Christmas Photo Tour

While I can't be sure that Allie and Harper have any idea what Christmas is, it sure was fun to help them experience it.  CeCe, Michael's dad (who needs a grandfather name!), and aunt Lulu came to visit the weekend before Christmas bringing a sleigh full of gifts from Mississippi. Michael and I had all of our holiday parties that weekend, so we were also grateful for free babysitters.  They took them to their second viewing of the Botanical Garden Lights.  They oooed and awwed on both trips, especially at their dreamy friends Oliver and Charlie.

Fun times around the Christmas tree, which Harper never touched, but Allie liked to give a good shake every now and then.  It was top heavy with ornaments to keep them out of Allie's reach.

 

More botanical gardens with the Busby bunch:

 

 

Festive Shirts: 

Elf Shoes

Reindeer

Smoorfaker (Smith Moore Huffaker) Anuual Christmas Eve gathering on Lookout Mountain:

Christmas Eve dinner with Ellie and Grandaddy and finally meeting cousins Sarah and Michael Pettit:

A walk around the Tennessee River and carousel rides:

Allie LOVES a good carousel! Harper, not so much. I'll spare you the pictures.

Pictures from Christmas Day with my family:

Wheelie Bug from Lovey and D

YBike from Lovey and D

Yes, we STILL do matching PJs

My Mom's side of the family

Harper and Dad

Allie loved being pulled around at high speeds by Uncy Bob.

And finally, my parents graciously let us use their mountain house after Christmas.  Too bad that most of our restful wrap-up to 2011 was spent drying carpets! The professional who winterized the house didn't shut-off the water heater drains and by the time I discovered this, water was everywhere!  Most stressful 10 minutes of my life!  Babies were joyfully splashing in the cold water while Michael and I had our fingers plugged in spigots trying to figure out how to close them.  If the world was on fire, Harper and Allie would be doing a jig by the flames.  I totally freaked out thinking that Michael and babies were electrocuted when he didn't respond to my cries for help from another room.  It wasn't anyone's fault, my parents were very cool about it, and everything dried fine, but we didn't quite have the relaxing vacation we were looking for.  The hours together as a family away from the daily grind made it worth it anyway.