More Fa La La La La!!!

We have been in full Christmas swing around here (in between our crazy life!) We had SUCH a fun Christmas with Mimi and Papa Tillie! They came up on a Friday afternoon and spent the weekend with us. I was running in the door from being in California all week for work (hence the crazy life!)  We played outside and opened presents in front of the tree! Saturday morning I got up and met some great friends and Aunt Jenn to run the Atlanta Jingle Jog! It was lots of fun! Mimi and Papa were so great to let Steven and I go to a Christmas dinner (adults only!!!) on Saturday night! It was a fun night with friends!

Aunt Jenn and me! 2nd Race together this year!

Running girls!

Fun times in Publix!

Fun times with the girls at Christmas Dinner Party!

Such a nice night!

Decorating our Gingerbread house

Proud Little man!

Jack had his Christmas program at school last Thursday and Poppa came down to see him sing! He has been singing his songs for over a month (Lucy sings them too!) and he was so excited about his program! They sang five songs and he smiled the whole way through. Lucy, on the other hand, started out smiling at big brother and then tried to go out and stand with him to sing. She was NOT smiling when Mommy told her she had to come back and sit with us! Poor baby girl! She wants to do everything Jack does!

It's hard not to watch her! 

So proud!

Sweetness

Sing it Jack!

Such a proud little sister!

Jack and his Poppa!

Family picture

Jack and his good buddy Cade

Friday night we headed to the Coopers for a Christmas party for Steven's company! It was really nice! Saturday morning I got up and went to a Holiday Endurance ride at the gym! It was so fun and I got to wear my holiday tu-tu again! (Haha!)

Such fun times!! 90 Minutes?! Bring it!

Stacey keeps me motivated!

We headed to Poppa and Nunno's for our big family Christmas later that morning! The whole family was there and it was so fun! The kiddos had the best time playing together and opening all their presents! It was a happy day!

Hiking in the woods before lunch!

Happy Couple! 25 years on December 18!!!

Another happy couple!!

What happens at the kids table..stays at the kids table!

John and Steven!

Aunt Jenn and Uncle Britt (keeping an eye on the kids table!)

Lucy and Anna wearing their Stockings on their head! 

Jack hanging candy canes on the tree!

The WHOLE family! Happy times!

Aunt Jenn and Jack playing Santa

Lucy playing with Jack's boxing gloves! TROUBLE!

Coloring on the floor on a rainy afternoon!

Happiness is....syrup with a side of french toast! 

Happiness is.... how many bows can I stick on me?!

And what do you do after a fun Christmas...do it again!!! We went to Granny's on Sunday afternoon to celebrate with all the Buffington's! It is hard to believe that all of the cousins are getting so big!!! They all sat around and worked in coloring books and all opened their own gifts! It was a happy night and I think we have a new tradition of being at Granny's house!

Lots of family! SO happy!

Lily in her new robe!

The little girls aren't so little any more!

Granny and some of her great grandchildren (Lily, Douglas, Alice, Jack and Lucy)

Cousins!

Granny and her babies!

It's hard to believe that this is the week before Christmas (Especially with some more shopping to do!!!) but we are hoping for a little bit slower time and spend some time at home enjoying the holidays! We have lots more cookies to bake and lots more Christmas movies to watch! There are a few things this season that have been so fun with the kids that I want to remember..... Jack is CRAZY about Edward (our Elf on the Shelf), he jumps out of bed to see where Edward could be each morning (Lucy is just as excited if she sees Jack excited!) The boys next door have to come in our house to see where Edward is and Jack has to go to their house each day! We go look at the Christmas lights in our neighborhood every night (it is truly spectacular), both kids favorite song is Feliz Navidad..they sing it all the time (it was part of Jack's program), Lucy sings the same line over and over of Little Drummer Boy (.."Told me...Pum Pum..." TOO CUTE!) Neither of the kids touches the tree or the ornaments. They both helped unwrap them all and were super careful! Jack is in a typical 4 year old mindset..he races through his presents and wants more to open...Lucy takes her time and then gets all into one toy and doesnt care about opening the others. Jack stamped everyone of our Christmas cards this year again. Jack helped with every step of making our sugar cookies during Lucy's nap, Lucy sings "Santa Claus is coming to town!" (just those words but over and over again!) Jack has told 2 different Santa's that he wants an Ipad..hilarious. He actually thinks he wants an Ipod because ours have his Disney music on it and he wants to listen to it any time he wants. (However, Aunt Jenn introduced games on the Ipad to Jack this weekend...we might be in for it! Ha!)

