December came and went way too quickly!
It was filled with lots and lots!
We started the month with our tree getting and decorating on Thanksgiving weekend before Julia went back to school for exams.
Coco showed up as hoped for on December 1st to kick start the celebrations!
Lulu made it into the 100 Book Club by reading 1000 pages!
First graders are not allowed to join until Dec. 1st.
She worked hard to make sure she was up on that stage at this time!
Remember listening to first grade labored FABULOUS reading?!?!?!?
1000 pages....oh my!
SOOOO proud of my peanut!
Fourth grade had the Living Wax Museum and Jaida was Amelia Earhart!
The Lower School cheerleaders did a Christmas dance for morning entertainment!
Great job girlies!!!
Xin had the 3rd and hopefully last surgery for his cleft palate.
He was so worried about this (I might have been too)
They take a bone graft from his hip and place it in the hole in his gum.
Stitches throughout his mouth and on his hip.
He had to miss the last week of school to ensure 3 weeks of healing before going back.
It was a BREEZE!!!!
He was so awesome.
Took tylenol one time!
Very swollen face but really no issues!
Thank you God!
Girls enjoyed PJ day at school before getting out for the break.
Julia enjoyed her sorority semi-formal and then tackled exams!
She took her best buddy from high school who goes to Auburn.
Exams behind her...and GREAT grades for her first semester at college, she headed home!
One HAPPY Mama here!
The Littles were so excited to have her home and they started off by making a cake with her.
Just one week later, off to the hospital we went AGAIN!
Surgery #2.
Julia had been having pain, popping and other issues with her repaired knee.
An MRI revealed meniscus and ACL repairs looked fabulous,thank you again God, but an arthroscopic scope was needed to see what was going on.
A HUGE wad of scar tissue was present.
Dr cleared it out and after a week or so of surgery pain, her knee feels amazing!
Thank you God!
PT over this break and hopefully strong and ready for spring soccer by March.
LONG road...poor baby. It will be an entire year. :(
Tree outside the hospital that kept me smiling and hoping through the surgeries.
Just some Christmas "snapshots"
Touring the neighborhoods and looking at lights with a car that "felt and sounded funny"
Ice cream afterwards.
Cookie Making
Movie watching.
Wow! I got hooked on those dumb but wonderfully soothing Hallmark movies! Ha! Life ALWAYS turns out perfect in those!!! A girl can dream right??? Ha!
The Littles love Christmas movies too!
Christmas Eve arrived... and our van didn't work. :(
One 7 passenger vehicle available in our town to rent.
Looked like it was a stolen van.
We laughed so hard!
We did home church as Julia's knee was not feeling so great.
Then we did the usual...
Took silly photos...because we are truly a circus!
Fed the reindeer
Made them smile nicely for the yearly family shot in front of the "tree"
The Night Before Christmas reading
Said goodbye to Coco as he hides in the stockings the last day.
Waiting for Santa to come and take him back to the North Pole.
Christmas morning alas!
Sam is a UGA fan but Santa brought him Alabama pjs??? Maybe he is saying they are the better team to pull for????
This is so funny! The kids all sleep in the same room Christmas Eve. We give them a time when they can come wake us up.
7:15 was go time!
The time has gotten later as the Bigs enjoy sleeping :)
Will and I were sitting outside the door when they opened it to spill out!
We scared them to death and laughed so hard!
They didn't think it was so funny :)
My parents then come and spend the day with us.
The following day we head to Will's parents house and celebrate with his family.
New Years Eve we headed to the lake for food, fun, gaming and movies!
Julia went to Charleston with some friends from school to celebrate.
Everyone stayed up until midnight...some tired people the next day!
This just makes me laugh.
Lulu...enjoying her new earmuffs and mermaid blanket! :)
This is what Christmas and family and memories are all about!
Simple moments like this!
How I LOVED all the traditions, family time, coziness and memory making moments!
Many more I did not document with photos because I was actually "in the moment"!!!
I am always a little bummed after the holidays.
I miss my people being around.
I feel 2016 was a tough year, an emotional year, in many ways.
Lots went on.
But the blessings....the many blessings as well!
I love the people I do life with and look forward to 2017 and the gifts it will bring!
