Thanks Nana

We love the tutu! It doesn't get much cuter than this.... Carlee has been wearing this hot pink tutu regularly these days. Today she was riding her bike outside with it on. She also got the idea of having a ballerina butterfly birthday party. Then I thought we could give the tutu's away as gifts to her guests. How fun! It's definitely better than Spiderman (which is what kind of birthday Carlee wanted up until now, don't ask me why). We'll see what happens....

I can't believe Christmas is over...

Truly. I told Carlee last night that we were going to have to take down the tree this weekend. Of course her first response was with the saddest face ever, "but, why?" Oh it does break my heart to end the Christmas season. The memories have been so great this year.

I'll never forget:

• Carlee saying how "beauuutiful" all the Christmas lights were. She appreciated every one's effort and gazed at every house with such amazement. She also said that she was very impressed. (some big words for a almost four year old) I'm going to miss the lights!
• Carlee's first response when I woke her up Christmas morning was, "It's time to change the calendar!" (We've been marking the days down since Dec. 1st) Greg and I wish we had that on video.
• How fast the tree decorating went with four people helping.
• And how Carlee insisted on helping me take all of the ornaments off today and did it with such care. She still thinks the tree is permanent.
• Watching Zachary open his gifts with a wide opened mouth looking so surprised. It was priceless.
• How many times I have cried this season. I love the holidays and spending time with family.
• How much I loved watching my Miemaw cook her dressing and gravy and trying so hard to remember how she did it. It's so yummy!
• How quick the Hatton family can clear a table and get things cleaned up. My dad and I are a well oiled machine and we both love to have things picked up and looking back to normal so soon as possible. We even like to throw all trash away after each gift is opened. hahaha...
• Being able to be my moms hands and feet and realizing how much work goes into preparing our Christmas day meal.
• My mom and dad's house at Christmas is radiant. Everything is decorated so beautifully.
• The strawberry cheesecake my Uncle James brought for Christmas dessert. UMMMM good.
• Having both set of grandparents at my mom's house and all the camera flashes going off when Carlee and Zachary opened their gifts.
• Watching both sets of parents open up their photo collage we gave them and them loving it.
• Playing "Ticket To Ride" with Chew, Quint, and Randle four times and Greg winning almost every game.
• Decorating Jesus' Birthday cake and celebrating His birthday. Listening to Carlee sing Happy Birthday all by herself in her cute little voice the first time through.
• Appreciating the closeness between me and all my family members especially my mother-in-love (law). We never have to worry about what we say to each other and we are the best of friends.
• This is one of the first years I did not really care what I got for Christmas and totally appreciated the gift my children are to me.
• Getting Christmas pictures made and how sweet they turned out.
• How much candy Zachary had and how he can always smell it on your breath.
• How much hot chocolate Greg and I have had each night.
• All the time Greg had taken off and how much I have loved his help.

I will definitely miss it, but I will not miss the headache I have had because of all the business and craziness.

It's a New Year and now we look ahead and thank God for all that He is and all He is going to do. I thank Him in advance for the grace He will poor out on me and my family. I know it's only because of that grace that I can live and be used fully by Him. God Bless you and your family this New Year.

Cousins

It always cracks me up trying to take a picture of all our kids. Trying to get three kids looking in the same direction and smiling is hilarious. All the parents were acting like goof balls just to get a smile. Oh well, it's still an updated picture of all of them together. Love these moments!

Christmas with Grammy and Pawpaw

Carlee with her Cinderella stocking
Zachary enjoying his new beginner big wheel

Grammy and Pawpaw with they're picture collage that we gave them

Zachary loving on ELMO

Greg and his Wii sports accessories. We got a Wii for Christmas, but we've had it awhile since they're so hard to come by.

Baby Nathan (Carlee and Zachary's cousin)

Me and my new pair of running shoes

Carlee and Zachary loving they're new fireman hats

Zachary with his Elmo phone. Looks like he's got it down.

This is our Happy Birthday Jesus cake Randle made and I helped decorate. I put a Jewish star on there and everyone laughed. Carlee loved singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and thought it was very nice of Grammy and me to bless Him like that. She's so cute!

We enjoyed the day and stayed over a long time. We got to play Ticket To Ride twice with Chew, Quint, Randle and Ed. It was so much fun! I know the kids had so much fun. I love these special Christmas memories.

Christmas at Nana's and Grandpa's

Carlee with GG and G-Paw and the easel they gave her
Carlee with Great Me-maw and PawPaw with her "Fancy Nancy" doll and books

Greg got "Ticket To Ride" (one of his favorite games)

Me sporting my new Fossil sunglassesWe gave my parents a collage of pictures of our kids. They loved it!

Rachel and I sporting our aprons that mom made us.

Carlee in her "Word Girl" cape that Nana made.

Carlee twirling in her tutu that Nana made with her pink leopard tiara

Zachary with his remote control car

I loved being able to help out my mom this Christmas. She fell down some stairs and was in a lot of pain so Meimaw Hatton, Dad, Rachel and I all stepped into action and helped her out. It was a blessing to be in the center of the action preparing food and getting everything on the table. However, it was a whole lot of work and I was very tired after all was said and done, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Dad and I learned not to put the food away too early because after we had we had to turn around and get it right back out for others that had not yet eaten. Too funny!

Thank you Mom and Dad for all the wonderful gifts. We loved being with ya'll and celebrating together. It was such a blessing to have both set of grandparents there as well. We loved being surrounded by the people we love.

Christmas at Home

Carlee and her stocking stuffers.
Zachary with his T-ball

Carlee with her Leapster (her favorite gift)

We enjoyed Christmas morning at our house opening gifts and celebrating Jesus. Carlee and Zachary seemed to open gifts in record time. They did great and even shared some of the toys they received. Greg and I captured all of it on video as well and got some great reactions.

Christmas Eve

They're trying hard to love sitting there

I love my boy!

I cant' believe we captured this picture...

We went to our churches Christmas Eve service on Wednesday and enjoyed it. However, we had a few things holding us back. Our car battery lost all power and we had to get a jump before leaving the house. Then Carlee fell asleep on the way there. We thought about turning around, but she woke up and was willing to go in with us. I'm so glad we went because at the very end of the service, there was a group of teenage girls who sang a special song. It was very beautiful and it got to a part at the end where it seemed to me (being a worship lover) that everyone should have been standing with hands raised rejoicing the Lord. No one stood expect a young man in the front center row with his hand extended high to the heavens and his face gazing upon the Lord. It was beautiful! It was at that moment I lost all composer and wept like an uncontrollable baby. I was totally captured and could have spent forever in that sweet precious moment. To experience God to the fullest and enjoy His sweet spirit was a great gift.