It's been really fun and we are really looking forward to a slower week cruising into Christmas! Happy times around here!

Such a big girl!

Sweet baby Lucy is TWO YEARS OLD! Our sweet and sassy baby is getting so big! We had such a fun time celebrating this past week.  On Wednesday morning (her actual birthday) we woke her up with pink and white balloons singing Happy Birthday! She loved singing happy birthday all week. Her version goes something like, "Happy Day LuLu!!!" She was very excited to run into her classroom that morning to let her friends know it was her birthday! Daddy, Jack and I came to her classroom that afternoon with cupcakes and snacks for her friends. She told Jack to "sit right here" next to her. She was so happy Jack was in her class. Instead of blowing out her candle she just put it out with her finger! Yikes! Luckily she just looked and made a face and said it was hot! Whew! So glad it didn't burn her finger too bad!

Good morning Birthday Girl!

Having cupcakes with her big brother!

Lucy's sweet teachers (this was Jack's first teachers and class at Woodchase!)

We came home, played outside, made a big breakfast for dinner (the kids think that is so fun!) and had cookie cake (a family favorite!) It was a really happy day!

Another treat for the birthday girl!

Yummy!

Jack loves cookie cake too!

Messy hands!

Happy girl!

Lucy opening her present from Jack (with help!)

Lucy loves her new Sesame Street house!

 We let the celebrations continue through the weekend. Granny and Ann got in town Friday afternoon and we played and had dinner at our pizza place. We came home and made smores by the chiminea! Saturday morning was Lucy's birthday party! She was quite the character in the tu-tu and leg warmers that Ann brought for her! We had pink hot chocolate and decorated gingerbread men! It was a beautiful afternoon!!!

Happy Birthday!

Aunt Elizabeth helped with the cute decorations!

Pink hot chocolate!

Mommy and her big girl!

Tu-Tu on the rock wall!

Lucy waiting on a cupcake!

Blow out the candles!

Poppa with his babies!

Yummy!

So happy Granny was here with us!

The Leonards! (with a few additions...)

Happy Birthday baby girl!

Grandbubba, Aunt Neese and Aunt Mamie came to her party too and stayed the night with us. During nap time we all built Lucy's big present...her new playhouse! When she woke up she ran out the door screaming, "House House!!!" She LOVED it and has been playing in it today already!
Saturday night was still a celebration but we shifted to Christmas! We spent the afternoon and early evening on the patio and then moved inside for a big dinner and opening gifts! The kids were so much fun this year opening gifts! They got so many great things! It was a happy weekend with LOTS of family!
We have already had breakfast with Santa this morning.... but more to come on that later! :)

Jack "helping" in the big boxes!

Father and son (thank goodness Mommy was around to help with directions! Ha!)

The Leonards building the house!

Lucy was VERY excited! As you can see her feet are off the ground as she was running!

Peaking out of her window (mouth full of gumdrops!)

Opening birthday presents on the patio

We were so happy Mamie came to be with us!

Kiddos loved their beanbags from Aunt Neese!

Does it get much better?!

Dancing with the singing Sock Monkey

Lucy with her new friends in her bean bag!

Grandbubba and Jack!

Look Aunt Neese!!!!

Lucy at two years old.... Lucy continues to be full of personality and always has us laughing. She is very sassy and very confident. She speaks pretty clearly in everything that she says...She talks non-stop so she has plenty of practice! She can say all of her ABC's and counts to 10.  She LOVES her big brother and has to do EVERYTHING he does. She has no idea that she is little. She runs and keeps up with all of her buddies and especially with the boys! We have two boys across the street and Jack ...she just runs around with them like she is one of the bunch! She loves Elmo and all the Sesame Street characters. She sleeps with a blanket (or 3!) every night. It doesn't have to be one in particular...any will do! She also sleeps with a few friends but this changes night to night. She likes putting her friends to bed, "Night Night" and sit them all up around her crib.  Lucy also LOVES to dance. It doesnt matter what song or type of music. If she hears it..she will be shaking it and getting down! She also loves to color.. she will go through a coloring book in one sitting! And if anyone has been around her...they know that she loves to eat! (She gets that honest!) She loves all food and truly enjoys the experience. She eats and it makes her happy! She has the cutest figure. Cute belly sticking out! Her little chunky legs are starting to thin out and stretch out. Our baby is getting bigger. She is so much fun and had the most genuine smile! Sweet baby girl!