oh dear.

girlfriend loves her some sunglasses:


we call this look "the melinda":


and don't think we leave the doggies out of dress up time!

turkey day fun

we had so much fun celebrating thanksgiving with family. we found charlie and emma playing with a tennis ball in mimi's bathtub.


what little stinkers. can't help but LOVE them!!


and this is what I do 1,843,982 times a day:


and guess who doesn't like me messing with her hair!

the first tailgate

mimi, emma and I drove down to tailgate for Auburn's Homecoming game. We had no idea that we would be tailgating with "bo jackson"!


it melts my heart to watch them hold hands {and shake orange and blue shakers!!}. I'm not sure Wade would totally agree with me on the shaker situation!



and since it was homecoming, there were baby tigers outside of toomer's corners:



and lastly we stopped by samford hall for a quick photo:


or two! War Eagle!

trick-or-treat!

for halloween, emma dressed up like a ballerina:


ummmm....the cutest little ballerina you ever did see!


And yes, the dogs were dressed in "costume" as well!


we decided to use our wagon this year for trick or treating:


with our favorite fireman, Gibson!



emma was a little reserved at the doors but she sure did love the candy!