Grandpa Jack's Birthday

We went out for my Dad's birthday, where Charlotte colored and ate like a perfect angel baby. It was so nice to have a good meal out and be able to relax with family after finishing a busy semester at school.



Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you!








I added this picture so I will remember later why we didn't take Charlotte to see Santa Claus. Just standing next to a stuffed toy of Santa was enough to bring tears to her eyes!

Magical Nights of Lights

We visited Lake Lanier for their Christmas light extravaganza. It was a magical night! Charlotte loved sitting up front and watching all the lights go by. She kept saying "Look!", "Oh, and that one!". She was absolutely amazed. The Disney themed lights were her favorite, especially "Tinky Bell". She woke up the next morning talking about "Tinky Bell green and flying in the forest". She did not want to leave, and we will certainly make this a tradition!

Bundled up and ready to go

Little Chef

Chef Charlotte helped me bake Christmas cookies for her friends at Mrs. D's house and my friends at school.



We made Gingerbread men (and Women)


And Sugar Cookies:



Charlotte made a special cookie for herself:



Fancy Nancy style, piled high with lots of sparkle

Enjoying her creation:

Her very own tree

Well, after some thought about decorating our big Christmas tree, we decided that Charlotte should have a tree of her own, to decorate HOWEVER she wants to. We got some of our non-breakable ornaments off the big tree and let Charlotte put them on her tree. True to form, she put almost every single one on the same branch. But she was so cute doing it!











Charlotte posing with her tree. It kind of blows my mind that she is old enough to realize how to "pose"!

O Christmas Tree

I will probably have that song in my head for the next month. I bought Charlotte the Sesame Street Christmas album to listen to while we were decorating and she kept insisting on hearing "O ChristmasTree" by Prairie Dawn over and over again.

How I love to decorate the house for Christmas....and how I dread the clean up that comes before and after!

Charlotte "helping". She kept picking up different parts of the Christmas lights to "hold" for Daddy:








Dancing with the tree skirt on:


After she realized how much fun she was having dressed up but Mommy took away the tree skirt so the tree could have it, she decided she HAD to wear her Minnie Mouse costume from Halloween. So much for the adorable Christmas shirt I bought her.






Suddenly I realized that Charlotte kept going back to the same spot every time, and when I looked she had put every single ornament on the same branch. She had like five ornaments weighing this branch down before I noticed it. It was not pretty when I told her we had to move some of them. And I have about 15 shots of her with the fireplace in the background going back to the same branch.




I finally got the Minnie Mouse costume off long enough to get a picture. This is her "cheese!"





I was feeling a little stressed because we usually get so much more done....but having a little toddler who likes to touch everything was seriously slowing us down. I had to remind myself several times that we have weeks before Christmas, it doesn't matter if everything gets out, as long as we make memories and remember the Christmas spirit while we do it. Even if it's in a Minnie Mouse costume!

These last two pictures make it all worth it, better than any gift that can go under a tree:





The tree is done....we'll see if we get anything else out!

It's a family tradition

The Christmas Tree Farm we've used since living in this house closed down this year, so we found ourselves searching for a new place to go. My family's tradition has always been to cut down our own tree, and it is some of my favorite memories of spending time together to this day. We have so many stories from our many "perfect tree" quests, most that will have us rolling on the floor when someone recounts them, that I am always eager to continue that tradition with Bryce and Charlotte.

Our search led us to "Kinsey Family Farm" in Cumming, and I have to say it was totally worth the drive. They have a HUGE farm with lots to choose from. They have a tractor that comes to pick you up (Just the image of my Dad dragging our tree across the farm makes me laugh out loud now) and they have tons of teenage boys to help load it onto your car. We had apple cider and hot chocolate and the best time we've ever had picking out a tree.


My little cutie pie. Charlotte saw those ear muffs at a store and picked them out all by herself.




Charlotte is waiting for the tractor. Everything has been "scary" lately. She kept saying over and over again "I don't be scared".




Once she actually got on the tractor she was super excited. In fact, she cried when we had to get off. I think she would have rode it all day.




This one!


I think Charlotte's favorite part of the day was the hot chocolate!

Cap-y-chino

Starbucks had buy one get one free on all of their holiday drinks, so I brought two home for Bryce and I to enjoy after school. I thought I was prepared for Charlotte by bringing her a dessert from Starbucks too, but I should have known better. Baby wants what Mommy has! Good thing I had some apple cider in the fridge that I could warm up and convince Charlotte that it was the same thing Mommy had! She is still talking about her Cap-y-chino!