The Reality

So, I'm getting a start on my New Year's Resolutions early.  One?  Blog again!  So here I am, with a bunch of Christmas pictures.  Diving on in, while plugging my nose, and squeezing those eyes tight. . .
I'm skipping my family's chili party, friends' tacky party, and a million other things that have kept us hopping!

Instead, I will start with the lovely little Mother Daughter tea we threw the Sunday before Christmas.

(Dell Harper and one other buddy aren't pictured, as their grandmother's brought them, as I did not want to try and set up while parenting).

 Cookie decorating.  We will get back to that shortly.

The craft table was bumping- I got these darling little gingerbread house foam kits from AC Moore, and Meg picked up the cutest necklace kits.  I had grand plans for adorable homemade crafts, but these were cuter.  And already done.  Seriously, AC Moore has a fantastic selection of party craft kits, especially around the holidays.

 Back to more cookie decorating.  We rushed it a bit because it was time for Mrs. Claus to read a story.  Dell Harper sprinkled at top speed, then crammed that cookie down her gullet.  No cookie left behind.

So twenty-plus little girls are getting settled in to listen to Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story.  I'm ready for a little breather myself, so I plop DH in a seat, and have a little sit.

As the story begins, Dell Harper turns to me.  Her face is bright red.  She points at her mouth, but is unable to talk.  Suddenly, I realize she is choking!  And I completely freeze up, unable to do anything but say "She's choking!".  A friend says "Hold her upside down!".  I sling her upside down,  and two friends pound her back.  Sure enough, she throws up sugar cookie all over the floor.  On the hardwoods, not the beautiful Persian rug (whew!).

Mrs. Claus doesn't miss a beat throughout.

Dell Harper was bouncing around a few minutes later, after she recovered from her embarrassment.  I knew she was fine when she started snagging tea sandwiches off the platter while we waited for my mama to come get her.

Ain't that always the way.  You have grand plans for an adorable lady-like holiday tea party, with your little angel.  Instead, she crams a sugar cookie the size of her face in her mouth, chokes, and upchucks everywhere while hanging upside down.

That's my girl!!

Home for the Holidays

This cutie was so spoiled over Thanksgiving- I'm not sure he will ever recover!  His Pop-Pop, Aunt, Uncle, and teenage cousins  all in town?  It just doesn't get better.

The festivities started out with taking this girl to the Fantasy of Tree Wednesday afternoon.  Mama decided to come along, and I wisely left my wild little boy at home.  Maybe when he is 3.  Or 10.

 Facepainting, merry-go-round, dancers and gingerbread houses were this cutie's favorite things.

I cooked green beans, broccoli casserole and the roasted root vegetable salad from November's Southern Living for Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house.  In between cooking, I played with flowers, and my leftover antlers for this pair of arrangements for the table.

Morgan's family got here around lunch on Thursday, then we headed over for dinner about 4.  My children had zero interest in sitting and eating, until it came time for dessert.  I was absolutely shocked!

Ha!  That's about what I expected, so I wasn't too stressed.

 Deeds was a little grumpy about his Peter Pan collar and smocked outfit.  "no no, turkey.  NO TURKEY!".  Welcome to the terrible twos, two months early, I suppose.

Friday night I took advantage of all the helping hands, and slipped out for a get-together of all my best buds from high school.

Nothing like hanging out on a friend's dock (with a solo cup in hand) to make you feel 16 again.

Jazzercise felt very early the next morning.

But it perked me up for a major milestone- DH's first football game!

Such fun.  I am still recovering, as are the kiddos.  Deeds walked around calling his cousins names for about 20 minutes on Sunday afternoon.  It was pretty sad.

Now it's time to ditch the pumpkins and get out the red and green.  I think I need a couple naps first!