Keeping Up with The Arringtons

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday and will get back to our "normal" routine tomorrow as school starts back for Grace and things really slow down a little bit.

The holidays this year had a whole new feel to them! Living here made the holidays seem more enjoyable. We were able to enjoy our time with family and friends more and not feel so rushed to cram so many things in to the time.

Enjoy the highlights….

Troy and I celebrated 10 years, yes 10 years of marriage on December 20th. We celebrated by taking Grace to Build a Bear in Raleigh and having dinner at one of our favorite places, Chuy's. We would not have wanted to celebrate in any other way this year!!

Grace had been asking us to take her to see the movie Frozen. So we invited some friends to come along and enjoy the movie. I think Grace and Wren had a great time sharing their popcorn!!

Grace got to open her presents from us very first. It was nice to have some time just the three of us to to enjoy time together. Grace was thrilled when she got her American Girl Bitty Baby. Early that day she told me how much she really hoped she got a Bitty Baby for Christmas. It was so heartwarming to see how much she loved the doll. She has since named her Ella and she goes just about everywhere we do.

Feeding Ella for the first time

She also got matching PJs!!

Christmas Eve

We enjoyed spending time at my parents house on Christmas Eve with our traditional country ham, eggs & rice meal for dinner. YUM!! The kids enjoyed time together and opening their presents. It was fun with Huntley this year because he was more in to opening his presents.

Grace and I made cookies for Santa.

Santa requested chocolate chip with M&M this year.

Huntley hanging out in the kitchen with Papa while he was cooking.

The two cutest kids!! The best presents no one had to open!!

Huntley loved his seesaw

When we got home we had to set out cookies for Santa and get to bed!!!

After Grace was sound asleep, Santa's helpers got to work….

Christmas Day Morning

For the first time we woke up at our home and Santa brought gifts and put them by our tree! It was so wonderful to have the morning to enjoy watching Grace unwrap her gifts from Santa and enjoy a little breakfast with Granny and Papa who came by to see what Santa brought in his sleigh.

She was thrilled to see that Santa was able to find our house

Proud of her new Bible

Santa came through and rounded out her collection of Palace Pets

I got to open the gift she made for us at school!!

Reading her letter from Santa and finishing off the cookies Santa left behind.

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls. YUM!

Excitement showing granny and papa what she got!

Christmas Day with the Spells!

We enjoyed a fun afternoon and evening with all the Spells. Our families may be changing, but we always know how to have a good time!! I realized when doing this blog I barely took any photos during the day which is unlike me, but I guess I was a little busy enjoying the day.

Apparently I deleted, somehow, all the photos from our gathering with the Teasley side of the family. How in the world did that happen? I am sure I have lost some great photos. So, other than losing those photos, we certainly had a fun and very blessed Christmas holiday!!

Hoping to be a better blogger in 2014….HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Two posts in one week…can you handle it?

We may have to tie Grace to her bed to keep her in it tonight. She has had three celebrations in the last 6 hours!! I had the opportunity to go to school this afternoon for her class celebration and spend some time with all the cute kids in the class. I manned the snowman memory game station. Let me tell you, 5 & 6 years olds have a WAY better memory than this old lady. The classroom parents put together some really great activities for the kids and it was good to be in the classroom. I was reminded today just how hard of a job teachers have and just how blessed I am to have my child at Easley with Mrs. Farr and Mrs. Harriss. God has placed them in the perfect jobs and they are fabulous at it!

Enjoying her snack.

Showing off the snowman bookmark she made during the celebration

So, after school she decided she did not want to go home with mommy and instead went to afterschool so she could participate in the Christmas party there too. When I picked her up at afterschool she tells me on the way home all the "treats" she had - three handfuls of cheese puffs, 3 cookies and ice cream. Normally I would freak that they gave her such junk, but it's a special time of year, so I let it go.

Tonight we went to church for a short kids singing program and a birthday party for Jesus. It was cute to see the kiddos sing and see Santa. Fortunately I was able to keep Grace away from more sugar at this celebration.