Let It Snow!!!

Our house & yard covered with snow!

The backyard.

The neighborhood just a few hours after it started.

All 3 kids playing in the snow right after it started falling.

Davis' first attempt at a snow angel.

Aubrey standing in the falling snow.

The boys in the backyard.

Aubrey standing in the front yard taking it all in.

Rick giving Davis a lesson in snowball throwing 101.

Davis standing on the rock.

Mommy & Aubrey all wet from the falling snow.

Andrew sitting in the snow.

Davis getting ready to throw a snowball.

Aubrey loved sitting in the snow.

Mommy & Aubrey enjoying the snow.

Snowballs that hit the tree.

The snow was almost knee deep on Andrew!

Snowball fight!

Snow angel attempt #2 worked out much better the second day!

Aubrey throwing the snow.

Aubrey digging in the snow.

Andrew peeking out from the snow covered bushes.

Mommy & all 3 kids in the snow.

Davis running from Rick's snowballs!

Even Thomas made it out into the snow!

Rick throwing snowballs.

Who knew Columbia, SC could get 6 inches of snow? School dismissed a little early Friday afternoon and the snow started falling at 3:30 and kept falling well into the night. It was absolutely beautiful and the kids had a blast (we ALL had a blast)! Davis & Rick had big snowball fights, Andrew brought Thomas out to play, and Aubrey just loved sitting in the snow and throwing it! We knew we needed to enjoy it, the last big snowfall was in 2002, and all the snow had pretty much melted away by Saturday afternoon. Oh well! It was lots of fun while it lasted!

An afternoon at the park.

Aubrey in the leaves.

Ethan & Andrew on the tire swing.

Aubrey peeking out.

Aubrey & Andrew on the tire swings.

Andrew laying on the big tire.

Ethan & Andrew being silly.

Andrew & Aubrey swinging.

Andrew & Aubrey on the tires.

On Thursday, Andrew, Aubrey, & I met up with Lisa and her boys to play at a park that was new to us. The park was attached to Crossroads Community Church and it was great because it was all fenced in! I think the favorite thing was the tire swings, though all the kids loved swinging on the regular swings and there was even a little kids part! The weather could not have been more perfect, a day of 64 degrees and sunshine right before the rain and bitter cold over the weekend!

video: Aubrey dancing

Aubrey loves music and she loves to dance. We finally caught her on video!

Happy New Year!

Willisia & Aubrey

Waiting to start bowling.

Taking it all in.

Kaeden & Aubrey

Aubrey & Michaela

Go, Davis!

Ready to bowl!

Go, Andrew!

Watching his ball.

Kearnan & Aubrey

Kim taking drink orders.

Carson, Andrew, & Aubrey- the little kids table.

The big kids table.

Ready to eat.

Last year we had so much fun bowling that we decided to make it a tradition and do it again! A few more joined us this year and instead of going out to eat afterward, Kim & Phillip graciously invited us all over to their brand new house for hot dogs. It was a great evening, topped off with fireworks. Aubrey & Davis loved the fireworks, Andrew stayed inside. Happy New Year, everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Making beignets Christmas Eve morning.

Putting out the carrots for the reindeer, one for each reindeed including Rudolph.

Putting out cookies and milk for Santa.

Santa was here!

Nana helping Andrew.

Davis was excited over his lego ship.

Daddy helping Aubrey.

The aftermath!

Aubrey loved all her purses!

Andrew and his (literally) smokin' train.

Leslie, Annette, and their eggnog.

Andrew was a huge fan of the eggnog.

Nikki & Aubrey at the kids table.

Full and happy!

Pa & Mr. Tim

Holidays this year were a whirlwind! We were so busy and traveled several times that it went by incredibly fast! We returned home from our visit to Tullahoma, TN with Rick's family on Wednesday the 23rd and my parents arrived the next day, Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve morning we made beignets for breakfast then that night we ate dinner out and then drove through Saluda Shoals to see the lights. When we returned home, we tracked Santa's route on the Internet which captivated all 3 children! Before bed that night, the boys laid out carrots for the reindeer and cookies & milk for Santa. Aubrey wasn't quite ready to help with that this year, she just wanted to eat the cookies. Maybe next year. On Christmas morning, our playroom was a mess of paper, bows, ribbons, bags and toys- lots and lots of toys! The kids had a HUGE Christmas this year but it was so much fun! Andrew & Davis were at the perfect ages to be excited about Santa and the magic of Christmas. Aubrey was just excited because her brothers were! The Elston family joined us for a yummy lunch again this year and we hope that tradition continues for many more years to come. I hope your holiday was as full of joy as ours was!