A Poinsettia Ball, but not before...

my friend Carey Leader came over & helped transform Courtney into a young lady fit for a ball...

hair & makeup fit for a princess...

she totally spoiled Courtney by bringing her a hot pink & sparkly cocktail ring...

and a headband with bling...

we took pictures...

lots of pictures...

pictures by the tree...

and of course the shoes on her feet...

most important pictures with her daddy...

Beautiful girl!

Christmas Day 2008...

Our little tree...

Logan got a remote controlled helicopter...

stocking stuffers...

some jeans for school...

Logan got Courtney the last book in the Twilight series...

more stocking stuff...

Curtis's mom got him a set of Obama coins!?...

Seriously!?*

Our day was nice and quiet.  Curtis's mom & stepdad came over and we opened gifts & ate breakfast.  Then all of us went over to his cousins house.  The gift game was terrible... I have never seen so many people put such little thought (some none at all) into something that should be so much fun!  The only reason we went was so the whole family could be together.  Curtis's Nana wasn't going to go if we didn't and all that would do is create more tension in the family.  I really wish I had taken some photos of his Nana, but I didn't.  Nobody took pictures of anything!  I got a new camera, so I'm hoping to get her over to the gardens and take some photos with the kids before we go back to school.  Thing 1 (aka... Courtney) & Thing 2 (aka... Logan) had a great Christmas.  They really didn't ask for anything and loved most of what they got!  

The evening was so peaceful & quiet!  The kids were exhausted and Curtis had to be at work early the next day, so they all went to bed early.  I just took the opportunity to enjoy the peace & quiet and my favorite decoration in one of my favorite rooms!

Merry Christmas!!!

'Twas the night before Christmas...

the stockings were hung...

the milk was poured...

the carrots counted...

cookies coca cola cake from

Mitchell's Coffee House for Santa...

(Santa was thrilled, so we'll definitely be doing this again)

and one last gift count stolen in the dark

before they turned in!!!

I almost forgot our visit with Santa...

Down Snowy Way...

a walk among magnificent ornaments...

through an icehouse like no other...

to see Santa we go...

notice in the fun facts...

Santa says "No cookies this Christmas!"

We had a great time

but Logan was totally over the

chilly 9 degrees it takes

to keep everything frozen!!!

Yea!!!

Not much farther!!!

Defrosting on ICE!!!

Our view as we took in hot chocolate & pastries!!!

Look who we got to keep on Christmas Eve!

Our friends Loni & Nate both work for Publix and both had to work on Christmas Eve... so we got to keep their sweet little girl... Cameryn!!!

She was so sweet!!!

With mom's permission we did a little craft...

We painted her little foot and put her wiggly little print on a memory box.

We can't wait to keep her again!!!

Baking with Aunt Ginny...

Courtney & Logan spent a day baking with their aunt at Nana's house.  Courtney took the camera and captured a few moments from the day!

Making snow balls...

& sillyness!!!

Making chocolate covered peanut butter balls.  Yuck!!!

This stuff is the best!!!

They had the best time!!!

She let them do everything...

everything they don't get to do at our house!!!  

The Saturday Before Christmas at Meme & Papa's House...

Courtney & Maggie Daisy

Kaitlyn (cousin) & Courtney

Logan

A Gift...

for someone I admire.  I love the way she loves her family.  The way she loves God shines through her family... they are truly an amazing family!  An inexpensive wall tile with photos I took in October of two of the most precious people in her life.

Where has the time gone?

Oh... How I miss this little stage in their lives!

Christmas 2002

Where has the time gone?

Courtney is just growing up so fast.  The American Girls are taken out a little less often...her time is now spent reading and talking with her friends.  Junie B. Jones is a distant memory replaced by Twilight & New Moon.  Book reports are replaced by book reviews, discussions, and interviews.  One thing has remained the same... she is still so sweet and attentive to Logan... the big sister reading to the little brother & helping him with his homework.

I love it!

Logan is growing up just as fast.  His first Christmas I could hardly get him off my hip and his little teeth were just coming in.  Today he lost his first tooth!  So many nights I've spent with him reading favorites like Goodnight Moon and Go Dog Go... now he reads stories to me all on his own!

So sweet!

They were so sweet and still are!  

It's A Beautiful Life

Logan & Courtney

Christmas 2002